Construction projects in Chicago are often required to obtain an Office of Underground Coordination (OUC) permit as part of the OUC Existing Facility Protection (EFP) Process. These permits are required to excavate properly and safely in the vicinity of underground utilities and make water and sewer connections. An additional permit, called a deep-excavation OUC permit, is sometimes necessary if the planned excavation goes deeper than 12 feet below grade. Bono Consulting has obtained over a hundred OUC permits, and deep excavation permits in the City of Chicago and can expertly assist in obtaining an OUC permit.
The OUC permit is designed to protect the intricate network of underground utility lines and helps prevent contractors from accidentally cutting into utilities they might be unaware of.
The OUC comprises 28 different utility members, both city and private entities, who may have utilities around a project site. The first step of the OUC permit is filing for an information retrieval. This process sends a request to all 28 utility members asking them to provide any atlas information they have that can be added to our plans. This ensures that any excavation crew in the area knows the locations of all existing utilities.
Figure 1 – A Complicated intersection showing all the utility mains
Once the plans are completed, they can be submitted through an online portal for the OUC permit application. The plans will then be routed to each utility member for review and comment. Obtaining an OUC permit often takes additional time due to the coordination with all the different utility members, but it is possible to obtain an expedited review if there is a valid reason in your project.
Deep excavation permits are similar to the standard OUC permit, but they require additional information and calculations to ensure the safety of the work site and protection of utilities. This is a different plan set and design guidelines that Bono Consulting is familiar with and which can be found here.
Bono Consulting has years of experience in obtaining City of Chicago OUC permits and OUC deep excavation permits and would be happy to assist you with your project’s permitting needs.