(A) Street classification. Three functional classifications are hereby established for the streets and roads in the township.
(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 25 to 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.
(1) Minimum widths for each type of public street shall be as follows:
Type of Street | Right-of-Way Width (feet) | Cartway Width (feet) |
Arterial | 80 | 24 |
Collector | 60 | 24 |
Local access | 50 | 20 |
(2) 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.
(C) Additional right-of-way and cartway widths. Additional right-of-way and cartway widths may be required by the Township Board of Supervisors to promote public safety and convenience when special conditions require it and to provide parking space in areas of intensive use.
(D) Cul-de-sac streets.
(1) Cul-de-sac streets, whether permanent or temporary, shall be provided at the closed end with a minimum turning radius of 50 feet. Cartways shall have a minimum width of 40 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) Permanent cul-de-sac streets shall be kept to a minimum.
(E) Street alignment. Minimum horizontal sight distance measured four feet above grade shall be 300 feet for collector and arterial streets and 100 feet for local access streets.
(F) 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%.
(G) 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) 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.
(3) 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.
(4) Minimum curve radii at the intersection of two local streets shall be at least 20 feet; and minimum curve radii at an intersection of a local street and a collector or arterial street shall be at least 25 feet.
(5) 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.
(H) Pavement design.
(1) Pennsylvania Department of Transportation specifications. All components of the pavement structure shall be designed and constructed in accordance with Pennsylvania Department of Transportation specifications.
(2) Minimum requirements. The following shall be considered to be minimum standards for street construction in the township:
Type of Pavement
| Type of Material
|
Depth of Material (inches) | |
Local Access Streets | Collector and Streets Arterial Streets | ||
Type of Pavement
| Type of Material
|
Depth of Material (inches) | |
Local Access Streets | Collector and Streets Arterial Streets | ||
Flexible pavements | |||
Surface | ID-2 wearing course | 1-1/2 | 1-1/2 |
Base | Bituminous concrete | 4 | 6 |
Subbase | Granular material | 6 | 6 |
OR | |||
Surface | ID-2 wearing course | 3 | 3 |
Base | Crushed aggregate (regular or dense grade) | 6 | 10 |
Subbase | Granular material | 6 | 9 |
OR | |||
Surface | ID-2 wearing course | 3 | 3 |
Base | Modified stone aggregate | 8 | 10 |
Subbase | Granular material | 6 | 9 |
Rigid pavement | Plain cement concrete subbase | 6 | 6 |
(I) Alleys and driveways.
(1) Alleys are prohibited in residential developments.
(2) Driveways serving properties located adjacent to an intersection shall be offset from the intersection of the curbline a distance not less than the required setback dimension.
(3) All driveways shall be constructed so as to not impair drainage within the right-of-way, alter the stability of the improved area or change the drainage of adjacent areas.
(4) Where a drainage ditch or swale exists, the permittee shall install a drainage pipe of at least 15 inches in diameter.
(5) The side slopes for driveway embankments within the right-of-way shall not be steeper than ten to one.
(6) Driveway material shall be such that it will not run onto any areas of the right-of-way.
(7) If sight distance is a problem, left turns by exiting vehicles may be prohibited.
(8) There will be no permit issued where safety is to be compromised.
(9) The following site distance requirements must be met for all lots within the subdivision plan:
Table 1 | ||
Safe Sight Distance for Passenger Cars and Single-Unit Trucks Exiting from Driveways onto Two-Lane Roads | ||
Posted Speed (mph) | Safe Sight Distance - Left* (feet) | Safe Sight Distance - Right* (feet) |
Table 1 | ||
Safe Sight Distance for Passenger Cars and Single-Unit Trucks Exiting from Driveways onto Two-Lane Roads | ||
Posted Speed (mph) | Safe Sight Distance - Left* (feet) | Safe Sight Distance - Right* (feet) |
25 | 250 | 195 |
35 | 440 | 350 |
45 | 635 | 570 |
55 | 845 | 875 |
Note: | ||
* Measured from a vehicle 10 feet back of the pavement edge. | ||
(2003 Code, § 146-22) (Ord. 2-96, passed 7-5-1996)