New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 16 - TRANSPORTATION › Chapter 25 - UTILITY ACCOMMODATION › Subchapter 7 - FACILITY DESIGN AND LOCATION › Section 16:25-7.3 - Safety, construction, and highway restoration provisions

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) The area
				disturbed by utility installations or relocations shall be kept to a minimum.
				Restoration methods shall be in accordance with the Department's standards,
				specifications, and applicable special provisions in highway occupancy permits
				for utilities and in utility agreements for highway projects.
(b) Disturbance to the Department's existing
				electrical facilities, ITS facilities, and drainage facilities shall be
				avoided. Where necessary, underdrains shall be provided to prevent entrapped
				water, particularly where utility trench backfill consists of controlled low
				strength material concrete encasement.
(c) Underground utility facilities shall be
				backfilled with material required by Department standard specifications.
				Jetting or puddling shall not be permitted under the roadway.
(d) Material or equipment shall not be stored
				on Department property except during working operations, unless approved by the
				Department. Material or equipment shall not be stored within the clear zone
				area without proper protection.
(e)
				The utility shall restore all portions of the work area to accommodate traffic
				and pedestrians at the end of the work day. The pavement surface shall be
				restored to a smooth and sound condition which shall meet or exceed the
				conditions prior to construction. The surface shall be maintained in this type
				of condition on a 24-hour, seven days a week basis during the duration of the
				work until Department acceptance. If settlement or erosion occurs, the utility
				shall restore the area within a period of time approved by the Department. The
				utility shall provide the Department with a list of emergency contacts should
				the Department need to contact the utility to arrange for such
				maintenance.
(f) Restoration of
				flexible and composite pavement by the utility company shall be in accordance
				with the Department's standard details for Utility Trench Construction found in
				the New Jersey Department of Transportation Standard Roadway
				Construction/Traffic Control/Bridge Construction Details.
(g) The utility shall be responsible for
				maintaining the uninterrupted flow of traffic at all times, unless otherwise
				specified in the permit or agreement or incorporated as part of the traffic
				control documents for a Department construction project.
(h) All work performed within highway
				right-of-way and property under the jurisdiction of the Department, and all
				signs, markings, or other traffic control devices used by the utility shall be
				in compliance with the standards set forth in
				16:25-1.3. A traffic control plan
				shall be developed and approved for all utility work within highway
				right-of-way in accordance with conditions contained in highway occupancy
				permits issued pursuant to N.J.A.C. 16:41. Utility work that is part of a
				Department construction project, including advance utility relocation work,
				shall have a traffic control plan prepared and approved in accordance with the
				utility agreement between the Department and the utility.
(i) Permission from the appropriate
				Departmental Operations Permit Office and Traffic Operations Center shall be
				obtained before conducting any scheduled utility activity affecting traffic. On
				Department construction projects, all utility construction activity shall be
				coordinated with the Department's Resident Engineer.
(j) Utility facilities within highways shall
				be constructed and maintained to withstand traffic loading.
(k) All utility facilities within the border
				area shall be constructed and maintained to withstand Department maintenance
				vehicular loads.
(l) Utility
				facilities shall be kept in a state of good repair both structurally and
				aesthetically at all times.