6-90 SECTION 625 – UTILITY SYSTEMS
625.01 DESCRIPTION . This work shall consist of furnishing and installing utility sleeves, concrete
encased and direct burial conduit, junction and pull boxes, power drop stanchions, utility vaults, and other utility equipment and components as specified on the Plans. 625.0 2 MATERIALS . Materials shall meet the requirements of the following subsections: Sand Borrow and Cushion ................................ ................................ ......................... 703.03 Brick ................................ ................................ ................................ ........................... 705.01 Mortar, Type II ................................ ................................ ................................ ........... 707.01(c) Mortar, Type IV ................................ ................................ ................................ ......... 707.01(e) Joint Sealer, Hot Poured ................................ ................................ ............................ 707.02(a) Preformed Joint Filler, Cork, and Asphalt -Treated Felt ................................ ............ 707.06 Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Waterstop ................................ ................................ ........ 707.08 Reinforced Concrete Pipe ................................ ................................ .......................... 710.01 Acrylonitrile -Butadiene -Styrene (ABS) Plastic Pipe ................................ ................. 710.0 4 Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Plastic Pipe ................................ ................................ ......710.0 5 Corrugated Steel Pipe, Pipe Arches, and Underdrain s ................................ .............. 711.01 Corrugated Aluminum Alloy Pipe, Pipe Arches, and Underdrain s ........................... 711.02 Bar Reinforcement ................................ ................................ ................................ .....713.01 Plastic Pipe, Flexible ................................ ................................ ................................ ..740.01 Rigid Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Electrical Conduit ................................ ................. 752.0 6(a) High -Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Electrical Conduit ................................ ............ 752.06(b) PVC Coated Rigid Metal Conduit (RMC) ................................ ................................ .752.06(c) Junction Boxes ................................ ................................ ................................ ........... 752.09 (a) Pull Boxes ................................ ................................ ................................ .................. 752.09(b) Power Drop Stanchion ................................ ................................ ............................... 752.14 Concrete shall conform to the requirements of Section 541 for Concrete, Class B. All wood blocks used as skids shall be oak or maple structural lumber No. 2 Grade or better. All prefabricated casing spacers shall be designed for the intended application and be of the centered restrained type. Stainless steel strapping shall meet the requirements of ASTM A666. Sleeves for power and communication lines shall be non -metallic. 6-91 Steel sleeves shall conform to ASTM A53 and the wall thickness shall be compatible with the specified buried depth. Carrier pipes shall have restrained joints to allow for future removal of the pipe without having to de - couple the pipe joints. Casing end seals shall be of masonry construction. Modular wall and pipe seals shall be stainless steel hardware or prefabricat ed casing end seals with stainless steel bands. Pedestals, vaults, handholes, and transformer cabinets shall conform to the requirements of the respective utility company specifications. Pull boxes shall be designed and constructed to support at least an HS-20 loading in accordance with the AASHTO Standard Specifications for Highway Bridges .
625.03 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS . The Contractor shall coordinate and work with each utility
company, as necessary, to ensure that the conduit and utility equipment instal led are constructed in accordance with the Plans and the utility company’s specifications.
625.04 Construction Requirements .
a.Earthwork . The Contractor shall perform all excavations, backfilling, and resurfacing work, including removal and replacement of curbs, sidewalks, paved surfaces, and any other materials necessary to complete the work in accordance with the Contract or as directed by the Engineer. All pavement surfaces to be removed shall be saw -cut to the full pavement depth along the neat lines of the area to be removed. All landscaping and underground utility systems that have been disturbed during construction shall be restored to their original condition upon the completion of the work. Backfill of suitable material shall be placed and com pacted in layers not exceeding 6 inches.
b.Sleeves for Utilities . Sleeves for utilities shall be installed as specified on the Plans or as directed by the Engineer. When the method of installation to be used is not specified or directed by the Engineer, the Contractor may use either trenchless or open -cut methods. Trenchless installation shall be performed in accordance with the requirements of Section 209 . Open -cut installation shall be performed in accordance with the requirements specified for culvert s in Section 601 . All pipes shall be positively joined. 6-92 Unless otherwise specified, any sleeve installed for future use shall be fitted with plugs or caps at both ends and shall contain a suitable pull wire or pull cord accessible from both ends. The size of utility sleeve specified on the Plans shall be the nominal inside diameter of the sleeve. Carrier pipe for water, sewer, or gas with an outside diameter greater than 2 inches shall be installed in a sleeve that has a n inside diameter at least 12 inches greater than the outside diameter of the carrier pipe. Utility pipe for power, communications, or cable with an outside diameter greater than 2 inches shall be installed in a sleeve that has a n inside diameter at least 4 inches greater than the outside diameter of the utility pipe. For utilities with an outside diameter of 2 inches or less , the inside diameter of sleeves shall be as specified in Table 625.0 4A. TABLE 625.0 4A – MINIMUM SLEEVE DIAMETERS FOR CARRIER OR UTILITY PIPE Carrier or Utility Pipe Min. Inside Diameter of Sleeve (in.) Power lines 4 Telephone lines 4 Cable TV lines 4 Water pipes 6 Water service lines 4 Sewer pipes 6 Gas pipes 6 Fiber optic cables 4 Unless otherwise specified, utility sleeves placed under roadways or drives shall have a minimum cover depth of 5 feet measured from the finished roadway surface. Sleeves shall have a pitch or grade no flatter than 1:400 (V:H) and provisions shall be made for draining moisture away from the sleeve location or as directed by the Engineer. Unless otherwise specified, the Contractor shall install utility sleeves in a straight line with no bends. The installed sleeve shall terminate a minimum of 4 feet outside the face of curb, 4 feet outside the edge of shoulder of the roadway, 4 feet outside the edge of the drive that the sleeve crosses, or 4 feet outside the edge of sidewalk, whichever situation applies. 6-93 (c) Installation of Conduit . Conduit shall be installed at the locations shown on the Plans or as directed by the Engineer. Unless oth erwise specified, conduit shall be placed not less than 2 feet below the top of curb in sidewalk areas and not less than 3 feet below the finished grade of pavement when passing under roadways. When conduit is placed below the roadway, it shall be placed i n a utility sleeve. Conduit shall have a pitch or grade no flatter than 1:400 (V:H) and provision shall be made for draining moisture away from pull boxes as directed by the Engineer. Only high density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic pipe conduit shall be use d for underground installations. Where factory bends are not being used, the conduit shall be bent using the longest radius possible, but not less than six times the inside diameter of the conduit, in a manner that will not crimp or flatten the conduit. Not more than three 90° bends or equivalent (270° total) shall be used on a continuous conduit line. If more than 270° in total bends are necessary, then a pull box or junction box shall be installed. Once the conduit lines are completed, any obstructions , including stone and dirt, shall be removed. Damaged conduit shall be removed and replaced at the Contractor’s expense. Conduit may be subjected to a mandrel test at the direction of the Engineer. Unless otherwise specified by the Engineer or the utility, the diameter of the mandrel shall be 1/4 inch less than the diameter of the conduit and shall be a minimum of one conduit diameter in length. Conduit spacers, as approved by the Engineer and the utility company’s inspector, shall be used to ensure separa tion between the conduits as shown on the Plans. Spacers shall be placed at 6 -foot intervals or as recommended by the project manufacturer. When conduit is to be left empty under the Contract, the Contractor shall furnish and install a pull cord with a min imum pull strength of 5 kips in each conduit. The pull cord shall terminate beyond the end of the conduit in each pull box, or just under the cap at concrete bases for poles. Detectable underground warning tape 6 inches wide shall be placed in the excavate d trench 12 inches to 18 inches below the finished grade for all open cut conduit and sleeve runs. Tape indicating electrical conduit shall be red and tape indicating communication conduit shall be orange. 6-94 Conduit joints shall be made watertight using b rush-applied cement as recommended by the manufacturer. Where shown on the Plans, wired conduit may be either pre -wired before the conduit is installed or the wire may be installed after the conduit is installed. The item for wired conduit includes both the conduit and the wires contained within the conduit, however, the wires and the conduit shall not be attached to each other, and the wires shall be readily pulled from the conduit for replacement without excessive effort. Except where otherwise shown on t he Plans, installed conduit shall have a minimum nominal inside diameter of 2 inches or it shall match the size of the existing conduit to which it is being attached. In either case, the installed conduit shall be of sufficient inside diameter to contain w iring of a size such that the voltage drop in the secondary circuits will not exceed 3%. Wired conduits shall have a sufficient inside diameter such that the combined cross -sectional area of the wiring does not exceed the percentage of conduit fill specifi ed in the National Electrical Code . Conduits shall, in accordance with the other requirements of this subsection, contain all the wiring necessary to make the completed system or subsystem to which they are attached function.
d.Concrete Encased Conduit . The Contractor shall confirm, before placing forms or conduit lines, that the surface on which the concrete is to be poured is firmly compacted and free from voids, rocks, and rubble. Prior to pouring concrete, the conduit shall be securely anchored to pre vent movement during the pour. Anchors shall be within 2 feet and on each side of a joint, at each end of a bend, and have a maximum spacing between anchors of 10 feet. All conduit placements shall require approval by the Engineer. Any field modifications shall only be done with the approval of the Engineer. When it is expected that there will be an interval of four hours or longer between concrete pours, reinforcement bars shall be installed across the construction joint. The bars shall be No. 4 and not less than 6 feet in length. One bar shall be installed in each corner, and between conduits in the top and bottom of the concrete envelope, 4 inches from the outside surface. Each reinforcement bar shall extend an equal distance into the two pours of concre te. The conduit envelope shall be square or rectangular in cross section and shall provide for concrete thickness over the outside conduits as shown on the Plans. 6-95 The concrete shall be placed carefully so as not to disturb or damage the conduit. The concrete shall be consolidated as directed by the Engineer to eliminate honeycombing or other defects. The Contractor shall ensure that all clearances shown on the Plans are maintained during concrete placement. To aid in curing, the Contracto r may place 6 inches of approved backfill material on the concrete as soon as the surface is set. However, actual backfilling shall not begin until at least 24 hours after placement of concrete. In instances where accelerant is used in the concrete, the 24 -hour waiting period for backfill may be reduced by the Engineer.
e.Junction Boxes and Pull Boxes . Junction boxes and pull boxes shall be placed at the locations shown on the Plans or as directed by the Engineer. Excavation for the junction boxes and p ull boxes shall include excavation of an area one foot outside the box and extending one foot below the finished grade of the bottom of the boxes. One foot of granular material shall be placed in the excavated area and compacted prior to installation. Junction boxes and pull boxes shall be constructed so that there is no standing water present. Additional drainage may be required at the discretion of the Engineer. All conduits shall enter the junction box through the bottom, not though the side wall. Condui t may enter p ull boxes through the side walls. All covers for junction boxes and pull boxes covers shall be flush with the boxes and frames.
f.Backfilling . Approved material shall be placed over the conduits in 6 -inch layers and compacted in accordance with Subsection 203.11( d) by approved mechanical tampers. Hand tampers will not be permitted. The material shall be brought to the subgrade beneath roadway, grass belt, and any other paved or gravel areas. For grassed areas outside the highway construction limits, the material shall be brought to within 4 inches of the finished grade, a 4 -inch layer of topsoil placed, and the area seeded and mulched in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 651 . Paved, concrete, or gravel areas outside the h ighway construction limits shall be replaced in kind as directed by the Engineer. Backfill shall not contain any stones larger than 1 -1/2 inches.
g.Power Drop Stanchion . Power drop stanchions shall be installed at the locations shown in the Plans or as directed by the Engineer and shall be grounded as shown on the Plans. Power drop stanchions shall be constructed such that the meter face is oriented facing away from the roadway. 6-96 A disconnect breaker for each circuit shall be installed in a locked, rainproof cabinet meeting the requirements of ANSI/NEMA 250 , Type 3R on a stanchion next to or below the meter socket. If street lighting is present, the traffic signal circuits shall be separate from the street lighting circuits. Disconnect breakers shal l be labeled to indicate which circuit they control. All meter disconnects shall have a bypass.
h.Pedestals, Vaults, and Pads . Pedestals, vaults, and prefabricated concrete pads will be supplied by the utility for the Contractor to install and shall be p laced at the locations shown on the Plans or as directed by the Engineer. All work installing pedestals, vaults, and pads shall conform to the respective utility standards and requirements.
625.05 METHOD OF MEASUREMENT . The quantity of Sleeves for Utilit ies, Concrete Encased
Conduit, Direct Burial Conduit, and Wired Conduit of the type and size specified to be measured for payment will be the number of linear feet installed in the complete and accepted work, measured to the nearest foot along the center o f the sleeve or conduit. The quantity of Power Drop Stanchion; Junction Box; Pull Box, Single; Pull Box, Double; Utility Pedestal; Communications Vault; Electric Vault; and Utility Pad to be measured for payment will be the number of each installed in the complete and accepted work.
625.06 BASIS OF PAYMENT . The accepted quantity of Sleeves for Utilities of the type and size
specified will be paid for at the Contract unit price per linear foot. Payment will be full compensation for fabricating, furnishing, transporting, handling, saw -cutting, and placing all materials, including pull wire and end caps, and for furnishing all labor, tools, equipment, and incidentals necessary to complete the work. The accepted quantities of Concrete Encased Conduit and Direc t Burial Conduit of the type and size specified will be paid for at the Contract unit price per linear foot. Payment will be full compensation for furnishing, transporting, handling, and placing the materials specified, including conduit, conduit spacers, transition couplings, elbows, and other fittings; caps, plugs, pulling wire, bedding material, concrete encasement, rebar, and all other material needed for a complete concrete encased or direct burial conduit system; backfill; placing of concrete; and for furnishing all labor, tools, equipment, and incidentals necessary to complete the work. The accepted quantity of Wired Conduit of the size specified will be paid for at the Contract unit price per linear foot. Payment will include both the installed condu it and the wiring inside the conduit. The accepted quantities of Power Drop Stanchion; Junction Box; Pull Box, Single; and Pull Box, Double, will be paid for at the Contract unit price for each. Payment will be full compensation for furnishing and installi ng the materials specified, as well as any excavation, granular material, and any additional drainage pipes needed. 6-97 The accepted quantities of Utility Pedestal, Electric Vault, Communications Vault, and Utility Pad will be paid for at the Contract unit price for each. Payment will be full compensation for transporting, handling, and placing the materials specified; for any coordination with the utility company; excavation, furnishing and placing any subbase material needed; furnishing, and installing grounding material as needed, furnishing and installing any drainage needed; and all materials, tools, labor, equipment, a nd incidentals needed to complete the work. The cost of temporary pavements patches required for work under this section will be considered incidental to the applicable item. Payment will be made under: Pay Item Pay Unit 625.1000 Sleeves for Utilities, HDPE ................................ ................................ ......Linear Foot 625.1002 Sleeves for Utilities, HDPE, 2 Inch ................................ .......................... Linear Foot 625.1004 Sleeves for Utilities, HDPE, 4 Inch ................................ .......................... Linear Foot 625.1006 Sleeves for Utilities, HDPE, 6 Inch ................................ .......................... Linear Foot 625.1008 Sleeves for Utilities, HDPE, 8 Inch ................................ .......................... Linear Foot 625.101 0 Sleeves for Utilities, HDPE, 10 Inch ................................ ........................ Linear Foot 625.1012 Sleeves for Utilities, HDPE, 12 Inch ................................ ........................ Linear Foot 625.1014 Sleeves for Utilities, HDPE, 14 Inch ................................ ........................ Linear Foot 625.1016 Sleeves for Utilities, HDPE, 16 Inch ................................ ........................ Linear Foot 625.1018 Sleeves for Utili ties, HDPE, 18 Inch ................................ ........................ Linear Foot 625.1020 Sleeves for Utilities, HDPE, 20 Inch ................................ ........................ Linear Foot 625.1022 Sleeves for Utilities, HDPE, 22 Inch ................................ ........................ Linear Foot 625.1024 Sleeves for Utilities, HDPE, 24 Inch ................................ ........................ Linear Foot 625.2000 Sleeves for Utilities, PVC ................................ ................................ ......... Linear Foo t 625.2002 Sleeves for Utilities, PVC, 2 Inch ................................ ............................. Linear Foot 625.2004 Sleeves for Utilities, PVC, 4 Inch ................................ ............................. Linear Foot 625.2006 Sleeves for Utilities, PVC, 6 Inch ................................ ............................. Linear Foot 625.2008 Sleeves for Utilities, PVC, 8 Inch ................................ ............................. Linear Foot 625.2010 Sleeves for Utilities, PVC, 10 Inch ................................ ........................... Linear Foot 625.2012 Sleeves for Utilities, PVC, 12 Inch ................................ ........................... Linear Foot 625.2014 Sleeves for Utilities, PVC, 14 Inch ................................ ........................... Linear Foot 625.2016 Sleeves for Utilities, PVC, 16 Inch ................................ ........................... Linear Foot 625.2018 Sleeves for Utilities, PVC, 18 Inch ................................ ........................... Linear Foot 625.2020 Sleeves for Utilities, PVC, 20 Inch ................................ ........................... Linear Foot 625.2022 Sleeves for Utilities, PVC, 22 Inch ................................ ........................... Linear Foot 625.2024 Sleeves for Utilities, PVC, 24 Inch ................................ ........................... Linear Foot 6-98 Pay Item Pay Unit 625.3000 Sleeves for Utilities, Steel ................................ ................................ ......... Linear Fo ot 625.3002 Sleeves for Utilities, Steel, 2 Inch ................................ ............................. Linear Foot 625.3004 Sleeves for Utilities, Steel, 4 Inch ................................ ............................. Linear Foot 625.3006 Sleeves for Utilities, Steel, 6 Inch ................................ ............................. Linear Foot 625.3008 Sleeves for Utilities, Steel, 8 Inch ................................ ............................. Linear Foot 625.3010 Sleeves for Utilities, Steel, 10 Inch ................................ ........................... Linear Foot 625.3012 Sleeves for Utilities, Steel, 12 Inch ................................ ........................... Linear Foot 625.3014 Sleeves for Utilities, Steel, 14 Inch ................................ ........................... Linear Foot 625.3016 Sleeves for Utilities, Steel, 16 Inch ................................ ........................... Linear Foot 625.3018 Sleeves for Utilities, Steel, 18 Inch ................................ ........................... Linear Foot 625.3020 Sleeves for Utilities, Steel, 20 Inch ................................ ........................... Linear Foot 625.3022 Sleeves for Utilities, Steel, 22 Inch ................................ ........................... Linear Foot 625.3024 Sleeves for Utilities, Steel, 24 Inch ................................ ........................... Linear Foot 625.4000 Concrete Encased Conduit ................................ ................................ ........ Linear Foot
625.40 04 Concrete Encased Conduit, 1 to 4 Conduits ................................ ............. Linear Foot
625.40 08 Concrete Encased Conduit, 5 to 8 Conduits ................................ ............. Linear Foot
625.4 012 Concrete Encased Conduit, 9 to 12 Conduits ................................ ........... Linear Foot 625.5000 Direct Burial Conduit ................................ ................................ ................ Linear Foot
625.50 04 Direct Burial Conduit, 1 to 4 Conduits ................................ ..................... Linear Foot
625.50 08 Direct Burial Conduit, 5 to 8 Conduits ................................ ..................... Linear Foot
625.5 012 Direct Burial Conduit, 9 to 12 Conduits ................................ ................... Linear Foot 625.6000 Wired Conduit ................................ ................................ ........................... Linear Foot 625.6002 Wired Conduit, 2 Inch ................................ ................................ ............... Linear Foot 625.6003 Wired Conduit, 3 Inch ................................ ................................ ............... Linear Foot 625.6004 Wired Conduit, 4 Inch ................................ ................................ ............... Linear Foot 625.6006 Wired Conduit, 6 Inch ................................ ................................ ............... Linear Foot 625.7000 Power Drop Stanchion ................................ ................................ .............. Each 625.7010 Junction Box ................................ ................................ ............................. Each 625.702 1 Pull Box, Single ................................ ................................ ........................ Each 625.702 2 Pull Box, Double ................................ ................................ ....................... Each 625.7030 Utility Pedestal ................................ ................................ .......................... Each 625.7040 Communications Vault ................................ ................................ ............. Each 625.7045 Electrical Vault ................................ ................................ ......................... Each 625.7050 Utility Pad ................................ ................................ ................................ .Each 6-99 SECTION 628 – SANITARY SEWER SYSTEMS
628.01 DESCRIPTION . This work shall consist of the construction or reconstruction of sanitary sewer
lines and appurtenances.
628.02 MATERIALS . Materials shall meet the requirements of the following subsections:
Granular Backfill for Structures ................................ ................................ ................. 704.08 Sewer Brick ................................ ................................ ................................ ................ 705.01(b) Rubber Gaskets ................................ ................................ ................................ .......... 707.09 Acrylonitrile -Butadiene -Styrene (ABS) Plastic Pipe ................................ ................. 710.0 4 Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Plastic Pipe ................................ ................................ ......710.0 5 Ductile Iron Pipe, Cement Lined ................................ ................................ ............... 740.05 Concrete shall conform to the requirements of Section 541 for Concrete, Class B, unless otherwise specified. Sleev es shall conform to the requirements of Section 625 . 628.0 3 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS . Operation of existing sanitary sewer facilities shall not be interrupted without prior written approval of the Engineer. When existing underground utilities not scheduled fo r removal or abandonment are encountered in the excavation, they shall be adequately supported and protected from damage. Any damage to utilities shall be repaired promptly in accordance with Subsection 107.1 2 at no additional cost to the Agency. The Contractor shall be responsible for the unloading, storing, hauling, and distribution of all materials. All materials that are damaged, destroyed, or lost during and after unloading shall be replaced at the Contractor’s expense. All pipes , pipe fitting s, and accessories shall be handled to avoid shock. Pipes having factory -applied joint material shall be stacked and blocked to prevent damage to the joint material. Material not needed for immediate use shall be safely stored at places provided by the Con tractor and approved by the Engineer. The Contractor’s attention is called to the fact that sewer pipe and fittings are comparatively brittle. Care shall be taken in handling and laying to avoid damaging the pipe and fittings. The locations of all pipes sh all be approved by the Engineer. When directed by the Engineer, the Contractor shall remove, replace, or rework all sewer piping and appurtenances that do not meet the requirements of this section. The Contract or shall perform all remedial measures at no a dditional cost to the Agency.
Source: Vermont Standard Specifications for Construction, 2024 Edition. Pages 864–872 of 1,380.