Utility Installation Challenges & Solutions | St. George Contractors

Question 1

Q1: How can unexpected rock be budgeted without inflating bids?

Accepted Answer

A: Use pre‑bid test pits and set unit prices for hammering or rock trenchers, include export and CDF contingencies, and align pave‑back with APWA/city standards to avoid late overruns.

Question 2

Q2: What prevents utility strikes when maps are unreliable?

Accepted Answer

A: Combine 811 and private EM/GPR locating with potholing, follow APWA color codes, and collect GNSS as‑builts for closeout and future utility locates.

Question 3

Q3: How is trench stability managed in wet or collapsible soils?

Accepted Answer

A: Moisture‑condition the subgrade, use specified bedding and compaction by lift, and select flowable fill in constrained or paved corridors when standards require it.

Question 4

Q4: What’s the fastest path to municipal acceptance and pave‑back?

Accepted Answer

A: Build to APWA/municipal details for sawcut and thickness, schedule segmented inspections, and submit GIS‑ready as‑builts at closeout.

Question 5

Q5: When should HDD be chosen over open cut?

Accepted Answer

A: For roadway and waterway crossings or dense corridors to minimize disruption, after verifying separations with potholing and locator data in line with federal utility accommodation practices.

Question 6

Q6: How do local conditions affect utilities in Southern Utah?

Accepted Answer

A: Expect rock and caliche, flash‑flood sensitivity, and strict restoration details, so plan rock contingencies, erosion controls, and APWA‑aligned pave‑back from the outset.

Question 7

Q7: Which safety practices are non‑negotiable in trenches?

Accepted Answer

A: Follow NUCA’s “Slope, Shore, Shield,” use engineered systems where required, and never allow entry into unprotected trenches five feet or deeper; reinforce with daily briefings.

Question 8

Q8: What scheduling tactics reduce the risk of overruns?

Accepted Answer

A: Tie milestones to measurable quantities per segment, pre‑book inspections, and stage materials and traffic control for continuous flow through restoration

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