Utility Cut and Telecom Inspections
General Information

The Construction Inspections Program is responsible for the inspection of Right-of-Way (ROW) projects that handle Excavation Permits (EX) and Driveway/Sidewalk Permits (DS):

  • Excavation for the repair of dry utilities*
  • Residential and commercial driveways, curb cuts gutters, and sidewalk repair, installation, modification, or demolition of existing sidewalk

Each type of project is inspected at critical milestones for compliance with development regulations, criteria manuals, City of Austin (COA) Standard Specifications, Standards Manual, and permitted plans. These requirements improve public safety within the Right-of-Way (ROW), manage traffic, bike and pedestrian flows, and protect existing ROW infrastructure during construction.

Project reviews and inspections are coordinated as required with other departments that plan ROW improvements and maintain or repair streets, sidewalks, or dry or wet utilities.

* Wet utility inspections for the permitted site or subdivision construction repairs or taps are conducted by the Site and Subdivision Inspection Program.

What you will find on this page:

Utility Cut Inspection Staff Contacts

John Cruz
Division Manager
o: 512-974-1590
c: 512-605-9745

Stephen Ramirez
Program Manager
o: 512-974-9751
c: 512-649-6053

Amar Becker
Customer Service Rep.
o 512-974-2685
c: 512-354-5252

Anthony City
Inspector C
c: 512-596-8523

Ernesto Gomez
Inspector C
c: 512-633-0419

Jesse Herrera
Inspector C
c: 512-264-5371

Ruben Villalpando
Inspector C
c: 512-599-2661

Shane Wagner
Inspector C
c: 512-605-9252

Utility Cut Inspection Requirements

ROW Permits, Fees, Licenses, and Other Requirements

After a building or site plan permit is granted, the next step is to apply for a ROW permit and/or license issued. A ROW permit, be it an Excavation Permit (EX) or Driveway/Sidewalk Permit (DS), must be applied for online, which is then issued by Austin Transportation and Public Works permitting group. If the project includes small-cell-related work, additional documents must be submitted to Austin Energy (AE).

  • Applying for a ROW permit: Information regarding the ROW and anything permit-related, including permit extension requests, can be found at ROW Management.
  • Austin Transportation and Public Works ROW Permits and Fees: Learn more about the type of ROW permit required. Associated fees can be paid on the Austin Build + Connect (AB+C) Portal.
  • Contractor’s License: Required for work in the ROW and issued by Austin Transportation and Public Works. Learn more about License Requirements (PDF).
  • Austin Energy Work Print Design: Must be obtained for small cell projects. Submit the request (Smartsheet).
  • Microtrench Waiver: If the microtrench installation method is proposed for telecommunication, a waiver from the  Austin Transportation and Public Works, Office of the City Engineer is required. Submit requests to pwdocereviewdl@austintexas.gov.

General Requirements

Safety measures before excavation

  1. Always contact your Utility Cut Inspector before construction.
  2. Post active permit at the site.
  3. Complete One Call utility locations within the construction area.
  4. Mark existing and proposed utilities and locate easement and property lines.
  5. Verify Construction workers have personal protective safety equipment appropriate for the type of construction.
  6. Install traffic and pedestrian controls per permitted documents.
  7. Place traffic flaggers in proper locations to effectively manage traffic and pedestrian flows.

Protection of existing site features

  1. Install sedimentation controls and existing tree and landscaping protections per permitted plans.
  2. Provide alternative accessible routes as required during construction.
  3. File a Site Plan Correction if existing conditions significantly differ from permitted plans and field adjustments are required.

Final Inspection Requirements

  1. Install sidewalk and driveway joints at proper locations per City of Austin (COA) specifications and details.
  2. Install final hot asphalt mix for roadway paving from an approved COA supplier per roadway type.
  3. Provide paving surfaces that are smooth and seamless.
  4. Broom finished sidewalks.
  5. Restoration of the final paving must be completed within 4 weeks after the final backfill.
  6. Complete final site grading and compaction, and install 4 to 6 inches of clean topsoil in vegetated areas.
  7. Restore vegetation to existing condition or better.
  8. Ensure construction complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act, COA Accessibility Standards/Detail, and Texas Accessibility Standards (TAS). There should be no protrusions that would impede accessibility.
  9. Complete the mandatory Pothole Checklist (PDF) showing horizontal and vertical locations. 
How to Schedule a Utility Cut Inspection

Inspection requests are taken between 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Excavation (EX) Permit Inspections

  • Inspections are only accepted for Excavation Permits (EX) that cover dry utility or fiber/small cell work for telecom.
  • These programs must have an "Active" status. If an "Expired" permit is called in, the contractor must extend their permit before an inspection request can be accepted. Please visit the Modify a Permit webpage to learn how to extend your permit.
     

Call or Text Dispatch

Contractors can call or text dispatch at 512-354-5252 to request inspections on the day they are ready for the inspection. You will need to provide:

  1. The permit number,
  2. Type of inspection needed,
  3. Time of inspection needed, and
  4. Contact information, including your company name.

Inspection requests are scheduled for the same day; we do not accept requests for the following day.

  • The contractor should call at least one hour before their requested inspection time (e.g., call/text at 8:00 a.m. to get a 9:00 a.m. inspection time).
  • If the requested time is unavailable, the next available time will be scheduled based on the assigned inspector's availability.
  • Scheduling may be affected by the inspector's availability.
  • Each inspection call must have at least a 30-minute interval between them except for the Telecom group, which gets one hour due to limited staff. This ensures that inspectors have sufficient travel time between inspections.

Weekend Inspections

Utility Cuts:

  • Weekend inspection requests are accepted on Thursdays between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
  • Weekend inspections are exclusively available for asphalt and concrete paving projects that involve a minimum of a 10x10 cut.

For any specific inquiries or to request inspections, please contact us at 512-354-5252 between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.

Driveway/Sidewalk (DS) Permit Inspections

Inspections can be scheduled through two methods:

  1. Interactive Voice Response (IVR) System: The phone number for the IVR system should be listed on your permit.
  2. Online through the AB+C Portal: Online scheduling is available 24 hours in advance. 
Excavation Permit for Dry Utility Repairs

General Requirements

  1. T-cut trench for repairs per appropriate City of Austin (COA) Standard Details, 1100S series
  2. Sand bedding and cover over the utilities per COA Standards
  3. Warning tape or other approved detectable material per utility type.

 Trench Backfill Requirements

  1. Controlled Low-Strength Material (CLSM) backfill must be provided by an approved COA supplier, and COA-accepted mix designs must be furnished.
  2. Roadway surfaces for dry utilities may be temporarily patched with approved cold asphalt mix design per COA Standards Manual Detail, 1100S-4 series, or can be covered with a steel plate as specified in the Utility Criteria Manual 5.7.8 - Steel Plates.

Final Paving and Site Restoration Requirements

  1. Restoration must be complete no later than four (4) weeks after the final backfill.
  2. Final pavement surfacing must be hot-mix asphalt or concrete compliant with COA Standards and Details.
  3. Final site grading, compaction of non-paved surfaces, and 4 to 6 inches of clean topsoil must be completed.
  4. Existing vegetation must be restored to equivalent or better.
Driveways, Sidewalks, and Gutters

Concrete Forms and Reinforcement Requirements

  1. Compaction of subgrade as specified on plans before installation.
  2. Horizontal and vertical elevations must be confirmed by the contractor and meet the Americans with Disabilities Act, City of Austin (COA) Accessibility Standards/Details, and the Texas Accessibility Standards (TAS).
  3. Concrete forms must be installed correctly.
  4. Concrete class and steel reinforcement for driveways and sidewalks must be per COA specifications and details.
  5. Expansion joints per Standards Manual.

An optional pre-construction meeting may be scheduled through the AB+C Portal. This meeting can be used to gain a clear understanding of the work both compliant and non-compliant with COA Details or Specifications that require an Austin Transportation and Public Works waiver before the pre-pour inspection. Submit requests to pwdocereviewdl@austintexas.gov.

Concrete Pre-Pour Requirements

All Residential Driveways, Sidewalks, and Gutter projects, except for paving patching, require:

  • The concrete mix must meet COA Standards and Details for driveway types and be supplied by an approved COA vendor.

The contractor may schedule an inspection through the AB+C Portal.

Site Restoration Requirements

  1. Concrete surfaces must meet COA Standards and Details.
  2. Existing asphalt must be repaired with an asphalt mix that meets COA Standards and Specifications.
  3. Paving restoration must be completed no later than four (4) weeks after the final backfill.
  4. Final site grading, compaction of non-paved surfaces, and installation of 4 to 6 inches of clean topsoil must be completed.
  5. Vegetation must be restored to equivalent or better.
Resources

For additional information about COA requirements, visit the following pages:

Other resources: