Why are manholes typically on the road and why are there sometimes 2 or 3 very close together?

Question

Why are manholes typically on the road and why are there sometimes 2 or 3 very close together?

In: 4

Answer 1

They’re in the roads because they are pubic rights of way to run pipes, storm drains, cabled, etc. to provide direct access to all properties and without going through private property. There may be different ones close together for different systems. One might provide access to storm drains, another to underground cables for telephone/internet, electrical wires, etc.