Chapter 13.04 STREET EXCAVATIONS

No person, firm or corporation shall dig, excavate or penetrate any city roadway, alleyway, sidewalk, curb or gutter by creating a ditch, excavation or other sub grade penetration for water, sewer, storm sewer, natural gas, telephone, cable TV, electrical power or other utility, or for any other purpose, without first obtaining an excavation right-of-way permit therefor issued by the city superintendent. (Ord. 429 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 1993)

13.04.020 Permit—Application.

All applicants for an Excavation Permit shall file a written application therefor on forms furnished by the city superintendent. (Ord. 429 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 1993)

13.04.030 Application—Contents—Fees.

Any person desiring to apply for permit under this chapter shall do so by filing a written application therefore with the city superintendent. Such application shall be signed by the person who intends to conduct the excavation. The applicant must be a licensed and bonded contractor of the state of Washington. The application shall be in such form as the city superintendent may reasonably require and shall include, at a minimum, the following information:

A. All applications shall be accompanied by an excavation plan showing the extent of the proposed excavation work. The excavation plan shall indicate all locations and dimensions of the proposed excavation and any other information as may be required by the city superintendent.

B. A nonrefundable application fee of seventy-five dollars shall accompany each application for the issuance of an excavation permit. The application fee shall be in addition to all other fees for permits or charges relative to any proposed construction work. (Ord. 429 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 1993)

13.04.040 Relocation of excavation and excavation approval.

A. The city superintendent may require the applicant to relocate the proposed excavation to a place designated as a more appropriate place by the city superintendent.

B. The city superintendent may require the applicant to perform the excavation and protect the material placed in the excavation in whatever reasonable manner required by the city superintendent in order to protect the material placed in the excavation from possible damage by future excavation. (Ord. 429 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 1993)

13.04.050 Term of permit.

All excavation permits issued pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall expire on a date certain, which date shall be established by the city superintendent as the date on which the excavation is to be completed. This expiration date shall be clearly noted on the permit. (Ord. 429 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 1993)

13.04.060 Performance bond required.

Before an excavation permit may be issued under the provisions of this chapter, the applicant shall deposit with the city superintendent a surety bond in an amount determined by the city superintendent to be sufficient to ensure completion of the work and fulfillment of the warranty provided for herein and in a form approved by the city attorney. The bond shall guarantee completion of all excavation and street restoration work required by this chapter and by the conditions of the permit within the time limits set on the permit by the city superintendent. The bond shall further guarantee that all excavation and restoration work shall be free from settling and defects in workmanship or materials for a period of two years after the date the work is completed and accepted by the city. The city superintendent shall have authority to waive the requirements of this section if in his or her sole judgment the facts and circumstances warrant a waiver. (Ord. 429 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 1993)

13.04.070 Insurance required.

Before an excavation permit may be issued, the applicant shall secure comprehensive general liability insurance for personal injury and property damage in the amount of three hundred thousand dollars, which shall remain in full force and effect throughout the duration of the permit. The policy of insurance shall name the city of Bridgeport as an additional named insured and shall include a provision prohibiting cancellation of the policy except upon thirty days prior written notice to the city. Proof that the applicant has such insurance must be furnished to the city superintendent prior to issuance of the permit. The city superintendent shall have authority to waive the requirements of this section if in his or her sole judgment the facts and circumstances warrant a waiver. (Ord. 429 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 1993)

13.04.080 Routing of traffic.

The permittee shall take such measures as are deemed necessary by the city superintendent to assure that during the performance of the excavation work pre-excavation traffic conditions and flow are maintained as nearly as practicable. No street may be closed by the permittee without the express permission of the city superintendent. The permittee shall route and control traffic, including its own vehicles, as directed by the city superintendent. Traffic cones or signs directing traffic shall be furnished by the permittee at the permittee’s expense. (Ord. 429 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 1993)

13.04.090 Clearance for fire equipment.

The excavation work shall be performed and conducted so as not to interfere with access to fire stations and fire hydrants. Materials or obstructions shall not be placed within fifteen feet of fire hydrants. Passageways leading to fire escapes or firefighting equipment shall be kept free from obstructions at all times. (Ord. 429 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 1993)

13.04.100 Protection of traffic.

The permittee shall erect and maintain suitable barriers to confine earth from trenches or other excavations in order to encroach upon the city street as little as possible. The permittee shall construct and maintain crossings over excavations and across streets under restoration or improvement which, in the opinion of the city superintendent, are adequate and safe to accommodate vehicular and pedestrian traffic at all times. (Ord. 429 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 1993)

13.04.110 Protection of adjoining property—Access.

The permittee shall at all times and at the permittee’s expense, preserve and protect from injury any adjoining property by providing proper foundations and taking other measures which, in the opinion of the city superintendent, are suitable for such purposes. The permittee shall at all times maintain adequate access to all properties adjoining the excavation or work site. (Ord. 429 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 1993)

13.04.120 Protective measures—Fences, barriers.

The permittee shall erect at the permittee’s expense such fence, railing or barriers about the site of the excavation or street restoration work as, in the opinion of the city superintendent; may be necessary to prevent danger to vehicles or pedestrians using the city streets or sidewalks, and such protective barriers shall be maintained until the city superintendent otherwise directs. Such protective barriers shall be equipped with adequate lighting to provide for both daytime and nighttime visibility. (Ord. 429 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 1993)

13.04.130 Excavated material.

All excavated material which is piled adjacent to the excavation shall be piled and maintained in such manner so as not to endanger those working in the excavation or pedestrians or users of the streets. When the confines of the area being excavated are too small to permit the piling of excavated material beside the excavation, the city superintendent shall have the authority to require the permittee to haul the excavated material to a storage site and then rehaul it to the excavation at the time of backfilling. It is the responsibility of the permittee to secure the necessary permission and make all necessary arrangement for any required storage and disposal of excavated material. (Ord. 429 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 1993)

13.04.140 Cleanup.

As the excavation work progresses, all streets and private property shall be thoroughly cleaned of all rubbish, excess earth, rock and other debris resulting from such excavation. All cleanup operations at the location of such excavation shall be accomplished at the expense of the permittee and shall be completed to the satisfaction of the city superintendent. (Ord. 429 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 1993)

13.04.150 Backfilling.

Backfilling in any street opened or excavated pursuant to an excavation permit issued under the provisions of this chapter shall be compacted to a degree equivalent to that of the undisturbed ground in which the excavation was begun, unless the city superintendent determines a greater degree of compaction is necessary to produce a satisfactory result. All backfilling shall be accomplished according to city standards and specifications and shall meet the approval of the city superintendent. (Ord. 429 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 1993)

13.04.160 Street restoration.

A. Permanent restoration of the street shall be made by the permittee in strict accordance with the standards and specifications of the city and in a manner meeting the approval of the city superintendent. Permanent restoration may include overlays of portions of the street which have been disrupted by the excavation work.

B. The permittee shall guarantee and maintain the site of the excavation work to city standards and specifications for a period of two years following the completion of the restoration and acceptance by the city. Acceptance or approval of any excavation work or street restoration by the city superintendent shall not prevent the city from asserting a claim against the permittee and his or its surety under the surety bond required by this chapter for incomplete or defective work if such incompleteness or defective work is discovered within two years from completion of the excavation work. The presence of the city superintendent during the performance of any excavation work shall not relieve the permittee of its responsibilities under this chapter.

C. If the permittee has failed to complete the excavation work and restore and surface of the street to city standards and specifications and to obtain the approval of the city superintendent within the time fixed by the permit, or fails to perform any work or protective measure required by this chapter, the city superintendent shall have the authority to have all such uncompleted work or restoration completed. The permittee shall be liable for any costs incurred by the city in completing such work. (Ord. 429 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 1993)

13.04.170 Pavement cut requirement.

Before commencing excavation in a paved street, every permittee doing so shall first cut the pavement around the circumference or parallel to the excavated area with a pneumatic hammer, saw, cutting wheel or other approved method. (Ord. 429 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 1993)

13.04.180 Inspections.

The city superintendent or designee may make such inspections as they deem reasonably necessary in the enforcement of this chapter. An inspection fee of fifty dollars shall be assessed for every five-day period of excavation. (Ord. 429 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 1993)

13.04.190 As-built drawings, plans and profiles.

Upon completion of the excavation work, the city superintendent may request the permittee to submit to the city accurate drawings, plans and profiles showing the location and character of all underground structures installed during the excavation work. (Ord. 429 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 1993)

13.04.200 Provisions not applicable to city work.

The provisions of this chapter shall not be applicable to any excavation work or street restoration performed by the city or by any contractor retained by the city to perform such work or restoration on the city’s behalf. (Ord. 429 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 1993)

13.04.210 Liability of city.

This chapter shall not be construed as imposing upon the city or any official or employee of the city any liability or responsibility for damages to any person injured by the performance of any excavation work for which an excavation permit is issued under this chapter; nor shall the city or any official or employee thereof be deemed to have assumed such liability or responsibility by reason of inspections authorized under this chapter, the issuance of any permit or the approval of any excavation work. (Ord. 429 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 1993)

13.04.220 Stop work order.

The city superintendent or his or her designee may issue a written stop work order to any person violating any provision of this chapter or performing any work in violation of any permit issued pursuant to this chapter. The written stop work order may be served by delivering the same on any person engaged in the work and/or on the permittee. All such persons shall immediately stop work and/or cause such work to be stopped until further direction by the city superintendent or his or her designee to proceed. Such stop work order shall constitute immediate revocation of the permit issued under this chapter, subject to reinstatement of the permit by the city superintendent upon the taking of appropriate remedial action. (Ord. 429 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 1993)

13.04.230 Roadway excavation of newly constructed or resurfaced streets.

Any utility contractor or permittee desiring to trench, dig, open, excavate, etc., in a roadway, that has been recently rebuilt or overlaid, will not be allowed to disturb the roadway surface for a period of five years from the completion of the rebuilding or overlaying of the roadway. At the discretion of the city superintendent, the permittee may be allowed to install the utility or its line under the roadway without disturbing the surface. In an exceptional situation, with the approval of the city superintendent, the newly built or overlaid roadway may be disturbed, upon showing of adequate repair. (Ord. 429 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 1993)

13.04.240 Penalties for violation.

Any person, firm or corporation violating the provisions of this chapter shall be deemed guilty of a civil infraction and upon conviction thereof, shall be fined in an amount not to exceed one thousand dollars. Each day such violation is committed or permitted to continue shall constitute a separate offense. (Ord. 429 § 1 (Exh. A) (part), 1993)