The Accountability Maze: Who Do You Call When Utility Work Hits Your Block?

A utility project arrives on your block. The street is open, the yard is disturbed, a driveway is patched, irrigation stops working, equipment appears overnight, or construction noise keeps going long after you expected it to stop. The first question sounds simple: who do you call?

That question can become surprisingly difficult when a single visible project involves a utility or project sponsor, one or more contractors, subcontractors, a city, a state right-of-way agency, claims personnel, and separate complaint processes. Right of Way Texas calls this the accountability maze.

The purpose of this guide is not to decide legal liability for any particular incident. It is to help residents build a reliable record, identify the responsible project channels, and avoid losing evidence while everyone points somewhere else.

Start with the project, not the argument

Before deciding who is legally responsible, identify what project is actually happening. Write down the exact location. Photograph project signs, traffic-control signs, utility markings and visible company names on trucks, equipment or uniforms. If a permit number is visible, capture it.

On Texas state highway right of way, TxDOT explains that utility installations are governed by its Utility Accommodation Rules and that a Utility Installation Request gives TxDOT official notice of a proposed installation and specifies the location and conditions under which it is approved. That makes the permit record an important place to start when state right of way is involved.

Document the condition before it changes

Do not wait until the project is over to begin documenting. Take wide photographs that show where the condition is located and close-ups that show the specific damage or disruption. Video can help establish lighting, sound, access, equipment placement or changing site conditions.

Keep the original files. Record the date and approximate time. Save repair estimates and receipts. If sod, irrigation, landscaping, pavement or a driveway may later be restored, photograph the condition before the restoration occurs so you have a comparison.

Build a contact trail

When you contact someone, preserve the trail. Save the email. Screenshot the web-form confirmation. Write down the claim or complaint number. If you speak by phone, record the date, the organization, the person's name if provided, and the substance of the response.

A useful record answers four questions: Who did you contact? When? What did you report? What response did you receive?

Use the formal claims process for property damage

If property was damaged, look for the utility or project sponsor's formal claims process rather than relying only on an informal conversation with a crew in the field. For Atmos Energy, Right of Way Texas has published a separate step-by-step guide to its current property-damage claims process.

The claimant should keep an exact copy of the claim, the supporting photographs or documents, and every response. If the company refers the matter to a contractor or another entity, preserve that referral too. It becomes part of the accountability record.

What if you do not know the contractor?

Do not guess. Record what you can verify. The utility or project name, the location, the date, visible truck or equipment markings, permit information and the nature of the work may be enough to begin. Public permits and agency records can sometimes identify applicants, owners, contractors or project contacts.

Right of Way Texas is building community reporting around this exact problem: identifying who is connected to the work without asking residents to solve the entire contracting chain before they can report what happened.

The principle behind Right of Way Texas

Our policy position is straightforward: outsourcing the work should not mean outsourcing accountability. A project sponsor may lawfully use contractors and subcontractors, and legal responsibility can depend on facts and law. But as a matter of public policy, residents should have a clear, accessible path to the entity behind the project when the work causes harm or disruption.

That is what we mean by: If You Own the Project, Own the Responsibility.

Report what is happening on your block

If utility or right-of-way work is affecting your property or neighborhood, photograph what is there today. Tell us what project appears to be involved, what happened, who you contacted, and whether anyone fixed it. If you have permits, emails, claim responses, photographs or video, preserve the originals.

Tips are the beginning of reporting, not the end. Right of Way Texas reviews community submissions before relying on them publicly, and submitters can choose whether their identity remains private.

Frequently asked questions

Who should I call when utility construction damages my property?

Start by documenting the condition and identifying the utility or project sponsor, the contractor if known, and the public agency or right-of-way owner involved. Use the utility's formal claims process for property damage and the relevant agency's complaint or permit channel for right-of-way issues. Keep copies of everything.

What should I document before utility crews leave?

Photographs and video, dates and times, repair estimates, receipts, visible contractor identifiers, permit information when available, and a record of every complaint, claim and response.

How do I identify the contractor working on my street?

Record visible company names, check available permits and public records, and ask the project sponsor or permitting agency. If the identity is uncertain, say so rather than guessing.

What is Right of Way Texas?

Right of Way Texas is a Texas public-accountability project following permits, contractors, public records, community reports and the consequences of utility and infrastructure work.

Sources and related guides

TxDOT — Utility Policy / Use of Right of Way by Others: https://www.txdot.gov/manuals/mnt/use/utility_policy.html

TxDOT — Utility Accommodation Rules: https://www.txdot.gov/content/txdotoms/us/en/manuals/row/utl/chapter-5--utility-considerations-during-highway-d/section-6--compliance-with-the-rules-and-policies/utility-accommodation-rules--uar-.html

Right of Way Texas — How to File an Atmos Energy Property-Damage Claim: https://www.rightofwaytexas.com/post/how-to-file-an-atmos-energy-property-damage-claim

Last reviewed: September 6, 2026.