Lexington, KY Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)

Section 17-22 of the Code of Ordinances lets a contractor or property owner use part of a sidewalk or street to stage materials while constructing a building, sidewalk or other structure, but only after obtaining a right-of-way blockage permit: the specific office depends on exactly where the blockage sits. If the material sits between the edge of the pavement and the property line, the permit comes from the division of engineering; if it sits within the traveled street itself, it comes from the division of traffic engineering.

Even with a permit, the statute caps how much space can be taken: enough of the sidewalk and street must stay clear for pedestrians and vehicles to pass freely, and the occupied space can never exceed half the sidewalk unless the contractor lays down a safe temporary walk in the street to substitute for it. Materials can't be left to block a gutter, and signals have to be posted and lit at both ends of the deposit from dusk through the night. Within three days of finishing the work, all leftover materials and rubbish must be cleared from the sidewalk and street, and any damage done to either must be repaired by the owner and contractor to the satisfaction of the urban county engineer. Failing to secure this permit, or to meet its conditions, is punished under section 17-24 alongside violations of 17-21 and 17-23.