San Antonio's infrastructure could be seeing smoother roads ahead, literally and figuratively. District 1 Councilmember Sukh Kaur has spearheaded the adoption of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) focused on applying Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) to infrastructure projects in the city. The agreement, cosigned by Councilmembers from districts 3, 4, 6, and 7, is designed to mitigate the problematic delays and inefficiencies that have dogged previous projects, cited in a recent announcement on the City of San Antonio's website.
An issue at the heart of the policy is the frequent encounter with inaccurate or nonexistent utility records, which have historically caused significant project postponements. These delays can result in doubled timelines, elevating costs not just for the city but also for affected local businesses. "When we start a project without accurate records illustrating where utilities are located underground, it’s our residents and businesses who feel the impact of the construction delays, detours, and lost business," Councilmember Kaur emphasized in a statement obtained by the San Antonio government's news release pages.
The new approach leans on advanced technology solutions, with SAWS pledging to supply exact utility locations during the design phase. In turn, this will enable contractors to dig with confidence, substantially lessening the risk of hitting critical infrastructure. SAWS President/CEO Robert Puente noted the potential benefits: "This is a smart policy that puts the onus on contractors to know what’s underground before they start digging," he told the City of San Antonio's website.
Jody Newman, local business owner, has welcomed the policy change. Recognizing the past hardships businesses faced due to prolonged construction, she told the San Antonio government's news release pages, "No one is going to be able to bring back the businesses that were lost to the prolonged construction, but this policy acknowledges that we can do better as a city to keep projects on their original timeline." The initiative entails innovative infrastructure approaches, collaborative efficiency, and proactive problem solving. Notably, it includes measures for high-risk projects which might affect high-traffic areas, historic sites, or other sensitive regions.
The District 1 Councilmember added that despite the additional upfront costs, the policy is expected to save time, money, and reduce frustration across the board in the long run. Residents and businesses alike are looking forward to the implementation of this policy on upcoming 2022 Bond Program-funded infrastructure projects, with the hope for minimized disruptions. For further details, the District 1 office can be contacted at 210-207-0900.
