On a downtown or Bricktown lot the unit goes where the frontage, the loading zone and the permit allow: a curb lane under the right-of-way permit, a side gap the truck can reach, or a corner inside a site fence. The spot is planned from a photo and a sketch, and the count follows the crew. Units used only by construction personnel are handled differently from units shared with the public.
Key takeaways
- The spot is worked out from the frontage, the stop and the route.
- A unit on a public right-of-way needs the permit for that space before delivery.
- A side gap or a fenced corner is often the best spot on an urban lot.
- The loading zone is shared with deliveries, so its hours are agreed.
- The count follows the crew and is reviewed at each stage.
- Construction-only units are handled differently from shared units.
How is a spot chosen on a tight lot?
By walking the frontage with the truck in mind, checking the surface, the hydrant and the loading zone.
Photograph each end of the block and the intended spot. Note the hydrant, the tree pit, the parked-car zone and any low wire on the route.
Sketch the truck's stop and its turn, and mark the carry. A long carry is the step most often underestimated.
Curb lane, side gap or fenced corner?
Each has its own permit and route. The curb lane is on the public right-of-way, the side gap is private ground with consent, and the fenced corner is inside the site's enclosure.
A curb lane unit is set under the right-of-way permit, usually on a pad where the surface is brick or concrete.
A side gap is often the best option on a downtown lot. The route is checked for width, and the owner's written consent is kept with the file.
A fenced corner on a larger site is the easiest to manage, with the route kept clear of the material stacks.
- Curb lane: right-of-way permit and a pad where needed
- Side gap: owner's written consent and a route through the gap
- Fenced corner: inside the enclosure, clear of material stacks
How do loading zones fit in?
A loading zone is shared with deliveries, so the unit's servicing and the deliveries are timed together.
A unit placed near a loading zone must not block it, and the provider and the site lead agree the hours for deliveries and for servicing.
A zone used for a unit is not a space to leave a truck, and the arrangement is written into the site plan.
How many units does a crew need?
The operator sets the count from the crew, the trades, the length of the job and whether a shared facility is near. No City figure for construction is published.
Framing usually has the largest crew, and finishing a smaller one. The count is reviewed at each stage, and the change is written down.
A restaurant or a public restroom the crew may use is a different case from a site with no toilet nearby, and the site says which applies.
What changes with the weather and the events?
Rain softens the ground, storms move light units, and a festival or a game night changes the streets around the site.
A unit set on a soft pad can lean after rain, and the pad is checked after each heavy storm.
Events and closures change the street's use, and the site lead checks the event calendar before setting a placement for a weekend.
How is a unit kept off an active site route?
The unit is placed out of the path of the crane, the concrete truck and the material deliveries, with the route for the service vehicle drawn on the same sketch.
A unit inside a crane's swing or on a concrete truck's route is a safety problem as well as a delivery problem. The sketch shows those routes first and the unit second.
The servicing visit is set for the morning after a pour, when the route is clear and the lot has not yet filled with trucks.
How do you plan around a neighbor on a tight lot?
The neighbor's door, window and path are checked, and the unit's door faces the open side of the lot, with the neighbor's consent for any use of their ground.
A unit that faces a neighbor's window is the most common complaint on an infill lot. The door side is the thing to plan first.
A short written note to the neighbor, with the dates of the unit and its collection, keeps the relationship on good terms.
What changes when the job moves to a new stage?
The count and the placement are reviewed as the job moves from demolition to framing to finishing, and the change is recorded with the new positions.
Demolition brings a large crew for a short time, and finishing brings a smaller one for longer. The count follows that pattern.
A move of the unit to a new position is agreed with the site lead, and the permit or consent for the new spot is checked first.
How is the count checked after the first week?
The count is checked against the use in the first week, and the crew's feedback is recorded. An unused unit can be removed, and a crowded one can be supplemented.
A first-week check catches a count that is far too high or too low before it costs the site money or the crew comfort.
The change is agreed with the provider in writing and reflected in the schedule for the rest of the job.
How is the unit handed over at the end of the job?
The unit is emptied, cleaned and collected, and the spot is checked with the site lead before the truck leaves, so nothing is left behind.
A final visit before the pickup clears the tank, so the truck does not have to deal with a full unit on the street.
The site lead signs off the spot, and the sign-off is kept in the job file.
How is a unit set on a sloping lot?
A sloping lot needs a level pad built up on the downhill side, or a flatter spot elsewhere on the lot, and the unit is checked after the pad settles.
A unit on a slope can roll or tip its door, and the pad is the simplest remedy. The provider chooses the safer of a built-up pad and a different spot.
The pad settles after the first heavy rain, and the unit's level is checked on the first visit after the rain.
What about the crew's own shelter and water on a tight lot?
The unit is only one part of the site's sanitation. Hand washing water and a shaded break area are planned beside it where the lot allows, so the crew's welfare is not left to the toilet alone.
A hand-wash station beside the unit is the simplest way to complete the arrangement, and the water is supplied with the station.
A shaded spot for breaks is part of the site plan, and the unit is kept clear of it so the crew can sit without the odor of a full tank.
Frequently asked questions
Can a crew use a unit on a street?
Only under the right-of-way permit for that space, with the unit on the plan.
Are construction units accessible?
Crew-only units are handled differently from shared units. Ask the City about the public-use case.
How do I pick a spot?
Photograph the frontage, mark the stop and the carry, and let the provider review the sketch.
Can a unit go in a side gap?
Yes, with the owner's written consent and a route the provider has checked.
What if the truck cannot reach?
The provider re-plans, usually from a nearer legal stop with a carry.
Who approves the count?
The operator and the site lead, with the reasons written into the plan.
Sources
- City of Oklahoma City, Special Events guide
- City of Oklahoma City
- Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality
This guide is general information for Oklahoma County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.