Kentucky Manhole Map
Manhole mapping is tedious work to those performing it, however it is extremely valuable to the carrier that is trying to find an economical way to route new fiber optic cable for a small cell installation. Electric Conduit Construction (ECC) won a project in Kentucky to document all ducts in over 100 manholes scattered along five different routes.
Manhole mapping is actually a way to document and inventory all of the ducts in a manhole system. The position of each duct or duct bank is noted, the size of the individual duct is measured and open vs occupied ducts are written down and photographed. This information gives the carrier a way to determine new pathways for fiber. These pathways are established so no excavation or drilling is necessary. All that is required is for crews to rod out the duct and pull new fiber through.
In this particular project our customer tried to have this work done in the past and every contractor failed in their attempt to complete it due to lack of success with permits. ECC maintains a dedicated permit staff. These professionals understand municipal governments and their desire for minimum disruption to traffic arteries and their concern for worker safety both above and below ground. This is true in all of the areas we cover, including Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota.
ECC spent a considerable amount of time preparing for this project. These preparations included meetings with the public works department, traffic control authorities, and review of the city’s utility construction codes. After several meetings three concerns were evident:
Safety: Worker safety in confined spaces. Gas monitors, airmovers, and electrical safety precautions for the underground phase, and traffic control for the above ground phase.
- Permits: Each site required a separate permit delineating the work plan, safety plan and traffic control plan.
- Existing Road Construction: The municipality was in the middle of several major road and bridge projects. Traffic was being detoured and the normal traffic patterns were disrupted. They requested that we not add to the confusion. This created more constraints for us.
We developed work and safety plans, partnered with a local traffic control company to assist with the traffic plans. Then we assembled all of this into permit applications and met with the public works departments to lay out our plan and a very tight schedule. All of the work would be completed within a two week period.
After this meeting all parties realized that ECC covered the three main concerns and had a plan to deal with each. Public works then combined our 100 permit application into 5, one for each route.
In the end ECC completed the work in 10 days and several benefits were evident. The city was very impressed with our approach to the work. Their view of the carrier and our conduct as a professional contractor was changed for the better.
Our customer now had an accurate inventory and set of data, (Backed up in our cloud based Construction View™), with which to base their Small Cell expansion plan on, and with these new, already established pathways there would be little impact on downtown traffic when the small cell project starts.
Manhole mapping is not glamourous, but to our customer it is extremely valuable. Electric Conduit Construction prides itself on professional conduct, safe conduct, respect for the public, and hard work. This project reflects the value of our code of conduct.
