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City of Chicago "Public Way" Obstruction
permits
frequently asked questions... |
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The City of Chicago Office of
Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) requires special permits for
all work that involves blocking any portion of a street, sidewalk, alley or
crossing over a curb (temporary driveway).
Click here
to go to the City of Chicago OEMC website
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How do I
get a street closure permit ? |
| Gatwood
will obtain these permits for you. We will add a fee to the actual cost of
the permit to cover the expenses involved in obtaining them. Permits for any major street (Bus Route) or in the Downtown Area
take about 5 days to obtain - so plan ahead. Contact us for further information. |
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How
much do they cost? |
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Permit fees are calculated by the space required to be
blocked for the job. The prices are "per foot" for each lane blocked.
There are different rates for Curb, Parking, Traffic and Bike lanes....also for
Sidewalks and Alleys.
Click here for current
OEMC Permit Fee Schedule 2005
The fees are
doubled for work that takes longer than 3 consecutive days...up to 30
days.
Traffic must be allowed to
flow in both directions while the work in in progress. The contractor
is expected to provide all signs and traffic control devices/personnel such
as cones, arrow boards, flagmen etc. Refer to the
MUTCD standards page
for more details on what is expected.
Don't forget to include these
extras when estimating work.
If a street/alley is blocked completely (defined as less
than a 10 foot wide lane left open), you will be charged for the entire
length of the block from corner to corner.
If the street is a bus or emergency vehicle route each lane must maintain 11
feet for the vehicle(s) to pass through.
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I'm
working in the "downtown area" - Are there any differences? |
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Fees are doubled for any work in Chicago's
"Central Business District" - the downtown area. Generally Division south to
Roosevelt; Halsted to Lake Michigan.
There are strict restrictions on when the
work will be allowed....usually at night (after 7pm) or on a weekend.
Much depends on the area and the traffic patterns. The City is looking
to minimize impact on the public. They are especially considerate of
things like private residences (condos), restaurants and hotels,
entertainment venues - and the associated traffic flow.
Be sure to take this into account when
bidding - most unions require overtime rates and/or 8 hour minimums for
night and weekend work.
There will be times where the City of
Chicago will not allow any work in the central business district.
Generally around the Christmas holiday season and any other special events
such as Festivals, Parades, Marathons etc. Exceptions can sometimes be made for
emergency work. |
(click on pic to print a
copy)
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Are
there any time restrictions - when can I do the work ? |
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The City might require the work to be done at night or on
a weekend in high-traffic areas......take this possibility into account
if bidding a job (overtime labor rates etc)
You will not be allowed to work during "rush
hours" on busy streets. Daytime permits will generally be from 9 am to
3 pm.
They generally won't allow work around
Cubs and Sox park during game days. (or the "access roads" to the parks)
Restrictions might also be in place for any other special events such as
parades, festivals etc. |
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What
work vehicles can I park at the jobsite ? |
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You are expected to
strictly stay within the dimensions listed on the permit. We will
pull very tight permits to keep costs down - since they are charged by the
foot.
There are NO exceptions allowed
- 50 feet MEANS 50 feet. If you need additional space for
trucks etc - you need to let us know up front - and pay for the additional
footage.
The permit does not allow you to park your personal
vehicle(s) behind the crane
- unless the vehicle stays within the footage allowed in the permit.
For example, parking your 20'
pickup truck behind the crane could cost up to $1300 in the downtown area.
This also applies to trailers, delivery vehicles etc. Park your cars
elsewhere if you can. |
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How
do I handle traffic flow through the jobsite? |
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The city requires you to keep traffic flowing through the
area at all times using traffic controls. This might be as simple as a "flagman"
waving traffic through the site - or might require more devices as recommended
in the
MUTCD standards. |
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No Parking signs and restrictions: |
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The City will post "no-parking" signs in the area - but
they MUST be requested at the time the permit is pulled.
It takes The City of
Chicago 48 working hours to get the signs posted.....so permits must be
obtained 3 days before
the work is scheduled.
You must pay for any parking meters that will be blocked - at
the daily rate for those meters. The daily rate is the average revenue
that each individual meter takes in - as logged by city computers. The meter
serial numbers must be listed on the permits.
If the signs have not been posted there is
a number listed on the permit you can call to have the City go out and post
them. (312-747-5085) They will need to know the address of the jobsite
and the permit number. |
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What
happens if there are cars parked where I need to work ? |
| If there
are no-parking signs posted at the jobsite you can have the cars towed away.
There is a telephone number listed on the permit to call for assistance
during normal business hours. (312-747-5085) After hours, call the local police
non-emergency number.
Occasionally
signs will be pulled down by the public - in that case you might want to get
to the jobsite early to verify access and park your own vehicles there to
"reserve" the space.
Sometimes emergency work comes up - and
there is not enough time to get the City to post the signs. I would
suggest you post some signs of your own if possible - or park your own
vehicles in the spaces.
If someone is already parked there - you
might call a local towing company to gently "re-locate" the cars a few
feet away to give you access to the jobsite. Use your best
judgment. |
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What
happens if I don't have a permit ? |
| When a
permit is issued, notices are sent to all city departments warning of the
obstruction. All City of Chicago
employees will be watching for illegal obstructions - Police, Fire, CTA, City
Inspectors etc. Any citizen can call City Hall or their Alderman with
a complaint - at which point the City will send out an inspector and/or
police. The City can shut
the work down on the spot.
The inspector will measure the total
length of the project and take digital photos to be used as evidence in court
later....and issue a citation to the contractor.
The fines for not having a permit are significant -
usually a minimum of $1000 plus the price of the
permit - as measured by the inspector. The contractor is responsible for
any/all fines and associated costs...including the cost of the crane rental
if the job is shut down. |
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I
received a citation from the City Inspector. Now what ? |
| You are
required to appear in court on the date and time listed on the citation.
Bring the permit with you and any supporting documents. If you don't
appear, a default judgment will be entered against you. |
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How
do I estimate permit cost for a bid I'm doing? |
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Small cranes (under 40 tons) are 30 feet long and 20 feet
wide.
Large cranes (over 40 tons) are 50 feet long and 30 feet
wide. In addition, the large cranes usually require additional semi-trucks
carrying counterweights. A typical Semi-truck is 70 feet long.
As an example, a small crane lift on an average Chicago
street (40 feet wide) will require the permit to cover the curb and traffic lane
on the "lift" side, the sidewalk on the same side and the opposite curb lane (to
allow traffic to get through) The crane is 30 feet long and the delivery truck
is 20 feet long. You would need to pull a permit for 50 total feet.
Current pricing on a "quick lift" outside the Central
Business District would work out like this:
50 feet of traffic lane @ $10/foot = $500
50 feet of curb lane @ $5/foot (times 2) = $500
50 feet of sidewalk @ $2/foot = $100
Call us for specific help.
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