Authority: IC 8-23-2-6; IC 8-23-5-10

Affected: IC 8-23-5-10

Sec. 16. (a) Tracer wire must be installed to comply with the permit plans and specifications to assist with conduit locates.

(b) Tracer wire must be a single conductor, high strength copper clad steel, orange color jacket, HMWPE, insulation, #12 American wire gauge wire. The HMWPE jacket must be at least thirty (30) millimeters in thickness. The wire must have a minimum break load of four hundred twenty-five (425) pounds and be made of fully annealed, high carbon 1055 grade steel. Tracer wires must be rated for use at thirty (30) volts. Wire connectors shall be waterproof.

(c) New continuous tracer wire shall be placed into each run of conduit to a handhole and shall be provided in the same conduit with all fiber optic cables. At least three (3) feet of tracer wire must be securely tied off inside a terminating handhole.

(d) The tracer wire must be securely fastened inside the handhole or vault. A waterproof wire nut or direct burial connector must be connected to each end of the tracer wire to prevent corrosion. At vaults with splice enclosures, the tracer wire shall be connected to the enclosure and connected to the wire lead for the fiber optic locator post.

(e) Tracer wire is not required to be installed in above-ground conduits and empty conduits that are part of a duct bank that contains a nondielectric, conductive cable. When multiple cables are to be installed in a conduit, the cables must be pulled simultaneously to prevent friction damage to the cable insulation. Spare and empty conduits may not be used to install the tracer wire.

(Indiana Department of Transportation; 105 IAC 16.5-1-16; filed Jun 20, 2025, 1:31 p.m.: 20250716-IR-105250150FRA)