Weight on Residential Gas Lines

[Sais13579]

Hi everybody,

I have a top-soil delivery to make for a customer in their back yard. The only access is by backing up by the side of the house which has the gas line hooked up to it. The town just had all the utilities on the street marked and you can't get to the back yard without driving directly over the gas line. Truck weighs 10000lbs empty and with 4yds top-soil at appx. 2000lb a yd that is 18000lbs. I just saw on the news where someone in a f350 blew up their town hall by driving across the lawn. Most homes I just deliver in the driveway and most homes don't have natual gas around here but the customer doesn't want it blocking their garage. Does anyone have any experience with this type of thing?

[Sais13579]

Really I am just wondering if anyone has driven over gas lines before or have heard horror stories not to do it.

[AEL]

I drive machines over them all the time, still alive and got all of my limbs. That town hall must of had some shallow lines...
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[YellowDogSVC]

we drove tractors and trucks over gas lines but they were a couple of feet underground. I can't see one exploding because you drive on it unless something punctures it and the friction or a heat source ignites it. Can you put plywood down (or charge to do so) to spread out the weight of your truck? Is the ground hard or soft?

[Sais13579]

The grounds soaked here in the north east so its gonna have to wait a couple days, thank you for your input.

[RussellB]

You could always use matting to distribute the weight. In my 30 years in the public utility business I never heard of or experienced issues with any underground utility just by driving equipment over it. Sounds like your a good business man and plan your work out. Kudos to you.

[alldayrj]

Plywood and good to go
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[Dan85]

Maybe call 811 (call before you dig) or the local gas utility for a better answer? Also, I see on most trucking invoices I sign the saying 'our responsibility ends at the curb' which I take is that they're not liable for damage beyond the curb.

[Cornell]

Depends how lazy the crew was that put the gas line in... I've found marked lines 4 inches under topsoil before. They are supposed to be 3' down from finished grade here.