Street Opening Permits

Any excavation done in the Mt. Lebanon municipal right-of-way requires a street opening permit.

For additional details and specifications review the Street Opening Requirements below.

Right-of-Way Instructions

Sidewalk and Right-of Way:

If you are excavating the sidewalk and anywhere within the street right-of-way (ex.: yard, street, curb, sidewalk) you will need:

• Sidewalk Inspection (free of charge). You need to call Public Works at (412) 343-3403 the day before the concrete is poured so an inspection of the sidewalk framing can be done. Only full sidewalk slab replacement will be accepted, no partial cuts.
• Street Opening (Right-of-Way) permit
• $2,000 street opening maintenance bond and a certificate of liability insurance from your insurance company to be uploaded with application or faxed to (412) 343-3753
• Payment of $90 charge for the first 50 feet (and $1.50 each additional foot after the 50 feet) to be calculated upon application submission.
• Notify PA One Call by calling 811

Right-of-Way Only:

If you are excavating anywhere within the street right-of-way (ex.: yard, street, curb, sidewalk) you will need:

• Street Opening (Right-of-Way) permit
• $2,000 street opening maintenance bond and a certificate of liability insurance from your insurance company to be uploaded with application or faxed to (412) 343-3753
• Payment of $90 charge for the first 50 feet (and $1.50 each additional foot after the 50 feet) to be calculated upon application submission.
• Notify PA One Call by calling 811

Sidewalk Replacement Only:

If you are replacing existing sidewalk slabs (no excavating) you will need:

Street Opening Requirements

The Municipality has invested millions of tax payer dollars to construct and maintain the roadway system in Mt. Lebanon. Care is taken to notify public utilities of the municipality’s plans to reconstruct and resurface municipal roads. By coordinating utility maintenance work with municipal roadwork the number of utility street cuts can be limited to emergency work only. Utility cuts are made in existing pavement sections to install a variety of underground conduits, including electric, water, natural gas utilities, and sanitary and storm water pipes and manholes, as well as drainage pipes under roadways. When a utility cut is made, the native material surrounding the perimeter of the trench is subjected to loss of lateral support. This leads to loss of material under the pavement and bulging of the soil on the trench sidewalls into the excavation. Subsequent refilling of the excavation does not necessarily restore the original strength of the soils in this weakened zone. Mt Lebanon has developed the following guidelines to manage pavement cuts and ensure that streets and other assets in the right of way are properly restored and protected. The general requirements listed below are summarized from Chapter XV, Streets and Sidewalks, of the Mt Lebanon Municipal Code.

Permit required:

It is unlawful for any person to make any tunnel, opening, or excavation of any kind in or under the surface of any street without first securing a permit from the manager or his designee for each separate undertaking; provided, however, any person maintaining pipes, lines or other underground facilities in or under the surface of any street may proceed with an opening without a permit when emergency circumstances demand the work to be done immediately, provided the permit could not reasonably and practically have been obtained beforehand. The person shall thereafter apply for a permit on the first regular business day on which the office of the manager or his designee is open for business and said permit shall be retroactive to the date when the work was begun. In all cases where emergency openings are necessary, the police and the Public Works Department shall be notified prior to such opening. Permits are non-transferable from one person to another, and the work shall not be performed in any place other than the location specifically designated in the permit.

Permit fee:

Minimum $90 per opening plus $1.50 per linear ft. or fraction thereof for each additional square foot of opening beyond 50 linear ft. Extensive openings incur added inspection time and actual pavement openings may be assessed additional fees.

Bond for performance of restoration:

The applicant or permittee upon receipt of a permit may be required to provide the municipality, prior to commencing the opening(s) permitted, with an acceptable corporate surety bond to guarantee faithful performance of the work authorized by this permit. The amount of the bond shall be $2,000 or as specified on the approved permit. The term of the bond shall begin upon the date of posting thereof and shall terminate upon the receipt by the permittee of a Certificate of Final Inspection from the Municipality. If the permittee anticipates requesting more than one permit per year, they may furnish one continuing corporate surety bond to guarantee faithful performance in such an amount as the municipal manager deems necessary. The amount of such bond shall be in relation to the cost of restoring pavement cuts to be made by the permittee throughout the year. In the case of a public utility company, its corporate bond in a form satisfactory to the municipal attorney may be accepted in lieu of the corporate surety bond required by this section.

Insurance requirements:

The applicant or permittee, upon the receipt of a permit, shall provide the Municipality, prior to commencing the opening(s) authorized, with an acceptable certificate of insurance indicating that he is insured against claims for damages for personal injury as well as against claims for property damage which may arise from or out of the performance of the work, whether such performance be by himself, his subcontractor, or anyone directly or indirectly employed by him. Such insurance shall cover collapse, explosive hazards, and underground work by equipment on the street, and shall include protection against liability arising from completed operations. The amount of the insurance shall be prescribed by the manager in accordance with the nature of the risk involved; provided, however, it shall provide for a minimum of comprehensive bodily injury liability insurance including coverage on a personal injury basis in an amount not less than $100,000 for each person and $300,000 for each accident, and comprehensive property damage liability insurance of not less than $50,000, with an aggregate of $100,000 for all accidents. Public utility companies and authorities may be relieved of the obligation of submitting such a certificate if they submit satisfactory evidence that they are insured in accordance with the requirements of this ordinance or have adequate provision for self-insurance. Public utility companies may file an annual certificate of insurance in lieu of individual certificates for each permit.

Each year public utility companies must provide the Municipality with a certificate of insurance, and a corporate bond in an amount equal to the value of restoration work that the company intends to do during the year. This can be based on the value of restoration work completed within the Municipality during the previous year. Please forward these documents to: Public Works Department, 710 Washington Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15228.

Restrictions upon Opening Newly-Improved Street:

No permit shall be issued by the manager or his designee that would allow an excavation or opening in a paved and improved street surface less than five years old unless the applicant can demonstrate clearly that public health or safety require that the proposed work be permitted or unless an emergency condition exists.

Emergency Openings on Newly-Improved Street:

If, by special action of the manager or his designee, a permit is issued to open any paved and improved Street surface less than five (5) years old, a penalty charge shall be made for the opening, except that the penalty shall be waived in the event the work is of an emergency nature. Specific monetary penalties are listed in Chapter XV, Section 129 of the Municipal Code. At a minimum the permittee must follow the following restoration requirements.

The trenches made by utility cuts will be backfilled with 100% stone and mechanically compacted in 6″ lifts. Patches in the roadway surface will follow the profile of the surrounding road way surface and will follow the applicable municipal standards for brick, concrete or full-depth asphalt surfaces. On asphalt roadway surfaces the Permittee is required to mill (1.5”) from curb to curb at least ten feet beyond either side of the restored trench area, and pave and roll the newly restored area according to municipal standards. The edges of the restored area must be tarred and sealed. When cut are made on full depth asphalt streets, the permittee is required to follow the same procedures listed above, but the roadway must be milled (1.5”) thirty feet on either side of the restored trench.

Notice to Property Owners and Tenants Abutting Project:

A notice of a planned street closure shall be in writing, delivered by mail or flyer to all adjacent property owners, tenants and businesses adjacent to the street closure. Notice shall be provided to businesses within the limits of the advanced “Detour” warning sign locations for the approved traffic control plan, and in all cases, to businesses within 200 feet of the closure. Notice shall also be delivered to the Mt. Lebanon Police, Fire and Public Works Departments and the Port Authority. The notice shall be provided a minimum of 48-hours prior to the street closure and contain the following information:
a. Date of beginning of street closure.
b. Length of time the street is planned to be closed.
c. Company name and phone number for further information.
d. It shall be the contractor’s responsibility to notify the media 48-hours before the closure.
If work is confined to sidewalk areas the contractor must notify the abutting property owners of the work 48 hours before commencing excavation. Notices shall be in writing and contain the name and telephone number of a contact person who can be reached to address resident concerns. The written notice should be mailed or hand delivered to provide the property owner of at least 48 hours of advanced notice.

Notice to Police and Fire Authorities:

The permittee shall notify in writing municipal police and fire authorities of all street openings that would require a street being closed. Such notification shall state the nature of the work to be done, proposed beginning and completion dates, and the location of such project.

Opening and Excavation Restrictions:

No opening or excavation in any street shall extend beyond the center line of the street before being backfilled and the surface of the street temporarily restored unless specific prior permission is obtained from the manager or his designee. No more than 250 feet measured longitudinally shall be opened in any street at any one time, except by special permission of the Manager or his designee. All utility facilities shall be exposed sufficiently or definite location is determined ahead of trench excavation work to avoid damage to those facilities and to permit their relocation, if necessary. Pipe drains, pipe culverts, or other facilities encountered shall be protected by the permittee.

Any person whose facilities are damaged, or caused to be relocated by the permittee shall notify the permittee and the municipality of such damage and thereafter may make the necessary repairs or relocation and file a claim against the permittee with the municipality for the cost of such repairs or relocation. Public utility companies concerned shall be notified by the municipality in sufficient time to determine the validity of the damage or relocation claims. The cost of such repair work or relocation work is the responsibility of the permittee.

Monuments of concrete, iron, or other lasting material set for the purpose of locating or preserving the lines of any street or property subdivision, or a precise survey reference point or a permanent survey bench mark within the municipality shall not be removed or disturbed or caused to be removed or disturbed unless permission to do so is first obtained in writing from the Manager or his designee. Permission shall be granted only upon condition that the Permittee shall pay all expenses incident to the proper replacement of the monument.

When work performed by the permittee interferes with the established drainage system of any street, provision shall be made by the permittee to provide proper drainage. When any earth, gravel, or other excavated material is caused to flow, roll, or wash upon any street, the permittee shall cause removal of same from the street within eight hours after deposit to permit safe flow of traffic. In the event the earth, gravel, or other excavated material so deposited is not removed as specified, the manager or his designee shall cause such removal and the cost incurred shall be paid by the permittee.

Every permittee shall place around the project such barriers, barricades, lights, warning flags and danger signs as shall be determined by the Manager or his designee to be necessary for the protection of the public. Additional safety requirements may be prescribed by the manager or his designee, and where applicable, shall be in conformance with the requirements set forth in the MUTC Copies of the publication shall be made available in the office of the manager or his designee for inspection by the public. Barricading shall be in compliance with the regulations as set forth in the Manual on Control of Uniform Traffic Devices (MUTCD) at https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-23/chapter-I/subchapter-G/part-655#655.603. Whenever any person fails to provide or maintain the required safety devices, such devices shall be installed and maintained by the municipality. The amount of the cost incurred shall be paid by the Permittee.

Access to private driveways shall be provided except during working hours when construction operations prohibit provision of such access. Free access must be provided at all times to fire hydrants. Excavated materials shall be laid compactly along the side of the trench and kept trimmed up so as to cause as little inconvenience as possible to public travel. In order to expedite the flow of traffic or to abate dirt or dust nuisance, the manager or his designee may require the permittee to provide toe boards or bins; and if the excavated area is muddy and causes inconvenience to pedestrians, temporary wooden plank walks shall be installed by the permittee as directed by the manager or his designee. If the street is not wide enough to hold the excavated material without using part of the adjacent sidewalk, the permittee shall keep a passageway at least one-half (1/2) the sidewalk width open along such sidewalk line.

Storage of equipment and materials in public streets:

Construction material shall not be stored in streets, roads or highways. All materials or equipment not installed or used in the construction shall be stored elsewhere by the Permittee at his expense unless authorized by the Manager or his designee. Construction equipment shall not be stored at the work site before its actual use on the work nor after it is no longer needed on the work site. Excavated material, except that which is to be used as backfill the same day in the adjacent trench, shall not be stored in public streets, roads or highways unless otherwise permitted by the manager or his designee. After placing backfill, all excess material shall be removed immediately from the site.

Method:

The edge of excavation for the utility cut is to be cut in a straight line. All cuts in pavement shall be made with a full depth saw cut. The excavation shall not extend beyond the specified limits of the utility cut. All care is to be taken to ensure that undermining of the adjacent pavement and/or sidewalk is minimized. Where the pavement and/or sidewalk is undermined by construction activities or from other causes, these undermined areas shall be filled. Where necessary, bracing, shoring and/or sheeting shall be used to support the sides of the excavation and to prevent any movement that could damage the other services, adjacent pavements, sidewalks etc. This excavation support system shall be removed as backfilling proceeds to eliminate voids between the fill and adjacent soils. Loose or wet soil at the bottom of the utility cut shall be removed prior to bedding and service installation. Appropriate restoration of all services encountered is the responsibility of the Permittee.

Backfilling and Restoring Opening:

All pavement cuts, openings and excavations shall be made properly and backfilled properly by the permittee according to municipal specifications. Permittee also shall place a temporary surface on the pavement cut, opening or excavation in accordance with municipal specifications. If weather conditions are such as to prevent the completion of permanent restoration of the street surface at the time backfilling is completed, Permittee shall install temporary surface and maintain same in accordance with municipal specifications until such time as weather conditions will permit restoration of the street surface. The manager or his designee shall be notified by thepPermittee during the 48-hour period preceding beginning of backfilling of the date and approximate time at which backfilling will be begun. No backfilling shall be accomplished unless or until the manager or his designee is present or permission has been granted for backfilling after inspection by the manager or his designee.

Restoration:

The work of restoration, including both paving surface and paving base, shall be performed by the permittee according to municipal specifications and shall be subject to inspection by the municipality. Before starting any restoration work the permittee must meet the manager or his designee to review the municipality’s requirements for backfilling trenches and milling and paving roadway surfaces. If the manager or his designee finds that paving surfaces adjacent to the street openings may be damaged where trenches are made parallel to the street, or where a number of cross trenches are laid in proximity to one another, or where the equipment used may cause such damage, he may require a negotiated contribution from the Permittee for the resurfacing in place of patching of such street if the total area of the proposed patch or probably damaged area exceeds 25% of the total pavement surfacing between curb faces or between concrete gutter edges. Such negotiations shall be carried on and contributions agreed upon prior to issuance of a permit.

Settlement:

If any settlement in a restored area occurs within a period of one year from date of completion of the permanent restoration, and permittee fails to make such correction after notification, any expense incurred by the municipality in correcting such settlement shall be paid by the permittee or recovered from his bond, unless the permittee submits proof satisfactory to the manager that the settlement was not due to defective backfilling.

Hours of work:

Work authorized by a permit shall be performed between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, unless the permittee obtains written consent from the manager or his designee to do the work at an earlier or later hour. Such permission shall be granted only in the case of an emergency or in the event the work authorized by the permit is to be performed in traffic congestion.

Minimum Street Design Standards