New Jersey Administrative Code
Title 16 - TRANSPORTATION
Chapter 25 - UTILITY ACCOMMODATION
Subchapter 10 - OVERHEAD POWER AND COMMUNICATION LINES
Section 16:25-10.3 - Location and alignment

(a) Utility poles shall be located as close to the right-of-way as practical, preferably no further than five feet from the right-of-way line as allowed by cross-arm aerial clearance requirements. Aerial easements shall be considered to accommodate cross-arms to achieve the desired pole offsets.

(b) Location of overhead utilities on highways with narrow right-of-way or on urban streets with closely abutting improvements requires special consideration. Utility poles shall be located behind the sidewalk, as far as practical from the curb or gutter line. When this is not feasible, poles may be placed between the sidewalk and the curb or gutter line, as close to the sidewalk as possible. If site constraints require utility poles to be placed within the sidewalk area, they shall be located in compliance with the Department's Roadway Design Manual by maintaining the minimum useable width of sidewalk to allow for wheelchair passage. In no case shall the face of the utility poles be located closer than 1.5 feet from the face of the curb or the gutter line.

(c) The distance between utility poles should be the longest feasible span length consistent with geometric and design line loading considerations.

(d) In areas where advisory speed, speed reduction, and/or horizontal alignment warning signs are posted in advance of highway curves, consideration shall be given to relocating the poles to the inside of the curve, installing the facility underground, or some other cost effective alternative, which avoids the placement of poles on the outside of the curve. Should pole placement be required along the outside of the horizontal curve, the number of poles shall be held to a minimum and pole offsets shall be increased to the maximum allowable given the site constraints.

(e) Where a guide rail is present, utility poles shall be located in accordance with the Department's Roadway Design Manual.

(f) Utility poles shall be located longitudinally at least 50 feet beyond an exit terminal or gore/island approach end. Placement of poles in islands that do not have a longitudinal through roadway length of 100 feet or more is discouraged, except where other locations are unusually difficult and unreasonably costly.

(g) Poles being installed in proximity to a bridge structure shall maintain a minimum offset distance equal to or greater than the exposed height of the pole.

(h) Guy wires to ground anchors and stub poles shall not be placed between a pole and the traveled way where they encroach upon the clear zone area. Push brace poles shall not be placed between the utility pole and the traveled way.

(i) Where irregular shaped portions of the right-of-way extend beyond the parallel right-of-way limits, variances in the location from the right-of-way line may be allowed, as necessary, to maintain a reasonably uniform alignment for longitudinal overhead installations.

(j) Poles, guys, or other related facilities shall not be located in a highway median unless other alternatives are determined to be impractical and where suitable protection is provided to the highway user.

(k) At locations where a traffic signal standard, traffic signal standard mounted lighting assembly, separate lighting standard, or overhead sign structures exists, the installation shall conform to the provisions of 16:25-10.4.

(l) When electrical facilities (26 KV and above) are approved for installation across limited access highway right-of-way in accordance with N.J.A.C. 16:25-12, they shall be installed in accordance with the criteria set forth in this chapter; however, the proximity criteria used shall take into account not only existing highway facilities such as light standards and sign supports, but also facilities that the Department proposes within the area where the utility crossing will be constructed.

(m) To the greatest extent possible, utility poles should be located longitudinally along the roadway. Aerial crossings over roadways should be minimized and longitudinal aerial spans over roadways should be avoided.

(n) Placement of utility poles, guys, or other utility related facilities within intersection corner quadrants should be avoided. If utility poles are required at an intersection, pole placement should be designed to avoid the most crash vulnerable locations involving potential secondary collisions (collision of a vehicle with a pole resulting from an initial two vehicle collision).

(o) The placement of poles shall be avoided at critical locations, such as lane drops, deceleration lanes, "T" intersections, and sections where the pavement narrows. If it is impractical to span these areas, the Department may approve locating the pole in the area least vulnerable to vehicular impact.