1. General.
A. The location and width of all streets shall conform to any official map or comprehensive plan or to, such parts thereof as may have been adopted by the Borough and/or County.
B. The proposed street system shall extend existing or recorded streets at the same width but in no case at less than the required minimum width.
C. Where, in the opinion of the Borough Council, it is desirable to, provide for street access to adjoining property, streets shall be extended by dedication to the boundary of such property.
D. New minor streets shall be designed so as to discourage through traffic, but the developer shall give adequate consideration to providing for the extension and continuation of major and collector streets into and from adjoining properties.
E. Where a subdivision abuts an existing street of improper width or alignment, the Borough Council may require the dedication of land sufficient to widen the street or correct the alignment.
F. Private streets (streets not offered for dedication) shall meet the design standards of these regulations.
2. Streets in Flood-Prone Areas. The finished elevation of proposed streets shall be no more than 2 feet below the regulatory flood elevation. The Borough Council may require, where necessary, profiles and elevations of streets to determine compliance with this requirement. Drainage openings shall be sufficient to discharge flood flows without unduly increasing flood heights.
3. Alleys. Alleys shall be prohibited except where found to be necessary.
4. Intersections.
A. Number of Streets. No intersection shall involve the junction of more than two streets.
B. Angle of Intersection. Right-angle intersections shall be used wherever possible. In no instance, however, shall streets intersect at an angle of less than 75 degrees.
C. Intersection Grades. Maximum grade within any intersection shall not exceed 1 percent in any direction and approaches shall follow a straight line for a distance of at least 100 feet from the intersection with maximum grades not to exceed 5 percent.
D. Intersection Sight Distance. Proper sight lines shall be provided and maintained at all intersections. Measured along the street centerline, there must be a clear sight triangle of 75 feet. Where either of the two streets is a collector street a clear sight triangle of 100 feet shall be required and where either of the two streets is an arterial a clear sight triangle of 150 feet shall be required. No building, structure or other visual obstruction shall be located within this triangular area.
E. Intersection Curve Radii. Design of curb or edge of pavement must take into account such factors as types of turning vehicles, likely speeds of traffic, angle of turn, etc., but in no instance shall the radius of the curb or edge of pavement be less than the following:
Intersection | Curve Radius |
Minor with minor street | 15 feet |
Minor with collector | 25 feet |
Collector with collector | 35 feet |
F. Distance Between Intersections. Minor and collector streets shall not intersect arterial streets on the same side at less than 800-foot intervals and shall be in alignment with any existing or proposed streets intersecting from the opposite side. If two streets that intersect another from opposite sides cannot be aligned, then a distance of at least 150 feet shall be provided between the two intersecting centerlines.
5. Streets Not in Alignment. If streets are not in alignment, the distance between the centerlines of streets opening on opposite sides of an existing or proposed street shall be no less than 150 feet.
6. Sight Distance. Sight distance must be provided with respect to both horizontal and vertical, alignment. Measured along, the centerline, 4½ feet above grade, this sight distance must be as follows:
A. Collector street equals 200 feet.
B. Minor street equals 100 feet.
7. Curves. Where connecting street lines deflect from each other at any one point by more than 10 degrees, the line must be connected with a true, circular curve. The minimum radius of the centerline for the curve must be as follows:
A. Collector street equals 300 feet.
B. Minor street equals 150 feet.
Straight portions of the street must be tangent to the beginning or end of curves. Except for minor streets, there must be a tangent of at least 100 feet between reverse curves.
8. Street Widths.
A. Minimum street right-of-way and cartway widths shall be as follows:
Right-of-Way | Cartway | |
Arterial streets | as determined by the Borough Council after consul tation with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation | |
Collector streets | 60 feet | 36 feet |
Minor streets | 50 feet | 30 feet |
Cul-de-sac | 50 feet | 30 feet |
Marginal access | 40 feet | 22 feet |
Alley or service drive | 20 feet | 20 feet |
B. Provision for additional street width (right-of-way, cartway or both) may be required when determined to be necessary by the Borough Council in specific cases for:
(1) Public safety and convenience.
(2) On-Street Parking. An additional 8 feet shall be required for each lane of on-street parking; i.e., two lanes of on-street parking is 16 feet.
(3) Widening of existing streets where the width does not meet the requirements of the preceding paragraphs.
9. Cul-de-Sac Streets. Cul-de-sac streets designed to be so permanently shall not exceed 500 feet in length and shall be provided with a paved turnaround having a minimum diameter of 70 feet and a legal right-of-way of 100 feet in diameter, except in nonresidential areas where cul-de-sac streets may exceed 500 feet in length when, under special circumstances, the Borough Council deems such additional length necessary. In residential areas, cul-de-sacs may not serve more than 20 single-family dwelling units:
10. Street Grades.
A. The minimum grade of all streets shall not be less than 0.5 percent. The maximum grade shall be as follows:
(1) Arterial Streets. As determined by the Borough Council after consultation with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
(2) Collector Streets. Seven percent.
(3) Minor Streets. Ten percent.
(4) Alleys. Ten percent.
B. Vertical curves shall be used in changes of grade when the difference exceeds 1 percent and shall be designed for maximum visibility. Intersections shall be approached on all sides by leveling areas. Where the grades exceed 7 percent, such leveling areas shall have a minimum length of 60 feet (measured from the intersection of the centerlines) within which, no grade shall exceed a maximum of 4 percent.
11. Slope of Banks Along Streets. The slope of banks along streets measured perpendicular to the street centerline shall be no steeper than the following:
A. One foot of vertical measurement for 3 feet of horizontal measurement for fills.
B. One foot of vertical measurement for 2 feet of horizontal measurement for cuts.
12. Partial and Half-Streets. The dedication of half-streets at the perimeter of new subdivisions is prohibited.
13. Names of Streets. Names of new streets shall not duplicate or approximate existing or platted street names, or approximate such names by the use of suffixes such as “lane,” “way,” “drive,” “court,” or “avenue.” In approving the names of streets, consideration should be given to existing or platted street names within the postal delivery district served by the local post office. New streets shall bear the same name or number of any continuation or alignment with an existing or platted street.
14. Reserve Strips. Controlling access to streets by reserve strips is prohibited except where their control is definitely placed in the Borough under conditions approved by the Borough. A reserve strip is a parcel of ground in separate ownership separating a street from other adjacent properties or from another street.
(Ord. 6/6/1977, §402)