Rule 18.7.227 - UNDERGROUND CROSSINGS BY NEW COMMUNICATION AND ELECTRIC POWER FACILITIES(1) Underground facilities shall be buried not less than 42 inches deep.(2) Crossings required for service connections or crossing, which, in the opinion of the utility, will not require reinforcement may be made without the use of the conduit.(3) All other crossings should be made with conduit of sufficient capacity to handle anticipated future requirements of the utility.(4) Conduit shall be of sufficient strength to carry prescribed legal weights of construction equipment and highway traffic.(5) The department shall determine the minimum length of conduit to be used, based on protection to the highway, as well as future highway expansion.(6) Fiber optic cable crossings are to be buried a uniform, minimum depth of 42 inches below the ground line, or the bottom of a ditch, whichever is greater, if a ditch is present. Steel, heavy gauge pvc, or some equivalent conduit is required on road crossings where the district determines it is necessary. The location or warning tape will not be required on roadway crossings.Eff. 12/31/72; AMD, 1995 MAR p. 854, Eff. 5/12/95; AMD, 2024 MAR p. 1880, Eff. 7/27/2024AUTH: 60-3-101, 60-4-402 MCA; IMP: 60-3-101, 60-4-402 MCA