This project is a collaborative effort between the Davis Islands Civic Association and the University of South Florida to investigate the feasibility and methodology of converting overhead utility service delivery to underground. It is a research and demonstration initiative, the outcome of which has the potential to positively and dramatically improve the quality of life, disaster preparedness and recovery capability of the citizens of Florida.

This project not only addresses the specific services and the co-location of those services, but also, and just as importantly, the methods by which communities can fund and implement conversion and co-location projects of their own. This work will provide facilities planners and local governments in communities throughout the state of Florida all the necessary technical data, costs and benefits analysis, and a proven working methodology. This “road map” ensures their ability to accurately manage their projects.

ISSUE BACKGROUND:

Nine years ago, spurred by citizen concern against potentially unsafe and unsightly overhead electric lines, the Florida Legislature decided to examine the life-cycle total cost issue of overhead utility service systems compared to underground systems. At the direction of the Legislature, the Florida Public Service Commission established a cost model in 1991 to determine the costs.

This proposal seeks to build and expand on that original work. In 1995, the Davis Island Civic Association began researching this issue. In 1996, they contacted the University of South Florida and a research partnership emerged resulting in this proposal and its ongoing work.

THE PROJECT:

The total project is to determine and substantiate the effectiveness and costs of converting existing overhead service facilities to an underground system by conducting original research, evaluating work and research by others and managing contracted technical work.

While past studies concluded it was not cost effective to convert existing overhead distribution systems consisting of power, cable and telephone lines suspended overhead on utility poles along roadways and easements, to underground systems. New research was definitely warranted not only to update cost and technology but to identify factors not considered in the previous research.

Today, new technologies with longer life expectancies and more efficient installation techniques are either reducing initial costs and/or reducing operation and maintenance costs over time.

Of equal importance however, is developing information on the cost effects on real property values, pole and contact accidents, disaster preparedness and disaster recovery.

This project will provide an objective base to determine effectiveness of conversion inclusive of these issues and current capital costs as opposed to only capital cost differentials.

What is the Utilities Task Force? And, what is their role?

In cooperation with both the University of South Florida and the Davis Islands Civic Association, the Task Force functions as the working committee linking the various community, industry, and governmental interests. Members include representatives from all of the major, effected service providers, (Tampa Electric Co., Verizon, and Time Warner), appropriate staff from the City of Tampa, staff from the School of Engineering at the University of South Florida and representatives from the Davis Islands Civic Association. The Task Force receives reports on the progress of the work, identifies and trouble-shoots issues, is developing funding options and in general facilitates all communication for the project.

What does it mean to you? By providing definitive answers for: How to? - How much? - How long?

This project will potentially mean a positive and dramatic improvement to our quality of life in several areas such as daily safety and reliable services but also and more significantly, disaster preparedness and recovery capability.

Not only does it address the co-location of specific services, but also the methods by which other communities can fund and implement conversion and co-location projects of their own.

Project Outline

• Phase 1 - Development of Cost/Benefits Analysis (Completed)   
• Phase 2 - Design Engineering of a Case Study System (In progress)
• Phase 3 - Implementation of a Case Study System (Future)
• Phase 4 - Monitoring and Evaluation of a Case Study System (Future)

Project Summary

Phase 1 (Completed)

• Funded by the Department of Community Affairs, this phase was successfully completed on August 10, 1999. Building on the Florida Public Service Commission’s original model, this work established that by considering new, improved equipment life cycle times and enhanced property values, converted systems could be cost effective. Further, an important innovation of this phase was to develop a model for identifying all applicable beneficiaries of a newly converted system and the degree to which they benefit.

Phase 2 (In Progress)

• Due to its complexity and funding parameters, Phase 2 is divided into two parts. The engineering design, will be developed to accomplish a conversion to underground of all services in a case study community. In addition to the construction plans to accomplish the conversion, the development of funding scenarios and community communications plans to accomplish this case study will be developed.

  This work will provide facilities planners throughout the state of Florida with all the necessary technical data, costs and benefits analysis, and a proven working methodology to ensure their ability to accurately manage their projects.

Phase 3 (Future, pending approval)

• Phase 3 will commence only after the calculation of total costs and subsequent funding scenarios have been approved by the residents of the Case Study community. It is anticipated that once approved, construction of the converted system could take twenty-four to thirty-six months.

Phase 4 (Future, pending Phase 3 completion)

• Phase 4 monitors and evaluates the newly constructed system for performance, reliability, and safety. The period of this phase could last 5 years.

  Project Benefits

For over a decade, Floridians, for a variety of reasons, have sought to convert overhead utilities systems to underground if two challenges can be successfully addressed. These are identifying innovative and cost effective system design and establishing a workable funding mechanism(s). Ultimately, the underground system that will result from the completion of Phases 2 & 3 will answer those challenges and provide these major benefits:

• Better mitigation of storm damage and speed of disaster recovery.
• Energize renewal of older neighborhoods by the installation of infrastructure comparable to that found in newer, suburban communities.     
• Enhances community safety by reducing electrical contact and pole accidents.
• Substantially reduces the frequency of service interruptions.
• Establishes an engineering process that evaluates all new and near term technologies possibly becoming the basis for a minimum standard of installation for the State of Florida.  
• Provides communities with viable funding options that can translate into actual dollars for infrastructure improvements. This being perhaps, the most formidable obstacle of all.
• Provides communities with an explicit planning road map to achieve both undergrounding and co-location in a single process thereby ensuring maximum efficiency and utilization of resources