(1) Attachment of a utility shall not be considered unless the structure in question is of a design that is adequate to support the additional load and can accommodate the utility facility without compromise of highway features, including reasonable ease of maintenance.

(2) Manholes and other utility access panels should be avoided within the roadway portion of the structure.

(3) Attachment on a structure of a pipeline carrying a hazardous material shall be avoided where practicable.

(4) The utility attachment shall not reduce the clearance of a structure where such clearance is critical. Attachment to the outside of a structure should be avoided where there are reasonable alternatives.

(5) Utility mountings shall be of a type that shall not create noise resulting from vibration.

(6) The location of holes to be cut through abutments and piers, including walls, must be acceptable to the County Engineer. No reinforcing steel may be cut without prior approval by the County Engineer, who may require the steel to be first exposed for identification as primary or secondary reinforcement. Holes in wood shall be preservative treated as required by the County Engineer. The hole created in a structure abutment shall be sleeved, shall be of the minimum size necessary to accommodate the utility line, and shall be sealed to prevent any leakage of water or backfill material.

(7) The utility line back of the abutment shall curve or angle out to align outside the roadbed area in as short a distance as is operationally practicable.

(8) Communication and electrical power line attachments shall be suitably insulated, grounded, and preferably carried in protective conduit or pipe from point of exit from the ground to re-entry. Carrier pipe and casing pipe shall be properly isolated from electric power line attachments.

(9) Generally, utility attachments should be beneath the bridge floor, and also between the girders or beams, or within a box girder if the bridge is so equipped. The bottom of the utility should be at an elevation above the bottom of the superstructure. Attachments to the outside of a bridge should be avoided where there are reasonable alternatives.

(10) Utility location on a bridge which would inhibit access to any structural part for painting, repair, or maintenance will generally not be allowed.

(11) In consideration of the County’s need to work on the bridge using ladders, lift trucks, scaffolding, machinery, equipment, power tools, and other means, the utility installation on the bridge shall be of heavy duty and durable construction not prone to damage nor deflection by contact with such equipment. All conduits, including water, sewer, fluid, and air lines shall be steel or other approved metal. Plastic is not allowed on the bridge. An exception will be made for power lines where magnetic fields may create heat damage to the cable in metal conduit. In this case, schedule 80 PVC (or heavier) conduit may be used and additional support may be required to prevent sagging and movement of the more flexible conduit.

(12) To the full extent feasible, no new holes may be cut or drilled into the existing bridge or other structure for bolts or otherwise. Rather, utilities should be attached to existing bolts, shall be suspended from clamps, or shall be supported by beams that span the distance between supports. Attachment methods must be pre-approved by the County Engineer and be constructed as approved.