BEAD and Stop-Gap builds are putting more fiber encroachment packages in front of both DOTs. A package that comes back for missing information costs weeks, and both DOTs publish what they want to see.

This post lists what each DOT asks for, taken from its published forms and guides. Each section links the source document. Use it as a pre-submission check, then confirm the current version with the office you file with.

NCDOT: what the plans need to show

NCDOT sets out plan content in two documents: the Encroachment Plan Submittal Checklist and the Utility Encroachment Plan Requirements. Between them, a fiber plan set should include:

  • Right-of-way. The right-of-way line with the width labeled, plus any control-of-access line.
  • Existing utilities. Utilities near or impacted by the work, shown and dimensioned.
  • Bore pits. Pit locations dimensioned, with offsets from the edge of pavement or back of curb.
  • Bore details. A bore pit detail showing standard size and depth, and the maximum bore diameter.
  • Depth. The minimum bury depth. Road crossings drawn in profile, showing cover and the 1:1 slope from the edge of pavement.
  • Scale and extent. A scale no greater than 1″ = 100′. Remove sheets for work outside NCDOT right-of-way.
  • Seal. Certain utility encroachments need plans sealed by a licensed North Carolina PE. The Utilities Accommodations Manual sets out which ones.

Note that road crossings are drawn in profile, not only in plan view, and that sheets for work outside NCDOT right-of-way come out of the set before you submit.

NCDOT: directional drilling

For bored work, NCDOT’s Horizontal Directional Drilling Required Information for Encroachments lists what it expects to see for HDD work:

  • A soil analysis report for the project area.
  • The tracking method for the pilot bore and the back reamer.
  • Tracer wire on all bores.
  • A contingency plan for a frac-out.
  • A traffic control plan when personnel or equipment are within 5 ft of the edge of pavement, or within 10 ft on a divided roadway.
  • As-builts within 30 days: a PDF plus a georeferenced GIS file, either KMZ or ESRI shapefile or geodatabase.

Because the as-built includes a georeferenced GIS file, it is worth deciding how positions will be captured before the bore starts.

SCDOT: the Fiber Optic Broadband (FOB) permit

SCDOT issues a Fiber Optic Broadband (FOB) permit for fiber work. The Multi-County, Same-District Fiber Optic Broadband Permit Help Guide (v1.0) covers how it works.

Before you apply

  • One district per permit. A single FOB permit is restricted to one SCDOT district. A route that reaches a second district needs a separate permit.
  • Meet the district first. SCDOT strongly encourages a meeting with the District Permit Engineer before you apply.

Check district boundaries against your route before you split it into packages. A route drawn to follow the network rather than district lines can turn one application into two.

Underground plans

  • Right-of-way and controlled-access lines.
  • Bore pit dimensions.
  • Cable size, type and encasement.
  • Installation method and depth, per Chapter 6 of the Utility Accommodations Manual.
  • Distance from the fiber to the edge of pavement.
  • Telecom lines color-coded on the plans.
  • Vegetation replacement per SC-M-810-3.

Aerial plans

  • Cross-sections showing the 18 ft minimum clearance over the roadway.
  • The stringing method.
  • Pole attachment documentation for each pole.

Traffic control

Traffic control must follow MUTCD and SCDOT standards only.

Where the two DOTs overlap

If your team files in both states, most of the plan content lines up. Both DOTs ask for:

  • The right-of-way line, and the control-of-access (NCDOT) or controlled-access (SCDOT) line where there is one.
  • Bore pit information: locations with offsets and a bore pit detail at NCDOT, bore pit dimensions at SCDOT.
  • Installation depth: minimum bury depth and road-crossing profiles at NCDOT, installation method and depth per the Utility Accommodations Manual at SCDOT.
  • A traffic control plan. NCDOT ties it to work within 5 ft of the edge of pavement, or 10 ft on a divided roadway. SCDOT requires MUTCD and SCDOT standards only.

The differences are in the details. NCDOT sets a maximum plan scale and a 30-day as-built deadline with a GIS file. SCDOT limits each FOB permit to one district, asks for color-coded telecom lines and vegetation replacement per SC-M-810-3, and has separate content for aerial plans. Build each package from the list for the DOT you are filing with.

A short pre-submission pass

Before you file, walk the package once with these questions:

  1. Is the right-of-way line shown (with its width labeled, for NCDOT), along with any control-of-access or controlled-access line?
  2. For NCDOT, are existing utilities near the work shown and dimensioned?
  3. For NCDOT, is every bore pit located with an offset from the edge of pavement or back of curb? For SCDOT, are bore pit dimensions and the distance from the fiber to the pavement edge shown?
  4. For NCDOT, does every road crossing have a profile showing cover and the 1:1 slope?
  5. For NCDOT HDD work, are the soil report, tracking method, tracer wire, frac-out plan and traffic control plan in the package?
  6. For SCDOT, does the route stay inside one district, and have you met the District Permit Engineer?
  7. Does the package need a PE seal, and who is providing it?

Requirements change

These documents are revised from time to time. Confirm the current requirements with your NCDOT Division or SCDOT District office before you submit. Engineering acceptance and sealed work stay with your engineer of record.

If you’d like a second set of eyes on one route section before it goes to the DOT, send it to us.

Sources