Directive Requires Further Subsurface Investigations During Preliminary Design Phase

DGT Associates, New England’s leading surveying firm, announces their endorsement of the MassDOT Highway Division’s Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) directive. Directive E-21-005, Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE), launched in late December, now requires “the performance of SUE Level B services by qualified engineering firms during the preliminary design phase for all new projects anticipated to involve subsurface utility relocations.”

ASCE 38-02 Quality Level B surveying data is collected by utilizing geophysical equipment operated above ground to map the location of subsurface utilities. During projects in high-traffic areas such as highways, professionals should utilize modern mapping technology combined with underground utility records to increase project efficiency, accuracy, and safety, therefore avoiding costly mistakes.

“This directive aligns precisely with what DGT believes should be the standard of care throughout the industry,” said Michael Clifford, DGT’s Co-Founder and Principal. “With so much at stake, projects cannot afford to overlook the opportunity to complete a subsurface utility investigation in the preliminary stages of a project. We support and applaud MassDOT’s new SUE Level B requirement.”

In an effort to aid designers in finding qualified firms to perform SUE, MassDOT Highway Division added Subsurface Utility Engineering to its list of firm pre-qualification disciplines. Of the list, DGT is one of only five firms currently pre-qualified to perform both surveying and SUE Level B. With a 25-year history of performing Subsurface Utility Investigations in accordance with CI/ASCE 38-02 Level B standards, DGT is confident in their ability to meet the MassDOT’s intended goals in this new directive.

“DGT has been an industry leader in SUE/SUM for over 25 years. Because we understand the value and importance of underground mapping, we recently designed and purchased our own mobile mapping system,” said Michael A. Twohig, DGT’s Director of Subsurface Utility Mapping. “With our system, we’re able to provide SUE Level B surveys quickly, accurately, and safely. We’re excited to continue advancing the industry and look forward to partnering with organizations around New England on upcoming projects.”

Learn more about DGT’s underground mapping services.

About DGT Associates

DGT Associates is New England’s leading surveying firm, with headquarters in Boston and offices in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Guided by a 140-year heritage of legacy firms, DGT is committed to a tech-forward, no-corners-cut approach to its core services — surveying, engineering, and Subsurface Utility Mapping. DGT’s experienced teams of surveyors, GIS professionals, utility mapping specialists, wetlands experts, and civil engineers utilize the latest technology to deliver valued, meaningful results. The firm’s clients span a cross-section of community stakeholders across New England and the country, from developers and construction managers to municipalities and energy companies. Learn more at www.dgtassociates.com.

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