Tuscaloosa, AL Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)

City Code Sec. 1 makes it unlawful to install a bollard and chain, fence, or other type of barrier on city right-of-way, or to cause such work to be performed anywhere within the corporate limits, without first applying for and receiving a right-of-way permit. The application is obtained from the office of the city engineer, must be submitted on forms the engineer's office supplies, and must accurately depict the installation's location and design; the engineer's office may also set a standard design and specifications for designated areas of the city.

Even after a permit is granted, the barrier remains the property of the permittee and is never accepted by the city for ownership or maintenance. The city retains the right to remove the bollards and chains at any time, or to require the permittee to remove them at the permittee's own expense, whenever public health, safety, or welfare requires it or the barrier is not properly maintained. As a condition of the permit, the applicant must agree to indemnify and hold the city, its employees, and its agents harmless from any liability to persons or property arising from the installation and use of the barrier.

This right-of-way permit process was added to the code by Ordinance No. 7436 on August 4, 2009, and sits within Article I of Chapter 21 (Streets, Sidewalks and Public Places), alongside the broader Sec. 21-9 prohibition on obstructing or encumbering a street or sidewalk with goods, merchandise, lumber, or other articles.