# Conoco Pipe Line Company — Pipeline Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** PI-94-035  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 1994-10-24

PI-94-035 response to Conoco Pipe Line Company concerning 195.1.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

October 24, 1994
Dwight D. Jackson
Manager, Pipeline Services and Regulatory Compliance
Conoco Pipe Line Company
Houston, Texas 77252
Dear Mr. Jackson:
Your letter of August 19, 1994, requests further clarification of the “ single public thoroughfare”
interpretation discussed in the preamble of the low-stress pipeline Final Rule (59 FR 35465; July
12, 1994). The interpretation concerned plants that are divided into separate parts by a single
public thoroughfare. It provides that a plant transfer line that crosses the thoroughfare may
qualify for the in-plant piping exception under § 195.1(b)(6).
You asked if a single public thoroughfare includes a railroad. As stated in the preamble, the
thoroughfare interpretation applies only to transfer piping that crosses a road. It does not apply
to piping that crosses a railroad, whether a mainline or spur. Railroads were excluded because of
the added risk that railroads pose to pipeline safety.
The thoroughfare interpretation does not mean that every plant transfer line that crosses a railroad
comes under the regulations in 49 CFR Part 195. If a plant transfer line does not come under the
in-plant piping exception because it crosses a railroad that divides a plant, it may still be excepted
under another provision of § 195.1(b). For example, certain low-stress pipelines are excepted
under § 195.1(b)(3). If a plant transfer line that crosses a railroad is subject to Part 195, the entire
transfer line comes under the regulations, not just the segment of the line inside the crossing.
I hope you find this information useful. You may wish to contact James C. Thomas, Director,
Southwest Region if you need any further assistance in meeting the Part 195 regulations (phone:
(713) 750-1746).
Sincerely,
Cesar De Leon
Deputy Associate Administrator for
Pipeline Safety
dal/195.1
94-10-24

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/Pipeline/1994/PI94035.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `834b65f438d9dcc979b659eb76df734346f62f3cafd34d3bcbb2962ddff447c9`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-23T04:28:03.822Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-pi-94-035`

### Source metadata

```json
{
  "materialSubtype": "interpretation",
  "interpretationArea": "pipeline_safety",
  "representation": "full_text_from_official_pdf",
  "companies": [
    "Conoco Pipe Line Company"
  ],
  "individuals": [
    "Dwight D. Jackson"
  ],
  "refIds": [
    "PI-94-035"
  ],
  "catalogDates": [
    "1994-10-24"
  ],
  "catalogParts": [
    195
  ],
  "catalogRowCount": 1,
  "sourceRecordUrls": [
    "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/node/67281"
  ],
  "linkedAttachmentUrls": [],
  "unavailableResponseUrls": [],
  "duplicateRepresentationUrls": [],
  "citedSections": [
    "195.1",
    "195.1(b)(6)"
  ],
  "catalogPageUrls": [
    "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/regulations/title49/section/1951"
  ],
  "pdfUrls": [
    "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/Pipeline/1994/PI94035.pdf"
  ],
  "representations": [
    {
      "viewUrl": "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/Pipeline/1994/PI94035.pdf",
      "detailUrl": null,
      "detailHtmlPath": null,
      "pdfUrl": "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/Pipeline/1994/PI94035.pdf",
      "pdfArtifactPath": "data/sources/phmsa-interpretations/pi-94-035.pdf",
      "pdfArtifactSha256": "838f787f109cb67ed1aaf28cb4936da4dbe57b2b17999f219a0952aea807e29b",
      "extractedTextPath": "data/sources/phmsa-interpretations/pi-94-035.v2.txt",
      "extractedTextSha256": "663dab0822a78d2a2e956b59990a4521abc7d529f7614481c0d0d5626167f095",
      "pageCount": 1,
      "extractionVersion": 2
    }
  ],
  "caveat": "Interpretations apply regulations to the facts presented and do not create independently enforceable requirements.",
  "jurisdiction": "US"
}
```