A permit is required for any type of subsurface soil testing excavation within a Montgomery County right of way or within an easement under Montgomery County’s jurisdiction.

If the proposed location is a State of Maryland or another municipal roadway, you must obtain a permit from that jurisdiction.

If the proposed work is on an arterial roadway (80’ right of way width or greater) or within the Central Business District (Bethesda, Silver Spring and Wheaton) and/or needs a sidewalk closure for more than 15 days, the applicant must submit a site-specific temporary Traffic Control Plan(TCP) to be approved by the Department of Transportation (DOT). DPS reviews the individual permit applications and stipulates any special conditions required as part of the approval including the site-specific TCP requirement for other roads not mentioned above.

At a minimum, a plan showing the proposed test pit locations must be provided. In addition, the plan must show placement of warning devices such as traffic cones or barricades needed to alert motorists and pedestrians. In some instances, a traffic control plan may be required for placement on high-volume roadways and within business districts.

Typically, these permits will be issued within 2 – 3 weeks from submittal depending on DPS staff workload. However, additional time will be needed if a DOT Traffic Control Plan approval is required.