Page 8 - CCGA Best Practices Version English

1-0 Planning and Design Best Practices

1-1: Planning Utility Corridors

Practice Statement: Designers and planners should evaluate all applicable
factors when determining the placement of underground utilities. Ideally
speaking, existing utility corridors should be used to the fullest extent, and,
for entirely new installations, consideration should be given to the creation of
a common utility corridor for the current, and future placement of all utilities.

Practice Description: Pre-planning for utility placement within current or
proposed utility corridors is vital to the overall safe operation of that corridor.
Planners and designers should research, examine and evaluate the size, and
location of the area to be utilized, and determine the type and running line
location of the utilities that must utilize the corridor. In the case of existing
corridors, the information developed must be assessed in the context of
the proposed installation to determine the safest, most efficient, and most
effective configuration. In the case of entirely new installations in proposed
corridors, the information developed must be assessed in the context of
a common corridor configuration that accommodates all of the utilities
involved. Consideration should be given to issues such as safety, setbacks,
future operations and maintenance, preservation of boundaries, clearances
and future expansion.

Planning practices, such as joint trenching and the development of Utilidors,
should be considered as options for maximizing the effectiveness of the
available area. Similarly, standardized line locations could be adopted that
promote the safest, most efficient, and most effective installations.
Consideration should be given to the development of provincially consistent
standards for the planning, design, and construction of common utility
corridors. This should incorporate minimum guidelines for sizes/spacing
between utilities in corridors, protection of property bars, and the consistent
standard placement of utilities within the Right of Way.

Benefits:
The use of common utility corridors would result in the following benefits:

1. Accurate information as to the location of underground utilities in a
particular geographic area.

2. Safe, efficient, and effective installation, placement, operation and
maintenance and of underground utilities.
3. Efficient and effective utilization of land.

4. Easy identification and location of underground utilities in future
development projects.
5. Damage Prevention.

Canadian Common Ground Alliance
Best Practices Version 3.0 – October 2018
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