Why are most man holes smack in the middle of a street?

Question

If they were away from the driving surface, maintenance would not force street or lane shutdown.

Answer 1

Roadways are high centered so whatever washes off to curbing on either side can by gravity fed into grated collection basins and directed back toward a trench-laid stormwater drainage for
treatment facility or other disposals. Previous construction
using roadside man entry to stormwater drainage found covers
too often obstructed by parked or otherwise unattended vehicles.
Property owners also take exception to their private land being
trenched when public street is available for same activity.

Answer 2

the first response was right , sometimes those pipes are 20 to 30 feet deep , we would have to move houses for repair if deeper mains were infringing on private property. we also do a lot of sewer cleaning at night so that is more convenient for the taxpayer, we deal with some rather pungent material and having an easily sanitized workspace is nice ( its hard to clean shrubs ).as for placing them in the common tire path and not the bit between the track , yes a professional should aim to not have them become speed bumps , but s**t happens

Answer 3

Not ALL of them are in the middle. I drive on Beach Blvd. in Orange Co. Ca., which has 4 lanes in each direction, and the covers are in the OUTSIDE lane next to the sidewalk.

Answer 4

Because they put the utilities under the street where they are easily accessible instead of inconveniencing people by putting them under their houses so that they have to rip up the carpet whenever the maintenence staff need access.

Answer 5

They are in the middle of the street for
1. workers safety.
2. cars are able to stradle the cover (most of the time) It is round so that IF a car does run over it, it does not fall in. A fitted circle will not fall in another circle.

Answer 6

only when the sewage runs under the street, there on the sidewalks to.