Public Improvements Bond - Bridgeport, CT in Connecticut

Brief Summary

Bridgeport will not issue a street excavation or sidewalk permit to a contractor who is not already licensed and bonded with the city, and expired paperwork is turned away at the counter. Getting this bond in place first is what lets you pull permits for work in the public right of way without losing a week.

The Bridgeport Public Improvements bond is posted with the City of Bridgeport by contractors who work on city streets, sidewalks, curbs and other public improvements. The city only accepts permit applications from contractors who are licensed and bonded with Bridgeport, and the bond guarantees that the work and restoration are done to city standards. Confirm the current bond amount and form with the city before the bond is issued.

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How to Apply for a Public Improvements Bond:

• Confirm the current bond amount and bond form with Bridgeport Licensing and Permits.
• Have the contractor's legal business name exactly as it will appear on the city license.
• Owner name, address and Social Security number for the surety's credit review.
• Pay the premium and receive the executed bond naming the City of Bridgeport.
• Submit the bond and proof of insurance with the license application, then pay the $250 Excavator's License fee.
• Apply for each street or sidewalk permit separately once licensed.

Detailed Information About the Connecticut Public Improvements Bond:

The bond comes before the permit

The most common mistake is applying for a street excavation or sidewalk permit and planning to sort out the bond later. Bridgeport's Licensing and Permits office states that only contractors who are licensed and bonded with the city of Bridgeport may apply, and that the city will not accept expired documents. The bond and proof of insurance are submitted with the license application, before any permit is requested.

Who posts it

Contractors who excavate roads or sidewalks for utility work, sewer work or related digging, and contractors who install or repair sidewalks, curbs and driveway aprons in the public right of way. The obligee is the City of Bridgeport. The bond guarantees that the contractor will follow the city's conditions for road work, restore pavement, striping, signs and signals it disturbs, and complete final restoration on time. If the contractor walks away, the city can make a claim against the bond to cover the cost of finishing or correcting the work.

License term and fees

Excavator licenses expire on March 31 following issuance, unless revoked sooner, and cannot be transferred. That means your bond needs to stay in force for each license year. The city's fee schedule lists the Excavator's License at $250 per license, street excavation permits at $250 per address and sidewalk excavation permits at $150 per address.

Restoration rules the bond stands behind

The street excavation permit page requires final restoration as soon as practical and no later than six months after the patch, saw cut patches with sealed edges, and restored line striping. Paved areas may not stay unmarked for more than two weeks. Sewer work also needs a separate WPCA sewer permit.

Amount and form

The city's online pages do not publish the bond amount. Confirm the current amount and the bond form with Bridgeport Licensing and Permits before the bond is issued, then bring the executed bond and your insurance certificate with the license application.

Eligibility and Requirements for a Connecticut Public Improvements Bond:

• City of Bridgeport named as obligee.
• Current, unexpired license, bond and insurance documents. The city rejects expired paperwork.
• Bond kept in force for each license year, which ends March 31.
• A separate WPCA sewer permit for any sewer work.
• Traffic plans and police traffic control arranged for street work.

Connecticut Public Improvements Bond FAQs:

Official and Additional Resources for the Connecticut Public Improvements Bond: