Underground Wires.
Philadelphia Code § 11-204
in effect§ 11-204. Underground Wires.
(1) No person permitted under Chapter 11-700 to construct underground wires in any street shall commence work thereon until he has obtained a permit as provided in Chapter 11-700.
(2) No such permit shall be issued without the approval of the Department of Streets and of the Department concerned with the underground structures.
(a) Any work done under this Section shall be done in accordance with the regulations of the appropriate City departments.
(3) The permit shall provide that the permittee shall, at his own cost and expense, repave and maintain in a satisfactory manner as much of the street pavement as is opened under authority of the permit. 20
(4) No permit shall be issued to an applicant who has violated this Chapter until all charges, fines and penalties have been paid. This paragraph shall not apply to any permittee who is party to an existing right-of-way agreement or franchise with the City or to any public utility, as defined by Section 102 of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Code, 66 Pa. C.S. § 102, but shall apply to contractors of said permittees and public utilities. 20.1
(5) Any person who has been permitted to lay underground wires shall relocate such wires upon the written request of the Department of Streets or any other City agency, when they will interfere with proposed construction.
Notes
19 | Amended, Bill No. 050065 (approved April 20, 2005); former subsections (1)(a), (3) and (5) deleted; remaining subsections renumbered.
20 | Source: 1894 Ordinances, p. 143.
20.1 | Added and subsequent subsection renumbered, Bill No. 250066-A (approved April 9, 2025).
Source: City of Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Code and Home Rule Charter (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/philadelphia/latest/philadelphia_pa/0-0-0-284088Fetched: 10/27/2026