Equipment and Facilities for Rapid Installation of Buried Innerduct Network for Utility Lines

The proposed buried innerduct/duct network (BIN) comprises an integrated system to facilitate future upgrades of buried communications (telephony, CATV) and power lines. The objective of the project is to provide improved, cost-effective hardware and practices relative to present buried construction procedures, which do not otherwise allow for future upgrades or replacement of initially installed utility distribution lines. The BIN would therefore support and encourage present trends for placing new utilities below ground, helping avoid future problems with such installations. The shortcomings of conventional direct-buried construction methods can lead to road damage or safety problems, including risk of gas or power line hits during reconstruction activities, thereby jeopardizing continuation of the desired trends toward universal below ground facilities. The BIN may be deployed in a variety of applications, ranging from residential communities to thoroughfares and major roads. Common applications include road-widening projects (allowing replacement of existing overhead lines by new buried facilities), or any other situation in which open-trenching construction is employed. The BIN may also be installed in established areas using trenchless construction methods. The extremely successful Phase I effort, including participation and encouragement by representatives of three major utilities (SBC/AT&T, Comcast, Consumers Energy), demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed network.