[Ord. No. 893, § 1, 3-15-1983]
It shall be unlawful for any person to open or break the surface of the ground for any purpose within the boundaries of any public highway, road, street, avenue, public lane, public alley, sidewalk or footpath without first obtaining a permit therefor from the township and without complying with other requirements hereof.
[1]
Editor's Note: Ordinance No. 893, § 1, adopted March 15, 1983, amended the Code by repealing Art. III, consisting of §§ 20-34—20-44 pertaining to openings and excavations in streets, sidewalks and public places and which derived from Ord. No. 444, §§ 1—11, adopted Nov. 9, 1964; and Ord. No. 598, § 1, adopted Oct. 12, 1970. In addition, Ord. No. 893 enacted new provisions which have been included as a new Art. III, §§ 20-34—20-46.
[Ord. No. 893, 1, 3-15-1983]
A written application on a blank form to be furnished for that purpose by the township must be filed with the township public works department before the permit required by this article is issued and the work begun, setting forth the purpose for which the highway, road, street, avenue, public lane, public alley, sidewalk or footpath is to be opened, excavated or occupied, and the location of the proposed work. In such application, the applicant shall agree to assume all liability for any and all damage to persons or property accruing to the public, or to the Township, which may or might result from the opening, excavating or occupying of such highway, road, street, avenue, public lane, public alley, sidewalk or footpath.
[Ord. No. 893, § 1, 3-15-1983]
The filing of an application by a public service corporation for a permit required by this article and the issuance of a permit for laying of water or gas pipe or conduit for electric wires or for the erection of an electric light, telephone, telegraph or any other pole shall constitute an agreement on the part of the applicant that it will, at any time thereafter upon notice from the Township public works department, make such change in location or construction of such pipe, conduit or pole as may be required at its own expense.
[Ord. No. 893, § 1, 3-15-1983; Ord. No. 1145, § 1, 12-13-1994]
(a) 
The applicant shall pay to the Township the fees for the required permit as established from time to time by resolution of Township council:
(1) 
For openings or excavations within any Township highway, road, street, avenue or public alley right-of-way having an unimproved surface;
(2) 
For openings or excavations within any Township highway, road, street, avenue or public alley right-of-way having an improved surface;
(3) 
For openings or breaks in improved sidewalks;
(4) 
For breaking the surface of any improved concrete curb;
(5) 
For setting or replacing poles of telegraph, telephone, electric or other utilities; and,
(6) 
For such other activities designated from time to time by resolution by Township council.
(b) 
All measurements required to be made in applying the above fees shall be made by the Township public works department, and shall include any enlargement of openings which may be required to be made as an incident of the repair of such paving.
[Ord. No. 893, § 1, 3-15-1983]
No permit required hereby shall be issued until the application has been approved by the Plymouth Township Public Works Department and when issued, the permit shall be valid for 60 days from the date of issue.
[Ord. No. 893, § 1, 3-15-1983]
During construction warning signs shall be placed beyond each end of the construction area in such a manner as to be visible to the traveling public and to meet the requirements of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. When required to maintain the flow of traffic, flagmen shall be provided.
[Ord. No. 893, § 1, 3-15-1983]
Any opening within an improved surface shall be cut around the perimeter of the openings to a depth of one and one-half (1 1/2) inches in order to ensure a smooth edge of trench.
[Ord. No. 893, § 1, 3-15-1983; Ord. No. 1545, 10-11-2010]
(a) 
All breaks or openings shall be refilled by the applicant for the permit to the approval of the Department of Public Works by replacing all the excavated materials in the opening without raising the surface of the highway, road, street, avenue, lane, alley, sidewalk or footpath, due allowance being made for the structure being placed in the trench. All refilling must be done with Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Specified 2A stone, thoroughly compacted by puddling or hard tamping in uniform layers not exceeding six inches in depth, and all surplus dirt must be removed from the job.
(b) 
A temporary paving of materials, the top two inches of which shall be new bituminous concrete, thoroughly bound and compacted, shall be installed flush with the surface of the adjoining paving. The applicant shall keep and maintain such paving in proper condition until such time as the permanent paving is constructed. If the applicant fails to install such paving within a reasonable time after the completion of the improvements or fails to properly maintain such paving, the Township shall perform the work and charge the costs thereof to the applicant.
[Ord. No. 893, § 1, 3-15-1983]
All materials, openings or excavations made or obstructions created under permits issued pursuant to this article must be barricaded and marked from sunset to sunrise by warning devices visible from the roadway in both directions placed so as to indicate the exact location and limits of the work or obstruction.
[Ord. No. 893, § 1, 3-15-1983; Ord. No. 1545, 10-11-2010]
(a) 
Permanent paving shall be constructed, no later than 30 days after the installation of the temporary paving. If within one year after the installation of the permanent paving, defects appear therein, resulting from defective restoration by the applicant, the applicant shall reimburse the Township for the cost of all necessary repairs to the permanent paving.
(b) 
If the applicant opens pavement having an improved surface, and the Township's wearing course is less than five years old, the applicant shall, in addition to the restoration requirements outlined in this article, overlay the pavement in accordance with the following conditions:
(1) 
When a longitudinal opening longer than 100 linear feet has been made in the pavement, the applicant shall overlay the traffic lanes in which the opening was made, for the entire length of highway that was opened, in a manner to be approved by the Township.
(2) 
When two or more transverse openings have been made within 100 linear feet of pavement, the applicant shall overlay traffic lanes in which the openings were made, for the entire length of highway between the openings, in a manner to be approved by the Township.
(3) 
When four or more openings have been made by the same applicant within 100 linear feet of pavement, the applicant shall overlay traffic lanes in which the openings were made, for the entire length of highway between the openings, in a manner approved by the Township.
(4) 
If disturbed adjacent to undisturbed lanes are overlaid, the edge of the disturbed lane shall be saw cut or milled to a depth of 1 1/2 inches or the depth of the existing surface course, whichever, for the length of the opening to insure a smooth joint with proper elevation and cross-section. A full width overlay may be authorized on various roadways instead of saw cutting or milling the disturbed lane.
(5) 
If disturbed lanes adjacent to the shoulders are overlayed, the shoulder shall be raised, with material and in a manner approved by the Township for the type of existing shoulder, so that the overlaid pavement and shoulder edges are at the same elevation.
(c) 
Regardless of the age of the wearing course.
(1) 
If more than 100 linear feet of longitudinal or transverse openings, or both, are made in the pavement, the Township reserves the right to require the applicant to overlay traffic lanes in which the openings were made, for the entire length of highway that was opened, if the Township Engineer determines that the rideability or structural integrity of the pavement has been impaired by the openings.
(d) 
If four or more openings are made by the same permit holder within 100 linear feet of pavement, the Township reserves the right to require the applicant to restore the entire disturbed pavement between the openings by milling, planning or authorized method and overlaying the entire disturbed pavement.
(e) 
Aggregate used in bituminous overlay wearing course shall comply with skid resistance level (SRC) criteria specified by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
(f) 
If an opening is made in a bituminous concrete pavement within three feet from the edge of pavement or other longitudinal joint or opening, the surface restoration shall be extended to the edge of pavement or other longitudinal joint or opening.
(g) 
At each end of an overlay, the applicant shall install a paving notch by milling, planning or other authorized method and provide a minimum ten-foot transition.
(h) 
The transition areas at each end of an overlay shall follow the contour of the surrounding surface.
(i) 
When pavement markings on more than 100 linear feet of highways are covered or destroyed by the permitted work, including overlays, they shall be replaced with temporary pavement markings, before opening the disturbed pavement to traffic. When the pavement surface is fully restored, permanent pavement markings that were covered or destroyed shall be replaced by the applicant, in like kind, in their former location.
(j) 
Restored openings in the pavement or paved shoulder shall be sealed with a suitable material in accordance with Township specifications.
[Ord. No. 893, § 1, 3-15-1983; Ord. No. 1458, § 1, 3-13-2006; Ord. No. 1545, 10-11-2010)]
Specifications for final restoration of street openings are:
(1) 
The surface excavation shall be seven inches in depth, leaving a vertical face.
(2) 
There shall be a twelve-inch setback on both sides of the trench.
(3) 
The materials for restoration shall be six (6) inches of superpave 25.0 mm base course, topped with one (1) inch of superpave 9.5 mm wearing course, meeting the requirements of PennDOT Specification 408.
(4) 
On restorations measuring more than four feet, whether transverse or longitudinal, the bituminous surface course shall be compressed with a tandem roller. For restorations measuring less than four feet, the compaction of the bituminous material shall be with a mechanical vibratory tamper with a minimum plate size of 12 inches by 12 inches.
(5) 
All surface joints are to be painted with E-1 asphalt overlapping three inches on both sides of all joints.
[Ord. No. 893, § 1, 3-15-1983]
The specifications for final restoration of curbs and sidewalks shall be those set forth in Section 503 of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (Ordinance 837).
[Ord. No. 893, § 1, 3-15-1983]
It shall be unlawful for any person to open or break the surface of the ground within the boundaries of any state or county highway, road, street or avenue within the Township or which serves as a boundary of the Township without first obtaining a permit from the appropriate governmental agency and filing that permit with the Township Public Works Department. The rules and regulations governing the manner in which the work is conducted shall be those promulgated by the state, county or neighboring Township having jurisdiction over the roadway.