The EAs tasked with final-location survey normally start (time and distance) ahead of the construction crew. This is often done to save construction time and to avoid delay of scheduled activities. Some of these activities are setting stakes to mark the limits of final earthmoving operations to locate structures and establishing final grades and alignment.

Before making the final-location survey, you should make office studies consisting of the preparation of a map from preliminary survey data, projection of a tentative alignment and profile, and preliminary estimates of quantities and costs. Use this information as a guide for the final location phase. The final location in the field is carefully established by your transit party, using the paper location prepared from the preliminary survey. The center line may vary from the paper location because of objects or conditions that were not previously considered; but these changes should not be made by you, the surveyor, without the authority of the engineering officer.

After the type and general location of a highway are decided and the necessary design data is obtained in the field, a number of office tasks must be performed. These tasks include the following:

Repeat these operations one or more times as trial designs are developed and then revised or discarded. For a highway plan and profile, plot on the same sheet. Figure 14-22 shows a plotted highway plan and profile view. Plotting cross sections is discussed later in this chapter.