(A) In streets or alleys within the area known as the central business district (CBD), the area bounded by Superior Street, the Pennsylvania Railroad, Clay Street, and Fairfield Avenue and in streets defined by ordinance as “through” or “preferential,” disruptions to existing street and alley surfaces will be regarded as routine maintenance work, construction work or emergency work. Disruptions shall mean any cut into existing surfaces for maintenance or improvement, any reconstruction on or restoration of roadway or sidewalk surfaces, any resurfacing of existing roadways and any entree into existing manholes or vaults for any purpose whatsoever.
(1) For routine maintenance work which involves only entree into existing manholes and vaults, work may be performed at any time except between the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday, providing that not more than one lane of traffic is blocked. Sidewalk vaults and manholes may be entered during any hour as long as vehicular traffic is not disrupted.
(2) For construction work:
(a) All reasonable efforts shall be made by the utility involved to cooperate with city authorities on closing the streets, blocking of traffic lanes and in the use of additional shifts so as to complete the work as readily as possible.
(b) All underground construction of major proportions shall be designed so as to facilitate ease of work ensuing under traffic, where possible.
(c) Underground and surface construction of minor proportions shall be designed so as to incorporate coverage of the work area with steel plating to facilitate traffic usage during non-work hours and during the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
(d) All utility underground construction shall be in accordance with city general detailed specifications adopted by the Board of Public Works on August 14, 1961, pp. 479, and any revisions made thereto.
(e) Utilities shall avoid initiating new construction work wherever possible during the period starting the Saturday prior to Thanksgiving Day and ending on New Year's Day.
(3) For emergency work, the utilities shall normally work on a continuous basis and will be permitted to perform this work at any time without any imposed restrictions except to cooperate with the city authorities in regard to traffic control and public safety matters and to minimize to the extent reasonably possible, any disruption to the activities of the central business district. The designation of an emergency for a particular utility shall in all cases initially be left to the judgment of the utility involved. These situations would include those where the public safety and welfare are involved, unrealistic economic hardships are imposed, jeopardy to utility services exists and losses of utility services to areas or customers would persist.
(4) Every effort shall be made to close only one traffic lane at a time in any street. No disruptions shall close more than half of a street at any one time except where necessity dictates.
(5) Excavation material shall not remain in the roadway when the roadway is required to be open to traffic, unless permission is granted to do otherwise.
(B) All disruptions into roadways and sidewalks shall be barricaded and delineated with signs, flashers or lights, etc., as the situation may require in general accordance with schematic plans on file in the board of works offices. Additional delineation may be utilized as the utility or contractor desires. The job site shall be properly identified as to the utility responsible for the work performed.
(C) All street openings being restored with concrete shall utilize high-early strength proportioning. Where backfill procedures require an asphaltic thickness over concrete or in cases of open trenches, and where cuts are narrow and at approximate right angles to traffic lanes, steel plating shall be used to bridge the openings. Barricades may be used where cuts are wide or longitudinal to the traffic lanes and in cases where the use of plating is not necessary or appropriate.
(D) Where steel plating is necessary it shall be at least 3/4 inch in thickness and must be installed to prevent rocking or shifting due to vehicular traffic. Spiking of plates shall be permissible on asphalt surfaces only. All spiking must be secure against vibration.
(E) Permits for construction work shall be sought at least 72 hours in advance of the proposed work from the Board of Public Works, after final approval of plans by city departments. All roadway construction and resurfacing type work shall require a permit. All permits issued by the Board of Public Works shall require approval of the Police Department and the Traffic Engineering Department.
(F) All flaggers utilized in conjunction with permit work must wear clothing which clearly identifies their purpose to motorists. This may include reflective fluorescent vests and hard hats.
(G) After city working hours all applications for permits which due to emergency or other necessity must be secured immediately, the board of works or police desk sergeant will be called for verbal permission and a follow-up made through regular channels the following city working day to secure the normal written permit.
(H) The Board of Public Works or their authorized representative shall be authorized to request stoppage of work in lieu of deviation by the permittee from the work permit.
(I) All construction work on state highways which requires a state but not a city permit shall be reported to the Board of Public Works upon receipt of such permit.
('74 Code, § 25-26) (Ord. G-21-68, passed - - )