Why Do Utility Cuts Wreck the Road?
The FHWA's Manual for Controlling and Reducing the Frequency of Pavement Utility Cuts puts it plainly: utility cuts reduce pavement life, and the damage extends well beyond the patch itself.
Why Do Utilities Live Under Our Roads?
Utilities need maintenance. Underground utilities require excavation. And if the utility is buried under a road, that excavation goes through the road. Cities have some control over how disruptive this is — and some surprisingly clever policies to manage it.