What to Expect In The Right-of-Way (ROW)

A project of this nature requires specialized equipment and materials to complete the various phases of construction. Each phase of the project will utilize different items, but the following are what neighbors are likely to see along the right-of-way (ROW) over the course of the project:

Equipment

Logging trucks and forwarders (rubber-wheeled machine with claw for grappling matting) will be used to transport the timber matting that will be placed along the ROW for ground protection and temporary road access. The logging trucks will transport the matting from offsite locations to the ROW and the forwarder will pick the matting from the logging trucks and place them on the ground where needed.
Excavators will be used for various activities including digging, loading, and moving of heavy materials within the ROW (this could include moving/placing matting, as well).
Mobile drill rigs will be tracked into the ROW for the purpose of digging holes for foundations (where necessary) and structure installations.
Cranes will be used primarily to hoist and place new tower materials.
Various trucks, including pick-ups and dump trucks, will be used for typically hauling of materials on and off the ROW. Bucket trucks will be used in both the forestry and electrical phases of the construction.
Some pieces of heavy equipment may be safely stored on the ROW during off-hours.

Materials

A combination of timber matting (oversized railroad ties) and gravel will be used to create access for construction purposes. In most locations, these materials are only placed temporarily and will be removed following completion of the project. In select locations, gravel may remain for future access needs, but only in compliance with environmental regulations.
Weathering steel tower components will be used to construct the new towers. The towers are typically delivered in multiple segments (base, upper section(s) and davit arms). These towers are stored at an offsite location until shortly before they are scheduled to be installed, at which time they may be delivered and temporarily stored on the ROW. The insulators (the glass coils to which the wires attach) may also be delivered to the ROW in crates shortly before installation.
Environmental controls (straw waddles, silt fencing) are installed in select locations to protect wetlands, and other environmentally-sensitive areas, from construction impact. In some cases these controls are removed at the end of construction, while they may remain in others to breakdown naturally over time.

Construction Impact

Neighbors closest to the ROW may feel some intermittent construction impact over the course of the project. The most impactful activity is typically the drilling operation. In most cases it takes 1-2 days to drill each structure. But in situations where excessive rock is encountered the drilling could take longer. Our project team will communicate with nearby property owners if we anticipate extensive drilling in a particular location.
Typical work hours will be Monday-Friday, 7:00am-5:00pm with occasional work being performed on Saturday. If we encounter the need to work outside of these hours, our team will make every effort to provide nearby property owners with advance notice.

Helpful Links