November 21st, 2016

REPORT FOR SUBSURFACE UTILITY ENGINEERING

Utility Designating and Locating Services

SP6982-322 (Twin Ports Interchange)

Submitted to:

Minnesota Department of Transportation

1123 Mesaba Avenue

Duluth, MN 55811

Submitted by:

Utility Mapping Services, Inc.

3947 East Calvary Road Suite 206

Duluth, MN 55803

218.728.8087

Utility Engineering SP6982-322 (Twin Ports Interchange)

Designating Services

Table of Contents

Introduction

Data Limitations

Project Specific Scope of Work

SUE Services Performed

Phase I Utility Designating

Utility Ownership

Supplemental Comments Regarding Existing Facilities

Utility Descriptions

Summary

Power and Street Lighting

Natural Gas

Sanitary Sewer

Telecommunications

Culinary Water

Storm Drains and Culverts

Utility Discrepancies, Issues and Notes

Recommendations

State Law Caveat

Appendix A

UTILITY DESIGNATNG AND LOCATING PROCESS

Phased Approach for Data Acquisition

Data Acquisition Phase I Responsibilities

Utility Mapping Services, Inc.

1

Utility Engineering SP6982-322 (Twin Ports Interchange)

Designating Services

Introduction

The following summarizes the results of subsurface utility engineering (SUE),utility designating and locatingservices performed for design project: Twin Ports Interchange. This work was performed under a contract agreement between Utility Mapping Services, Inc. (UMS) and Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT)(a.k.a. the “Client”). The purpose of this investigation was to interpret the presence of utilities within the specified project limits identified by the Client as described within this report.

Professional judgment has been exercised to reasonably investigate, develop and present findings in a pragmatic manner for the ensuing project design and bid document preparation, while staying within the allotted budget. The users of this data are reminded that this information is for design purposes only, and not intended to be used in-lieu of the Gopher State One Call (Dial 811) utility locating process. The contractor is legally required to call Gopher State One Call two business days prior to construction. The data presented here are time sensitive and represent the results of the Phase I utility designating efforts at the time of the field investigation (August/September2016).

Specified project boundaries for the utility designating effort were identified in the original Detailed Work Plan dated August 5, 2016 with the area added on TH 53 from West First Street to Superior Street. Coverage of somefacilities may extend outside these project limits as practical to capture surface features necessary to complete QL C alignments.

The results of the subject utility designating investigation are presented in digital and hardcopy deliverables (see File Information section) including this report, a MicroStationutility reference file, and a hydraulic database report. To assure meaningful and proper usage, and to minimize risk of misinterpretation, this data must be kept, regarded, and interpreted in a collective, integral manner and in accordance and with understanding of CI/ASCE 38-02 standard guidelines.

This report documents the SUE field investigation and data interpretation. Particular attention has been given to special conditions including questionable interpretations, unusual installations or contradictory information obtained from record data and field findings. The information included hereinenabled: 1) systematic determination of conflicts between existing utilities and proposed design and construction; and 2) proactive activities between the project development team and utility owners to value engineer resolutions.

To best utilize the submitted utility investigation results, refer to Appendix A which providesanoverview of the utility designating and locating investigation process.

Data Limitations

UMS consistently performs professional utility designating services in accordance with CI/ASCE 38-02 guidelines and generally accepted engineering principles and practices at this time. However, a possibility exists that abandoned, forgotten, non-detectable, undocumented or newly installed utilities may not get mapped using standard records research and geophysical survey procedures. While the CI/ASCE 38-02 standard guidelines mitigate these issues, utilities possessing characteristics mentioned below can be missed while following standard utility designating and locating procedures:

  1. Utilities lackingapparent available records and without apparent surface features.
  2. Utilities with record information which is illegible, misleading, or incomplete.
  3. Utilities which are inaccurately reported or inaccurately represented by the utility owner as lying a significant distance from the true position.
  4. Abandoned utilities without apparent surface features.
  5. Utilities buried excessively deep, beyond detection limits of standard utility designating equipment.
  6. Non-conductive utilities buried in clay soil without apparent surface features.
  7. Facilities installed subsequent to the utility designating field investigation effort.

A common problem occurs when the project involves facility owners and operators with insufficient records and non-conductive buried facilities, a situation often encountered with public works installations, infrastructure for oil and natural gas wells installed prior to 1960, and irrigation systems that have non-conductive water mains. Facilities mapped under these circumstances are often depicted as QL D during the utility designating (Phase I) field effort to keep operations and budgets at a practical level. As the design project progresses some depicted facilities may have to be upgraded to a higher quality level through more advanced geophysical prospecting and utility locating methods (Phase II) to properly identify and assess utility conflicts for design and construction. Designers, utility coordinators, and contractors must realize the CI/ASCE 38-02 utility mapping effort is an iterative acquisition and interpretation process; unless subsequent endeavors are made to upgrade designated quality levels, facilities depicted at lower quality levels, such as QL D, may be completely in error.

In addition, depicted facilities and corresponding data are pertinent at the time in which field investigation operations are completed, and are subject to change. Final utility plans and data are for design purposes only, and reflect utility conditions at the time surveyed. Unless authorized to maintain and keep data sets current, UMS cannot be held responsible for changing utility scenarios after completion of field operations.

Users of this data set must understand and adhere to the limitations associated with the designated quality levels assigned to the depicted facilities. QL C and QL D depictions are based on interpolations, extrapolations, and available record data; this data can be erroneous and should not be used alone for design development and bidding purposes. Additional utility designating and locating field efforts to upgrade data to QL B and A are strongly recommended for areas where accurate final design and construction planning and bidding is required.

UMS strongly recommends users of this data, especially project engineers-of-record, become orientated with the CI/ASCE 38-02 standard guidelines and the corresponding data limitations inferred by the designated quality levels prior to employing the data set for design purposes. In addition, this report must always accompany the existing utility reference CADD file to ensure proper interpretation and usage of the data set. Any questions regarding this submittal should be directed to the SUE professional engineer-of-record.

Project Specific Scope of Work

The project specific scope of work included designating theutilities within specified project limits. However, coverage of some facilities may extend outside these limits as practical to capture surface features necessary to complete QL C alignments; additional utilities may exist outside these limits and are not depicted on the utility designating and locating data CADD reference file and map. The achieved quality levels for the Phase I utility designating effort are summarized in Table 1.

The project scope included designating as practical to a target quality level B (QL B), or QL A if the facility was exposed and accessible, all identified underground utilities; however, to keep the investigation pragmatic, facilities that could not be detected using standard electromagnetic inductive tools were mapped to QL C and D during this Phase I utility field investigation effort. This iterative mapping procedure was used to allow the Owner the opportunity to evaluate the necessity to expend more resources during the Phase II effort to achieve a higher quality level designation on utilities in question. In some situations, QL objectives could not be met due to geophysical limitations such as excessive depth of facility, lack of tracer wire, non-conductive nature of pipe material, lack of surface features, lack of access, and/or insufficient records. Exceptions to Table 1 are noted on the MicroStation utility reference file and plan sheets.

Table 1. Utility Designating Results

Utility Type
(Buried) / Mains & Primary Laterals Mapped / Services and Secondary Laterals Mapped
Storm Drain / N/A / N/A
Sanitary Sewer / QL A at manholes and inlets,
QL B, C & QL D based on available records information & field observations / N/A
Culverts / N/A / N/A
Telecommunications / CATV / QL A for surface features,
QL B / QL B
Natural Gas and Propane / QL B / QL B
Traffic Signals / QL A for surface features,
QL B / QL B
ATMS / N/A / N/A
Lighting / QL B / N/A
Water Mains / QL A for surface features,
QL B, C and D / QL D as available on records
Power / QL A for surface features,
QL B / QL A for surface features,
QL B
Irrigation / N/A / N/A
Petroleum / N/A / N/A
Military Communications / N/A / N/A

The project scope of work and work plans for utility designating included records research, field operations, data management, QA review and CADD development tasks, to produce deliverables outlined in the File Information section of this report.

SUE Services Performed

Protocols as established by UMS, ASCE, and FHWA for SUE were followed for this project. Field operations proceeded on a segment-by-segment basis, and entailed reconnaissance, field designating, drainage work/manhole logging, and engineeringsurvey campaigns.

Phase I Utility Designating

A project kickoff meeting was held on September 13, 2016 with representatives from UMS, MnDOT, City of Duluthand the various utility owners. Utility designating work involved field meets and reconnaissance, collating information from records obtained from the utility owners, relating records with observable surface features, and geophysical surveys. The work performed was not 100% geophysical sweep of project area limits, but a retracing of distinct, known, detectable utility alignments within the project area to achieve Table 1 QL designating objectives wherever possible.

Utility Ownership

Table 3 specifies utility ownership and representative contact information for utilities identified within the subject utility designating investigation project limits. Information is current as of the date of submittal.

Table 3: Utility Ownership and Contacts

Utility / Utility Type / Contact / Phone/Email
Western LakeSuperior Sanitary District / Sanitary Sewer / Carrie Clement / 218-722-3336

CenturyLink / Telecommunications / Michael Coughlin / 218-723-4224

City of Duluth / Water
Sanitary Sewer/Gas / Tom Pfeffer / 218-730-5104

Charter / Telecommunications / John Quade / 218-529-8042

Consolidated Communications / Telecommunications / Jeff Bright /
Northeast Service Corp. / Telecommunications / Adam Lawery / 218-748-7619

Minnesota Power / Power / Eric Clement / 218-355-2831

Zayo / Telecommunications / Steve Senger / 952-230-9660

MnDOT / TMS / Dave Mavec / 218-725-2767

MnDOT / Illumination and Traffic / John Hoivik / 218-725-2790

Wisconsin Central Limited/BNSF / R/R Roadmaster- Lakes Division / Charles VonRueden / 715-394-1235

Supplemental Comments Regarding Existing Facilities

Users of this information are reminded that mapping results presented and depicted with this submittal are representative as of completion of field investigation (August/September2016) and are a pragmatic interpretation based on the systematic designating effort executed. Limitations may still exist as previously discussed in this report.

Utility Descriptions

The following utility specific sections are general, non-inclusive overviews of utilities encountered within the project limits. Special mention is made to many, but not all, locations of potential utility conflicts. In all cases, please refer to the SUE MicroStation existing utility reference CADD file for utility details, location specific quality level attributes, and identified discrepancies.

Utility designating investigations have produced considerable data and digital information which is presented via the CADD existing utility reference file. The objective is to depict and provide representative information for subsurface utilities present within the specified project limits. The following provides a descriptive summary of the depicted utilities, and discusses the quality level of that information.

Summary

For this investigation, QL A data is tied via an engineering survey to project survey control 3D coordinates; QL B data is tied to project horizontal coordinates, but elevations are at the ground surface. QL C alignments are straight lined between visible surface features, consequently they will not reflect ground surface undulations. QL D alignments are approximate only and will not reflect ground surface undulations. Explanation of areas where geophysical detection was poor or non-existent, degrading the quality of designation, will be provided in the following utility specific descriptions.

Power and Street Lighting

Several overhead and buried power installations were mapped throughout the project corridor and are owned by Minnesota Power. The City of Duluth and MnDOTown the existing street lighting. The buried power installations were generally mapped QL B during this field investigation. The overhead alignments are based on surveyed pole and structure locations.

Natural Gas

The City of Duluthhas agas main running along Lower Michigan Street and crossings of I-35 near 26thAvenue, I-35 near Garfield Avenue, and TH 53 at Michigan Street. The gas facilities were generally mapped to QL B on the utilityreference file.

Sanitary Sewer

Western Lakes Sanitary Sewer District (WLSSD)owns and maintains gravity installations within the project corridor.They cross I-35 at 26th Avenue and also a nearby crossing of I-35 further north. The pipe sizes and material type were recorded at each location. The connections between each pipe end were designated QL C based on the apparent alignments observed at each pipe end or manhole.

Telecommunications

There are numerous fiber optic and telephone installations, both OH and UG, located throughout the project corridor. The utility owners include Charter, Centurylink, Zayo, Consolidated Communications, and Northeast Service Corporation. The buried facilitiesmapped during this field investigation were generally designated QL B on the utility referenceCADD file.

Culinary Water

The City of Duluthwater mains and services were designated throughout the project limits. Identified surface features (e.g., valves) were surveyed and logged. The water facilities mapped during this field investigation were generally designated QL B on the utility reference CADD file.

Storm Drains and Culverts

Storm drains and culverts were not part of this effort.

Utility Discrepancies, Issues and Notes

The following summaries are provided to draw particular attention to special conditions such as discrepancies between utility records and field findings, unusual utilities, and utilities found to have incomplete or conflicting information. These issues may warrant further investigation.

Natural Gas

  • The City of Duluth gas line crossing of I-35 near Garfield was unlocatable. No sizes were mentioned in the record information. The gas line in the alley south of First Street was unlocatable. There were tracer wire hookups but no reading was registered.Thealignments shownhave been drawn in QL D for the submittal and may require further investigation.

Sanitary Sewer

  • The City of Duluth has a force main under TH 53 on Michigan Street which was unlocatable.The alignments shown have been drawn in QL D for the submittal and may require further investigation.Some of the manholes were full of water which limited the field crew's ability to record pipe data such as size and material.
  • Structures 603, 623 and 624 are all a part of the sanitary sewer mainline. We were not able to open any of these structures. Pipe sizes, material are from record information provided.
  • WLSSD has a force main crossing I-35 near the pedestrian bridge that was unnlocatable. The alignments shown have been drawn in QL D for the submittal and may require further investigation.
  • WLSSDhas a crossing of I-35 near 26th Avenue where no intermediate manhole, as shown on the record information, was found between the two manholes on either side of I-35.The alignments shown have been drawn in QL D for the submittal and may require further investigation.
  • WLSSD has a sanitary force main drawn between the manholestructure and the lift station in the interchange area below the Blatnik Bridge.
  • Several sewer manholes were either full of water or not accessible which lead to no indication of pipe material or size.

Water

  • City of Duluth waterline crosses I-35 at Garfield Avenue and was unlocatable due to no close above ground features to hook on. It is drawn as QLD. No size was mentioned in the record information.

File Information

Utility ownership, size and material (where available), designating quality level, and notes are included for each utility on the MicroStation existing utility reference file (SP6982_322ut.dgn). Digital photographs are also included with the submittal.

Table 4. Digital file submittals

File Name / Description
SP6982_322ut.dgn / Existing Utilities Reference File
Utility ownership, specification, ASCE Quality Level, and notes are provided at each survey point along the utilities.
SP6982_322ut_SUE_Existing_Utility_Sheets.pdf / SUE Notes Sheet
Existing Utilities Plan Sheets
SP6982_SUE_Phase1_Report.pdf / This document
SP6982-322_Hydraulic_Information.pdf / Hydraulic Log Sheets (manholes, inlets, etc.)

The existing utility MicroStation reference file (SP6982_322ut.dgn) has data parsed within the appropriate levels based on the MnDOTdesign standards.

Recommendations

UMS recommends vacuum excavations (test holes) or advanced geophysical methods be used to further investigate utilities identified to be in potential conflict with the proposed designs to better define positional and facility characteristics and explore conflict mitigation alternatives. Further exploration is also recommended on QL D and QL C depicted utilities where more accurate positioning is necessary to assess conflicts and also clarify or resolve discrepancies between field observations and record data.