Right-of-way placement
Also called: sidewalk placement, street placement, obstruction permit
Right-of-way placement is putting a portable toilet on a public sidewalk, street or parking lane, which requires an obstruction or right-of-way permit from the city in most places. Urban construction sites use it when there is no room on the lot.
The permit usually fixes the location, requires a clear pedestrian path, sometimes requires barricades or reflective markings, and is billed per day or per month. Placing a unit on the street without one gets it tagged and removed.
Homeowners renovating a rowhouse or a house with no driveway run into this rule too.
See also: Special event permit, Placement
Questions that use this term
Search allCity right-of-way placement: what permits are needed for a single unit?
You need a permit from the city's public works or transportation department to place a portable toilet in the right-of-way. The right-of-way includes…
What's the most unusual location you've ever had to place a porta potty?
After nine years driving a vacuum truck in Akron, I've hauled units to some wild spots. Once placed a standard portable toilet halfway up a muddy…
Where to put the porta potty on a tight urban job site with no lot space
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City says we need a permit for a porta potty on our own property during a remodel. Is that normal?
Yes, a city permit for a portable toilet on your own property during a remodel is normal in many municipalities, even when the unit is placed…
City right-of-way permit: can we place a porta potty on the sidewalk for a renovation?
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What is the PSAI's role in 2026 industry standards?
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City Right-of-Way Permit for Porta Potty: 2026 Requirements
We're starting a six-month residential gut rehab in Chicago, and the only spot for a standard portable toilet is on the sidewalk in the public…
Health department rule: how far must porta potties be from a food tent?
The health department rule for the minimum distance between portable toilets and food service areas is typically 100 feet. This is a standard…