caption
Existing pad-mounted transformers in Palm Beach
One of the driving forces behind the need to develop a master
plan is to balance and manage potentially competing priorities
such as cost, project duration, traffic impacts, other capital
improvement needs, etc., for this ambitious project. The goals
and objectives of the master planning process are as follows:
y y Collection of data related to existing utility infrastructure
throughout the Town
y y Collection of data related to planned, major construction
projects within the Town
y y Development of Design Criteria to be followed throughout
the duration of the undergrounding program
y y Development of an implementation plan for new
underground facilities that will serve as a guide for the
future detailed design phases
y y Identification of infrastructure projects that could be
constructed concurrently with the undergrounding
program to take advantage of restoration cost sharing
y y Development of a sequencing and phasing plan that
identifies both the phase area limits and a conceptual
schedule of activities for each of those phases
y y Development of a traffic management plan that coordinates
the undergrounding activities with other known significant
construction projects to reduce traffic impacts during the
implementation process
TOWN-WIDE UNDERGROUNDING OF UTILITIES PROGRAM
MASTER PLAN DOCUMENT
caption
caption
Overhead utility repair crew
caption
y y Development of a conceptual opinion of probable
construction cost for the program
y y Coordination with key project stakeholders to develop the
master plan
y y Assessment of the risks associated with the undergrounding
program along with risk mitigation strategies
y y Performance of public outreach to inform the community
about the undergrounding program
The following sections of this master plan will describe
each one of these goals in greater detail along with our
recommendations for implementation of the program.
References
Town of Palm Beach Utility Undergrounding Assessment
Methodology by Willdan Financial Services, October 2009
Out of Sight, Out of Mind, An Updated Study on the
Undergrounding of Overhead Power Lines by the Edison
Electric Institute (2012)
Concrete pole damage after Hurricane Wilma
INTRODUCTION AND PROJECT GOALS | 7