Page 3 - Arkansas 811

Publisher’s Perspective
Someone said that we’ve become a nation of orange barrels and utility construction signs. I guess that is true, but it is not necessarily a bad thing.
While pipeline construction is largely rural, it receives the greatest political and environmental scrutiny and for a lot of obvious reasons. On the other hand, road widening projects and/or utility construction projects are visible wherever you may be traveling whether it be cross- country or downtown.
Why is there so much construction going on? It is not likely that the
nation’s excavators got together when we weren’t looking and decided
to see how much havoc they could create. They likely didn’t select the
downtown locations to dig, plow or bore. I have serious doubts that
one of them phoned one of their peers and said, “Hey Joe! I think I
see a great spot to dig a boring pit. It is down here on the corner of
Capitol and Main. Sure, I know it is the busiest intersection in town, but I just like the lay of this intersection. Meet you here tomorrow morning, first thing.”
The massive amount of construction going on is in part because there is a great need for improving our aging and outdated infrastructure. Our highways are crowded, and we need that extra lane during rush hour. Our utility lines are no longer able to meet customer demands and we haven’t even started talking about broadband and fiber to the home projects in every county in the state.
More subdivisions were built so we’ve had to upgrade our power, water, sewer and gas capacity. People aren’t as interested in talking on landline phones as they used to be, but they sure want supersonic internet and high-definition quality video from their phone or cable providers. In a very competitive environment, utility owners have their engineering departments or firms working feverishly to roll out the next big upgrade.
Of course, all of this translates into orange barrels and utility construction signs. These signs are used primarily to warn those of us passing by to be on the lookout for workers, to slow down and expect longer than normal drive times. We are told to be patient and plan for delays. That’s good advice!
These same signs could serve as a reminder to the stakeholders involved in the projects that there are hidden dangers and potential delays for them as well.
Occasionally you’ll see a car moving too fast in a work zone. In spite of the warning signs, the driver places himself and others at risk. The same is true when an excavator is working too fast in the same work zone. Digging without calling 811 first is like driving blindfolded and now in Arkansas can result in a civil penalty.
The statistics tell us that when the call is made to 811 damages occur less than 1% of the time. Talk about putting money in your pocket! The best insurance policy you can get and it’s free.
So, let’s work together to ensure the safety of every person that passes by your work zone and by following the “dig safely” steps we’ll also protect our vital underground infrastructure.
And that’s a good day for everybody!
Roger Cox President ACTS Now, Inc.
2023, Issue 3
Arkansas 811 Magazine • 1