Top Asphalt Contractors in Bakersfield, CA

Identify whether the bid includes a public right-of-way

For a Bakersfield paving project, first establish whether the proposed work stays on private property or includes excavation or improvements in a public street, alley or other public place. Municipal Code Section 12.16.030 requires a Public Works permit for the public-right-of-way work described there, subject to its stated City capital-project exemption. That rule should not be presented as proof that every private driveway resurfacing job needs the same permit.

Ask who is entitled to carry out the work

The same section says an excavation permit will not be issued without legal authority to occupy and use the right-of-way for the purpose in the application. When a bid includes that work, ask who will establish the relevant authority and obtain the permit. Keep that responsibility explicit in the proposal instead of assuming that ownership of the adjoining property, or hiring a paving contractor, settles the right-of-way question.

Check street-renovation history before promising an excavation

Bakersfield's Section 12.16.110 restricts excavation in newly renovated streets for three years after completion of the renovation, measured by the filed notice of completion. It also directs utilities to determine alternative repair methods that avoid excavating these streets. If your proposed work depends on a street cut, ask Public Works about the applicable renovation record before treating the contractor's preferred construction method as available. This is a street-excavation restriction, not a private-pavement lifespan claim.

Do not budget around an assumed exception

The code lists exceptions to that restriction, including emergencies endangering life or property, essential utility interruptions, legally mandated work, certain building-service situations and other cases the City Council considers in the public interest. Permits issued under those exceptions still follow the director's standards and specifications. Ask for the actual approval basis if an exception is proposed; a contractor's expectation is not the same thing as permission from the responsible authority.

Compare the restoration footprint, not only the trench

Section 12.16.200 assigns restoration responsibility to the owner and permittee when a street, sidewalk or other public right-of-way is excavated. It calls for like-new restoration under the department's applicable requirements. At minimum, trench resurfacing must have a constant width equal to the widest part of the excavation. Ask the contractor to show the restoration limits clearly, so the proposal does not leave you comparing a narrow patch allowance with a fuller restoration scope.

Put proposed departures in writing

The director may approve modifications to the chapter's requirements following a written request from the permittee, and the approval must also be in writing. If a bidder proposes a different restoration approach, ask whether it is the standard requirement or an approved modification. Keep the request and approval with the project documents. This does not establish that your proposed departure will be accepted; it identifies the documented process instead of relying on a verbal assurance.

Agree who closes out incomplete restoration

Bakersfield's restoration section also addresses work not completed or restored as required. It provides for an order to complete the work and, if the owner or permittee does not comply, departmental completion with associated costs charged to the owner or permittee. Before signing, ask who will resolve outstanding restoration items and how completion will be documented. Do not confuse a contractor's departure from the site with the end of the permittee's responsibilities.

Choose on a comparable written scope

Use these local rules to compare the parts of each proposal that actually apply: the private-property boundary, any public excavation, permit responsibility, restoration limits and any approved departure. Ask for exclusions to be identified before work begins. For a job entirely on private property, confirm the applicable requirements separately rather than importing this public-right-of-way chapter wholesale. The useful result is a clearly bounded agreement, not an invented permit exemption or a predetermined approval date.