Curb Cut and Sidewalk Permit

A curb cut provides driveway access from the street and must be designed for safe traffic flow and roadway capacity.

Sidewalks offer accessible pedestrian pathways, with cross-slope requirements for drainage and safety.

Property owners must obtain a Curb Cut and Sidewalk Permit(, 0B) before constructing a driveway, even without a concrete curb. Below are the City of Lincoln's permit guidelines.

 Open Form Curb Cut and Sidewalk Permit Application (, 0B)

Related: Application for Curb Closure

Contacts and Inspections

Inspections may occur after pour. Curb section and opening not meeting specifications will require removal and reconstruction at the contractor’s cost.

The following information provides the minimum requirements which will be subject to final inspection of the sidewalk and driveway approaches. Verbal/non-written discussion shall not relieve the permittee of any legal obligations under City ordinance/policy.

General Notes

Inspection request must be scheduled through the IVR system which is managed by Building and Safety.

Adjustments of any public utilities to include manholes, valve boxes, or pull boxes shall be at the cost to the builder.

Relocation of manholes, hydrants, or curb inlets shall be at the cost of the builder. This work shall be by means of Executive Orders.

The Contractor shall not permit concrete slurry or residue into gutters, inlets, or other drainage facilities. It is the responsibility of the owner or builder to ensure the street is free of all dirt, gravel, rocks, and debris.

Soil below sidewalks and driveways must be at maximum bearing capacity to support the loads of which will be applied.

No concrete debris or other foreign material within the subgrade below sidewalk and driveway approach.

Construction of Sidewalks

Select a type below for more information:

Sidewalk Over Utility Trenches

Backfill must be suitable material and compacted to City specification standards.

1. Unsuitable excavated material must be removed from the site that same day
2. Backfill material must be covered and protected.
3. Compaction methods must be by vibratory plates, mechanical rollers, and/or hand air compactors (hand tamp around valves boxes and utility crossing)

(, 0B)

Detail Section Over Service Trench (, 0B)

Sidewalk Grade and Dimensions

Dimension of Sidewalk Per Location

1. Residential Roadway shall be 4' wide x 4" thick
2. Sidewalk through a Residential Driveway shall be 5" thick
3. Arterial Roadway shall be 5' wide x 4" thick
4. Sidewalk through a Commercial Driveway shall be 6" thick

(, 0B)

Sidewalk ADA Ramps

Dimension of Sidewalk Ramps

1. Sidewalk ramp widths shall be the samewidth of the abutting sidewalk.
2. Ramp slope is not to exceed 3/4” per Foot fall toward roadway, unless prior approval by LTU
3. No irrigation service lines permitted under ADA ramps

Cross Section of ADA Ramp (, 0B)

Download Brochure Sidewalk and Driveway Approach Criteria (, 0B)

Driveway Approach Location

1. All requests are subject to review by Lincoln Transportation and Utilities (LTU) and any permit application may approve or denied.
2. New Residential driveways shall not be allowed onto Freeways, Major and Minor Arterials, or Collectors without prior authorization by LTU. Multifamily and Commercial use shall adhere to LTU Access Management Policy and Design Standards.
3. Driveway(s) length shall be a minimum 20', measured from the property line to the garage.
4. Sight Triangle: Shall consist of the first 25' of the property in both directions going away from the lot corner. The triangular area bounded by the property lines and a diagonal line joining points on the property lines. LMC 14.44.010
5. No curb cut within 5' from a fire hydrant, stop sign, and/or 7' after a curb inlet, measuring from the nearest side of the inlet top to the start of the curb cut. see: Curb Inlet Detail(, 0B)

(, 0B)

Select a type below for more information:

Single Driveway

6. Driveway approaches on paved streets shall be surfaced with minimum 3,500 psi compressive strength concrete from the street edge to the property line. The minimum thickness of driveway approaches for single or two-family dwellings is 5" from the street edge back 20' or to the property line, whichever is less. Any remaining portion within the public right-of-way shall be a minimum of 4" thick.
7. Shall have no curb cut within 25' of the lot corner (length will increase 5' from a fire hydrant, stop sign, and/or 7' after a curb inlet). see: Curb Inlet Detail(, 0B)

(, 0B)

Dual Driveways (Single Family Only)

6. Circular Driveways shall have no pavement within the first 13' of the front yard setback between the driveways LMC 14.96.010
7. No curb cut within 5' from a fire hydrant, stop sign, and/or 7' after a curb inlet, measuring from the nearest side of the inlet top to the start of the curb cut. see: Curb Inlet Detail(, 0B)
8. Mid-Block Lot: Shall have minimum 70' of frontage along city ROW. LMC 14.96.010 Secondary driveway shall lead to a garage.
9. Corner Lot: Shall have no curb cut within 25' of the lot corner for second driveway; no curb cut within 13' of the lot corner for circular driveway (length will increase 5 from a fire hydrant, stop sign, and/or 7' after a curb inlet). see: Curb Inlet Detail(, 0B)

(, 0B) (, 0B)

Download Brochure Driveway Approach Location (, 0B)

Traffic Control

Proper implementation of traffic control helps maintain a safe public right-of-way. Traffic control is required in order to occupy or expose excavations in the right-of-way.

All protective barriers must be maintained by the contractor until all work is completed or the hazard is eliminated.

All lane closures must be registered 2 business days prior to lane closure setup.

Contractors must be on site at least one hour prior to lane closure setup, unless given prior approval by Lincoln Transportation and Utilities (LTU) Right-of-Way Services.

• Contractor must inspect work zone devices
• Initial closure setup is not allowed during peak hours of 7–8 a.m. and 3:30–6 p.m.
• Sidewalks on both sides of a street cannot be closed or restricted at the same time

For a full list of requirements, see the Lincoln Traffic Control Guidelines

Contacts

Lincoln Transportation and Utilities