(A) Drilling, boring, driving or tunneling across improved area.
(1) When crossing under any improved area, the opening for a utility facility shall be drilled, bored or driven on a horizontal plane at a minimum depth of three feet below the surface of the street and its swale ditches.
(a) The facility may be placed by tunneling when authorized by the permit. When tunneling, after the facility is placed the hole shall be backfilled with 1:3:6 concrete of dry consistency and tamped.
(b) Wet boring is prohibited.
(2) No openings for the purpose of placing utility facilities or other structures under the improved area by drilling, boring, driving or tunneling shall be made closer than three feet to the edge of the roadway, unless the permit authorizes a lesser clearance.
(3) Facilities and other structures crossing under the improved area shall be constructed so as to assure the safety of the traveling public and to preclude the necessity of entering upon the improved area to effect future maintenance or replacement. Such facilities shall comply with applicable provisions of PennDOT Design Manual, Part 5.
(B) Trenching across improved area.
(1) No trenching shall be permitted across the improved area, unless authorized by the permit.
(2) Trenching across the improved area may be authorized by the permit where drilling, boring, driving or tunneling are not feasible because:
(a) The subsurface is solid rock;
(b) There are other facilities located longitudinally under the improved area and their location precludes methods other than trenching;
(c) Adjacent development in a very congested urban area makes the construction of a tunneling or boring shaft impossible; and
(d) The Borough Manager determines that the disruption to traffic and length of exposure will be minimal.
(3) When trenching is specified in the permit and the utility facility is to be placed across the street in one piece, the trenching operation shall be performed by the following method.
(a) Traffic shall be routed over one-half the pavement width.
(b) The closed half of the pavement shall be opened to the required depth and bridges with steel plates.
(c) Traffic shall be shifted to the bridged half of the pavement.
(d) The remaining half of the pavement shall be opened to the required depth.
(e) The facility shall be placed full width.
(f) The open trench shall be backfilled and restored half-width in accordance with this section (relating to special conditions - subsurface operations).
(g) Traffic shall be shifted to the restored half of the pavement.
(h) The bridging shall be removed and the remaining half of the trench shall be backfilled and restored in accordance with this section (relating to special conditions - subsurface operations).
(C) Installation while street closed. If the Borough Manager determines that the duration of trenching operation can be minimized to allow a temporary closing of the street, the entire cartway may be opened to install the facility. Permission to do so must be stated on the permit.
(D) Trench openings parallel to street.
(1) Trench openings for utility facilities and other structures shall be made so that the near edge of the opening is at least three feet outside the edge of the cartway unless the permit authorizes a lesser clearance, with a minimum depth of three feet from the surface to the top of the facility.
(2) On an unpaved street, the near edge of the trench opening shall be at least 12 feet from the general centerline of the traveled street, or as authorized in division (D)(1) above.
(3) No trench opening shall be left open for a distance of more than 200 feet at any one time, unless authorized by the permit. In addition, no more than 40 feet of trench shall be left open on the shoulder of a street at the end of any work day, unless authorized by the permit.
(E) Plates or bridging required. Except for emergency repairs of utility facilities or as set forth on the permit, work shall be stopped prior to peak traffic hours that exist on a particular street on a particular day. Steel plates or bridging shall be placed over all openings made within the improved area which are less than six feet in either length or width when work is stopped. The plates or bridging shall be extended a minimum of 18 inches from each edge of the opening and shall be secured in a safe manner.
(F) Plowing installation of utility facilities.
(1) No plowing shall be permitted within the right-of-way, unless authorized by the permit.
(2) Plowing operations will be authorized only in unpaved shoulders.
(3) Plowing operations are not allowed from November through March, inclusive, unless authorized by the permit.
(4) No plowing shall be permitted within three feet from the edge of the cartway. A greater distance shall be attained wherever possible.
(5) The opening shall be a minimum depth of three feet. If this depth cannot be consistently maintained, the proper depth shall be achieved by trenching.
(6) The utility facility shall be installed under any structures that are less than three feet deep. All disturbed structures shall be repaired or replaced by the permittee.
(7) The disturbed area shall be restored in conjunction with the plowing operation. If heaving occurs the disturbed area shall be reshaped, backfilled with select granular material (2-RC) and compacted until the disturbed area is restored to a condition equal to that which existed before plowing.
(G) Disposition of materials.
(1) The permittee shall keep the improved area free of all material which may be deposited by vehicles traveling upon or entering onto the street during the performance of work authorized by the permit.
(2) The permittee shall be responsible for controlling dust conditions created by its own operations.
(3) All excess material and material that is not suitable for backfill shall be removed and disposed of outside the right-of-way as the work progresses.
(4) All retained suitable material shall be placed or stored on the side of the operation farthest from traffic, unless otherwise authorized by the permit, and in such a manner that there will be no interference with the flow of water in any gutter, drain, pipe, culvert, ditch or waterway.
(H) Backfilling. All openings made in the cartway or in paved shoulders shall be backfilled by the permittee in accordance with the following minimum standards.
(1) The opening shall be backfilled with select granular material (2-RC), compacted in not more than six inch layers, with approved vibratory compaction equipment.
(2) Compaction shall be completed to the bottom elevation of the existing pavement.
(3) Temporary or permanent restoration shall be placed at the end of each working day.
(I) Restoration of flexible base pavements. Base and surface restoration of flexible base pavements shall be done in accordance with one of the two methods listed below, as specified in the permit.
(1) High early strength concrete restoration method (to be used when permanent restoration is made upon completion of backfill). Prior to replacement of the base course, one foot from each edge of the trench shall be sawed or cut, in a neat straight line, to the bottom elevation of the existing base course, and the detached material shall be removed. Drilling shall not be permitted.
(a) The base course shall be replaced with a minimum of eight-inch, high early strength concrete to the elevation of the existing crushed aggregate base course. The high early strength concrete shall then be cured in accordance with § 501.3(K), PennDOT Publication No. 408. If a trench exceeds four feet in width, No. 6 reinforcing bars shall be installed in the concrete base course, placed at six-inch centers measured longitudinally in the direction of the trench, with a two-inch clearance on each end and a three-inch clearance on the bottom.
(b) Following the concrete curing, a tack coat of bituminous material shall be applied in accordance with § 460, PennDOT Form 408.
(c) After the tack coat has cured, the bituminous binder and/or wearing course shall be placed so as to conform to the existing type of road binder and wearing courses.
(d) The edges of the repair shall be sealed with the type and class of material designated for the surface course for a width of 12 inches centered on the repair joint in accordance with PennDOT.
(2) Ninety day temporary and permanent restoration method (to be used when temporary restoration is made followed by a minimum 90-day settlement period).
(a) Temporary restoration. Temporary restoration shall be made and kept in place for a minimum of 90 days after backfilling the trench. The select granular material (2-RC) backfill material shall be placed in accordance with division (H) above with a surface of a two-inch compacted 2P-2 bituminous stockpile mix.
(b) Permanent restoration.
1. After the minimum 90-day period, but before 210 days, the temporary restoration shall be removed and permanent restoration made.
2. Prior to making the permanent restoration, one foot from each edge of the trench shall be sawed or cut, in a neat straight line, to the bottom elevation of the existing base course, and the detached material shall be removed. Drilling shall not be permitted.
3. The permanent base course shall consist of bituminous concrete meeting the requirements of § 305, PennDOT Form 408, and having a minimum depth of five inches or a depth equal to the existing base course, whichever is greater.
4. The permanent surface course shall be placed in accordance with the depths of the existing bituminous surface, but in no case shall the wearing course be less than one and one-half inch ID-2 or FJ-1.
5. The edge of the repair shall be sealed with the type and class of material designated for the surface course for a width of 12 inches centered on the repair joint in accordance with PennDOT Form 408, § 401.3.
(J) Temporary and permanent restoration of plan or reinforced cement concrete pavements.
(1) Upon completion of the trench backfill, the select granular material (2-RC) shall be placed in accordance with division (H) above with a temporary surface of compacted 2P-2 bituminous stockpile mix. Permanent restoration can be made at any time prior to the expiration of 210 days from the backfilling of the trench. If permanent restoration is completed immediately after backfilling, temporary restoration is not required.
(2) Prior to replacement of the base, one foot from each edge of the trench shall be sawed or cut, in a neat straight line, to a depth of at least three inches, and the detached material shall be removed. Drilling shall not be permitted where sawing or cutting is required.
(a) The replacement base shall consist of high early strength concrete equal in depth to the original concrete pavement.
(b) On existing reinforced cement concrete pavements, reinforcing steel and expansion tie bolts shall be placed in accordance with PennDOT Roadway Construction Standard RC-26.
(3) The surface shall be restored as follows.
(a) The surface shall be cured in accordance with § 501.3(K), PennDOT shall be given a textured finish in accordance with § 501.4, PennDOT Publication No. 408.
(b) Surface restoration of a cement concrete pavement which has a bituminous surface shall be done in accordance with division (I)(1) above.
(c) The edge of the repair shall be sealed with the type and class of material designated for the surface course for a width of 12 inches centered on the repair joint in accordance with PennDOT.
(K) Shoulder restoration.
(1) Paved and stabilized shoulders.
(a) Temporary restoration. Temporary restoration shall be made and kept in place for a minimum of 90 days after backfilling the trench. The select granular material (2-RC) backfill material shall be placed in accordance with division (H) above, or any substitution or replacement thereof, of this subchapter with a surface of a two-inch compacted 2P-2 bituminous stockpile mix.
(b) Permanent restoration.
1. After the minimum 90-day period, but before 210 days, the temporary restoration shall be removed and permanent restoration made.
2. Prior to making the permanent restoration, one foot from each edge of the trench shall be sawed or cut, in a neat straight line, to the bottom elevation of the existing base course, and the detached material shall be removed. Drilling shall not be permitted.
3. Paved and stabilized shoulders shall be reconstructed and restored to a serviceable condition, of the same type as existed before the start of work.
(2) Unpaved shoulders.
(a) Retained material which complies with § 206.2, PennDOT Publication No. 408, may be used for backfill, up to within 18 inches of final grade. The final 18 inches of backfill shall consist of select granular material (No. 2-RC). The width of the shoulder shall be no less than four feet.
(b) If the length of the facility exceeds 50 feet, the shoulder shall be graded, rolled and penetrated with RT-2C or MC-30 bituminous material at a minimum rate of twenty-five hundredths gallon per square yard and chipped or lightly sanded to prevent tracking of oil onto the pavement.
(L) Appurtenances to underground installations.
(1) The top of every manhole, valve box or other access to the facility shall be at the same elevation as the surface in which it is located.
(2) The surface surrounding manhole or valve covers located in shoulders shall be paved in such a manner as to prevent washouts.
(M) Additional restoration.
(1) All disturbed portions of the street, including all appurtenances and structures such as guardrail or drain pipes, shall be restored to a condition equal to or better than that which existed before the start of any work authorized by the permit.
(2) If the permittee opens the street pavement, whether to install a new facility or to modify an existing facility or for any reason other than to perform emergency work pursuant to § 94.34 (relating to emergency work), and the wearing course is less than five years old, the permittee shall, in addition to the minimum restoration conditions outlined in this section (relating to special conditions - subsurface operations), overlay the street pavement in accordance with the following conditions.
(a) When a longitudinal opening longer than ten feet and wider than three feet is made in the street pavement, the permittee shall overlay the traffic lane(s) in which the opening was made, for the entire length of street that was opened.
(b) When two or more transverse trench openings are made by the permittee in the street pavement less than 100 feet apart, the permittee shall overlay all traffic lanes in which the openings were made, for the entire length of the street between such openings.
(3) Regardless of the age of the wearing course, when both longitudinal and transverse trench openings are made in the street pavement, the borough may require the permittee to overlay all traffic lanes in which such openings were made, for the entire length of street that was opened, if the Borough Manager determines that the present serviceability of the street has been impaired by the openings.
(N) Paint identification. Upon completion of temporary and permanent restoration, the restoration
date shall be painted on the pavement immediately adjacent to the cut. The painted date shall Indicate the month and year numerically. The numerals shall be at least six inches in height. The paint shall be of a durable wearing quality and shall be color coded as follows: blue (water); yellow (gas-petroleum); red (electric); orange (communications); and green (sewer).
(Ord. 1-1984, passed 3-12-1984)