Impact Assessment and Damage Fee Development for Pavement Utility Cuts Using Functional and Structural Field Data

The objectives of this study were: 1) to provide transparency of a recent pavement utility cut impact study which informed the adoption of a pavement utility cut fee in Davis, California; and 2) to present an additional methodology for assessing pavement damage using field data referenced to pavement condition. A total of 24 test sites were selected to represent all functional classifications across the Pavement Condition Index (PCI) spectrum. Functional and structural field data were collected and analyzed. Of the 24 test sites, 67% exhibited both functional and structural damage with 96% exhibiting at least one form of damage. The average PCI reduction resulting from utility cuts was 5.1 points and the corresponding percent reduction in pavement service life was 6%. Of the test sites, 63% exhibited damage 2 ft from the edge of the patch, thus indicating that the zone of influence extends past the current restoration area. The statistical analyses indicated that the pavement utility cuts caused significant damage and supported a tiered utility cut fee structure based on functional classification and PCI. The resulting fee schedule is based on 2022 material and construction cost estimates; consequently, implementation including an annual adjustment for inflation is recommended. Since the negative impact of utility cuts is amplified when there are multiple or large cuts on the same street, and treatments are typically carried out across entire management sections, a full-recovery fee at a threshold of 10% of the management section area is appropriate. Example fee calculations were provided.