Overview
Anyone wanting to temporarily (more than five minutes and less than 30 days) occupy a traffic lane, planting strip or sidewalk within the public right-of-way (ROW) must obtain a Right-of-Way Use Permit from CDOT. Each request to occupy the ROW is considered on a case-by-case basis to ensure that there is no adverse impact to public safety. Additionally, all requests must comply with CDOT's Work Area Traffic Control Handbook (WATCH).
Types of Permits
Permits can be issued for these situations:
- Lane Closure - closing one or more lanes of a street.
- Sidewalk Closure - closing a sidewalk. Suitable provisions for pedestrians must be made.
- Street Crossing - installing a utility across a street by closing successive lanes.
- Street Closure - closing the entire street usually requires preparing a detour plan and advance notice to the Police Department.
- Telecom - installing less than 200' of cable.
Process
Typically, CDOT's staff will review, approve and Fax the permit the same day, if the request is received before 2 pm and all information is supplied. Street closure requests take additional time for coordination, generally 2-3 days.
Cost
Currently, there is no fee charged for the issuance of a Right-of-Way Use Permit.
Some Examples
- Moving Vans
- Utility Repairs*
- Sign/Banner placement
- Installation of less than 200' of fiber optic/telephone cable
- Installation of street lights/poles
- Construction of utility connections*
- Sidewalk construction/replacement*
- Tree trimming/landscaping
- Driveway construction
- Access to manholes in the street
* These items will also require a Street Cut Permit from CDOT's Street Maintenance Department Division if any pavement or sidewalk will be removed.
Additional Information
Lane closures will not be allowed during certain times of the day due to traffic congestion. In the Central Business District (CBD), these hours are between 7 am-9 am, 11:30 am-1:30 pm and 4 pm-6 pm. Outside the CBD, these hours are between 7 am-9 am and 4 pm-6:30 pm.
Right-of-Way Use Permit Application Requirements
A letter of request must be submitted at least 24 hours in advance and contain the following information:
Contact information (name, address, phone and FAX number, email address, etc.) for the applicant and a full description of the work. Dates for the work to be performed. Type of work to be performed. Street address where the work will be performed or location between streets if the site is large. Specify which traffic control diagrams from the Work Area Traffic Control Handbook (WATCH) will be used.
The request for a permit may be faxed to CDOT at 704-336-4400.
The ROW Use Permit, if granted, will be faxed to the requestor and copies must be displayed on the dashboard of all vehicles working in the permit area.
For additional information about submittal requirements and obtaining ROW Use Permits, please contact:
Bob Staley 704-432-1562
Charlotte Department of Transportation
Development Services Division
Right-of-Way Management Section
600 E-ast Fourth Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
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