Talk of telephone/communication lines and also of "we can't tell you where it is" reminds me of one job I worked on.
We were doing topography over a large chunk of land to be used for design of a future freeway interchange. There were a couple of local roads that crossed the site, so I called in a ticket to USA to get the underground flagged (we were going to do potholes for soil tests and whatnot). I got an email from AT&T that said that we needed to be warned that there was a high security communications fiber optic buried near the vicinity we had marked and though it wasn't within our marked perimeter, we had to be notified.
So being the concerned surveyor that I am, I called them.
Me: Okay, I want to make sure we don't pothole through your line. Can you tell me where it is?
AT&T: No, we can only tell you that you're close to it.
Me: So, how do I find out where it is?
AT&T: If your marked perimeter contains the line within it, we will mark that location.
Me: Okay, so I'll remark my perimeter.
I sent the crew out and remarked a perimeter and contacted USA for an updated ticket. I got the same notice from AT&T. So, another phone call.
Me: Well, I expanded my perimeter by 100 feet and we're still "close" to your line?
AT&T: Yes.
Me: How close?
AT&T: We can't disclose the location of the line.
Me: You can if it lands within my perimeter.
AT&T: This is just to notify you that the line is near your project.
Me: Are we playing Battleship? Why can't you just say that the line is 50 feet north of my perimeter, or whatever it is?
AT&T: We can't disclose the location of the line as it is a highly important trunk line that routes nationwide communications. Damage to it would disrupt service across the US.
Me: It seems like that would be a great reason to tell me precisely where it is. That way we don't hit it with the potholing operations.
AT&T: I'm sorry, but it is not our policy to disclose the location of the line.
Me: Well, thanks anyway.
I still have internet access, so I'm assuming we didn't break anything!
In 1978, I worked on a survey crew involved with a repaving project at the Birmingham airport. Much of the work was done overnight when it actually closed (for the repaving). There were also times we were there during the day having to dodge 727's coming and going. We did have someone from the FAA with us who had contact with the tower for warning. However, the only "security" preventing access to the runway was an unattended locked gate with the key hidden in a soda can tied to the fence! How times have changed.
