Identify the roadway owner and governing jurisdiction
Start with the exact crossing location and determine whether the affected facility and right-of-way are controlled by a private owner, city, county, Georgia DOT, another public agency, or more than one party. The controlling owner, permit record, contract documents, and approved plans—not a generic crossing description—define what is required for that location.
Georgia DOT describes GPAS and GUPS as systems for utility-facility encroachment permits on its system. A state route can still involve project-specific conditions and interfaces, while a city, county, or private crossing can follow a different review path. Record the governing contact, route reference, applicable documents, and the party responsible for each submittal or coordination item.
Assemble permit, drawing, and bore-plan inputs
Collect the current drawing set, route map, survey or base information where supplied, proposed utility or conduit details, crossing station or reference, available profiles, plan notes, property or right-of-way information, and the project schedule. A bore-plan package should identify the proposed crossing rather than leaving the reviewer to infer alignment, limits, product, access, or restoration intent from a narrative.
When Georgia DOT requirements apply, use the current agency documents and permit instructions to determine the required application information and work description. A submittal package should distinguish issued facts from open design, utility-verification, access, and owner-decision questions.
Define crossing geometry, entry/exit areas, staging, and access
Show the proposed crossing alignment, entry/exit areas, work limits, receiving area, access route, staging space, protected surfaces, drainage-sensitive areas, and any property or operational restrictions. Identify where equipment, materials, spoils, support vehicles, and public access could conflict. The final layout must be evaluated against the governing documents and field conditions.
For the underlying method-planning questions, use the directional drilling service pillar and the directional drilling project-planning guide. These links help organize a scope; they do not select a method or approve a crossing.
Resolve known utility conflicts and verification responsibilities
Compile available utility records, 811 status, owner-provided information, potholing or investigation results when assigned, existing structures, and unresolved conflict questions. Clearly assign who obtains or verifies each input, who can authorize a route change, and how changed conditions are documented. A locate response or plan note should not be treated as proof that every private, abandoned, unknown, or unrecorded facility is identified.
The Georgia permits versus 811 guide separates authorization, locate, and private-facility questions so a crossing package does not merge distinct responsibilities.
Define product, casing, depth, and acceptance requirements from governing documents
Specify the product or conduit, casing if required, proposed profile information, separation or depth criteria where the governing documents provide them, protective measures, and the acceptance record requested by the owner. Do not replace issued agency provisions, approved plans, utility-owner requirements, or contract specifications with a generic rule of thumb. When documents conflict or omit a critical requirement, identify the decision owner before the work proceeds.
For route and conduit questions outside the crossing package, see the underground conduit installation planning guide.
Clarify traffic impacts, work windows, restoration, inspection, and closeout
Document anticipated traffic impacts, lane or access restrictions, work-window constraints, public-notice needs, inspection points, restoration limits, cleanup, and closeout records. The roadway owner and issued project documents determine whether traffic measures are needed, who is responsible for them, what approvals apply, and how restoration or acceptance is handled. Georgia DOT publishes a Traffic Interruption Request Form for contractors working in its right-of-way when lane closures are needed; that does not substitute for project-specific approval or assignment.
Use the directional drilling cost-factors guide to frame estimate variables without rate assumptions, and identify all traffic, inspection, restoration, and acceptance responsibilities in the request package.
Road-crossing scope checklist and capability boundaries
- Identify the roadway owner, route reference, jurisdiction, property or right-of-way interests, and controlling document set.
- Provide issued drawings, permit or application status, work description, proposed crossing geometry, product details, and unresolved decisions.
- Map entry/exit areas, access, staging, surface constraints, work windows, nearby operations, and restoration limits.
- Record known utilities, 811 status, assigned verification work, conflict-escalation path, and decision authority.
- Assign traffic, permit coordination, design, inspection, testing, restoration, acceptance, and closeout responsibilities by contract or governing document.
Return to the buyer resource hub for related planning tools and use the current owner requirements to finalize the crossing scope.
Sources and reviewed date
- Georgia DOT: utility permitting systems and traffic interruption request information
- Georgia DOT: Directional Boring Under Interstate and Limited Access Highways special provision
- Georgia DOT: Complete Work Description attachment
Reviewed August 10, 2026
Confirm current requirements with the roadway owner, utility owner, contract documents, and qualified project professionals. This planning resource is not legal or engineering advice.