Page 17 - Tennessee811

for NTIA approval. Once Initial Plans become approved, states can request at least 20% of their allocated funds.
Turner is excited not only about what improved broadband access has meant for the state, but Tennessee 811 as well. “We typically think about broadband expansion in terms of the excavation work that is needed, but the same expansion can have positive impacts
on how people utilize the 811 system,” he said. “Traditionally, excavators have contacted 811 by calling on the phone, but the convenience of online ticket entry is attracting more and more users. As more rural parts of our state get access to high-speed internet, we hope to see greater utilization of our online ticket portal, both for entering new requests and for checking the status of existing requests.
“An increased presence online also allows us to better reach Tennessee’s property owners and professional excavators with safe digging content, whether it be to remind them about the free service or to provide access to training and other educational resources,” Turner added.
However, the influx of broadband expansion because of BEAD funding has Turner wary. “Utility locating takes manpower, money and time – all of which are available in limited quantities,” he said, noting:
• A lack of trained utility locators
• Utility operators not always aware
of pending projects, which leads to not providing additional times and budgets to compensate for additional locating of utilities
• Tickets having, as mandated by law, narrow response windows for marking utilities
“On top of these challenges,” Turner said, “there are some excavators who contribute to inefficiencies in the system by calling in tickets well before they
are needed, or by calling in tickets that cover a larger area than needed – both of which lead to delays on the jobsites where markings are needed now.”
Originally published in TN Road Builders Association Magazine and used by permission
2024, Issue 3
Tennessee811 • 15