6148-1

Encroachment Permit Inspection-
Utilities and Driveways
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  1. Policy

    2. There shall be assigned to each Department Maintenance Area Manager an inspector with specific, primary responsibilities for the control, monitoring, and inspection of all utility and driveway encroachments which may be installed by permit on the Department's right-of-way. Specific duties are enumerated below.

  2. Duties, Responsibilities, and Authority

    3. (The following duties, responsibilities, and authority do not extend to any similar work which is necessitated by or allowed as a part of a highway construction project.)

    1. The inspector will receive technical guidance from:

      1. District Utility Engineer (DUE) on matters involving utility encroachments; and,

      2. District Traffic and Safety Engineer (DTSE) on matters involving driveways.

      In case of conflicting priorities the matter will be resolved by the Maintenance Area Manager or, if necessary, the District Maintenance Engineer.

    2. The inspector shall be furnished the following equipment:

      Assigned vehicle; reflective vest and hardhat; portable filebox to hold permits; business cards; flashlight; calculator; engineering scales, English and metric; Polaroid or digital camera; measuring wheel, 100' cloth tape and 30 meter tape; Locke level; 12' to 25' level rod; 4' level with slope bubble; probe rod.

      Inspector should also be provided access through the Area Office to the following equipment:

      35 mm camera; Zeiss level and tripod; and computer.

      This equipment is needed to maintain surveillance over all routes for which the Maintenance Area is responsible to insure that no work which requires a permit goes undetected. The inspector shall stop any such unpermitted work until permit(s) is (are) issued.

    3. The inspector shall not allow any deviation from permit requirements or special provisions attached thereto unless approved by the DUE or DTSE. All work by the permittee shall be done in strict accordance with the permit requirements.

    4. If requested by either the DUE or DTSE, the inspector shall visit permit sites for a pre-permitting inspection and provide the DUE or DTSE with site and roadway information which may be needed in considering the issuance of a permit, if such information cannot be obtained from photologs, etc. In some circumstances it may be desirable to have a representative of the utility or contractor/ developer accompany the inspector on such site visits. The inspector will not have the authority to issue permits. This will be the responsibility of the DUE or DTSE.

    5. All permits, when issued, will be sent to the inspector for pickup by the permittee. The District Office will notify the permittee that a permit is available at the Maintenance Area Office. In routine cases with utility companies, the permits may be mailed, in which case the company will be instructed to contact the inspector in advance of planned work.

    6. When the permit is claimed the inspector shall review with the permittee their schedule and work operations prior to beginning any work on the right-of-way. The inspector will explain permit requirements and any other general Departmental requirements pertinent to the work. The following points are suggested as the minimum to be covered depending on the type of permit issued:

      1. Safety, including requirements for signing, flagging, etc., in accordance with MUTCD.

      2. Schedule of work activities, including any restrictions on working hours.

      3. Name and telephone number of person who will be responsible for day-to-day operations on the right-of-way.

      4. Any special requirements for inspection and testing by the Department.

      5. Review of all Special Provisions attached to the permit.

      6. Any changes made to permit before its approval by DOT.

      7. Requirements for restoration and cleanup of the work site.

      8. Community relations and protection of private property including requirements for driveway access.

    7. The inspector shall be responsible for monitoring the progress of the work by on-site visits at a frequency sufficient to assure that work is done in accordance with the permit requirements and that it is being carried out safely and with no jeopardy to the roadway or traveling public. Frequency will depend on the type of work involved. Inspectors shall have the authority to stop any or all activity on the right-of-way when work is not carried out in accordance with the permit, applicable Rules and Regulations or safety requirements; DUE or DTSE will be notified immediately. On-site visits will be documented in writing with copies of such documentation provided to the DUE or DTSE as appropriate. Any warnings issued to the permittee for whatever reason may be given verbally, but in all cases shall be confirmed in writing with copy to DUE or DTSE. H. Any requested changes from the permit requirements may be approved only by or through the DUE or DTSE. Any special assistance required by the inspector due to job site conditions or permit requirements must be requested through and coordinated with the DUE or DTSE.

    8. On completion of the work, a final inspection shall be made by the inspector to determine that the work has been accomplished in accordance with the permit, that there is no unrepaired damage to roadway or structures, and that all areas have been restored and regrassed. A final inspection report shall be provided to the DUE or DTSE so that any bond or escrow release can be initiated.

    9. With respect to utility operations:

      The inspector shall routinely monitor all activities of utilities within the right-of-way in the maintenance and operation of their facilities to see that adequate safety practices are followed. When tree trimming or other vegetation control is required, the inspector should ride the areas to be controlled and review our standards and requirements with the supervisor in charge of the work. Sufficient inspection should be made of work in progress to assure that standards are followed and the area is properly cleaned up.

      Inspectors are encouraged to develop contact with local utility representatives and encourage cooperation in complying with Department policies and standards for utility accommodation. When questions arise regarding accommodations, assistance should be obtained from the DUE. When conflicts arise which cannot be resolved between the inspector and the utility supervisor, the problem should be referred to the DUE for assistance. Any written communications with utilities should originate in the district Utilities Section.

Authored by the Office of Maintenance, 404-635-8734

Document History:

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