1. Purpose. To provide the Township Planning Commission and the Board of Township Supervisors with an opportunity to:
A. Identify the existing traffic network and facilities relative to the project.
B. Identify existing traffic/transportation problems.
C. Ensure accessibility to the site.
D. Determine the affect the development will have on the existing transporta tion facilities.
E. Delineate solutions to future traffic/transportation problems, or facilities including the prescription of improvements to be provided by or at the expense of the applicant.
2. Requirement. A transportation impact study shall be submitted with the preliminary plan for subdivisions and land developments which meet the following criteria:
A. Residential. Involving 25 or more dwelling units.
B. Nonresidential. Involving 75 or more parking spaces.
C. Other. Whenever the Planning Commission or Board of Township Supervisors shall find that there is reasonable ground to believe that the existing transportation network may be inadequate to handle the volume or character of traffic likely to result from the proposed subdivision or land development.
3. By Whom Prepared. The study shall be prepared by a qualified consultant (transportation engineer and/or transportation planner). The study preparer shall have sufficient, documented prior traffic study experience to qualify him to perform the study and render any opinions and recommendations set forth therein. The cost to prepare the study will be borne entirely by the developer. The traffic impact study shall be certified, by statement and signature, as correct by the preparer.
4. Pre-study Meeting. A pre-study meeting shall be held between the developer, Township Zoning Officer, Township Public Works Director and the Township Engineer to determine the following:
A. Scope of the study.
B. Study limits.
C. For developments to be completed over a period of more than 1 year, a growth rate per year.
D. Project completion date.
5. Contents. The study shall contain information, analyses and conclusions regarding the following:
A. General Site Description. The site description shall include:
(1) The property size, location, and proposed land uses.
(2) The construction staging and completion date of the proposed land development.
(3) The types of dwelling units and number of bedrooms, if the develop ment is residential.
(4) A brief description of other major existing and proposed land developments within the study area.
(5) The probable socio-economic characteristics of potential site uses to the extent that they may affect the transportation needs of the site (e.g., number of senior citizens, etc.).
B. Transportation Facilities Description.
(1) Proposed Internal Transportation System. This description shall show:
(a) Proposed vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian circulation.
(b) All proposed ingress and egress locations.
(c) All existing or proposed internal roadways including the widths of paved cartways and rights-of-way, parking conditions, traffic channel ization and any other traffic signals or other intersection control devices, within or near the site of the subdivision or land development.
(2) External Transportation System. The description shall include:
(a) The entire external roadway system within the study area of the proposed subdivision or land development.
(b) The identification and location of major intersections in the study area.
(c) All existing and proposed public and private transportation services and facilities within a 1-mile radius of the site.
(d) All future highway improvements, including proposed construc tion and traffic signalization. This information shall be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the Township.
(e) Any proposed roadway improvements resulting from proposed surrounding developments.
(3) Existing Traffic Conditions. The description shall include:
(a) Existing traffic conditions for all roadways and intersections in the study area.
(b) Existing traffic volumes for average daily traffic, peak highway hour(s) traffic, and peak development-generated hour(s) traffic; and the source of these counts.
(c) Documentation of manual traffic counts at major intersections, encompassing the peak highway and development-generated hour(s).
(d) A volume capacity analysis based upon existing volumes. The analysis shall be performed during the peak highway hour(s) and the peak development-generated hour(s) for all roadways and major intersections in the study area. Levels of service shall be determined for each location. This analysis will determine the adequacy of the existing roadway system to serve the current traffic demand. The analysis shall be conducted utilizing the 1985 Highway Capacity Manual (Special Report 209) software or a similar standard method.
(e) An inventory of accidents in the existing road network. The inventories shall be conducted for both intersections and midblocks of all roadways within the study area.
(4) Transportation Impact. The description shall include:
(a) An estimation of vehicular trips during the average daily peak highway hour(s) and peak development-generated hour(s) resulting from the proposal.
(b) Trip generation rates for existing facilities, based on existing data.
(c) Trip generation rates for new developments. Such rates shall be obtained from trip generation rates tables found in the latest edition of the Institute of Transportation Engineers Trip Generation Manual. These development-generated traffic volumes shall be provided for the in-bound and out-bound traffic movements as estimated.
(d) A tabulation of all turning movements in the study area.
(e) The assignment and distribution of all volumes generated throughout the study area.
(f) Consideration of traffic generated from approved subdivision and land developments not constructed but within the study area. The cumulative impact of new and existing uses shall be determined.
(g) For developments with completion date greater than 1 year, a growth rate calculation for background traffic is required.
(h) For areas that have a history of high accident frequency, an accident rate analysis shall be conducted to compare the rate of accidents for a roadway relative to the statewide average for corridors of similar type. The analysis shall be expressed in the number of accidents per million vehicles.
(i) The analysis of future transportation impact shall include a comparison of “no-build” and “build” scenarios.
(j) For proposed commercial developments, “pass-by” trips shall be calculated utilizing the ITE trip generation manual.
(k) Documentation of all assumptions used in the distribution and assignment phase shall be provided. Traffic volumes shall be assigned to individual access points.
(l) Pedestrian volumes shall also be calculated, if applicable. If school crossings are to be used, pedestrian volumes shall be assigned to each crossing. Any characteristics of the site that will cause particular trip generation problems shall be noted.
(5) Conclusions and Recommended Improvements. The description shall include:
(a) Levels of service for all roadways and intersections.
(b) Recommendations for elimination of the problems causing a level of service below D for signalized intersections and below E for un signalized intersections. The recommended improvements shall include, but not be limited to, the following elements: internal circulation design, site access location and design, external roadway and intersection design and improvements, traffic signal installation and operation, including signal timing, and transit design improvements. All physical roadway improvements shall be shown on the preliminary plan.
(c) Existing and/or future public transportation service.
(d) Listing of improvements already programmed for either funding or implementation in the study area on PennDOT Twelve Year Transpor tation Program, the Township’s program, etc.
(e) The recommended improvement shall operate at a level of service no worse than existing conditions.
(f) Where applicable, demand management and traffic reduction programs shall be considered.
C. Modified Study. Whenever a study is required in accordance with subsection .2 above, or if the Board of Township Supervisors elects to waive some of the above requirements, a study scope shall be established by the Planning Commission or Board. The scope and contents of the study shall be delineated so as to include only those matters it deems appropriate to aid in the identification and solution of the problems envisioned.
(Ord. 2011-05, 3/14/2011, § 719)