1. Topography. The street layout shall be related to the topography.
2. Centerlines. Where the centerlines of local streets opening into opposite sides of a major street are within 150 feet of each other, they shall be made to coincide if possible.
3. Cul-de-sacs. Cul-de-sacs shall normally not exceed 500 feet in length and must have a right-of-way radius of 50 feet and a cartway radius of 40 feet.
4. Street alignment.
A. The minimum radius at the center line for curves on arterial streets shall be 500 feet, for collector streets 300 feet, and for local streets it shall be 200 feet.
B. Between reverse curves a tangent of not less than the following dimensions shall be provided:
(1) Arterial streets: 200 feet;
(2) Collector streets: 100 feet; and
(3) Local streets: 50 feet.
C. Vertical curves shall be installed on all street grade changes exceeding 1% to provide for the minimum sight distances required. The minimum sight distances required are as follows:
(1) Arterial streets: 500 feet;
(2) Collector streets: 300 feet; and
(3) Local streets: 100 feet.
5. Street grades. There shall be a minimum grade of at least 1% on all streets; a maximum grade of 5% on arterial, maximum of 8% for collector streets and 12% on local streets for distances of 1,200 feet maximum.
6. Street rights-of-way and cartway widths.
A. Minimum street right-of-way widths and cartway widths shall be as follows:
Type of Street | Type of Development | Paving Requirements | Cartway | Cartway with On-Street Parking | Rights-of- Way |
Type of Street | Type of Development | Paving Requirements | Cartway | Cartway with On-Street Parking | Rights-of- Way |
Arterial | All types | As prescribed by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation | |||
Collector | Single-family lots 133 feet in width or over | 8-inch base, 21-inch bituminous surface | 20 feet | - | 50 feet |
Single-family lots 100 feet to 133 feet in width | 8-inch base, 21-inch bituminous surface | 20 feet | - | 50 feet | |
Single-family lots under 100 feet in width, multi-family, commercial or industrial | 8-inch base, 21-inch bituminous surface | 20 feet | 40 feet | 50 feet | |
Local and marginal access | Single-family lots 100 feet or more in width or plan of less than 20 lots | 6-inch base, gravel surface | 20 feet | - | 50 feet |
Single-family lots 70 feet to 100 feet in width | 6-inch base, gravel surface | 20 feet | - | 50 feet | |
Single-family lots under 70 feet in width or multi-family residential | 6-inch base, gravel surface | 20 feet | 40 feet | 50 feet | |
Commercial or industrial | 8-inch base, gravel surface | 20 feet | 40 feet | 50 feet | |
B. Dedication of additional right-of-way may be required by the Township Planning Commission.
7. Blocks.
A. Block lengths shall not exceed 1,600 feet nor be less than 500.
B. Residential blocks shall be of sufficient depth to accommodate two tiers of lots, except where reverse frontage lots bordering an arterial street are used.
C. Exceptionally long blocks shall be provided with crosswalks with a minimum right-of-way reservation of 12 feet and a four-foot paved walk.
D. The depth-to-width ratio of usable lot length shall be at a maximum of two and one-half to one.
8. Lots and lot sizes. Lot dimensions and areas shall comply with the provisions of the Township Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 27).
A. Lots abutting arterial highways.
(1) Reverse frontage lots and marginal access streets should be used along all arterial streets.
(2) Where reverse frontage lots are used, they shall provide a rear yard of at least 60 feet, measured to the right-of-way line of the arterial street or railroad.
9. Utility easements and alleys.
A. Utility easements.
(1) An easement for utilities where required, shall be 12 feet in width or at least six feet along each side of a lot line to provide sewer, water, gas, electric or telephone services.
(2) Drainage easements with a minimum of 20 feet width shall be provided where deemed necessary.
(3) There shall be a minimum distance of 50 feet, measured in the shortest distance, between each proposed dwelling unit and any petroleum, petroleum products or natural gas transmission, high pressure line or high tension electric line which may traverse the subdivision.
(4) To the fullest extent possible, easements shall be centered on or adjacent to rear or side lot lines.
(5) Where a subdivision is traversed by a watercourse, there shall be provided a drainage easement or right-of-way conforming substantially with the line of such watercourse and of such width as will be adequate to preserve natural drainage.
B. Alleys.
(1) Alleys are prohibited from residential development.
(2) In commercial or industrial districts, without expressly designed loading areas, alleys with a minimum width of 20 feet shall be required.
(Ord. 1983-3, passed 12-12-1983)