Utility Coordination

Home / Doing Business / Engineering/Design Services / Utility Coordination

Office of Road Design

In an attempt to avoid unnecessary utility relocation and to design the highway project with the least amount of impact to the existing utilities, early coordination meetings are held with the involved utility Companies. The information gathered is used to help determine the final scope of the project. Value Engineering is used to determine the need to relocate the utility or change the highway design to accommodate the utility. Advanced utility Coordination also provides the Utility Companies the opportunity to plan, budget, and relocate facilities, as necessary, prior to the start of the construction project. Early utility involvement also reduces contractor delays and subsequent claims by either relocating the utility prior to highway construction or by providing the sequencing information on utility relocation or involvement in the construction plans.

Current Bid Letting Schedule

Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE)

SDDOT utilities SUE on complex projects where the exact location of existing utilities is required to keep utility and landowner impacts to a minimum. SUE also benefits the South Dakota taxpayers, SDDOT, Utility Companies, and their respective customers. SUE involvement is determined in the project scoping process.
FHWA SUE Brochure →

Advanced Utility Coordination and Utility Relocation Estimates & Agreements

Notification of utility companies and cities of impending highway construction projects.
Authorizing utility preliminary engineering and approving use of consultant engineers for utility engineering.
Reviewing and approving cost estimates and relocation plans, negotiating and preparing utility relocation agreements, approving contracted work and coordinating utility relocations and /or installations on highway construction projects.
Conduct utility coordination meetings.

Area Engineer's Office

Construction Coordination

Coordinate start of utility work with each utility company.
Notify each utility company of the project preconstruction conference.
Make sure a utility company obtains a utility permit for any adjustment to be done within the State Right-of-Way.
Perform inspections in accordance with the class of inspection recommended by the Utilities Section.
Prepare Construction Change Order's
Verify the progress billing submitted by the utility for accuracy and proper supporting documentation.
Prepare payment voucher.

Utility Permit

As noted in SDCL 31-26-22, the owner of a utility shall submit a utility permit application to the applicable Area Engineer (links to region contacts below) for the installation, relocation and expansion of utility facilities on a state highway within the right of way. An electronic version of the utility permit can be found under the Forms & Documents link.

Region & Area Offices

Aberdeen
Mitchell
Pierre
Rapid City

Forms & Documents

Utility Forms

Utility Permit
This is to be completed by a Utility Company for approval to Occupy Highway Right-of-Way.

Guidelines for Utility Company Meetings
These are the guidelines for utility coordination meetings between the Utility Companies involved on the Highway Project and the DOT's utility coordinator, project designer and Area Office personnel.

Contact

175

Bronson Blow

Transportation Utilities Coordinator

605-773-4097

Call Email

Certification & Accreditation

About Certification & Accreditation SDDOT Accreditation Certification List Approved Products Manuals & Documents Welding Certifications Training

Contractors

Bid Letting Information Concrete Pipe Release Contractors/Suppliers Prequalified Contractors CMS Web Reports Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Fuel Price Index Labor Compliance

Bulletin Board Requirements Certified Payrolls- let before 6/5/19 Certified Payrolls - let after 6/5/19 Davis-Bacon Wage Requirements and Defined Work Classifications

Materials Preconstruction Meetings Price Adjustment Guidelines Standard Specifications

2015 Standard Specifications

Subcontract Requirements Forms & Documents Webinars Alternative Contracting

Engineering/Design Services

Consultant Services

Consultant Training Contract Estimating System (CES) Consultant Search

Downloadable Files Manuals News & Updates Right of Way / Relocation Assistance Standard Bid Items Standard Plates Surveyors

County Bench Mark Map

Utility Coordination

Environmental

About Environmental Agreements Endangered Species Environmental Assessments Forms Stormwater Wetland Mitigation

Local Governments

About Local Governments Bridge Improvement Grants City/County Fund Balances Emergency Relief (ER) Federal Bridge Program Forms & Documents Secure Accounts Billing Transportation Economic Development Grants Urban Systems Rural Access Infrastructure Fund Program

Traffic Incident Management

Training

Talk to Us

Careers

Utility Coordination

Office of Road Design

Area Engineer's Office

Region & Area Offices

Forms & Documents

Contact

© 2025 State of South Dakota. All Rights Reserved.

Region & Area Offices

Travelers

Forms & Publications

© 2025 State of South Dakota. All Rights Reserved.