Concrete Driveways & Sidewalks in Gig Harbor, WA

Driveways & sidewalks in Gig Harbor: what to know

Public Works issues the encroachment permit for driveway and sidewalk work within the right-of-way. The city’s 2018 Public Works Standards also state that every entrance onto the right-of-way must have a sight distance certification, stamped and signed by a professional engineer. We check the apron, curb, and sidewalk grade across your frontage before the layout is set, so the city reviews the work that will actually be built.

Private slab work is a separate question. Under GHMC 15.10.020, a driveway or sidewalk slab that stands no higher than 30 inches off grade sits outside the building permit when no basement or story lies beneath it and the slab stays off any accessible route. We measure the finished height at each edge before the pour, since the exemption turns on height and on what lies underneath.

Permits and rules in Gig Harbor

Work inside the public right-of-way needs an encroachment permit, and driveway and sidewalk work within the right-of-way falls under it. We confirm the frontage line for your address and ask Public Works whether the sight distance certification applies to a replacement apron. The private slab gets its own check against the height line and the basement or story condition before the crew is scheduled.

Rules change and vary by parcel, so we confirm the current requirements with the city before we start.

How we approach it

Mark the frontage line and every apron or sidewalk section inside it
Get the encroachment permit before any cut into the right-of-way
Check finished slab height at each edge against the 30-inch limit
Arrange a professional engineer’s sight distance certification for the entrance

For the full process, see our Concrete Driveways & Sidewalks page.

Building in the cold months? See our guide to winter concrete pours.

Our driveways & sidewalks work, serving Gig Harbor

Examples of our work. We build driveways & sidewalks in Gig Harbor and the cities around it. See all of our work

Questions from Gig Harbor homeowners

Which permit covers a Gig Harbor driveway apron?

The apron and any sidewalk section inside the public right-of-way need an encroachment permit from Public Works. The private slab behind it is judged separately under the city’s 30-inch exemption, so we check both before the job is quoted.

Does patching a Gig Harbor sidewalk call for a permit?

Work inside the right-of-way, sidewalk work included, falls under the encroachment permit. We confirm the scope of the repair with Public Works before any section comes out.

Does a new Gig Harbor entrance need an engineer’s sight distance certification?

The 2018 Public Works Standards require a sight distance certification for entrances onto the public right-of-way, stamped and signed by a professional engineer. We confirm with the city whether a replacement apron falls under that requirement.