An excavation is an activity that cuts, penetrates, or bores under any portion of the public way which has been improved with a paved surface for street, sidewalk, surface drainage, or related public transportation infrastructure purpose.
Cutting, tunneling, jacking and boring, backfilling, restoration and repairing are included.
Emergency means an unforeseeable event or occurrence that endangers health, life, or property, or a situation in which public need for uninterrupted utility service requires immediate corrective action to restore services.
Lane Closure Permit must be obtained prior to excavation work beginning.
Permit must be kept on premises in public view.
The posted sign must be no less than 36 inches by 36 inches, with minimal 2-inch black letters on a white high intensity reflective background.
Random inspections are conducted.
Transportation improvement, utility maintenance, or other activities performed within already existing structures, vaults, conduits, or cable ways located beneath streets and where access is provided by a manhole or other previously constructed entrance are not included.
Fees
Initial permit application
- Tunneling, jacking, and boring only: $156.64
- All other methods of excavation: $219.31
Excavation permit extension application fee
- Other than steel plate temporary surface: $31.32
- Steel plate temporary surface: $62.66
- Owner/Contractor Registration Form or Authorized Agent Registration Form
- Proof of liability insurance
- Notice to Commence Emergency Work
- Method of Payment
- Register for the Street Cut Permit System (SCPS)
- Fax proof of liability insurance to 832-395-9160
- Login to SCPS and submit the Notice to Commence Emergency Work
- Within 24 hours from breaking pavement, login to SCPS and complete the appropriate application based on pavement age for an Emergency Excavation Permit
- Pay fees
- Upon approval of permit, accept the permit terms and print out permit
Failure to submit a "Certificate of Restoration" or an excavation that fails an inspection is a violation of the Street Cut Ordinance.
Your ability to submit new applications will be suspended until these violations are corrected.
Drawings and specifications must be submitted for all excavations that meet the following conditions:
- The excavation will occur in any public way that is less than five (5) years old, or
- If the excavation includes new facilities that are either more than 10 feet long or that extend across more than one travel lane, then you must submit drawings and specifications.
As-built drawings must be submitted following the completion of the excavation.
- Register or login to the iPermits Portal and begin a new Office of the City Engineer Plan Review application
- Pay the application fee
- Login to ProjectDox and upload the drawings and documents to the appropriate folder
- Complete the applicant upload task to notify the City that the plans are ready for review
Upon submitting the Certificate of Restoration, an inspection shall be performed at the time of restoration and after 11 months for this warranty period. Inspections are automatically scheduled by the City.
No action is required by the applicant.
Should an inspection fail, the owner of the facility will be notified via email to make corrections.
- Existing permit
- Method of Payment
Fourteen (14) calendar days are allotted from the first break of pavement to total completion.
Permit may be extended until the project is completed.
- Log into the Street Cut Permit System
- From your summary page, look for your permit in the table. Select "Request Extension of Permit" from the dropdown box and click "GO".
- Complete fee payment
- Existing permit
- Method of Payment
Fourteen (14) calendar days are allotted from the first break of pavement to total completion.
Permit may be extended until the project is completed.
- Log into the Street Cut Permit System
- From your summary page, look for your permit in the table. Select "Request Extension of Permit" from the dropdown box and click "GO".
- Complete fee payment