If highway authorities and utilities are willing to work together, the effective and efficient joint use of land by public highway agencies and private utilities can be achieved. To achieve this goal, both parties must recognize the importance of upfront joint planning, the need to establish practical policies and good engineering standards, and the need to recognize the vitality of good communication and coordination in all phases of project development for the establishment of a cooperative working relationship. Both the highway agency and the utilities must have mutual understanding and belief in the overall benefits of the principle of multi-use land and are willing to cooperate in sharing information, problems as well as costs for acquiring the right-of-way. Alberta Transportation and Utilities Department practices the following procedures in achieving safe accommodation of utilities within highway right-of-ways: (i) the establishment of a special Section or Branch within the department to deal with utility engineering; (ii) The establishment of the Department Utility Policy Coordinating Committee to develop and implement utility/highway policies, standards and procedures; (iii) Utility coordination is addressed in the highway planning stage, geometric design stage, construction, and maintenance stage; (iv) Constant communication with the utility industry, the regulating bodies and safety organizations to innovate new methods, to improve standards and regulations, and to prevent utility accidents; (v) The active participation of sharing in experience, knowledge, and technologies in conferences. (A)
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