Updated Aug 2021 

County Trunk Highway (CTH) connection permits (Lettered Highways)

 Access management

The issuance of CTH connection permits is part of the broader subject of access management. For access management related information, including its importance/benefits, land divisions, guidance on the basic principles, and Wisconsin statutes and administrative rules, click on the link above.

 Introduction

A driveway, public/private road, or recreational trail is a connection between property that abuts CTH right of way and the highway itself. On highways under Outagamie County Highway Department jurisdiction, a CTH connection permit is required when property owners and local agencies want to:

• Construct a new connection
• Remove an existing connection
• Relocate an existing connection
• Validate an existing unpermitted connection (when legal)
• Alter an existing connection, which includes a change of use "Alter" means any change done to a connection beyond routine maintenance such as widening, paving, replacing a culvert, and improvements to the highway.

"Change of use" means any modification to a property that results in a change in the number and/or types of vehicles using a property’s connection. Property modifications may include, but are not limited to:

• Changing from a residential to a commercial or industrial use
• Changing from a agricultural to a residential, commercial or industrial use
• Changing from single to multiple residential use
• Subdividing to accommodate additional residences or businesses
• Changing the type of business

Classifications

A connection is classified by its use or how it serves a property. Types of use include:

• Commercial/industrial: A driveway or private road that serves a business or non-profit organization.
• Residential: A driveway or private road that serves single and multiple family homes, apartments, condominiums, townhouses, etc.
• Agricultural: A field entrance and entrances to recreational or hunting lands. This use may also serve to provide an entrance to farm buildings but not residential buildings. It does not include commercial-type activities.
• Public road: A road, street, highway, etc. connecting to a county trunk highway that is maintained by a local unit of government. A road not maintained by a unit of government is categorized under commercial/industrial or residential.
• Trail or trail crossing: Any pedestrian, bicycle, snowmobile, or equestrian trail that runs longitudinally along and/or crosses a county trunk highway.

Access restrictions

Access Controlled Highways are highly traveled county highways and protected by County Ordinance Regulations.  Click below for further information:

• Access Controlled Highway Regulations
• Access Controlled Highway Listing

GENERAL LEGAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL PERMITS

1. The applicant, his successors, or assignees agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Outagamie County, its employees and representatives against any and all liability, losses, damages, or expenses sustained by reason or exercise of this permit.
2. The proposed construction and the exercise of this permit shall conform to the requirements of the statutes of the State of Wisconsin and to any regulations imposed by any legally constituted body having jurisdiction.
3. The Highway Department reserves the right to make changes, additions, and relocations within statutory limits of the highway right-of-way as may be considered necessary to permit the relocation, reconstruction, widening and/or maintaining of the highway, or to provide proper protection to life and property on the highway.
4. The cost of installing and maintaining the permitted facility shall be borne by the applicant. Any changes, future or present, necessitated by improvements or alterations in the highway right-of-way shall be performed at the sole expense of the applicant.
5. If the applicant subcontracts any part of the work under this permit, it will be the responsibility of the contractor to obtain a Construction Permit and to have on file with the Highway Department a current and valid Certificate of Insurance.

    

   GENERAL CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL PERMITS

6. Any highway surfaces, slopes, shoulders, ditches, and vegetation disturbed shall be restored.
7. The permitted work shall be made without danger to, or interference with, traffic using the county trunk highway system.
8. Traffic control warning signs, devices, and methods shall be in place and operational prior to commencing permitted works within the limits of the highway right-of-way.
9. Warning signs and devices shall conform to the requirements of the Wisconsin Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), current edition.
10. The permitted work shall be carried out in a manner satisfactory to the Outagamie County Highway Commissioner or his representative.

     

    REQUIREMENTS FOR INSTALLING and PAVING DRIVEWAYS

11. Culvert shall be new and of corrugated metal.Apron end walls are required on all culverts.Used culverts will not be accepted. Culvert pipe size will be determined during the review period.A typical culvert size is 18” diameter by 32’ long.
12. The surface of a driveway connecting with a rural highway section shall slope down and away from the highway shoulder at a rate of ¼” per foot for 10 feet to prevent ordinary surface water drainage from the driveway area flowing onto the highway roadbed.
13. Driveway apron (within the highway right of way area) shall be either gravel or asphalt material.Concrete is not allowed.
14. Driveway side slopes shall be of earth material only.No bituminous, concrete, or stone side slopes, or any other decorative landscaping, shall be constructed in the right-of-way.
15. Town road connections and commercial accesses shall be paved with bituminous surface within one (1) year of the installation of roadway or driveway.

 Disclaimer. All permits have restrictions, which include the information preprinted and filled-in on the application along with any conditions, covenants, supplemental provisions, superimposed notes, and detail drawings added by Outagamie County. The applicant shall be responsible for complying with these restrictions. It is further understood that approval is subject to applicant’s full compliance with relevant state statutes, County ordinances, and administrative rules, plus any laws, codes, rules, regulations, ordinances and permit requirements of other jurisdictional agencies.

 Apply for a CTH connection permit

All permit applications will be submitted on line.  All users will need to create an account before applying for a permit and are subject to conditions.

In addition to the application form, you will need to provide:

• A location sketch
• A work zone traffic control plan (TCP). Typically, any work that will encroach/block a travel lane or occupy a shoulder for more than 30 minutes will require a TCP. Consult the Work Zone Field Manual or Traffic Control Standard Detail Drawings for assistance.

You may also be asked to provide some type of proof that you have the authority to apply for a permit if you are not the property owner. A copy of an "Offer to Purchase Property" is an example of such proof.

Existing connections without permits

If an existing connection on your property does not have a valid Outagamie County Highway Department connection permit, you may be able to obtain a permit if it meets current law, standards and policy or if the connection can be legally altered or relocated to do so. Contact the Outagamie County Highway Department Engineering staff for assistance at 920-832-5373 or highwayemail@outagamie.org.

Maintenance

Property owners and local agencies are expected to perform routine maintenance on the portion of their connections within county trunk highway right of way whether or not the connections have a valid Outagamie County permit or are nonconforming. Routine maintenance includes items like removing snow, sealing asphalt, reshaping or grading gravel, culvert lining and cleanout, and minor repairs. Most of this work can usually be done without a permit. But a permit is required for work that affects traffic in some manner, disturbs the ground, etc.  Replacing or re-grading the connection or replacing a culvert, for example, or any activity that involves digging in the right of way, requires a permit.

Authority

• Outagamie County Highway Department’s legal authority to issue CTH connection permits comes from Wis. Stat. s. 86.07(2)(a) and Outagamie County Zoning Code 54-350 & 351 and Access Controlled Highway Regulations

For access to the Cityview Portal, click below:  

     City View Web Portal

Questions

► Direct questions regarding specific permit issues or requests to:

Outagamie County Highway Department / Engineering Staff

1313 Holland Road

Appleton, WI  54911

920-832-5673

highwayemail@outagamie.org

 Associated Wisconsin Law

Visit the links below for Wisconsin law associated with utilities and permitting on county right of way.

• Statute 66.0831
• Statute 86.07(2)(a)
• Statute 86.16
• Statute 182.017
• Statute 182.0175