Road Work and Construction Problems in San Diego

This guide covers streets, sidewalks and alleys in the City of San Diego, plus freeways and state highways that run through it. Other cities in the county, and County roads in unincorporated areas, have their own permit and reporting systems. Our guide to reporting a problem to the City of San Diego explains how to tell whether an address is inside City limits.

Utility and pipe work in the street is governed by San Diego Municipal Code Chapter 6, Article 2, Division 12, "Excavations in the Public Right-of-Way." As of November 1, 2026, it says:

• Flush at the end of each day, or plated. Section 62.1208 says excavators must restore pavement at the end of each day with material kept flush with the adjacent pavement so all users can safely cross it. If surfacing cannot be installed, intersections, pedestrian crossings and other locations the City Engineer requires must be secured with structural trench plates.
• Plates bermed on all edges. The conditions printed on the City's Traffic Control Plan/Permit form (DS-269) say trenches must be backfilled or steel-plated during non-working hours, steel plates must have an asphalt concrete berm on all edges, dirt and debris must be removed from the street at the end of each day, and the street must be in drivable condition at all times. A plate that rocks, clanks under traffic or has an exposed edge does not match that description.
• Permanent paving within 60 days. Section 62.1208 requires pavement over a major excavation (a trench more than 6 inches wide or more than 3 feet deep) to be restored with permanent surfacing within 60 calendar days, matching the surface and strength of the pavement around it. For emergency utility work, section 62.1212 sets 60 days for major and 7 days for minor excavations after the work is done.
• Utilities stay responsible for years. Section 62.1217 says owners of wet utilities (water and sewer) must maintain the surface over their excavations for 15 years after City inspection and acceptance, and dry utilities for 10 years. When the City notifies them, they must apply for a permit within 10 business days and finish the repair within 90 calendar days of the permit; safety issues must be addressed immediately. Reporting a failing patch to the City is what starts that process.
• Paint marks on the street. Section 62.1204 calls these markouts: markings that show the type and approximate location of underground utilities, placed through Underground Service Alert before digging. They may not go down more than 14 days before work starts, and must be removed if work does not begin within 14 days or when the pavement is restored.

The City's water and sewer project FAQ describes the same pattern on its own pipe replacement jobs: open trenches covered by metal plates secured with asphalt, temporary paving first, then a permanent concrete cap and, in most cases, a slurry seal over the whole street once the work passes inspection.

The Development Services Department's Traffic Control Permit page says a permit is required for all public improvement projects, construction projects or other work encroaching into the public right-of-way, including sidewalks, parking spaces, medians, alleys and streets. It lists no exemptions.

• Signs and detours are part of the plan. Information Bulletin 177 says a traffic control plan must follow the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices and show construction signs and their spacing, advance warning signs, flashing arrow boards where required, cone patterns, and a detour plan if one is needed. The City's Resident Engineer can observe the plan in operation and require changes as field conditions warrant.
• Pedestrians must still get through. The plan must cover the handling of pedestrians, including people with disabilities. The DS-269 form says pedestrian circulation must be maintained through an ADA-compliant alternative walkway, a reasonable pedestrian detour, or the existing path reopened in ADA-compliant condition. If you have a disability, Get It Done has a separate A.D.A. Compliance Issue report with Path of Travel and Sidewalk options.
• Bike lanes. Bulletin 177 requires the plan to show bike lanes and the handling of bicycle routes, and DS-269 says travel lanes must be at least 12 feet wide, or 14 feet next to a bike lane, unless the City Traffic Engineer approves otherwise. For bike lane problems unrelated to construction, see our bike lanes and crosswalks guide.
• Notice before work. Bulletin 177 says contractors must post Tow-Away/No Parking signs 72 hours before starting, notify property owners or tenants before closing driveways, and, when applicable, notify police and fire dispatch, refuse collection, transit and traffic signal crews five working days ahead. DS-269 adds that work creating an undue safety risk or severe congestion may be shut down by City traffic engineers, City inspectors or the police.

• Ask to see it. Municipal Code section 62.1218 makes it unlawful, except for City departments and other public agencies, to excavate without having the Right-of-Way Permit and any required Traffic Control Permit available for inspection at the site. Section 62.1205 says digging in the roadway without a valid Right-of-Way Permit is unlawful for any person or public utility.
• Look it up. The Development Services Department's OpenDSD approval search lets the public search permits from 2003 on by address, project number or permit number. OpenDSD says Traffic Control Permits submitted after January 16, 2018 are in the City's Accela system instead. The Get It Done page also links to a map of construction projects and events.
• What the City says about unpermitted work. Bulletin 177 says any work in the public right-of-way requires a traffic control permit, and work without an approved permit, or with an expired one, results in a stop of work, a notice of violation and Building and Land Use Enforcement fines. The Right-of-Way Permit page says that permit is required for any work or privately owned encroachment in the right-of-way, under Municipal Code section 129.0702.
• Emergency utility repairs. Section 62.1212 lets a public utility take the minimum action needed to protect life or property or restore essential service when City offices are closed. It must notify the City first through the Emergency Excavation Notification process and apply for a permit within 14 business days, so overnight emergency work may not have a permit to show yet.

As of November 1, 2026, Get It Done has no report type specifically for construction zones, trench patches or steel plates. The City's guide to Get It Done reports lists these Transportation Department options that fit most road work problems:

• Pothole. For a patch that has broken into a hole. The form describes potholes as small bowl-shaped depressions in the pavement, not cracks, and estimates 10 days, or 20 or more days during significant rain events. See our pothole guide.
• Sidewalk Repair. For a sidewalk left raised or broken. The form estimates 6 days for mitigation such as ramping, and multiple years (8+) for permanent repair. See our sidewalk repair guide.
• Other. For a sunken patch, a loose plate, confusing signs or a blocked sidewalk at a work zone. The City says Other reports are not processed automatically and may take more time to review, so describe the work zone clearly and add a photo.
• Urgent: 619-527-7500. Get It Done says it is for non-emergency problems and a report may take as long as 72 hours to be reviewed. For an urgent street hazard, call 619-527-7500 instead.
• Questions about a City project. The Engineering & Capital Projects contact page lists an information line, 619-533-4207, and engineering@sandiego.gov. The DS-269 form lists the Development Services field inspection team (City Inspector/FIT-RE) at 619-446-5242 and FIT_DSD@sandiego.gov.

• City water and sewer. Get It Done says to report a water leak or a sewer issue to the Public Utilities Department at 619-515-3525, which the Other form lists for water and sewer emergencies.
• SDG&E. SDG&E's gas safety page says that if you suspect a gas leak, leave the area immediately and, from a safe location, call 911 or SDG&E at 1-800-611-7343. For other gas and electric issues, Get It Done lists 1-800-411-SDGE (7343).
• Freeways and state highways. Caltrans' online Customer Service Request form has a "Traffic or Work Zone Concerns" category, as well as "Roadway - Rough Pavement" and "Signs - Missing, Broken, Blocked or Down." Caltrans says requests are handled Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and that highway emergencies go to 911 or the California Highway Patrol, not the form. Caltrans District 11 news releases list its Public Information Office at (619) 688-6670.

• Standard hours. Information Bulletin 177 lists standard workdays for traffic control permits as Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and night work as Sunday through Thursday, 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. The DS-269 form says no work on Saturdays, Sundays or holidays unless otherwise approved.
• Night and weekend work needs a noise permit. DS-269 says approved work hours between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. Monday through Saturday, all day Sunday or on City holidays require a Construction Noise Permit. Once approved, a notice must go to residents and businesses within 500 feet at least 72 hours before work starts, and a Notice of Pending Construction must be posted in a conspicuous place at the site. The permit page says permits may be revoked for violations, including by SDPD if complaints allege excessive noise that creates a public nuisance.
• The Municipal Code. Section 59.5.0404 makes construction that creates disturbing, excessive or offensive noise unlawful between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m., on Sundays and on most legal holidays without a permit, and limits daytime construction to an average of 75 decibels over 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at residential property lines, except for emergency work. Our noise complaints guide covers how to report it.

• Exact location. The address or cross streets, which lane or side of the street, and whether it is in a crosswalk, bike lane or on the sidewalk.
• A photo from a safe spot. Get It Done asks for one problem per report and a photo taken far enough away for crews to see the issue in context. Do not step into a work zone or onto a plate to get it.
• Who is doing the work. The name on trucks, barricades or signs, and any permit number posted at the site, can help whoever handles the report find the right utility or contractor.