Residents of the Portland metropolitan area enjoy an extensive and expanding electric rail transit system. Over 20 other cities across the U.S. have constructed electric rail mass transit systems, with more than 40 additional cities in various stages of planning. Protecting utilities and maintaining the service during the construction and operation of these systems are one of the many challenges faced by utility owners and transit agencies alike. Electric rail projects can impact utilities in various ways. This paper discusses three main impacts - direct physical interferences, maintenance access encroachments, and stray current corrosion. Issues such as relocation, funding, construction and maintenance are discussed as well as criteria and standards for relocating water systems in electric rail corridors. This paper focuses on water systems, however, many of the conflicts and issues discussed are applicable to other underground utilities located in the electric rail corridors.

Subject
Ballast, Rail, Costs, Substations, Water, Piping, Stray current interference, Slabs, Stray current, Health, safety, and environment, Construction, Corrosion protection, Maintenance
Keywords:
Access, cathodic protection, electric rail, impacts, light rail, physical interferences, relocating utilities, stray current, streetcars and water system
© 2005 Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of AMPP. Positions and opinions advanced in this work are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of AMPP. Responsibility for the content of the work lies solely with the author(s).
2005
Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP)
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