Skip to main content
Loading…
This section is included in your selections.

Click here to view prior versions of this section.

The City and its residents have a significant investment in street infrastructure and it is in the public interest to construct and maintain this infrastructure to a high standard. It is also in the public interest to initiate street construction, resurfacing, and preventive maintenance only after thorough coordination and consultation with affected utilities to avoid the need for later excavation to repair/extend underground facilities.

Notwithstanding this planning, trenching or excavating a new or newly resurfaced street is sometimes necessary; this section establishes rules and standards for that occurrence.

A. The following requirements must be followed by public and private utilities and contractors when cutting pavement within City right of way. Right of way permits and/or utility street cut permits pursuant to Chapter 11.90 will be required prior to cutting within any street right of way, and will be reviewed and conditioned in accordance with this chapter through Chapter 11.90.

Modifications or exemptions to these standards will be considered pursuant to the provisions of Section 11.80.160.

B. Cutting Prohibition. For 5 years after a street received final acceptance for construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation or preservation treatments a street cut prohibition will be in effect. Streets constructed with permeable materials will have a street cut prohibition for the life of the street. Pavement cuts may be allowed if a more reasonable alternative for service delivery does not exist and alternative engineering and trenchless construction methods (e.g., pushing, boring or bore-pulling) have been explored.

The Director may allow cutting of a street under a street cut prohibition, and may set restoration conditions based on the type and impact of the work proposed, the age and condition of the street, and traffic volumes and patterns. To request the cutting of a street under a street cut prohibition:

1. For proposals associated with site development requiring a land use approval – A minor deviation approval pursuant to Section 11.80.160 and the City policy for administering road modifications will be required. The application must address all street frontage improvements, available utilities, proposed utility connections, and traffic management measures for the proposed development. Approvals and restoration conditions will be incorporated in the land use approval for the development.

2. For proposals associated with service delivery of public and private utilities and other street cuts not requiring land use approval – The right of way permit or the supporting materials for the utility street cut permit application must demonstrate the need for the street cut and its location. At a minimum, the approval will require restoration per Section 11.80.100.C.2.a for arterials, collectors, and industrial streets.

C. Pavement Restoration Requirements. The provisions for pavement cutting are a function of the pavement type and its functional classification, orientation (transverse or longitudinal), and pavement (or resurfacing) age.

1. Pavement Type.

a. Cement Concrete (PCC) Pavements. All concrete pavement cuts, regardless of age, functional classification, or orientation, shall be backfilled and restored in accordance with the requirements shown in the City standard plans for PCC pavements (Standard Trench Restoration – Cement Concrete Pavement A&B, Concrete Patch Layout – Interior and Exterior, and Steel Layout for Concrete Patch – Interior and Exterior). PCC pavements overlaid with asphalt concrete may be restored as PCC pavements or as asphalt concrete. Unless otherwise approved by the City, full panels shall be removed and replaced. In no case will any approved cut be greater than one-half a full panel in size without full panel replacement. Dowel bars and tie bars also will be required.

b. Asphalt Concrete (ACP) Pavements. The requirements for backfill and surfacing restoration will vary depending on the functional classification, age, and orientation as specified in the following sections.

c. Permeable Pavements. Regardless of functional classification, the requirements for backfill and surfacing restoration will vary depending on the original pavement design, surface material type, and size and location of the cut. For pervious concrete, unless otherwise approved by the City, full panels shall be removed and replaced. In no case will any approved cut be greater than one-half a full panel in size without full panel replacement.

2. Functional Classification.

a. Arterials, collectors, industrial streets, and streets within the CX zone

Regardless of the age of the pavement, for these streets, the City will require the use of the controlled density back fill method as shown in the City standard plans (Standard Trench Restoration – HMA – Controlled Density Fill A&B). The use of controlled density fill (CDF) will apply only to transverse cuts and longitudinal trench cuts less than 20 feet in length. The granular back fill method per the City standard plans may be used on longitudinal trench cuts greater than 20 feet in length and cuts for the installation of curbs, driveways and street frontage improvements.

Areas outside the trench or cut restoration must be planed and receive a pavement inlay with ACP to a minimum of the nearest lane line regardless of where the cut falls within the lane as demonstrated in the City Standard Plan for Pavement Restoration Limits. For transverse cuts, the minimum widths of the planed areas will vary by roadway classification in accordance with the City Standard Plan for Standard Trench Restoration – HMA – Transverse Cuts. Based on the street classification, the condition of the existing street, and traffic volumes and patterns, the engineer may require the expansion of the planning limits beyond the minimum requirements.

b. Circulator, local access, and cul-de-sac streets and paved alleys

Restoring these streets will require the use of the granular back fill method as shown in the City Standard Plan Standard Trench Restoration – HMA – Granular Backfill.

c. Paved shoulders

If a paved shoulder is cut, the shoulder must be restored in the same manner specified above for the pavement type and roadway classification. For PCC shoulders, dowel bars and tie bars will be required.

d. Sidewalks, pedestrian ramps paths, curbs and gutters

If the permitted excavation involves the cutting of any sidewalk, pedestrian path, curb, or gutter, the permit holder is responsible for the complete restoration in kind. Pedestrian ramp restorations must meet current City standards to ensure ADA compliance, and may require complete removal and replacement. For PCC sidewalks, paths, curbs, and gutters, dowel bars and tie bars will not be required unless the original sidewalk, path, curb, or gutter was so constructed.

D. General Restoration Requirements for All Utility Cuts. The following general requirements apply to all utility cuts in paved roads and paved shoulders. Utility cuts in permeable street surfaces shall be as provided in 11.80.100(C)(c).

1. Where roadway surfaces are windowed and potholed, CDF will be used for backfilling the void; provided, however, if the resultant void depth is greater than 30 inches, only the top 30 inches shall require CDF.

2. The City evaluates the condition of the pavement of each street every 2 years and assigns a pavement condition index (PCI) rating based on analysis and national industry standards. To preserve the integrity of the street asset, the Director may require restoration beyond the minimum standards on streets which have a PCI rating of 70 (Good) or greater, regardless of age or functional classification.

3. The minimum width of the pavement cutback during construction must be that of the widest portion of the trench.

4. During excavation, the utility may not allow the trench to slough away during excavation to a width exceeding the depth of the trench. During backfill and compaction, the utility must cut the pavement back to meet the width of the sloughing.

5. Prior to making the permanent patch, at the time the patching is done, the utility must cut back the pavement an additional 1 foot on each side of the trench. This is done to ensure meeting the minimum 1-foot requirement of the City’s Standard Plans for Standard Trench Restoration – HMA – Granular Backfill and Controlled Density Fill A and Standard Trench Restoration – Cement Concrete Pavement A.

6. On all roads where 4 feet or less of pavement remains between the outside of a longitudinal trench and the edge of pavement or the curb, the pavement must be removed and the full depth restoration must be from the cut nearest the roadway center line to the curb or edge of pavement.

7. Wherever there is any part of an existing patch within 5 feet of the new cut, the utility shall incorporate the old patch into the new pavement restoration. The incorporation may be part of the full depth restoration or a plane and ACP inlay as demonstrated in the City’s Standard Plans for Pavement Restoration Limits and Standard Trench Restoration – HMA – Transverse Cuts.

8. To minimize the time required for traffic control for utility work, all utility cuts in paved roads and shoulders must be permanently patched immediately upon completion of the backfill work. The utility work must be scheduled and accomplished by the utility in such a manner as to provide sufficient time in the workday to finish the permanent patch during daylight hours. In cases of inclement weather, the permanent patching may be delayed for up to 5 days as long as steel plates are used. If CDF is used, the utility must provide steel plates to span the utility trench and must prevent traffic contact for at least 48 hours after placement or until the CDF is hard enough to prevent rutting by construction equipment or traffic. If the utility work requires more than 1 day to accomplish, the portion of the work that has been completed each day may be patched with a temporary patch at the option of the utility. At the completion of the work, all temporary patches must be removed and the entire area permanently patched. If a grind and inlay or overlay is required as part of the restoration, the inlay or overlay must be accomplished within 10 working days of the permanent patching.

9. Restorations that experience a major failure must be repaired immediately with a temporary patch upon telephone, email, or personal notification to the permittee. If the failure is noted by the City outside normal business hours, the City will immediately establish and maintain, or arrange for the establishment and maintenance of, appropriate traffic control devices no later than 9:00 A.M. of the next business day. At that time, the permittee must construct a temporary repair patch or a permanent patch. All costs of the appropriate traffic control devices, including flaggers, pilot vehicles, or any other methods that the City deems necessary for the safety of the traveling public, will be billed to the permittee.

10. All temporary repair patches must be constructed to City permanent restoration standards. For arterials and collectors, the permanent patch must be completed within 1 working day of completion of a temporary repair patch. For other roads and streets, the permanent patch must be completed within 10 working days of completion of a temporary repair patch.

11. Unsatisfactory restoration work may be redone by the City by its own forces or by a private contractor as necessary and the cost of the repair will be billed to the permittee.

E. Warranty requirements.

1. General warranty for construction in the right of way will be pursuant to Chapter 11.90.052. Warranty requirements specific to pavement restoration are as follows:

2. Right of way permit holders must warranty street cut restoration work for a period of 2 years on residential streets and 5 years on arterial, industrial and permeable streets.

3. Public and private utilities must warranty work for the life of the utility.

4. During these periods, upon notification by the City, the permit holder must repair any deficiencies as defined in the City’s Standard Plans for Standard Trench Restoration – Notes. (Ord. M-4179 §16, 2016; Ord. M-4026 §10, 2012)