(A) Street classification. Three functional classifications are hereby established for the streets and roads in borough.
(1) Arterial. This classification includes highways which provide intracounty or intermunicipal traffic of substantial volumes where the average trip lengths are usually five miles or greater. Generally, these highways should accommodate operating speeds of 35 to 55 mph.
(2) Collector. This classification is intended to include those highways which connect local access highways to arterial highways. They may serve intracounty and intramunicipal traffic. They may serve as traffic corridors connecting residential areas with industrial, shopping, and other service. They may penetrate residential areas. Generally, these highways will accommodate operating speeds of 35 mph.
(3) Local access. This classification is intended to include streets and roads that provide direct access to abutting land and connections to higher classes of roadways. Traffic volumes will be low and travel distances generally short. These streets and roads should be designed for operating speeds of 25 mph or under.
(B) Right-of-way widths. Minimum widths for each type of public street shall be as follows.
Type of Street | Right-of-Way Width | Cartway Width |
Collector | 60 feet | 34 feet |
Local access | 50 feet | 24 feet |
(1) Where a proposed subdivision abuts or contains an existing public street or road having a right-of-way width less than would be required if said street or road were created under this chapter, sufficient additional width for right-of-way shall be provided and dedicated to meet the foregoing standards.
(2) Additional right-of-way and cartway widths may be required by the Borough Council to promote public safety and convenience when special conditions require it and to provide parking space in areas of intensive use.
(C) Cul-de-sac streets.
(1) Cul-de-sac streets, whether permanent or temporary, shall be provided at the closed end with a minimum right-of-way radius of 40 feet and a minimum paved radius of 30 feet.
(2) Unless future extension is clearly impractical or undesirable, the turnaround right-of-way shall be placed adjacent to a property line and a right-of-way of the same width as the street shall be carried to the property line in such a way as to permit future extension of the street into the adjoining tract. At such time as such a street is extended, the overage created by the turnaround outside the boundaries of the extended street shall revert in ownership to the property owners fronting on the cul-de-sac turnaround.
(3) Commercial and industrial cul-de-sacs shall be reviewed for adequacy by the Borough Engineer. His or her recommendations will be given to the Borough Council who shall have final authority in this matter.
(4) Permanent cul-de-sac streets shall be kept to a minimum and shall not exceed 600 feet in length.
(D) Street alignment.
(1) Whenever street lines are deflected by more than five degrees, connection shall be made by horizontal curves.
(2) The minimum radius at the centerline for horizontal curves on collector and arterial streets shall be 300 feet, and for local streets the minimum radius shall be 100 feet.
(3) On local access streets, the minimum tangent between reverse curves shall be at least 100 feet; on collector and arterial streets, the minimum tangent shall be at least 250 feet.
(4) Minimum horizontal sight distance measured four feet above grade shall be 300 feet for collector streets and 100 feet for local access streets.
(E) Street grades.
(1) The minimum grade on all streets shall be 0.5%.
(2) The maximum grade on collector or arterial streets shall be 7% and on local access streets 10%.
(3) Vertical curves shall be used in changes of grade exceeding 1% and shall provide proper sight distances as specified herein above.
(4) The finished elevation of proposed streets shall not be more than one foot below the regulatory flood elevation. The borough may require profiles and elevations of streets to determine compliance with the requirements. Drainage openings shall be sufficient to discharge flood flows without unduly increasing flood heights.
(F) Street intersections.
(1) Local streets shall not intersect with collector or arterial streets on the same side at intervals of less than 800 feet as measured from centerline to centerline.
(2) The distance between centerlines of streets opening onto the opposite side of a proposed or existing street shall be not less than 150 feet unless the streets are directly opposite each other.
(3) Multiple intersections involving the junction of more than two streets shall be avoided. Where this proves impossible, such intersections shall be designed with extreme care for both pedestrian and vehicular safety.
(4) Streets shall be all laid out to intersect as nearly as possible at right angles. Local streets shall not intersect collector or arterial streets at an angle of less than 75 degrees. The intersection of two local streets shall not be at an angle of less than 60 degrees.
(5) Minimum curve radius at the intersection of two local streets shall be at least 20 feet; and, minimum curve radius at the intersection of a local street and a collector street shall be at least 25 feet.
(6) There shall be provided and maintained at all intersections clear sight triangles of 75 feet in all directions measured along the centerline from the point of intersection. Nothing which obstructs the vision of a motorist shall be permitted in this area.
(7) Intersections shall be designed with a flat grade wherever practical. Where the grade of any street at the approach to an intersection exceeds 7%, a leveling area shall be provided having a grade of not greater than 4% for a distance of 25 feet measured from the nearest right-of-way line of the intersecting street.
(G) Pavement design.
(1) All components of the pavement structure shall be designed and constructed in accordance with state’s Department of Transportation Specifications, Form 408.
(2) The following shall be considered to be minimum standards for street construction in the borough.
Alternatives | Type | Local Access Streets | Collector Streets |
Alternatives | Type | Local Access Streets | Collector Streets |
Flexible pavement | |||
Surface | ID-2 wearing | 1-1/2 inches | 1-1/2 inches |
Base | Bituminous | 4 inches | 6 inches |
Subbase | Crushed aggregate | 6 inches | 6 inches |
Rigid pavement | |||
Surface | Plain cement concrete | 6 inches | 6 inches |
Subbase | Crushed aggregate | 6 inches | 6 inches |
(H) Avenues and driveways.
(1) Avenues are prohibited in residential developments.
(2) Driveways serving properties located adjacent to an intersection shall be offset from the intersection of the property line a distance not less than the required front yard setback or ten feet, whichever is greater. At no time shall driveways be constructed in any manner which would cause vehicles exiting therefrom or entering thereto from being clearly observed by the operators of vehicles being driven in the nearest intersecting streets or avenues.
(Prior Code, Ch. 22, Pt. 5, § 504) (Ord. 2-2001, passed 7-2-2001)