Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 3, March 20, 2024
A. All
applications for permits shall originate in the office of the district utility
and permit specialist. The district utility specialist shall be responsible for
performing and/or insuring the following.
1.
Checking with all appropriate district personnel (district administrator,
district maintenance engineer, district construction engineer, etc.) to
ascertain that the work requested will not interfere with existing or proposed
highway operations.
2. Assuring
that the application:
a. is on the correct
form;
b. is submitted with the
correct number of copies, including all attachments;
c. copies are completed correctly;
d. copies are clearly legible, preferably
typed.
3. The work
involved is on a state maintained highway, and the correct highway number and
control section numbers are shown.
4. The proposed work is confined to one
parish per permit application.
5.
The name and address of the applicant is legible on all copies.
6. The application has been signed by the
applicant, and the applicant's name is typed or printed legibly beneath the
signature. The applicant must be the property owner/lessee, permits shall not
be issued to contractors, or other third parties.
7. The nature of the work is clearly and
completely indicated both in text and on the drawings.
8. Four copies of the drawings must be
submitted with each application. Right-of-way limits and property lines must be
clearly indicated on the drawings. The exact location of the proposed work must
be indicated if reference to the highway, right-of-way, and property lines, the
names of local streets and businesses may be placed on the drawings; however,
the locations must be located in reference to the highway in such a manner that
someone unfamiliar with the area can comprehend these details. Where surface or
underground work is involved, a cross-section drawing that clearly indicates
existing conditions and proposed changes must be included. Where grading
operations are involved, cross-section drawings must show the highway
surfacing, shoulder, ditch, and slope indicating the present section and
proposed section.
9. The request
conforms with this Chapter and all other DOTD standards. Applications which do
not conform to DOTD standards shall be returned to the applicant with a short
explanation. The explanation should indicate the primary deficiencies, but not
be so detailed that DOTD will in effect be performing either research or design
for the applicant. When the district administrator feels that conditions
warrant an exception for an application that failed to meet DOTD standards, the
application and a letter from the district administrator explaining the reasons
for recommending a deviation should be submitted to the headquarters utility
and permit section. DOTD purchases right-of-way for the purpose of providing
roads for the general public, not to provide parking or other such benefits to
individuals. Therefore, exceptions should not be requested for:
a. parking for anyone other than a
governmental agency;
b. increasing
the driveway widths or allowing driveways to be placed so that large trucks or
busses back out directly onto, or partially block a highway (including the
shoulder);
c. allowing less than
the minimum clearance over a highway;
d. open cutting a highway, blocking traffic,
or other actions detrimental to the DOTD or to the travelling public, for the
sole purpose of saving/earning the applicant money.
10. The district administrator may issue all
routine right-of-way permits that meet with DOTD requirements. This authority
does not include major installations such as street intersections, subdivision
entrances, crossovers, turning lanes, changes to the roadway sections, or
anything that does not conform with this manual and all other DOTD
requirements. All permits approved by the district administrator must be
assigned a permit number and entered into the permit database by the district
utility and permit specialist, and the original copy must be transmitted to the
headquarters utility and permit section. Additionally, one copy of the approved
permit and drawings must be returned to the permittee.
11. The district utility and permit
specialist shall furnish the permittee with the grade, elevation, and alignment
of drainage structures when drainage structures are to be installed.
B. Upon notification by the
permittee that all work has been completed, or upon expiration of the time
limit, the district utility and permit specialist shall inspect or request an
inspection of the site. If all work has been satisfactorily completed, the
district utility and permit specialist shall complete the permit on the permit
database. If no work has begun, the permit shall be canceled, and the district
utility and permit specialist shall cancel the permit on the permit database.
If work is in progress but incomplete, the permittee is required to apply for
an extension of time. If the work is unsatisfactory, the district utility and
permit specialist shall notify the permittee of the deficiencies in writing,
and request that immediate action be taken to remedy this situation; a copy of
this letter should be sent to the headquarters utility and permit section. If
the permittee fails to take action, the district utility and permit specialist
shall suspend issuance of permits and/or cancel existing permits. If this
fails, the matter should be referred to the headquarters utility and permit
section for further handling. If the deficiencies are of such a nature as to
create a hazard to the traveling public, the district administrator shall take
immediate action to remedy the situation with DOTD forces. An itemized account
of the expenses incurred in performing this work shall be compiled and
submitted to the headquarters utility and permit section so that the permittee
may be billed accordingly.
AUTHORITY NOTE:
Promulgated in accordance with R.S.
48:381-382.
