General

Collaboration is key on road projects

A housing developer finds a new spot to build. A city wants to expand its busiest street. An aging state highway gets approval for some much-needed upgrades. 

Road construction is happening all over the place as eastern Nebraska grows, and every project requires careful planning and communication between local, state and federal agencies. 

As roadwork paves the way for wider, safer and faster-flowing thoroughfares, OPPD often finds itself joining the effort because of nearby electrical equipment. 

The job is a lot more complicated than it might seem. 

“Sometimes, we just have to move one pole or a streetlight,” said Roger Peterson, OPPD’s manager of Distribution Engineering System Improvement. “Other times, we have to move major infrastructure or build new manhole duct line systems for underground power lines.” 

Behind the scenes

Long before workers break ground, OPPD’s utility coordination team works closely with local governments and contractors to identify and relocate infrastructure that’s deemed to be in conflict, be it poles, padmount transformers or underground power lines – all while maintaining reliable service for customers nearby. 

The work requires checking and re-checking plans to minimize conflicts. Good communication with everyone involved and a willingness to work through problems collaboratively are also key. 

“Utilities coordination is basically the face of OPPD for city, county and state projects,” said Michael Willey, OPPD’s lead utility coordinator. “We’ve developed a lot of good relationships, which helps a lot. The cornerstone of our job is communication.” 

 When the opportunity arises, OPPD engineers lay the groundwork for future development. A road project, for instance, might allow OPPD to bury overhead power lines to improve reliability. 

“We want to have a future-posture mindset,” Peterson said. “That could mean upgrading lines during a project or burying conduits for future underground lines so that we’re ready to go in the five to 10 years.” 

OPPD schedules projects as quickly as possible with the resources available. Understandably, local governments want projects done as quickly as possible. Developers want to see a timely return on their investment. Eastern Nebraska has a lot happening right now, with many competing demands for service. 

OPPD’s utility coordination team helps chaperone projects, getting information from government partners and making sure contractors have what they need. The utility’s land management team may get involved if the job requires new easements or permits. 

Willey said the utility coordination team considers dozens of factors on every project. Those factors include grade changes, right-of-way adjustments and land acquisitions to clear the way for development. 

The team assigns work orders for various OPPD crews and focuses on big-picture issues as well, making sure that work flows as efficiently as possible and that the various players on a project are aligned. 

“We’re kind of that center point of communication,” Willey said. “Our job is to make sure everyone’s checking all the boxes.” 

‘A giant Rubik’s Cube’

Some projects have a lot of shifting parts. A pole might need to move to make way for a sidewalk, while steering clear of a new storm sewer. Maybe the grading of land along a road needs to change, requiring crews to relocate underground power or fiberoptic cable lines. 

“There may be water, sewer, gas lines, and all sorts of fiberoptic cable,” said Shane Hanson, OPPD’s director of Engineering. “I like to think of utility coordination projects as a giant Rubik’s Cube.” 

OPPD has no shortage of work, either, as the utility adds about 100 megawatts of new generation every year. The utility is also adding high-voltage transmission lines, neighborhood distribution lines, substations and other infrastructure. 

“There are a lot of moving pieces and things to schedule,” Peterson said. “You need really good coordination, because we have to figure out where there are conflicts.” 

OPPD’s construction services and GIS teams may get involved, along with drafters who help draw the new layouts and field supervisors who oversee line workers and construction crews. 

Some jobs are fairly straightforward. Others are more complex, requiring closer coordination between road crews, developers, government officials and OPPD. Occasionally a job will involve larger customers, which pulls an OPPD senior account manager or electrical service designer into the discussion. 

“You can have projects on top of projects, including some different conflicts, needs and schedules,” Peterson said. “That’s where we need lead utility coordination. We have to prioritize what comes first while continuing to serve our existing customers. You can’t just wreck it all out and build everything from scratch. You have to keep the power on.” 

Urban and rural

Road crews are working everywhere right now, from Elk Creek and Rulo near the southern edge of OPPD’s territory to rural Washington County in the north. The Omaha area is expanding, for sure, but smaller towns like Weeping Water and Arlington are also improving their streets, sidewalks and drainage areas. Some intersections are getting new roundabouts to improve traffic safety. 

“Every project is a little different,” Peterson said. “You’ve just got to make sure you’re assessing all the tools in your toolbox and using the right one. The rewarding part is when you see a nice new road that’s all lit up with new streetlights and traffic flowing well.”