A primary responsibility of the DPW City Engineering Division is to regulate and inspect work performed within the public right-of-way. The public right-of-way is generally the area that includes the sidewalk, berm (area between sidewalk and curb), curb and the street. A permit from City Engineering is required to perform work in the many of the public rights-of-way. This work includes curb cuts, excavations, utility cuts, sidewalk & driveway approach construction/reconstruction or street and alley construction/reconstruction.
The contractor or homeowner may be required to obtain a permit for right-of-way work from either the State of Michigan or the County of Wayne instead of the City of Detroit, depending on the site location. Clerks at the permit counter in City Engineering can provide this and other information to contractors or homeowners who appear in person at 65 Cadillac Square, Suite 900 Cadillac Tower, Detroit, MI 48226 or who call (313) 224-3935. The permit office is open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (except on City holidays) and is closed for lunch from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Contractors who perform work in the public right-of-way must be bonded to the City of Detroit by executing a Surety Bond in the amount of $2,500. The bond process must be completed before any work can be performed in the public right-of-way. The documents to complete a bond may be obtained from:
City Engineering Division
Permit Office located at 65 Cadillac Square, Suite 900
Business License Center
Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, Room 105