# Do your local utilities use A-Tags? (Street construction) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 20, 2022, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-local-utilities-use-a-tags-street-construction/966514 "2022-06-20T17:04:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2022, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-local-utilities-use-a-tags-street-construction/966514/1 "2022-06-20T17:04:26Z")
I’ve noticed small circular plastic tags on patches in the streets around here and was intrigued. Apparently they’re called A-tags (Asphalt tags) that mark who did the work and what’s underneath. Around here, it’s mostly natural gas and electric work, but I imagine in places like NYC there are all sorts of things. They are a remarkably recent invention, I’m wondering how wide spread they are. Do they use them around where you live? Are they used outside the US? > **[The Street’s Secret Code](https://medium.com/re-form/the-streets-secret-code-e37ea0274021)** > > What asphalt tags say about the city ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2022, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-local-utilities-use-a-tags-street-construction/966514/2 "2022-06-20T17:06:16Z")
I’m in Wisconsin, I’ve never heard of them, let alone seen one. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2022, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-local-utilities-use-a-tags-street-construction/966514/3 "2022-06-20T17:32:30Z")
Here in Ohio, nor have I. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2022, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-local-utilities-use-a-tags-street-construction/966514/4 "2022-06-20T17:36:15Z")
I’m in Chicago, and I can’t say I’ve ever noticed such a thing. That doesn’t mean they don’t exist here, they’ve just never caught my attention if they are here. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2022, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-local-utilities-use-a-tags-street-construction/966514/5 "2022-06-20T23:46:31Z")
Northern Virginia here and I’ve seen similar on occasion. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2022, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-local-utilities-use-a-tags-street-construction/966514/6 "2022-06-20T23:59:08Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I’m in Chicago, and I can’t say I’ve ever noticed such a thing. That doesn’t mean they don’t exist here, they’ve just never caught my attention if they are here. Suburban Chicago here, and the same. ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2022, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-local-utilities-use-a-tags-street-construction/966514/7 "2022-06-21T01:07:03Z")
New Jersey. Never saw them, but I’m going to start looking. That’s a cool idea. They look like when they grow up they are going to be [Toynbee tiles - Wikipedia](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toynbee_tiles) ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2022, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-local-utilities-use-a-tags-street-construction/966514/8 "2022-06-21T02:19:27Z")
I forgot to mention in the OP that I’m just outside of Boston, and I’ve seen them in towns all around here. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2022, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-local-utilities-use-a-tags-street-construction/966514/9 "2022-06-21T02:44:16Z")
I can’t imagine that they would last through a snowplowing season, indeed, even through the first snow emergency declaration. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2022, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-local-utilities-use-a-tags-street-construction/966514/10 "2022-06-21T02:46:50Z")
Plenty of snow and plowing in Boston. I’ve never seen them ripped up by the plows. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2022, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-local-utilities-use-a-tags-street-construction/966514/11 "2022-06-21T15:35:03Z")
> [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](#): > > I can’t imagine that they would last through a snowplowing season, indeed, even through the first snow emergency declaration. As long as they’re not proud of the road surface, the blade is going to pass right over the top of it. Plus, they’re a bit more than just the flat part you see (not much more, but a bit). [![](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3896/14854104285_28ddfe011f_o.png) ](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3896/14854104285_28ddfe011f_o.png) ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2022, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-local-utilities-use-a-tags-street-construction/966514/12 "2022-06-21T15:39:51Z")
Yup, right in front of our house, Nahant, MA. [https://photos.app.goo.gl/znKH9hec5GVNJiYu5](https://photos.app.goo.gl/znKH9hec5GVNJiYu5) ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2022, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-local-utilities-use-a-tags-street-construction/966514/13 "2022-06-21T15:50:04Z")
Same as the one in front of my house. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2022, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-local-utilities-use-a-tags-street-construction/966514/14 "2022-06-21T18:14:55Z")
They look like cousins of the little tables in pizza boxes. ---
**Author:** ![tofor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tofor/32/13727_2.png) [@tofor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tofor)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2022, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-local-utilities-use-a-tags-street-construction/966514/15 "2022-06-21T18:20:17Z")
Somebody ring up Roman Mars. We need a 99% Invisible episode. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2022, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-local-utilities-use-a-tags-street-construction/966514/16 "2022-06-21T19:12:46Z")
Seems like a couple of freeze-thaw cycles would push those right up out of the ground, like rocks in a farm field. Then the next snowplow would remove them quite cleanly. Leaving a nice little pit in the road, to incubate into a lovely pothole. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2022, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-local-utilities-use-a-tags-street-construction/966514/17 "2022-06-21T21:44:45Z")
> [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](#): > > Seems like a couple of freeze-thaw cycles would push those right up out of the ground, like rocks in a farm field. But they don’t. They’re on every street around here and I’ve never seen one pulled out of the ground. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2022, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-local-utilities-use-a-tags-street-construction/966514/18 "2022-06-22T03:27:41Z")
I think I’ve seen something similar only held down with a nail in the center. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2022, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-local-utilities-use-a-tags-street-construction/966514/19 "2022-06-22T11:44:41Z")
I’m reasonably certain they’re pressed into the asphalt patch when they’re installed, [![](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:1400/1*H3z9tAo8ZJtrBWrbJV-HYA.png) ](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:1400/1*H3z9tAo8ZJtrBWrbJV-HYA.png) and the retrofit ones are epoxyed into drilled holes, [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/E2RWBbmYgNY/hqdefault.jpg "A-Tag™ Retrofit Installation") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2RWBbmYgNY) ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2022, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-local-utilities-use-a-tags-street-construction/966514/20 "2022-06-22T14:30:47Z")
A tag of any color with a nail in the center might be a survey marker. These underground utility ID tags might be related to GIS mapping. Right now, most underground utilities are identified by spray paint markings on pavement, in areas targeted to dig. Interesting! ~VOW [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-your-local-utilities-use-a-tags-street-construction/966514.md?page=2)