[Ord. 03-13, 12/11/2003, § 1; as amended by Ord. No. 23-02, 10/12/2023]
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, partnership, corporation, authority, or other entity to make any opening or cut in any public street right-of-way or excavation in, for, or under any street, alley or thoroughfare or to develop, construct or install any utility, sewer, water or gas lines in the streets of or within the limits of said Township of Susquehanna unless and until a permit therefor be secured from the Township Secretary for each separate undertaking. Such permit and the application therefor shall be in the form prescribed by said Secretary and for the purpose enumerated therein and shall contain the further statement that the applicant agrees to the terms of this Part and that the same be accompanied by a bond or security in a form acceptable to the Township Secretary and payable to the Township of Susquehanna as set forth hereinafter. Permits herein required include a permit to open sanitary sewers or to make an excavation in connection therewith or for any cut or opening in any public street or way. The police officers, Code Enforcement Officer, or Secretary of the Township shall promptly prohibit any work being done without proper permit or contrary to the terms hereof.
[Ord. 03-13, 12/11/2003, § 1; as amended by Ord. No. 23-02, 10/12/2023]
1. 
The application for the permit shall specify the location of the opening or excavation, anticipated date and time frame of work, together with the exact length, width and depth thereof. A plot plan or diagram showing the specifics of the project shall accompany every application, along with any additional information that might be requested by the Township. Permit fees shall be established by resolution by the Board of Commissioners. Proof of liability insurance shall be submitted with the permit application. Fees shall be paid in accordance with the current Township Fee Schedule.
2. 
Emergency repairs involving the placing of facilities or the opening up of the surface within the right-of-way may be performed prior to obtaining a permit providing the following procedures are adhered to:
A. 
An authorized representative shall promptly notify the Township office via written notice when the necessity of an emergency repair occurs during the hours from 8:30 a.m. through 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Emergency work occurring at other times should be reported to the Township within 24 hours.
B. 
Prior to opening the surface of the roadway, or working within the right-of-way, an authorized representative shall provide the following information in written notice sent to the Township:
(1) 
Date emergency work is started;
(2) 
Time the emergency work is started;
(3) 
Location of the emergency work site; and
(4) 
Description of emergency work.
C. 
The permit required under § 21-201 shall be applied for within five days to confirm and set forth and detail any emergency work performed.
[Ord. 03-13, 12/11/2003, § 1]
The charge for said permit for the erection or replacement of utility poles, whether within the cartway or with the area of dedication of any street, alley or thoroughfare, shall be as established by resolution of the Board of Commissioners in every permit issued hereunder.
[Ord. 03-13, 12/11/2003, § 1]
It shall be the duty of any person or persons, firms, partnerships, corporations, authority or other entity to whom a permit is issued or by whom any opening or excavation is made as aforesaid to provide and maintain proper and adequate guards, barriers and lights to prevent accidents, and they shall assume all risks and be liable for all damages by reason of the openings and excavations and by reason of any failure to properly fill the hole or trench and maintain the disturbed surface in a safe condition.
[Ord. 03-13, 12/11/2003, § 1; as amended by Ord. 06-07, 4/20/2006; by Ord. 08-01, 1/10/2008; by Ord. No. 23-02, 10/12/2023]
1. 
It shall be the duty of any persons, firms, partnerships, corporations, authority or any other entity causing an opening or excavation to be made in streets in the Township to remove the existing material and fill the excavation compacted in eight-inch layers. With regard to fill, materials used, wearing and finish courses, asphalt, surfacing, and sealants or other work, all applications shall be made without ridges and/or depressions and shall be maintained in at least as good condition as it was prior to excavation for a period of at least two years. Edge shall be sealed with two applications of material to then-current standards or specifications of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation as to materials to be used or, if no such standards exist, then other applicable standards as adopted by the Township. To assure compliance with this provision, the person, firm, partnership, corporation, authority or other entity obtaining a permit shall advise the Township, in writing, within adequate time prior to the time at which work is to be performed, to allow the Township to inspect or supervise the same. No cut or opening may be closed until the Township has inspected the same and approved the closure.
2. 
The following standards shall apply to the resurfacing of all streets, following any excavation or cut:
A. 
In the event that more than 25% of the public street or way from curb to curb is cut or disturbed, the Public Works Director shall require that the entire street or way be resurfaced from side to side for a length or distance of up to the next manhole in each direction or up to a maximum of 400 feet of street or way beyond the disturbance or cut.
B. 
When a longitudinal opening longer than 100 linear feet has been made in the pavement, the permittee shall mill and overlay the lane in which the opening was made for the entire length of roadway that was opened, in a manner authorized by the Public Works Director.
C. 
When two or more transverse openings have been made in the roadway within 100 linear feet of each other, the permittee shall mill and overlay lanes in which the openings were made for the entire length of roadway between the openings, in a manner authorized by the Public Works Director.
D. 
When two or more emergency openings have been made by the same permittee within 50 linear feet of roadway, the permittee shall mill and overlay lanes in which the openings were made for the entire length of roadway between the openings, in a manner authorized by the Public Works Director.
E. 
If more than 50 linear feet of longitudinal or transverse openings, or both, are made in the roadway, the Public Works Director may require the permittee to mill and overlay lanes in which the openings were made for the entire length of roadway that was opened, if the Township determines that the rideability or structural integrity of the roadway has been impaired by the openings.
F. 
If four or more openings are made by the same permittee within 100 linear feet of roadway, the Public Works Director may require the permittee to restore the entire disturbed roadway between the openings by milling, planing or other authorized method and overlaying the entire disturbed roadway.
3. 
All streets following cut and restoration shall comply with the requirements of § 22-603, Subsection 6, of Chapter 22 of the Codified Ordinances of the Township of Susquehanna. If a cut or other permit has been closed, the person, firm, partnership, corporation, authority or other entity cutting or opening the street and obtaining a permit hereunder remains responsible for all maintenance until final inspection of the closed cut and, in addition, a two-year maintenance bond will be required by the Township after closure. No final acceptance of a restored cut or opening in the street shall be approved unless the street so cut is mud-free, restored to its proper condition and any walkways, curbs, gutters, streetlights, fire hydrants, shade trees, water mains, sanitary sewers, storm sewers and other improvements or items affected by the cut have been restored as required by the Township.
4. 
As part of the applicant's permit, the applicant shall delineate the location at which any construction equipment, material or job trailer shall be placed and whether on public or private lands, if not controlled by the applicant, the applicant shall document written permission for use of the same from the owner thereof. Further, the applicant shall delineate the duration during which construction equipment, material or trailer shall be at the site specified and, in the event that the duration set forth is exceeded, an amendment shall be required to the application. It shall be the duty of the applicant to properly maintain the area on which any equipment, material or trailer is stored or placed in compliance with all applicable ordinances, statutes and codes and so as not to be a nuisance to the public or interfere with any rights of public access and so as to avoid the same being an eyesore. Unless the applicant documents a written agreement from the owner of any lands on which equipment, material or a trailer is placed to the contrary, the applicant must, in each case, as part of their bonded work, restore the area on which any equipment, material or trailer has been placed or stored to its pre-storage condition.
5. 
All drilling, cutting, or repairing on any surfaced or finished public street or way in the Township shall be by directional drilling technique approved by the Township. Missile drilling or impact drilling which may cause pressure, expansion, or bulging in areas adjacent to the drilling on a public street or way is prohibited.
6. 
Except in emergency situations, no opening or excavation requiring a permit under the Codified Ordinances of the Township shall be commenced except at a time during the year when the same may be restored and resurfaced in full within 30 days of commencement of work, and such restoration, including resurfacing, shall be completed within 30 days of commencement of work. Because final resurfacing cannot be done in the coldest of winter months, except in emergency conditions, no permit shall be issued for regularly scheduled work which shall commence after November 1 through March 1 of each calendar year.
7. 
Repaving and Reconstruction. Upon notification from the Director of Public Works of a planned street resurfacing or reconstruction, all utilities will be required to test their lines and services and to schedule necessary capital improvements and service connections prior to resurfacing or reconstruction. Thereafter, cuts will be permitted in the new pavement only in an emergency. Pave cuts made in new pavement shall be subject to a penalty. Open cutting of all pavements on streets is prohibited unless a utility is connecting to a line that is under the pavement or unless subsurface conditions prevent boring with casing. Essential services for new building construction shall be permitted. Essential services should not include the addition of an alternate or secondary source of fuel, water, heat or other service. Pavement shall be considered new for a period of two years from the date of placement.
8. 
Preparation of Streets for Paving, Repair or Construction. This Part provides for the laying, renewing, and repairing of all electrical, gas, water, sewer, steam, telephone, cable television, or other pipes or conduits, in any street, before the paving or repaving of the same, and for making the necessary house connections with said pipes, and also for the necessary house connections and branches with and leading into main or lateral sewers; providing, that in no case, except as a sanitary measure for which the Board of Commissioners shall be the judge, shall the Commissioners require such house connections to be extended further from such sewers, gas, water or other pipes or conduits, then the inner line of the curbstone of such street. The Board of Commissioners may, after notice to all companies, corporations, persons, and owners affected, and in default of compliance therewith, cause said pipes to be laid, renewed, or repaired and said connections made, and collect the cost of paving and repairing all pipes and pipe connections, from the companies, corporations, or persons owning or operating the said gas, water, and other pipes or conduits, with interest; and the cost of the sewer connections shall be a lien against the land for whose benefit such connections are made. A separate lien may be filed therefor, or such sewer connection cost may be included in any lien filed for the cost of such street improvement, and the lien and the proceedings thereon shall be as in the case of other municipal liens.
9. 
Determination of Lines and Grades. The Township Engineer shall have the final decision for the determination of lines and grades for street construction. This decision shall be based on good engineering practice and municipal standards.
10. 
Utility Corridor; Vertical Assignments for New Street Construction. The following for pipes and conduits are assigned to the utilities operating under this Part:
A. 
Gas lines shall be a minimum of 30 inches below subgrade.
B. 
Water and sewer lines shall be a minimum of 48 inches below subgrade.
C. 
Electric lines and conduits shall be a minimum of 36 inches below subgrade.
D. 
Telecommunication lines and cable television lines and conduits shall be a minimum of 24 inches below subgrade, for main lines and a minimum of four inches for service lines.
11. 
Horizontal and Aerial Utility Corridors. Aerial installations of electric power transmissions, telecommunications, and cable television lines suspended from supporting poles having their base and/or support wires within the public right-of-way and interfering with a roadway construction, reconstruction, or repair project shall be relocated upon written order from the Director of Public Works to a point specified therein. The Township may require the utility to place its aerial facilities underground where it is deemed necessary or desirable. Hereafter, aerial installations shall be placed subject to approval by the Township. The Township shall assign horizontal corridors on a case-by-case basis for all new construction. All gate boxes, shut-off valves, and other regulating devices underground for individual customers for gas, water, sewer, steam, electric and telecommunications and cable television lines shall be located outside the right-of-way.
12. 
Determination of Reimbursement. The Township may participate in the actual costs less betterments of utility relocation when the utility owns an existing utility right-of-way and interferes with a municipal construction project.
13. 
Commencement of Utility Relocation Activities. Upon receipt of a letter from the Township authorizing the start of physical work, the utility shall commence work within 30 days unless otherwise stated by the Township with reasonable cause shown in order to clear the construction area. The utility shall perform the relocation work in accordance with the construction plan approved by the Township. The utility shall accomplish utility relocation to ensure its completion prior to the commencement of roadway construction. Areas of utility relocation of work that cannot be accomplished prior to the start of construction but can be accomplished simultaneously without restricting the roadway project contractor may be done concurrently with the contractor's operations when approved by the Township. It is acknowledged that field conditions occasionally necessitate revision of the utility relocation plan. It shall be the responsibility of the utility to report and justify such revisions to correct any data on file with the Township. Minor modifications of the relocation plan may be brought to the attention of the project engineer and shall be noted in the daily inspection report.
[Ord. 03-13, 12/11/2003, § 1]
Prior to obtaining a permit, the applicant therefor shall deposit with the Township financial security or bond in the amount determined by the Township Engineer sufficient to cover the cost of restoration of all curb cuts and all streets, thoroughfare ways, cuts or openings and other costs of improvements or restoration of any property disturbed. The amount of the financial security to be posted shall be equal to 120% of the cost of completion of work and restoration as of six months following the date scheduled for completion of the project. To be approved, acceptable bonds must be in the manner required and shall be maintained and reduced in the same manner as set forth in § 22-406 of Chapter 22 of the Codified Ordinances of the Township of Susquehanna.
[Ord. No. 23-02, 10/12/2023]
1. 
The Director of Public Works or their designee, shall be responsible for inspection of the work. The following inspections shall be required during the construction process:
A. 
Stone base inspection.
B. 
Twenty-five-millimeter base inspection.
C. 
Preliminary inspection at the time of work completion.
D. 
Bond release inspection.
2. 
The Township and/or its duly authorized representatives shall have access to the work at all times, and the permittee shall provide proper facilities for such access.
3. 
A seventy-two-hour notice shall be given to the Township when an inspection is requested by the permittee. No inspections shall be scheduled to occur after 2:30 p.m.
4. 
The presence of Township employees or agents shall in no way relieve the permittee of the responsibilities included under the permit or this Part or be of any warrant for the furnishing of bad materials or workmanship.
5. 
Fees for inspections shall be established by resolution by the Board of Commissioners.
[Ord. No. 23-02, 10/12/2023]
1. 
The applicant shall notify the Township 24 hours in advance of starting work, upon completion of temporary restoration, and upon completion of permanent restoration. For any type of pipeline replacement/installation, the applicant shall notify the Township 48 hours in advance of the start of construction or of the resumption of construction if discontinued for more than five working days.
2. 
Prior to the start of work and continuously throughout construction and right-of-way and workspace restoration, the applicant shall designate a field representative responsible for overseeing compliance with the conditions of this permit. This person shall be accessible by telephone during normal business hours. This person's phone number and emergency phone number shall be provided to the Township. When determined appropriate by the Director of Public Works, the applicant shall provide written notice to all landowners within 200 feet of the work area of the work to be done, including the project's time frame, limits of work, the name, telephone number, and e-mail address of the field representative, and any other issues that may impact those landowners. This notice shall be provided to those landowners at least seven days before work is to begin. The Township shall receive a copy of the notice sent to the landowners.
3. 
Notice to Police/Fire Departments. If, in the opinion of the Public Works Director, the work to be undertaken is such that it will prohibit or restrict the flow of traffic on any roadway within the Township, the permittee shall give the same written notice listed in Subsection 2 to the Police and Fire Departments of the Township. The permittee shall provide proof of such notification to the Township prior to the start of such work.
[Ord. No. 23-02, 10/12/2023]
1. 
Traffic flow shall be maintained at all times.
2. 
Road closings shall be considered only under extremely difficult conditions and on a case-by-case basis, as determined by the Public Works Director.
3. 
Flaggers shall be used when traffic is reduced to one lane, with a one-minute maximum delay in any one direction.
4. 
In all cases, the proper work zone signing in accordance with PennDOT Publication 213 shall be installed and maintained by the applicant or his agent(s).
5. 
A Township road shall not be closed by any group, except the Township or any municipal authority created thereof, without first obtaining the required Township permit.
6. 
A Township road shall not be closed without first submitting a detour plan in accordance with PennDOT Publication 213 and obtaining approval from the Township Engineer.
7. 
All work zone traffic control devices per PennDOT Publication 213 must be in place prior to the closure of a Township road.
8. 
All detour signs shall be maintained in proper condition at all times.
9. 
Advance notice of a minimum of 48 hours must be provided to the Township prior to the road closure.
10. 
A traffic control plan shall be submitted to the Township.
11. 
In the case of emergencies, the above requirements may be deferred by the Director of Public Works. However, all requirements shall be met on the following day.
12. 
Notice shall be given to the Dauphin County nonemergency dispatch.
[Ord. 03-13, 12/11/2003, § 1[1]]
1. 
If the work in opening or in filling or closing or maintaining the surface shall not be promptly or shall be unskillfully or improperly or incompletely done, the Township Engineer, or any other designated by the Board of Commissioners, may cause the same to be done in the manner they deem proper; and the expense thereof, including any overhead expense, shall be charged to the person, firm, partnership, corporation, authority or other entity by whom the opening or excavation was made together with 25% additional as a penalty.
2. 
No permit shall be issued to any person, firm, partnership, corporation, authority or other entity in default for any other work regulated under this section until the costs and penalty herein provided are paid, and no further permit shall be granted to any person, firm, partnership, corporation, authority or other entity unless and until the openings and excavations already caused by him, her or it have been properly filled and the surface maintained as aforesaid, in a safe condition and at the proper grade, of which the said Engineer, or other person designated, shall be the judge.
[1]
Editor's Note: Section 21-210 was renumbered from Section 21-207 by Ord. No. 23-02, 10/12/2023.
[Ord. 03-13, 12/11/2003, § 1[1]]
Curb and sidewalks shall only be removed in sections extending from expansion joint to expansion joint. Replacement shall be according to Township specifications.
[1]
Editor's Note: Section 21-211 was renumbered from Section 21-208 by Ord. No. 23-02, 10/12/2023.
[Ord. No. 23-02, 10/12/2023]
The permission herein granted does not confer upon the permittee or its contractors the right to cut, remove or destroy trees or shrubbery within the legal right-of-way except under specifications, regulations and conditions as the Township may prescribe.
[Ord. No. 23-02, 10/12/2023]
The permittee shall at all times and at his or its own expense preserve and protect from injury any adjoining property by providing proper foundations and taking other measures suitable for the purpose. Where, in the protection of such property, it is necessary to enter upon private property for the purpose of taking appropriate protecting measures, the permittee shall obtain a license from the owner of such private property for such purpose, and if he cannot obtain a license from such owner, the administrative authority may authorize him to enter the private premises solely for the purpose of making the property safe. The permittee shall, at his own expense, shore up and protect all buildings, walls, fences or other property likely to be damaged during the progress of the excavation work and shall be responsible for all damage to public or private property or highways resulting from his failure to protect and carry out said work. Whenever it may be necessary for the permittee to trench through any lawn area, the sod shall be carefully cut and rolled and replaced after ditches have been backfilled, as required in this Part. All construction and maintenance work shall be done in a manner calculated to leave the lawn area clean of earth and debris and in a condition as nearly as possible to that which existed before such work began.
[Ord. 03-13, 12/11/2003, § 1; as amended by Ord. No. 23-02, 10/12/2023]
1. 
Whoever shall violate any of the provisions of this Part shall, upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $1,000 and, in default of the payment of the said fine, to undergo imprisonment not to exceed 30 days.
2. 
Each day that a violation of this Part continues shall constitute a separate offense.
3. 
The Township reserves the right to bar any contractor or his employee whose work is found in noncompliance with this Part from working within the Township limits. The Township reserves the right to refuse issuance of a permit to any applicant who fails to maintain work within the right-of-way in accordance with this Part, or who fails to pay sums due the Township within 30 days from the date of billing. The Township reserves the right to refuse issuance of a permit to cut new pavement.
[Ord. No. 23-02, 10/12/2023]
It shall be the responsibility of the Public Works Director or their designee for the enforcement of this Part.