I used to work public and am looking to start doing private work. My question for those who are on the private side is do you have to take out permits before for digging up buried monuments in public right of ways? It seems like some states (Utah) that could be a big deal. Never seemed to be an issue in California.
That sounds ridiculous, but no, I haven't heard of such a thing in Idaho.
We had a period of time when Kansas DOT thought we should do something similar. Never worried about it and no one ever complained. The vast majority of our section corners fall on or near the center line of county maintained roads and in road intersections. We wouldn't get anything done if we had to beg for permission. Most of these roads are crushed limestone a few inches thick over well packed dirt base.
A giant PITA arises when the most recent survey data for State maintained roads dates back to the 1920's to 1950's. Reference calls tend to be items that will be destroyed or buried six feet deep. Why did they not tie to more distant features that would not be obliterated? They sure didn't set any new monuments following construction.
@bstrand believe me. Trying to do a sanity check here.
I think CalTrans requires a project specific r/w permit. Oregon has them as well but they are region by region. I've never heard of anyone having a problem in Oregon. I have been told CalTrans can be a real stickler.
@bstrand They require a permit to conduct work in their right of way but no one ever enforces it, even when you do State projects. I actually had this come up on a recent project, the new permit guy caught wind of our project and required us to submit one. Completely useless IMO.
Permits from the DOT to excavate a paved State/Federal highway? Yeah, probably lots of permits, coordination with the local office, flaggers, ect., although I've never had to do that in the main highways. For county roads/streets, done lots of that but never asked or even thought of asking.
One good thing about working as a consultant for DOT is that I get work job orders. If I'm on the job I carry around the signed document with me and even the HP's will back off. Since we don't have DOT trucks, we've been stopped a few times, usually a trooper just waves as they go by, but there are some.......... Not that I would know, but it might work when doing nonrelated DOT jobs to carry one along, just in case. 😉
Paving over monuments and then requiring a permit to dig them up sounds like a very government thing to do. 😏
In my part of PLSSia, a vey high percentage of the original roads were laid out to run centered on the section line. The taking was somewhat equal for the landowners on either side petitioing to have the road approved for construction. Thus, many of our sections have roads on all four sides.
Technically, I think it unlikely that a permit is typically required to dig up a monument. The permit is to occupy the roadway and hold up traffic.
I used to work public and am looking to start doing private work. My question for those who are on the private side is do you have to take out permits before for digging up buried monuments in public right of ways? It seems like some states (Utah) that could be a big deal. Never seemed to be an issue in California.
It was a big deal for Caltrans RW, particularly on limited-access freeways. It was also a big deal for a few county and local governments. You seem to have just been blissfully unaware.
Most local governments in CA had no such requirement, and even in some that did, you could typically get by without as long as you weren't spending a great deal of time within the RW.
No such issue where I practice now... or maybe I'm just blissfully unaware and haven't been caught yet (?).