§ 6. Use of Right of Way.  


Latest version.
  • In the use of Right-of-Way under this franchise, the Company shall be subject to all rules, regulations, policies, resolutions and ordinances now or hereafter adopted or promulgated by the City in the reasonable exercise of its police power. In addition, the Company shall be subject to all rules, regulations, policies, resolutions, and ordinances now or hereafter adopted or promulgated by the City relating to permits, sidewalk and pavement cuts, utility location, construction coordination, screening, and other requirements on the use of the Right-of-Way; provided, however, that nothing contained herein shall constitute a waiver of or be construed as waiving the right of the Company to oppose, challenge, or seek judicial review of, in such manner as is now or may hereafter be provided by law, any such rules, regulation, policy, resolution, and ordinance pro

    posed, adopted, or promulgated by the City. Further, the Company shall comply with the following:

    (a)

    The Company's use of Right-of-Way shall in all matters be subordinate to the City's use of the Right-of-Way for any public purpose. The Company shall coordinate the installation of its Facilities in Right-of-Way in a manner which minimizes adverse impact on Public Improvements, as reasonably determined by the City. Where installation is not otherwise regulated, the Facilities shall be placed with adequate clearance from such Public Improvements so as not to conflict with such Public Improvement.

    (b)

    All earth, materials, sidewalks, paving, crossings, utilities, Public Improvements, or improvements of any kind located within the Right-of-Way damaged or removed by the Company in its activities under this franchise shall be fully repaired or replaced promptly by the Company at its sole expense and to the reasonable satisfaction of the City in accordance with the ordinances and regulations of the City pertaining thereto.

    (c)

    All Facilities placed above ground in Street Right-of-Way after the date hereof shall be located behind the sidewalk where feasible and screened from public view in a manner reasonably determined by the City. Upon request of the Company, the original screening materials may be provided by the City or the City's contractor at the Company's expense in conjunction with and as part of the City program for Right-of-Way maintenance. At the request of the Company, the City will thereafter maintain such original screening materials at the City's own expense provided that the City made the selection of or subsequently approves the materials so maintained. Notwithstanding the above, the Company shall use its best efforts to provide that all Facilities constructed, replaced, or relocated in the Right-of-Way after the date hereof shall be placed underground unless, because of the nature of the Facility or the standard construction or operating practices of the Company, the Company requests such Facilities be placed above ground. Upon such request, the City Engineer or Right-of-Way Coordinator shall review and approve the plans for the above ground placement of Facilities in accordance with reasonable procedures established by the City, and subject to such reasonable conditions as the City may establish for public safety, appearance, or coordination with Public Improvements. Further, where reasonable, practical, and appropriate and where adequate Right-of-Way exists, the Company shall screen or shall place above-ground Facilities underground in conjunction with City capital improvement projects and/or at specific locations requested by the City provided that such placement is practical, efficient, and economically feasible.

    (d)

    The Company shall keep and maintain accurate records and as-built drawings of all Facilities (except customer service lines) constructed, reconstructed, or relocated in the Street Right-of-Way of arterial streets (as designated by City of Wichita Code § 11.96.100) after the date hereof. Such Facilities shall be horizontally and vertically located at least every 100 feet and at any other alignment change. All points of Facilities shall be horizontally located from street centerline, or section or quarter section lines or corners. Vertical locations on all points of Facilities shall consist of elevations in either City datum or United States Geological Survey datum.

    (e)

    The Company shall notify the City not less than three (3) working days in advance (such notice to be adequate for timely notice on the governing body agenda under City procedures) of any construction, reconstruction, repair, or relocation of Facilities which would require any street closure which reduces traffic flow to less than two lanes of moving traffic. Except in the event of an emergency, as reasonably determined by the Company, no such closure shall take place without prior authorization from the City. In addition, all work performed in the traveled way or which in any way impacts vehicular or pedestrian traffic shall be properly signed, barricaded, and otherwise protected. Such signing shall be in conformance with the latest edition of the Federal Highway Administration's Standards and Guideline for Work Zone Traffic Control, unless otherwise agreed to by the City.

    (f)

    The Company shall cooperate promptly and fully with the City and take all reasonable measures necessary to provide accurate and complete information regarding the nature and horizontal and vertical location of its Facilities located within Right-of-Way when requested by the City or its authorized agents for a Public Project. Such location and identification shall be at the sole expense of the Company without expense to the City, its employees, agents, or authorized contractors. The Company shall designate and maintain an agent, familiar with the Facilities, who is responsible for timely satisfaction of the information needs of the City and other users of the Right-of-Way. The Company shall coordinate with the City on the design and placement of Facilities in the Right-of-Way during and for the design of Public Improvements. At the request of the Company, the City may include design for Facilities in the design of Public Projects.

    (g)

    The Company shall promptly locate, remove, relocate, or adjust any Facilities located in Right-of-Way if reasonably necessary and requested by the City for a Public Project. Such location removal, relocation, or adjustment for a particular Public Project shall be performed by the Company once without expense to the City, its employees, agents, or authorized contractors and shall be specifically subject to rules and regulations of the City pertaining to such; provided, that if the Company demonstrates to the satisfaction of the City that the Facility was originally established in a private easement that thereafter became part of the Right-of-Way, the removal, relocation, or adjustment shall be without expense to the Company. If additional location, removal, relocation, or adjustment is the result of the inaccurate or mistaken information of the Company, the Company shall be responsible for costs associated with such without expense to the City.

    The Company shall not be responsible for the expenses of relocation to accommodate any new Public Project for Private Development initiated after the effective date of this ordinance. The expenses attributable to such a project shall be the responsibility of the third party upon the request and appropriate documentation of the Company. Before such expenses may be billed to the third party, the Company shall be required to coordinate with the third party and the City on the design and construction to ensure that the work required is necessary and done in a cost effective manner. Upon the request of the Company or the third party, the allocation of expenses attributable to project shall be made in the reasonable determination of the City. Eligible third parties may request to have the City specially assess those expenses billed by the Company under this section.

    The City will use its best efforts, but is not required, to continue to provide a location in the Right-of-Way for the Company's Facilities as part of a Public Project, provided that the Company has cooperated promptly and fully with the City in the design of its Facilities as part of the Public Project.

    (h)

    It shall be the responsibility of the Company to take adequate measures to protect and defend its Facilities in the Right-of-Way from harm or damage. If the Company fails to accurately locate Facilities when requested, it has no claim for costs or damages against the City and its authorized contractors except to the extent the City and its authorized contractors are responsible for the harm or damage by their negligence or intentional conduct. Company shall be responsible to the City and its agents, representatives, and authorized contractors for all damages including, but not limited to, delay damages, repair costs, down time, construction delays, penalties or other expenses of any kind arising out of the failure of the Company to perform any of its obligations under this agreement except to the extent another party is responsible for the harm or damage by its negligence or intentionally caused harm, provided, that if the responsibility of the City and its agents, representatives, and authorized contractors does not arise as a contractual obligation, the Company shall have the right at its option to step in and defend such claim in its own right. The above general provisions notwithstanding, the City and its authorized contractors shall take reasonable precautionary measures including calling for utility locations through Kansas One Call and exercising due caution when working near Company Facilities.

    (i)

    The Company shall remain a member of and participate in the Utility Location and Coordination Council established by ordinance of the City.

    (j)

    All technical standards governing construction, reconstruction, installation, operation, testing, use, maintenance, and dismantling of the Facilities in the Right-of-Way shall be in accordance with applicable present and future federal, state, and City law and regulation, including but not limited to the most recent standards of the Kansas Corporation Commission and Department of Transportation, or such substantive equivalents as may hereafter be adopted or promulgated. It is understood that the standards established in this paragraph are minimum standards and the requirements established or referenced in this franchise may be additional to or stricter than such minimum standards.

    (k)

    The City encourages the conservation of Right-of-Way by the sharing of space by all utilities. Notwithstanding provision of this franchise prohibiting third party use, to the extent required by Federal or State law, the Company will permit any other franchised entity by appropriate contract or agreement negotiated by the parties to use any and all Facilities constructed or erected by the Company.