Lawrence, MA Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Obstruction Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit authority
- city council
- Governing sections
- §§ 12.12.010, 12.12.020
- Plank sidewalk required after
- obstruction lasting 15+ days
- Minimum plank sidewalk width
- 4 feet
- Obstruction must be
- fenced and lit at night
- Site condition at end
- free of rubbish
Summary
Lawrence bars digging up or obstructing any street or sidewalk without a city council permit under Municipal Code § 12.12.010. Once a permit allows an obstruction, § 12.12.020 forces the permittee to fence and light it at night and, if it blocks the walk more than 15 days, build a temporary plank sidewalk at least four feet wide around it.
12.12.010 - Digging up or obstructing generally—Permit required. No person, including city departments, unless acting under the authority of the law or of the city council, shall break or dig up the ground, pavement or stones in any street or other way of the city, or erect any staging for a building, or deposit any stones, bricks, timber or other building materials thereon, without a permit from the city council, who are authorized to grant such permit on such conditions as they may deem safe and proper...12.12.020 - Duty of permittee as to obstruction. Whenever a permit is issued to obstruct a street or sidewalk, the person to whom such permit is issued shall: A.Plank sidewalk. If such street or sidewalk is obstructed for any time more than 15 days, lay and maintain a plank sidewalk around the obstructions on the street or sidewalk. Such plank sidewalk shall be constructed of two-inch planks, spiked to joists not less than four inches by four inches in thickness and four feet in length. It shall not be less than four feet wide.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 8).
Full Breakdown
010 sets the baseline rule: 'No person, including city departments, unless acting under the authority of the law or of the city council, shall break or dig up the ground, pavement or stones in any street or other way of the city, or erect any staging for a building, or deposit any stones, bricks, timber or other building materials thereon, without a permit from the city council,' which may attach whatever safety conditions it thinks proper. 020 then governs what a permit holder must do once an obstruction is actually in the street or sidewalk.
If the obstruction blocks the walk for more than 15 days, the permittee must build and maintain a temporary plank sidewalk around it, made of two-inch planks spiked to joists at least four inches by four inches and four feet long, at least four feet wide, connected to the existing sidewalk on both ends by an easy grade. The permittee must also enclose the obstruction with a proper fence and keep it lit at night for pedestrian safety, and must leave the site free of rubbish once the work is finished. 070's ban on leaving unpermitted fixtures, merchandise or vehicles obstructing a sidewalk, street or highway, which the city can remove at the owner's expense.
Violations & Fines
Digging up or obstructing a street or sidewalk without a city council permit, or failing to fence, light or plank a permitted obstruction as § 12.12.020 requires, exposes the responsible party to removal of the obstruction and the Code's general penalty. Leaving the site cluttered with rubbish after the work ends is a separate breach of the same permit condition.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to dig up a Lawrence street or sidewalk?
What has to go around a construction obstruction on a Lawrence sidewalk?
What must I do with a work site when the permit ends in Lawrence?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lawrence
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