Colorado Springs Utilities saves money by using a different way to dig

Many drivers get annoyed when they run into road construction.

Much of that road work is done by the utility company.

Now Colorado Springs Utilities is using a new way to keep those lane closures as brief as possible.

When it comes to weather, Colorado is known for its four season. But when it comes to road work there are only two: plowing and construction.

And this year, Colorado Springs Utilities is taking full advantage of the construction season.

“We do about (300) to 400 cores a year,” said Bill Davis an operations supervisor for Colorado Springs Utilities.

That much work is possible because of a process known as keyholing.

“(We) cut a round hole in the street to access our utilities,” said Davis.

The hole that the crew cuts is between one and two feet wide.

Davis said, “we’re in and out the same day, less interference with traffic.”

That’s because the old way required a massive hole in the street that required an outside contractor an extra day to fix.

Since the extra crew isn’t needed, keyholing also costs less.

“Using the keyholing process, it’s around $890,” said Davis.

That’s compared to around $1,500 the old way. There is an initial cost:

“For the equipment that we purchased (the cost) is around just under $500,000,” said Davis.

But if the city digs 300 holes per year and saves around $600 per hole, that’s a savings of nearly $200,000 a year – every year. That makes Davis and his crew happy.

“(It) feels good because we’re getting a lot more done, a lot more bang for the buck,” said Davis.

Saving that kind of money will make for happy commuting for utilities customers too.

Keyholing has been used in Colorado Springs since around 2000. Utilities started off using a private contractor to do the work, but has used its own equipment for the past six years.