Following last year’s successful migration of its Public Space Management permits to the Seattle Services Portal (SSP), the Street Use Division of the Seattle Department of Transportation will complete its transition to the SSP on November 9, 2020. To better integrate with SDCI and other city departments, Street Use’s move from Hansen to the SSP will make permitting and inspections more consistent, predictable, and transparent for online applicants.
New Street Use Permit System and Fees Coming Soon
Changes are coming to the Street Use division of the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT)! On June 10, 2019, SDOT is making updates to the way they issue permits and calculate fees for Street Use. Since many SDCI permit-holders also require Street Use permits, we want to make sure that you’re familiar with the changes and what you can expect when they take place in early June.
SR 99 Closure and Street Use Permitting Information
Based on information provided by WSDOT, on January 11, 2019, State Route 99 through downtown Seattle will be closing for approximately three weeks to realign SR 99 into the new tunnel. During the closure, both the viaduct and the tunnel will be closed. Drivers should expect up to six weeks of region-wide congestion.
Street Use Fee Changes Effective Immediately!
Due to rising labor costs, the Seattle Department of Transportation Street inspection and permit review rates are changing in 2017. A 2016 annual fee analysis found that adequate compensation for increasing labor costs would require an increase from $196 to $209 per service hour.
SDOT Street Use Right-of-Way Permit Rates
SDOT Street Use right-of-way permit rates are changing—rewarding well-prepared applicants and moving to project/service-based permitting. In the midst of Seattle’s development surge, right-of-way permit rates have remained the same for 5 years. That’s led to deferred service enhancements and backlogs as Street Use Permit Services now reviews, inspects, and issues approximately 32,000 permits per year. The new rate model follows many months of outreach, assessment, and modeling to address our city’s rapid growth and increasing construction density.
New Paving Restoration Rules Begin – October 1, 2015
Starting October 1, 2015, Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) will no longer provide paving restoration for new water service installations and retirements. Applicants will now need a Seattle Department of Transportation Street Use Permit (51M) for pavement restoration OR a Street Improvement Plan (SIP) showing restoration of water-service-related work, or applicable paving permits if you are working in other jurisdictions (new service and retirements of old services).
Revising SDOT Street Use Fee and Rate Changes
Seattle Department of Transportation is revising the Street Use permit fees and the hourly rate for the first time since 2004. Seattle Municipal Code (SMC) 15.04.074 requires that Street Use permit fees cover the expense of administering permits, including review, issuance and enforcement.
