Control traffic around your construction project

If your project impacts traffic, you need to provide a traffic and pedestrian control plan.

• Maintain local access and provide emergency vehicle access at all times
• No parking signs must be placed 3 days before start of work

A Traffic Control Plan (TCP) is a document that shows temporary signs, cones, and flaggers to safely direct traffic around your work zone. This includes vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, and mobility devices such as wheelchairs.

The City engineer needs to approve any detours or lane closures before you can put them in place.

Requirements

Your traffic control plan must meet requirements from the state of California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). It is your responsibility to use the latest standards and to select/develop a traffic control plan specific to the proposed encroachment.

Temporary traffic control requirements, devices, and setups: Part 6 of the CA Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices [ADD LINK]. Part 6 includes temporary traffic controls such as for work zones. Chapter 6H provides typical applications or general setups.

Common applications [ADD LINKS]

• Spacing
• Shoulders
• Shoulder, reduced lane
• Lane closure, flaggers
• Lane closure, low volume
• Temp road closure, flaggers
• Center of road, low volume
• Lane closure, self regulating
• Detour
• Sidewalk closure
• Crosswalk, pedestrian detour
• Shoulder, bike lane

Full chapter (6H typical applications)

ADA access

Pedestrian access must meet ADA requirements for the duration of the project. The City's ADA coordinator may request adjustments to your plan if they are needed.

Barricades

If you use barricades, make sure they follow the City's construction barricade rules.

1. Get approval

Submit your traffic and pedestrian control plan with your encroachment permit application.

2. Request no parking signs and meter bags (if needed)

If your work blocks parking, you can request no parking signs and meter bags. Place them out 3 days before the start of work. Once they have been placed, notify the Police department at (415) 485-3000.

3. Notify

If you work requires a road closure, you need notify:

• Affected residents and businesses
• Downtown Business Improvement District (if in downtown)
• Department of Public Works

Encroachment permit notifications

Let people know what will happen after they complete this action. This helps set expectations and answer questions people usually have after they do something. The goal is to increase their confidence in the overall process and reduce follow-up questions.

Key information to include:

• What you will do
• How long it will take
• What they should do next