I love it when a plan comes together... Thanks that kind of story
makes my day... Feifdoms are a pet peave..
On 6/12/20 8:12 AM, ch...@wbmfg.com wrote:
Working on engineering a new fiber line. Called for locates.
Normally they will not do the locates unless you are actually
digging. If just engineering they will not even take the dig ticket.
So, I always do some form of geo tech bore hole soil sampling etc to
get the paint down on the ROW without argument. If I forget to drill
the test holes.... well I am getting older and more forgetful.
Sprint showed up and said:
They have a 2’ (both sides, above and below) exclusive zone that we
cannot come near nationwide. 4’ wide exclusion zone.
(I was in a state highway ROW). Told the sprint guy that I doubted
they have an exclusive ROW in a public highway ROW.
He went ballistic. Said I had messed with the wrong people etc. Got
his boss on the phone. I told the boss that I simply did not believe
it. I might be proven wrong but generally road ROWs are pretty much
the domain of the political entity etc. He said he had fought this
battle many times and always won. They have an exclusive easement
everywhere in the USA and that their fiber is much more important than
everyone else. I said that one thing was certain, one of would be
proven wrong. He hung up.
I called UDOT. They said, no, nothing special about Sprint. I gave
them the contact info for the locator’s boss. UDOT called him. He
told UDOT that they did indeed have an exclusive easement and the
would sue the state of Utah if it is not honored. UDOT researched
it. Nope. Nothing more than a permit. Just like what Chuck has.
Nothing special about Sprint. They said that they were going to
straighten this out with the AGs office.
Then I discover that UDOT has very recently given this highway to the
county.
County engineer says Sprint has nothing, they are in trespass
everywhere they are in the county.
So, out plowing cable and the Sprint locator showed up. Boxer shorts,
flip flops, wife beater. Starts running his mouth to my crew about
Chuck pissed off the wrong guys and that he is going to be tied up in
federal court for the next 10 years etc. Supervisor threw him off the
job site. No hard hat, no orange vest, no hard soled shoes.
Supervisor called me and said to expect a call from Sprint. I called
his boss instead. Told him that they had failed to mark 1/3 of the
ROW and that the guy needs to conform to UDOT safety standards to be
out there working. And that as far as suing me in federal courth,
UDOT says I am good to go. “So tell your guy to shut the F*** up and
just do his job. “
This time sprint boss was meek and mild and offered to cooperate any
way possible.
I actually apologized for the harsh words, but was expecting the same
attitude as before.
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