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Home > Section 2-13: Vaults.

Codified Rules: Closed to Comments
Title 34: Department of Transportation [1]Chapter 2: Highway Rules [1]
(a) Vault defined. A vault is any opening below the surface of the street and outside the
property line that is covered over.
(b) Exceptions. This 2-13 shall not apply to:
(1) Openings that are used exclusively as places for egress or ingress by means of steps to the
cellar or basement of any building.
(2) Openings that are used primarily for light and ventilation.
(3) Openings constructed or maintained by utility companies, which are regulated under a
separate agreement with the City.
(4) Subways, railroads and related structures that are controlled by a public authority.
(c) License required. A license shall be obtained prior to construction of a new vault or
enlargement of an existing vault. A revocable consent shall be required for any vault that extends
further than the line of the sidewalk or curbstone of any street.
(d) Permit required. No vault shall be constructed, altered or repaired unless a street opening
permit is obtained from the Department upon payment of the established fee.
(e) Applications. (1) All applicants for a license and/or permit to construct, maintain, alter or
repair a vault shall file a written application signed by the applicant, stating the dimensions of the
vault, the number of square feet required and four 8
1
/
2
" 14" cloth copies of a plan. For existing
vault repairs, blueprints may be submitted in lieu of cloth copies of the plan at the discretion of
the Commissioner. Plans shall include:
(i) The address and the tax lot and block number of the vault property location.
(ii) The distance from the lot property line to the nearest corner property line.
(iii) All frontages, lot lines, and line of building abutting the street.
(iv) All distances from the lot line to the existing curb line (existing width of sidewalk).
(v) The dimensions of the vault at the outer perimeter of the walls, the depth of the vault, and
the composition and thickness of the vault walls (top and cross sections).
(vi) Location of all existing or proposed steps, gratings, open areas, coal holes/chutes/slides,
entrances, cellar doors, building encroachments, and all other installations in the sidewalk area.
(vii) Details and location of all manhole access covers to a boiler or underground tank, to be
installed in accordance with the specifications.
(viii) Approved Department of Buildings plan.
(ix) For existing vaults, verification of annual vault charge return.
(x) For a new vault or an enlargement of an existing vault, a copy of the license agreement
filed with the Division of Franchises, Concessions and Consents of the Depart- ment.
(2) All applicants shall comply with the requirements of 2-02 of these rules.
(f) Adjustments to license fee. When subsequent measurements indicate that more or less
space has been taken for the construction of a vault than that originally paid for, an adjustment of
fees shall be made pursuant to 19-117(e) and (f) of the Administrative Code.
(g) Limitations. No vault shall extend closer than seven feet to the established curb line unless
otherwise authorized by the Commissioner. Such authorization may be granted based upon:
(1) Special conditions cited by the applicant and,
(2) Additional construction requirements, including, but not limited to:
(i) A waterproofed recess in the vault roof adequate to receive a standard curb for the entire
length at which the curb may be set or reset in accordance with the Department's standard
sidewalk width even in cases where the existing or proposed sidewalk width does not conform to
that standard width.
(ii) A strengthening of the vault roof to sustain live loads of six hundred pounds or more per
square foot.
(iii) Adequate waterproofed recesses to accommodate existing or proposed street lights,
hydrants, traffic signals and other street appurtenances to the Department's standard sidewalk
width even in cases where the existing or proposed curb line does not conform to that standard
width.
(h) Curb. No vault shall extend beyond the established line of the curb.
(i) Arched or covered vault. No new vault is to be arched or covered unless the owner or
applicant shall have had the vault first measured by a duly licensed surveyor who shall deliver to
the Department a certificate signed by him or her specifying the area of the vault, together with a
diagram showing the dimensions thereof, including its sustaining walls, the location of the vault
in relation to the building, curb line, and the nearest street corner intersection, the house number,
the tax lot and the block numbers of the plot and all details as to sidewalk covering; in the case of
an existing vault, the person claiming the right to the use thereof shall furnish a similar certificate
and diagram, except that in such case the measurement shall exclude the sustaining walls if it is
impracticable for the surveyor to measure the thickness. See 19-117(d) of the Administrative
Code.
(j) Hoistway openings. No opening in the sidewalk area shall be constructed for the
accommodation of any elevator or lift, whether manually or power operated. Existing hoistway
openings in the sidewalk may be continued but shall not be enlarged in buildings erected before
July first nineteen hundred fifty-seven, provided such openings are equipped with approved type
doors located flush with the sidewalk and equipped with elevators. These hoistway openings
with elevators may be relocated provided the total number of sidewalk elevators serving the
building is not increased. Relocated elevators may not project more than five feet from the
building line into the sidewalk area.
(k) Boiler room exit. An exit in the sidewalk area may be constructed and maintained above a
steam boiler room. The door over such exit shall be three feet parallel to the building line and
two feet at right angles thereto. The cover shall be adjacent to the building line and shall be
hinged on the side nearest the curb allowing for it to be open slightly less than ninety degrees
with the horizontal. An iron ladder permanently fixed in position shall be installed.
(l) Sidewalks over vaults. (1) A standard specification concrete sidewalk of four inch
minimum thickness shall be installed over the structural roof slab of the vault and in conjunction
with the structural roof slab shall be able to sustain a minimum live load of six hundred pounds
per square foot. In no case shall the new sidewalk serve as the structural roof of the vault.
(2) The licensee shall be responsible for repairing and maintaining the sidewalk covering the
roof of a vault in a safe condition. The Commissioner may order a licensee to repair defects in
vault coverings, including defective sidewalk flags, in accordance with subdivision (b) of 19-
151 of the Administrative Code.
(m) Doors and gratings. (1) All gratings or doors covering openings or roofs of vaults on the
sidewalk shall be so constructed as to sustain a minimum live load of six hundred pounds per
square foot.
(2) Doors and gratings in sidewalk are not permitted in front of any entrances, including
building, store and delivery.
(3) All doors and grating and related hardware shall be flush with the sidewalk.
(4) Door and grating material and design shall be approved by the Department of Buildings.
(n) Defective covers. The Commissioner may order defective vault covers, doors, gratings and
adjacent areas which are broken or present a slippery surface to be made safe immediately by the
owner and replaced in accordance with Department standards in accordance with subdivision (b)
of 19-151 of the Administrative Code.
(o) Abandoned vaults. The Commissioner may order the vault licensee and/or the owner of
the premises to fill in an abandoned vault in accordance with subdivision (b) of 19-151 of the
Administrative Code as hereinafter provided. The vault shall be filled in with clean,
incombustible material, attaining proper compaction standards. Where such structures adjoin the
curb, the enclosing walls shall be cut down to a depth of two feet below the curb and the roof
shall be removed. Proper steps shall be taken to allow for the drainage of water through the vault
floor.
(p) Historic districts. All work on vaults in historic districts shall be approved by the
Landmarks Preservation Commission prior to the commencement of the work.

Source URL: http://rules.cityofnewyork.us/content/section-2-13-vaults
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[1] http://rules.cityofnewyork.us/codified-rules?agency=DOT