Florida 811 Before You Dig: What the Turnpike Gas Strike Teaches Us
On Friday, October 16, an excavator hit an 18-inch gas main running alongside Florida's Turnpike in Hollywood. According to CBS Miami, the Turnpike was closed between Hollywood Boulevard and Griffin Road for hours, nearby residents were kept out of their homes until the leak was controlled, and some assisted-living residents were taken to the hospital as a precaution. No injuries were reported. Florida Gas Transmission called it "a third-party strike." The report also said it was unclear whether the contractor had the all-clear through Sunshine 811 before digging.
We don't know the full story of that job, and I won't guess. But the incident is a good reason to review how Florida's damage-prevention law works, because the same rules apply to a utility crew on a highway, a pool contractor in Kendall and a homeowner setting a fence post.
I've spent more than 20 years in engineering and construction, and today Subterra Infrastructure, Co. does horizontal directional drilling (HDD), underground utilities and excavation. Here is what I want every owner, developer and project manager in Florida to understand before the first shovel goes in.
Why this matters in Florida
Florida has a line-strike problem. Peoples Gas published a release this year titled "Florida Ranks Worst in the Nation for Utility Line Strikes." The company said its locators answered more than 570,000 locate requests across Florida last year, and that of the 1,700 incidents involving its facilities in 2025, 45 percent happened when no one called 811. Sunshine 811 says more than 95 underground utility line strikes happen every day in the state.
Sunshine 811 also makes a point I see in the field: the leading cause of damage is not a lack of awareness. It's non-compliance. People know 811 exists. They skip a step, start a day early or dig through the marks.
The rules, in plain English
Florida's law is Chapter 556 of the Florida Statutes, the "Underground Facility Damage Prevention and Safety Act." These are the parts that matter most on a typical job. This is a summary, not legal advice. Read the statute or ask an attorney for your specific case.
1. Two full business days, not "two days"
You must notify Sunshine 811 at least 2 full business days before excavation or demolition (10 full business days for work under state waters). Business days are Monday through Friday, excluding holidays listed in the law. Those include Thanksgiving and the Friday after, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Practical example: if you call on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, Wednesday is your first full business day. Thursday and Friday don't count. Monday is the second full business day, so the earliest you can dig is Tuesday. A "quick" job can lose almost a week.
2. Your ticket expires
A locate ticket is valid for 30 calendar days. If the job runs longer, or crews come back months later for a second phase, you need a new ticket. Faded marks are not a valid ticket.
3. Wait for positive response, and verify it
Utility owners must mark their lines or send a "positive response" within 2 full business days. The excavator is required to verify every positive response before starting. If you know a facility is there and it isn't marked and no response has come in, the law says to contact the operator. Silence is not a green light.
4. Respect the 24-inch tolerance zone
The tolerance zone is 24 inches from the outer edge of either side of a marked facility. Inside that zone, the law calls for hand digging, pot holing, soft digging, vacuum excavation or similar methods. Mechanized equipment there must be supervised by the excavator.
5. Stop if the marks disappear
If paint or flags are removed or no longer visible, you must stop excavating near the facility and notify the system. If you hit a line that releases gas or another hazardous material, call 911 immediately.
6. What noncompliance costs
A noncriminal violation carries a civil penalty of $500 plus court costs per infraction, and $2,500 plus court costs for certain hazardous-materials pipeline cases. More important, if you skip the notice rules and then damage a facility, the law creates a rebuttable presumption that you were negligent. Repairs, downtime and claims can cost far more than any fine.
Why HDD needs extra discipline
Horizontal directional drilling is one of the best tools we have in South Florida. We can install conduit or pipe under driveways, roads, canals and landscaping without open-cutting everything. FPL, for example, reported in September that it has converted 2,000 miles of neighborhood power lines from overhead to underground statewide. That kind of work puts even more lines in the ground we all dig through.
But with HDD you can't see the bore head. The 811 marks show you roughly where a line is on the surface, not its exact depth. So on our bores, the standard is:
- Pothole every crossing. Wherever the bore path crosses a marked line, we expose it with vacuum or hand excavation to confirm its depth and position before drilling past it.
- Plan the profile around real data. Depth and clearance decisions are made from what we exposed, not from an old as-built.
- Track the bore head continuously and compare it to the plan at each rod.
- Watch for unmarked private lines. 811 members mark their own facilities. Private lines, such as irrigation, low-voltage, a pool heater gas line or a feeder to a detached building, are often not covered. Ask the owner and look for clues on site.
Sunshine 811 put it well in an August update: "811 alone doesn't eliminate risk anymore." The call is the first step, not the whole safety plan.
A short checklist for owners and developers
- Ask your contractor for the 811 ticket number before work starts. Sunshine 811 recommends that the contractor request its own ticket instead of relying on the homeowner's.
- Mark the work area in white (paint, flags or stakes) so locators know exactly where you plan to dig.
- Don't remove or move the colored marks until the project is complete.
- Build holiday weeks into the schedule.
- On larger projects, ask how the contractor will verify depths inside the tolerance zone.
FAQ
Do I need to call 811 to plant a tree or install a fence?
In most cases, yes. The law has limited exceptions, including some shallow work by owners of single-family homes, but the conditions are narrow. Calling 811 is free and the safest choice.
How long does a locate ticket last in Florida?
30 calendar days from the date the information is provided to the system. After that, you need a new one.
Does the 811 mark tell me how deep the line is?
No. Marks show the approximate horizontal location within the 24-inch tolerance zone. Depth must be confirmed by hand digging, vacuum excavation or similar methods.
Need underground work done right?
If you're planning a bore, utility connection or excavation anywhere in Florida, Subterra Infrastructure, Co. can help you plan it from the 811 ticket to final restoration. Licensed & Insured, statewide.
- WhatsApp: +1 (786) 853-1813
- Email: dayner@dayneralvarez.com
- Learn more: https://dayneralvarez.com/#construccion
Dayner Alvarez, Certified General Contractor · Subterra Infrastructure, Co. — "Underground done right."
This article is for general information only and is not legal, tax or financial advice. For your specific situation, consult an attorney, accountant or licensed inspector.
Sources
- CBS Miami, "Gas leak mitigated, Florida's Turnpike reopened after excavator hits gas main causing major leak, officials say" (16 oct. 2026)
- Florida Statutes, Chapter 556 (2025), Underground Facility Damage Prevention and Safety Act
- Peoples Gas, "Florida Ranks Worst in the Nation for Utility Line Strikes. One Phone Call Can Change That" (9 abr. 2026)
- Peoples Gas, "On 811 Day, Peoples Gas Reminds Floridians to Call 811 Before Digging" (10 ago. 2026)
- Sunshine 811, "5 Issues Impacting Safe Digging in Florida Right Now" (31 ago. 2026)
- Sunshine 811, Enforcement
- FPL, "2,000 miles: FPL's Storm Secure Underground Program surpasses milestone" (16 sep. 2026)
