Al Field and his team at Al Field & Associates, LLC (AFA) have more than 100 years’ experience in the Arizona utility industry. Al formed AFA in July 2010. He and his team of professional utility locators have gained statewide respect in the industry as the preferred provider of utility coordination, utility locating and testholing (potholing), Subsurface Utility Engineering (always following ASCE Standard 38), conflict reviews, permitting assistance, utility CAD preparation, utility project management, damage prevention and other utility consulting services. Working with municipalities, state agencies, design consultants and contractors, AFA resolves utility issues before they occur ensuring projects stay on schedule and budget. Each project is approached with a partnering attitude combined with assurance of quality and timely customer service helping to maximize each project’s success.
Al spent the first part of his career at Arizona Public Service Company (APS) as a utility coordinator for projects around Arizona including portions of the MAG Freeway program, retiring in 1995.
Following his early APS retirement, Al spent the next 10 years as a consultant (PTG) at the Arizona Department of Transportation coordinating utility issues for all projects of the entire MAG Freeway Program without a project delay or damage claim caused by utility issues.
He then spent 2 years as a consultant (TBE) at the City of Phoenix on the 20-mile METRO Light Rail project through Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa as Special Project Manager for Utility Coordination, Right-of-Way and Construction activities. Al’s activities included assisting in the review and determination of utility prior rights, acquiring and reconciling utility relocation costs, and coordinating utility relocation activities, right-of-way acquisition and construction sequencing. Mr. Field assisted in coordinating and resolving issues for a section of the project under construction with new right-of-way not totally acquired and relocation of utilities still taking place. He also coordinated redesign of a section where a 48” waterline was designed to be placed under, and replace, a 42” waterline that could not be taken out of service.
Following that project, Al served 2 years a consultant (TBE) on the Sky Harbor Sky Train project as Utility Coordination Project Manager providing Professional Utility Coordination services on this two-mile, $2 billion, automated people-mover project designed to transport travelers from a new light rail station, to and from the airport parking garages, terminals and rental-car facility while passing 130’ over Taxiway Romeo. The project required reinforced concrete piers up to 8’ in diameter and 90’ deep while avoiding all airport utility facilities.
For the past 7 years, Al and his team have worked on many varied ADOT projects across the Valley and around the state. Al’s résumé lists a few of them.