Coordinate PA: The Next Generation of Utility Coordination

The speakers will examine how to coordinate complex underground projects. Have you ever wished that there was better coordination on underground infrastructure projects? Have you wondered how utility companies and municipalities can collaborate on projects to save costs, like opening or cutting the street once versus several times? Do you wish there was better communication and cooperation between underground facility owners, DOT, excavators, and municipalities? This session will detail the application tool Pennsylvania 811 has in place to help project owners, designers/engineers, facility owners, and excavators manage underground construction projects more efficiently. In 2018, Pennsylvania 811 introduced “Coordinate PA,” a project coordination software tool for utility and public works project planning and construction within Pennsylvania. Coordinate PA was developed by Pennsylvania 811 and JMT Techlogy Group as a web-based system that provides a spatial (map-based) look at underground utility and public works projects to help identify opportunities for coordination and collaboration when projects overlap in space and time. This collaboration software application allows project participants to connect using visual maps and tools. Coordinate PA paves the way to plan large and/or complex underground projects and continue through construction phases to prevent damages throughout the project’s life.
At the conclusion of this session participants will be better able to:
• Communicate effectively for construction project coordination. Ensure that all team members, including project owners, contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers, are on the same page.
• Create a comprehensive project plan that outlines timelines, milestones, and resources. Develop a detailed schedule that includes critical path analysis to identify potential bottlenecks and risks.
• Use techlogy that is playing an increasingly important role in modern construction project coordination. Using construction management software and building information modeling (BIM) can help streamline processes, enhance accuracy, and improve project efficiency.