Public Right-Of-Way (ROW) includes the traveled portion of public streets and alleys, which includes any sidewalks, planting strips, traffic circles, or medians.
In Tacoma, there are 857 lane miles of main arterial streets and 8,610 residential blocks.
When work is being performed in the city of Tacoma right-of-way, it must be done by a licensed contractor who has an active $15,000 Washington City of Tacoma Right-of-Way Bond.
What is a Tacoma Right of Way Bond?
A Tacoma ROW Bond is a type of license and permit surety bond. Like all other surety bonds, it is a three-party agreement between a principal, an obligee, and a surety.
- Principal: you, the one who needs the bond
- Obligee: the city of Tacoma, the one who is protected by the bond
- Surety: the surety bond company, the one who issues the bond
A Tacoma Right of Way Bond is required by the City of Tacoma. When you get one, you are promising you will follow all state and federal regulations relating to the work you do within a right of way or easement.
Who Needs a Tacoma Right of Way Bond?
ROW Bonds are needed when contractors are working in the right-of-way which can be associated with any of the following:
- Storm/sanitary sewer repair or installation
- Sidewalk repair or installation
- Driveway repair or installation
- Barricading
- Utility trenching
- Sign installation
- Work orders
How To Get A Tacoma Right of Way Bond
Getting a Tacoma Right of Way Bond is simple: contact a surety bond company, complete a Tacoma Right of Way Bond application, compare quotes, and purchase your bond.
When you apply for your Tacoma ROW Bond, an underwriter will evaluate your risk to get bonded. They will evaluate your risk based on the following criteria:
- Bond amount ($15,000)
- Bond obligation
- Personal credit history
In general, ROW Bonds are fairly easy to obtain.
How Much Will My Tacoma ROW Bond Cost?
Your Tacoma ROW Bond will cost a percentage of the total bond amount ($15,000). The rate that you will have to pay will depend on your personal credit history. Those will good credit (over 650) can expect to get bonded at a 1% rate or less. So, if you have good credit, you might pay only $150 for your Tacoma Right of Way Bond. Those with less-than-perfect credit will have to pay more.
Curious about what you would pay for your Tacoma ROW Bond? At Surety Solutions, we have an online quote generator that generates free quotes for your surety bond. There is no purchase necessary, so there is no pressure to buy. To see what you would pay for your Tacoma ROW Bond, try our Bond Cost Calculator today.
Generate my Tacoma ROW Bond quotes
How to Submit Your Tacoma Right of Way Bond
When you have purchased your Tacoma ROW Bond, mail or hand-deliver the bond to the address below:
City of Tacoma
Planning and Development Services Department
747 Market Street, Room 345
Tacoma WA, 98402
- The City of Tacoma must receive your original bond. Copies of the bond or bonds on other forms will not be accepted. This includes riders, emails, and faxes.
- Double-sided documents are also not accepted. Your bond must be printed on one page, and your power of attorney document must be printed on a separate page.
- The company name of the bond must be consistent with all other documentation the City of Tacoma has on file (certificate of insurance, WA State Contractor’s License, City of Tacoma business license, company letter on letterhead.)
For more information about Tacoma Right of Way, contact the City of Tacoma Planning and Development Services at 253-591-5030.
To locate the boundary of your right of way and private property, check out the govMe Map Guide.
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