Roadway Standards Section 710 – General

Clackamas County regulates the placement and ongoing requirements of utilities that are located in the public right-of-way and easements under the jurisdiction of the County.  This chapter addresses the technical requirements associated with utility installation.

County Code Title 7.03.099 should be referenced for additional important information.  Additionally, some utilities have separate agreements with Clackamas County that may modify the requirements included herein. 

Applicants shall conform to the requirements of Chapter 4 regarding soil loss and erosion control measures.

710.1 Potholing Requirements

On arterial and collector roadway, work subject to a Development Permit shall pothole for existing utility locations to verify that the design has no conflicts with existing utilities.  The County may require potholing in other situations and on other roadways depending on the type of facility and scope of the work.  Any conflicts with existing utilities including storm or sanitary will be resolved prior to excavation for installation of the utility. 

Potholing requires a Utility Permit.

710.2 Location Requirements

1. New and relocated utility installations shall follow Standard Drawing U100 for placement.
2. The utility shall be placed as far as possible from the edge of the roadway including within public utility easements as feasible. 
3. Any placement shall not impede, obstruct, or hinder operation of any emergency service, maintenance operations, pedestrian or vehicular access or travel including to or from private properties and of legally parked vehicles or permitted items within a public right-of-way.
4. Above ground utility facilities shall follow the clear zone standards of Section 245 and pedestrian facility requirements of Section 710.3. 
5. Utilities shall be installed underground per the ZDO or as required by land use requirements.
6. Any manhole lids, junction boxes, vault lids, water meters, etc. that are located in vehicular travel lanes are to be out of any wheel tracks.

710.3 Pedestrian Considerations

When considering pedestrian facilities, utilities:

1. Shall not obstruct the pedestrian facility width. 
2. Any surface access to utilities (including manhole lids, junction boxes, vault lids, water meters, etc.) shall not be installed in a pedestrian facility unless no reasonable alternative exists.  If no reasonable alternative exists, the surface access shall be flush with the pedestrian facility grade.  The surface access located in a pedestrian facility shall be slip resistant and not have holes or depressions that can cause a tripping hazard per County Code Section 7.03. 
3. Surface access for new utilities shall not be constructed within any ADA ramps or landing. 
4. If existing utilities are located where an ADA facility needs to be constructed and the utility cannot be relocated, the surface access shall be made flush with the ADA ramp or landing and an ADA exception shall be formally requested and approved.

710.4 Structures

When attachment to a structure (i.e. a bridge or a box culvert) located in a public right-of-way is involved:

1. The applicant shall provide an engineering assessment of the existing structure to add the facility including a structural analysis that illustrates the ability of the structure to carry the weight of the facility and also considering:
   1. Dead load of the facility
   2. Supports to attach to the structure
   3. Attachment method
   4. Spacing of the supports
2. No utility shall be attached to a bridge or other structure crossing a body of water prior to County Planning and Zoning review for a possible Floodplain Development Permit and shall obtain the concurrence of County Transportation Maintenance.

710.5 Pressurized Pipes

When the proposed utility involves pressure pipe line, the applicant shall provide the:

1. Design pressure of pipe;
2. Normal operating pressure;
3. Maximum operating pressure.

710.6 Vertical Clearance

Any aerial utilities shall meet the requirements of the National Electric Safety Code for vertical clearance.

710.7 Burial Requirements

710.7.1 Depth

All underground installations shall be buried a minimum of thirty (30) inches below the nearest vertical roadway surface, (i.e., from the bottom of ditch line).  Minimum depth of bury may be decreased with Engineering approval based on topographical constraints or when matching existing utilities.  If placed less than 30 inches deep, utilities shall be placed below any cross culverts and should not be placed above cross culverts.  Additional requirements may be imposed on installations not meeting the minimum depth requirements including identifying tape.  Plans must show the distance from the nearest vertical roadway surface to the top of the proposed buried cable, pipe line, or facility.

710.7.2 Warning Signage & Ability to Locate

Warning signs for buried power or communications cable, and for pipe lines carrying gas or flammable liquids, shall be placed at each crossing under the roadway, and at intervals along longitudinal installations as required by the current Public Utility Commissioner's Order and as specified by the Road Official as follows:

1. Signs shall be placed as near the right-of-way line as is practical.
2. Notwithstanding 1) above, signs for an installation within the roadway shall be placed behind any existing guardrail.

Tracer wire or other locating device is required immediately above the facility enabling the ability to locate the facility within two feet of the facility per Oregon dig laws.

710.7.3 Pedestal Placement

Pedestals installed as part of a buried cable installation are to be located as far from the traveled portion of the roadway as is practical, and preferably one foot from the right-of-way line.  The locations shall not impact driveways or ADA ramps.

710.8 Requirements and Specifications for Trench Backfill

1. Backfill materials meeting the Oregon Standard Specifications for Construction (aka "standard trench backfill") shall be required for use when trenches exceed one of the following dimensions:
   1. 100 feet in length or longer; or
   2. Greater than 10 feet in depth.
2. Standard trench backfill may be used per Standard Drawing U200 except when the following conditions exist and then CDF shall be utilized per U250 through U275B:
   1. Utility trenches are within the roadway of arterial and collector classified roadways;
   2. The affected roadway surface is newer than 5 years from the time of the last overlay, without regard to roadway classification; or
   3. Engineering deems it necessary.
3. CDF shall conform to the following specifications:
   1. Be able to excavate and produce unconfined, compressive, 28-day strengths from 100 psi to a maximum of 200 psi.
   2. Contain aggregate no larger than 3/4 inch, and for trenches less than 12 inches in width, the aggregate shall be no larger than 3/8 inch.
   3. Slump shall be 6 to 8 inches to insure flowability and will fill all voids without requiring compaction efforts.
   4. The surface of fill shall reach a strength to withstand the process of paving without displacement or disruption within 48 hours, regardless of weather conditions, temperature or moisture content of the soil where placed.  Additives such as calcium (1% or 2%), hot water and/or a pozzilith (water reducer) are acceptable means to achieve this set.
   5. Copies of the CDF batch weights must be submitted to Engineering.
   6. Alternative backfill may utilized per Standard Drawings U270A and U270B.
4. Exemption from CDF may be considered if all of the following construction requirements are otherwise met:
   1. Backfill materials meeting Class "B" backfill specifications from the Oregon Standard Specifications for Construction or its approved equal are used;
   2. Not less than 95% relative maximum density (using AASHTO T-99) is achieved;
   3. Compaction results are provided by a certified testing lab;
   4. Perimeter excavation for manholes is 10'X10' or greater to allow for sufficient mechanical compaction of the backfill;
   5. The surety repair time duration is extended an additional two years beyond the three years as specified in Section 710.9.
5. Trenches shall be protected in the following manner:
   1. Sufficient weight and size steel plating or approved equal materials, capable of carrying a minimum of H-20 loading, shall be present at the work site prior to excavation and placed over the trench to protect the public.
   2. Plating shall be positively secured from movement and shall be ramped with anti-skid coated plate ramps.
   3. Plates must extend beyond the trench wall a minimum of one foot on all sides.
   4. Lighted barricades with appropriate signage shall be placed sufficiently ahead of, and adjacent to, plating to warn all traffic.
   5. All plating and signs are to remain in place until permanent surface repair paving operations are underway.
   6. Additionally as required by Section 290.
       

710.9 Open Cuts of Paved Roadway Surfaces

1. Unless there are extenuating circumstances that require open cutting the road to install utilities or special permission is granted by the Road Official to open cut the road, a cable, pipeline, or conduit, which crosses under the roadway, other roadway connections e.g. road approaches or driveways, shall be placed in a casing bored under the surface for that purpose in accordance with the following provisions:
   1. All utility companies serving the work site vicinity shall be contacted to request line locate services.
   2. Any utility conflicts shall be resolved before initiation of construction.
   3. The applicant will be required to comply with ORS 757.
2. Installations by plowing of cable or conduits within the UGB shall not be allowed.
3. Burial of cable outside the UGB placed by the plowing method shall be limited to areas behind the ditch line or as close the right-of-way line as practical when no ditch exists.  Approval of alternate means of installation is subject to time and schedule restraints to allow for preferable soil moisture conditions, pavement surface temperatures, and other roadway characteristics. 
   1. In all cases mechanical compaction efforts shall be applied to the entire disturbed portion of the right-of-way.
   2. Restoration of gravel shoulders and drainage ditches and the verification of the function of all drainage structures must be achieved prior to completion.
4. Open cut utility installations in paved streets shall restore those streets per Standard Drawings U275 through U290.
5. Open cut service laterals, when allowed, shall be grouped together per Standard Drawing U290.
6. In addition to the requirements of Standard Drawings U275 to U295, utility cut requirements may include, but not be limited to the following conditions:
   1. Repaving may include surface grinding, base and sub-base repairs, or other related work as needed to restore the road to the minimum standards and to reduce the number of seams or eliminate pavement seams in a wheel path.
   2. Pavement restoration beyond trench patching along roadways with sidewalk may require the installation or replacement of ADA curb ramps. 
   3. Disturbance to existing ADA facilities may require replacement of those facilities to current PROWAG standards. 
   4. Additional asphalt area removal and replacement may be required to ensure the smoothness of ride characteristics to meet the Oregon Standard Specifications for Construction Section 00744.70. 
   5. As required by these Roadway Standards and/or as determined by the Road Official the requirements may include up to full-width surface paving of the roadway depending on the limits of disturbance and the condition of the existing pavement; 
   6. Limitations on the operation to protect the roadway from temperature related damage, i.e. delamination of pavement surfaces and subgrade;
   7. If the County determines that the final repaving of the street is not appropriate at that particular time for reasons relating to weather or other short term concerns, the County may grant a delay until proper conditions allow for repaving.
   8. Apply restrictions as to the size and type of equipment during freeze/thaw conditions or for saturated subgrade with a poor or very poor PCI rating; it could also be due to the existing width of the road and traffic flow or other conditions that warrant limitations on equipment;
   9. Designation of routes upon which materials may be transported;
   10. Mitigation of potential subsurface hydrologic flow along the utility or appurtenant trench; e.g. bentonite check dams;

710.10 Concrete Street Surface Repairs

Concrete roadway surface repairs shall conform to the following specifications: 

1. The entire Portland Cement Concrete (PCC) panel must be removed between the nearest expansion joint.  If the trench excavation is within two feet of the nearest joint the abutting panel must be removed.
2. Placement of the bedding material and approved granular backfill must be placed and compacted to 95% compaction.
3. Replacement of the Portland Cement Concrete panel must equal the thickness and design strength of the concrete material removed, or be of a minimum 4,000 pound, 28 day strength design mix, whichever is stronger. The concrete must be placed in conformance with industry standards and protected against freezing.  The texture of the concrete surface must be like the adjoining surfaces.
4. Perpendicular PCC joints - 18" long, 1 ¼" smooth dowels with epoxy coating, embedded 9" into both the new PCC panel and the existing, abutting panel, spaced at 12" on center
5. Longitudinal PCC joints - 16" long, #4 rebar smooth dowels with epoxy coating, embedded 8" into abutting panels (new and existing), spaced at 18" on center
6. Longitudinal joint with curb and gutter - 8" long, #4 rebar smooth dowels with epoxy coating, embedded 4" into both the PCC gutter and panel, spaced at 18' on center.
7. Concrete roadway restoration beyond along roadways with sidewalk may require the installation or replacement of ADA curb ramps. 
8. Disturbance to existing ADA facilities may require replacement of those facilities to current PROWAG standards
9. The work area must be signed and protected to detour traffic away from the repair for seven (7) days following the placement of the concrete repair unless the use of a high early additive is requested and approved in the permit.