The purpose of this appendix is to provide classifications and definitions of roads; to provide standards for the construction and design of new roads in subdivisions; to provide for the improvement and/or reconstruction of existing private roads in existing subdivisions; to provide for the improvement and or reconstruction of county roads used to access new subdivisions. All engineering and legal cost associated with the (including, but not limited to) review, approval, inspection, and certification shall be borne by the developer through reimbursement to the county.
(A) Definitions.
(1) Classifications of roads.
(a) Paved surface - a minimum of 12-foot travel lanes (arterial road).
(b) Paved surface - a minimum of 12-foot travel lanes (collector road).
(c) Paved surface - a minimum of 10-foot travel lanes (local road).
(d) Asphalt surface - various widths (asphalt and BST) year around maintained.
(e) Gravel roads - gravel surface - winter maintained.
(f) Gravel roads - gravel surface - seasonal/minimal maintained.
(g) Unimproved/primitive - two track, public right-of-way, not maintained.
(2) Definitions of roads.
ARTERIAL. A general term including expressways, interstates, and state or county highways having regional continuity.
COLLECTOR ROAD. A street that provides for traffic movement between neighborhoods of the Local Highway Jurisdiction (LHJ) and for direct access to abutting property.
LOCAL ROAD. A street that provides for direct access to residential, commercial, industrial, or other abutting land for local traffic movements and connects to collector and/or arterial streets.
(B) Construction standards.
(1)
The county shall adopt by resolution, county road standards and regulations (titled: “Highway Standards and Roadway Development Procedures,” incorporated herein by reference and available at the County Courthouse) pertaining to the design, construction, and maintenance of the county roadway system. Plans and documents reflecting the required standards and regulations shall be submitted with the application of a preliminary plat.
(2) The highway standards and development procedures provided within the “Highway Standards and Roadway Development Procedures” shall apply to all the county road systems. These standards shall supplement all other regulations, and where at variance with other laws, regulations, ordinances, or resolutions, the more restrictive requirements shall apply. The Board may determine that revisions to the “Highway Standards and Roadway Development Procedures” are warranted and make such revisions by act of resolution.
(3) All new roads within subdivisions serving four or more lots in the county must be designed and built to a minimum of a Class-C standards prior to Franklin County Road and Bridge Department accepting said roads for subsequent maintenance and upkeep. However, an alternate road cross-section may be considered if a geotechnical investigation is performed and/or ADT shows that the cross-section within these standards could be altered. The alternate cross-section must be approved by the County Engineer prior to construction.
(4) All plans for new road construction must be presented to and approved by the County Engineer and County Road Department prior to preliminary plat approval.
(5) All roads must be completely built.
(6) Required right-of-way.
(a) Local roads - 50 feet minimum.
(b) Collector roads - 50 feet minimum.
(c) Arterial roads - 80 feet minimum.
(7) The County Road and Bridge Department shall be notified a minimum of one week prior to commencement of construction so that verification testing and inspections may be scheduled. Inspections and testing costs incurred by the county shall be paid by the entity desiring the county to accept said road. Any portion of the road found not to meet minimum standards shall be improved and/or corrected until minimum standards are achieved before road construction can continue. Once the road construction has been completed and all standards have been verified by the County Engineer and Road and Bridge Department, the developer will be notified by a formal letter of acceptance one year after construction is completed.
(C) Design standards. The arrangements, character, extent, width, grade, and location of all roads shall conform to the Highway Standard and Roadway Development Procedures for Franklin County, and any standard specifications and drawings adopted by the County Commissioners, and shall be constructed in relation to other planned roads, to topographical conditions, to public convenience and safety, and in their relation to the proposed uses of the land to be served by such roads.
(1) New developments shall be sited where roads and other public facilities are adequate. ROADWAY ADEQUACY means roads that are classified as A, B, C, or D serve the property.
(2) When a new development changes the definition or the demand on a county road by increasing the average daily traffic, the developer may be required to participate in the cost of upgrading said county road and the cost of obtaining easements. All construction on any county road must be done under the direction of the County Road Department.
(3) New developments accessed by existing private roads shall be required to participate in the cost of upgrading of said private road surface and the cost of obtaining easements.
(4) A traffic study may be required for all Class II and Class III permits to show the level at which the developer must participate in improving and/or reconstructing the said road to the standard that will comply with the increase of traffic from the new development. The level of participation will be determined by the County Commissioners before the approval of the preliminary plat. The road upgrade design must be submitted to the county and approved by the County Engineer prior to construction. The developer must cover the expense of any traffic studies or consultation by the County Engineer. A single or two lot Class II divisions are not required to do a traffic study.
(5) Any new development or new building sited on a road that has been upgraded by participation of a developer or individual within the past ten years, may be required to reimburse said developer or individual a percentage of the cost of upgrading. The percentage would be determined by the County Commissioners and based on the level of benefit to the new development.
(6) The Design Engineer shall specify the ADT and the traffic speed that is to be expected when the subdivision is fully developed.
(7) Local or minor residential roads within subdivisions shall be designed to discourage their use by through traffic.
(8) Where a subdivision abuts or contains an existing or proposed arterial road, or limited access highway, the county may require frontage roads, reverse frontage roads, or such other treatment for the appropriate use of the tract.
(9) For road designs and standards refer to the Highway Standards and Roadway Development Procedures for Franklin County.
(Ord. 2007-8-13, passed 3-11-2019; Am. 2-28-2022; Ord. passed 2-12-2024)