Practices for Utility Coordination in Transit Projects (2015)

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55 APPENDIX B Interview Guide for Case Examples Based on the results of the preselection survey, the TTI team will identify 10 agencies for detailed follow-on telephone inter- views to provide case examples. The protocol for conducting the telephone interviews will be as follows: • Contact a designated representative at each of the agencies selected. • Discuss the purpose of the telephone interview. • Schedule the telephone interview at an agreed upon date and time. • Provide an advance copy of the interview guide to the agency representative. • Conduct the telephone interview. The interview will focus on the following topics, in addition to an expanded discus- sion of the preselection survey responses: – Phases of transit project development and delivery: n How different stakeholders interact with the agency during with the development of a transit project. n At what point transit agencies engage utilities. n Differences in coordination practices and impact on project delivery between city-owned utilities, fran- chised utilities, and other entities. – Data collection processes n Responsible party for acquiring utility data. n Protocols and procedures. n Historical record or databases for utility inventories. n Best practices. n Challenges. – Identification and resolution of utility conflicts n Differences in practices between types of utilities. n Differences in defining whether/when utility reloca- tions are required. n Cost apportionment differences. n Buy America provisions. n Right-of-way allocation. n Impact of missing or inaccurate information about utilities. n Utility conflict resolution strategies. – Utility ownership and operation (public or private) and interagency coordination n Differences between city-owned utilities, franchised utilities, and other entities. – Staff professional capacity n Differences between agencies that have an ongoing capital program and agencies that do not. n Availability of training programs. – Contractual practices n Management of utility issues according to the project delivery method.