(A) General standards.
(1) All design elements of all streets, including horizontal and vertical alignment, sight distance and super-elevation, are subject to review and approval by the Borough Council. When reviewing the design of streets, in addition to the standards in this chapter, the rural design criteria in the State Department of Transportation Design Manual Part 2, Highway Design, latest edition, and a Policy on Geometric Design of Rural Highways and Streets, latest edition, shall be consulted to assure that the road design is in accordance with acceptable engineering practice.
(2) For certain aspects of vertical and horizontal alignment discussed below, standards are determined by design speed of the road involved. For all proposed streets, the developer shall indicate the proposed design speed. The designated design speed is subject to the approval of the Borough Council. In general, the maximum design speed on arterial streets shall be considered as 55 mph (to be determined in each individual case), on collector streets a minimum of 45 mph (to be determined in each individual case) and on minor streets 35 mph unless a lesser design speed is permitted by the Borough Council.
(3) The speed limit proposed to be posted for streets shall not exceed the design speed.
(4) Streets in and bordering a subdivision or land development shall be coordinated, and be of such widths and grades and in such locations as deemed necessary to accommodate prospective traffic, and facilitate fire protection.
(5) The location and width of all proposed streets shall conform to the official plans which have been adopted by the borough and shall be properly related to all existing streets, recorded streets and official plans which have been adopted or approved by the borough, county or state.
(6) Streets within the subdivision or land development and adjacent roads which will receive traffic from and distribute traffic to the subdivision or land development shall be improved to not less than borough standards by the developer to accommodate traffic generated by the subdivision or land development.
(7) The proposed street system shall extend existing or recorded streets at the same width as the existing or recorded streets if these streets meet or exceed the standards of division (C) below. If the existing or recorded streets do not meet or exceed the standards of division (C) below, the proposed street extensions shall meet the standards of division (C) below.
(8) 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. The location and number of access points to adjoining properties are subject to Borough Council approval.
(9) When streets will be extended to the boundaries of the subdivision or land development to provide for access to potentially developable tracts and sanitary sewer and/or water lines will be constructed in the streets within the developer’s tract, the Borough Council may require extension of the sanitary sewer and/or water lines to the tract boundary in order to facilitate future extensions to abutting land.
(10) If a subdivision proposes lots, some of which front on existing public roads, the Borough Council may require the developer to reserve land adequate to provide for future street and utility access from the public roads on which the lots front to the land to the rear of the proposed lots. Such reserved areas shall be of such dimensions to permit the construction of streets and utilities meeting the standards of this chapter.
(a) When reservations for future streets will adjoin lots to be developed prior to the construction of the streets, the developer shall install the proposed grades of the future streets and the extent of the area necessary for the construction of those streets. If the area necessary for the construction of the streets extends beyond the proposed street right-of-way lines, all excavation and grading necessary for the roads beyond the right-of-way lines shall be done as required improvements in conjunction with the subdivision which contains the adjoining lots, or else construction easements shall be provided on the adjoining lots, sufficient to permit construction of the future street.
(b) Where reservations for future streets intersect existing streets, radii shall be provided for the reservations to meet the requirements of divisions (H)(6) and (H)(7) below.
(11) If lots or parcels in the subdivision are large enough for resubdivision, or if a portion of the developer’s property is not proposed to be subdivided but could be subdivided in the future, the Borough Council may require the reservation of land adequate to provide for future street access to land which could be resubdivided or subdivided in the future and require that the location of land reserved for future streets be coordinated with the street system shown on the subdivision plan.
(12) Connection rights-of-way shall be provided between streets within the subdivision or land development to provide adequate access for emergency vehicles, other vehicles and pedestrians.
(13) New minor streets shall be designed to discourage through traffic, but the developer shall provide for the extension and continuation of arterial and collector streets into and from adjoining properties. Minor streets shall be extended and continued into and from adjoining properties when necessary for the proper development of and traffic circulation in the borough.
(14) Where a subdivision or land development abuts an existing street which does not meet the standards of this chapter, the Borough Council may require the dedication of land sufficient to widen the street to meet the standards of this chapter.
(15) Where a subdivision or land development fronts on an existing borough road which does not meet the minimum cartway width requirements of this chapter, the developer shall improve, at his or her expense, the borough road cartway to meet those requirements. Pavement shall be constructed in accordance with the requirements of the borough road and street ordinance (Ord. 2-1982), as amended. In addition, provision shall be made for adequate drainage along the sides of the roads. Such drainage provisions shall be approved by the Borough Council.
(16) Private streets (streets not to be offered for dedication) are prohibited, unless they meet the design standards of this chapter as well as the requirement of division (A)(16)(e) below. The maximum number of residential dwelling units or lots fronting on or gaining access to a public street via a private street shall be limited to three. The private street shall be improved to public street standards, at the expense of the developer or developer and existing lot owners, at such time that an additional dwelling unit or dwelling units and/or lot or lots beyond three are proposed.
(a) Private streets not to be offered for dedication are prohibited, unless they meet the design standards of this chapter as well as the requirement of division (A)(16)(e) below.
(b) A private street may be constructed to the driveway standards of division (A)(16)(e) below when no more than three residential dwelling units or lots front on or gaining access to a public street via the private street. Notwithstanding the forgoing, the applicant must demonstrate that the private street can be constructed meeting the design standards of this chapter.
(c) The private street shall be improved to public street standards, at the expense of the developer or developer and existing lot owners, at such time that an additional dwelling unit or dwelling units and/or lot or lots beyond three are proposed.
(d) All commercial and industrial uses, buildings, structures and lots must front on public streets or private streets meeting the design standards of this chapter and the requirement of division (A)(16)(e) below.
(e) Whenever a subdivider proposes to establish a street which is not offered for dedication to public use, the borough may require the subdivider to submit, and also to record with the plan, a copy of an agreement made with the borough on behalf of his or her heirs and assigns, which shall establish the conditions under which the street may later be offered for dedication, and shall stipulate, among other things:
1. The street shall conform to borough specifications or that the owners of the abutting lots shall include with the offer of dedication sufficient money as estimated by the Borough Engineer, to restore the street to conformance with borough specifications;
2. An offer to dedicate the street shall be made only for the street as a whole;
3. The method of assessing repair costs be as stipulated; and
4. Agreement by the owners of 51% of the front footage thereon shall be binding on the owners of the remaining lots.
(17) Where streets and other public improvements continue into adjoining municipalities, evidence of compatibility of design, particularly with regard to street widths, shall be submitted to both municipalities. The applicant shall coordinate such design with both municipalities to avoid abrupt changes in cartway width or in improvements provided;
(18) The street system shall be designed with regard to:
(a) Consideration of existing topographical considerations;
(b) Providing buildable lots; and
(c) Minimizing the number of street intersections, by encouraging the use of three-way rather than four-way intersections particularly when intersections of minor streets are involved.
(19) All access drives within multiple family and nonresidential developments which are intended for circulation within the development shall be designed to the horizontal and vertical alignment standards for streets contained within this chapter;
(20) Residential single access developments:
(a) Residential single access developments shall be limited to 20 residential dwelling units or lots or combination of both. The proposed intersection with the existing or proposed through street shall meet the design standards of this chapter for local or collector streets, whichever is deemed appropriate by the borough;
(b) When the number of proposed or existing plus proposed dwelling units or lots or a combination of both exceeds 20 in a residential single access development; a minimum of two independent means of ingress and egress shall be provided. Each independent means of ingress and egress shall:
1. Meet the design standards of this chapter for local or collector streets, whichever is deemed appropriate by the borough; and
2. Connect to one or more through streets.
(21) Nonresidential single access developments:
(a) Nonresidential single access developments shall be limited to 20 principal nonresidential uses, principal nonresidential buildings/structures or nonresidential lots or combination of both. The proposed intersection with the existing or proposed through street shall meet the design standards of this chapter for collector streets;
(b) When the number of proposed or existing plus proposed principal uses, principal buildings/structures or lots or a combination of both exceeds 20 in a nonresidential single access development; a minimum of two independent means of ingress and egress shall be provided. Each independent means of ingress and egress shall:
1. Meet the design standards of this chapter for collector streets; and
2. Connect to one or more through streets.
(B) Partial and half streets. New half or partial streets will not be permitted, but wherever a tract to be developed borders an existing half or partial street, the Borough Council may require the developer to provide adjacent to such half or partial street a reservation of land adequate to allow the construction of a road meeting the standards of this chapter.
(C) Street widths.
(1) Minimum street right-of-way and pavement widths shall be as shown on the official borough map or if not shown on such map, shall be as follows:
Street Type | Required Widths (Feet) |
Street Type | Required Widths (Feet) |
Collector street | |
No on-street parking permitted | |
Cartway | 36 |
Right-of-way | 60 |
Major street | |
No on-street parking permitted | |
Cartway | See Note (a) |
Right-of-way | See Note (a) |
Marginal access street | |
No on-street parking permitted | |
Cartway | 26 |
Right-of-way | See Note (b) |
Minor street | |
No on-street parking permitted | |
Cartway | 24 |
Right-of-way | 44 |
On-street parking permitted | |
Cartway | 34 |
Right-of-way | 54 |
Permanent cul-de-sac street | |
No on-street parking permitted | |
Cartway | 24 |
Right-of-way | 44 |
On street parking permitted | |
Cartway | 34 |
Right-of-way | 54 |
Service street | |
No on-street parking permitted | |
Cartway | 24 |
Right-of-way | 24 |
Notes: | |
(a) As specified in the official borough map, or as determined after consultation with the borough, the County Planning Commission and PennDOT | |
(b) Variable, depending on the width of the adjacent right-of-way, but not less than 36 feet | |
(2) Additional right-of-way and pavement widths may be required by the borough for the purpose of promoting the public safety and convenience or to provide parking in commercial or industrial subdivisions or land developments and in areas of high density residential development or high traffic volumes.
(D) Restriction of access.
(1) Whenever a subdivision or land development abuts or contains an existing or proposed arterial, collector or local street the Borough Council may require restriction of access to the street by:
(a) Provision of reverse frontage lots;
(b) Provision of service streets along the rear of the abutting lots, together with prohibition of private driveways intersecting the arterial or collector street;
(c) Provision of marginal access streets, provided that the reserve strips establishing such marginal access streets shall be maintained under an agreement with the borough; or
(d) Provision of a system of minor streets which intersect the arterial or collector street.
(2) Except as specified by divisions (D)(1)(a) and (D)(1)(c) above, reserve strips shall be prohibited.
(E) Street grades.
(1) There shall be a minimum centerline grade of 0.75 %.
(2) Centerline grades shall not exceed the following:
(a) Minor street or service street: 10%;
(b) Collector street: 7%; and
(c) Arterial street: 6%.
(3) Grades of not more than 12% may be permitted by the Borough Council on minor streets, except cul-de-sacs, if the Borough Council finds that unsafe conditions will not result.
(F) Horizontal curves.
(1) Whenever street lines are deflected in excess of two degrees, connection shall be made by horizontal curves.
(2) Minimum sight distance shall be provided as follows:
Design Speed (mph) | Minimum Sight Distance (feet) |
20 | 125 |
Design Speed (mph) | Minimum Sight Distance (feet) |
20 | 125 |
25 | 150 |
30 | 200 |
35 | 250 |
40 | 325 |
45 | 400 |
50 | 475 |
55 | 550 |
(3) (a) Minimum centerline radii for horizontal curves shall be as follows:
Design Speed (mph) | Minimum Radius (feet) |
Design Speed (mph) | Minimum Radius (feet) |
20 | 100 |
25 | 125 |
30 | 230 |
35 | 310 |
40 | 430 |
45 | 500 |
50 | 700 |
55 | 850 |
(b) The Borough Council may permit smaller centerline radii than required above when the developer substantiates that the minimum sight distance as required by division (F)(2) above will be provided.
(4) A straight section of road of at least 100 feet shall be provided between all horizontal curves on collector streets. A straight section of road of at least 200 feet shall be provided between all horizontal curves on arterial streets.
(5) Combinations of the minimum radius and maximum grade are prohibited.
(G) Vertical curves. At all changes in street grades where the algebraic difference in grade exceeds 1%, vertical curves shall be provided. The minimum sight distance provided shall be as follows for both crest and sag vertical curves.
Design Speed (mph) | Minimum Sight Distance (feet) |
Design Speed (mph) | Minimum Sight Distance (feet) |
20 | 125 |
25 | 160 |
30 | 200 |
35 | 250 |
40 | 325 |
45 | 400 |
50 | 475 |
55 | 550 |
(H) Intersections.
(1) Streets shall intersect as nearly as possible at right angles, and no street shall intersect another at an angle of less than 75 degrees (measured at the intersection of the street centerlines) nor more than 105 degrees. The angle of intersection with an arterial street shall be 90 degrees.
(2) No more than two streets shall intersect at the same point.
(3) Streets intersecting another street shall either intersect directly opposite to each other, or shall be separated by at least 150 feet between centerlines, measured along the centerline of the street being intersected if only local streets are involved. When one or more of the streets at the proposed intersection is classified as or meets the definition of collector street, the separation distance shall be increased to at least 250 feet between centerlines, measured along the centerline of the street being intersected; however, the borough may require a greater distance based on recommendations contain in the traffic impact study submitted for the development or AASHTO’s A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets, latest addition.
(4) Approach intersections that require vehicular traffic to stop by the presence of either a stop sign or other traffic control device shall be approached by a straight leveling area, the grade of which shall not exceed 5% within 50 feet of the intersection of the nearest right-of-way lines, measured along the street centerline.
(5) Intersections with arterial streets shall be located not less than 500 feet apart, measured from centerline to centerline along the centerline of the arterial streets.
(6) Street curb intersections shall be rounded by a tangential arc with a minimum radius of:
(a) Twenty feet for all intersections involving only minor streets or service streets;
(b) Thirty feet for all intersections involving a collector street; and
(c) Forty feet for all intersections involving an arterial street.
(7) Street right-of-way lines shall be parallel to (concentric with) curb arcs at intersections.
(I) Sight distances at intersections.
(1) (a) Clear sight triangles shall be provided at all street intersections, shall be reserved as such, and shall be drawn on the plan. Within such triangles, no vision-obstructing object shall be permitted which obscures vision above the height of 30 inches and below the height of ten feet, measured from the centerline grade of intersecting streets.
(b) Such triangles shall be established from a distance of a minimum of 75 feet from the point of intersection of the centerlines, except that:
1. Clear sight triangles of a minimum of 150 feet shall be provided for all intersections involving a collector street; and
2. Clear sight triangles of a minimum of 150 feet shall be provided for all intersections involving an arterial street.
(2) Whenever a portion of the line of such clear sight triangles occurs behind the required building setback line, such portion shall be considered a building setback line.
(3) Sight distance at street intersections shall provide the following minimum stopping distance for a vehicle traveling on an approaching street which has no stop or signal control:
Design Speed of Approaching Street with No Stop or Signal Control (mph) | Minimum Stopping Distance (In Feet) Required Unless Alternative Permitted by Borough Council | Alternative Stopping Distance (In Feet) Permissible at the Discretion of the Borough Council Only on Highways with ADT less than 100, Where the Removal of Sight Obstructions Would Be Costly |
Design Speed of Approaching Street with No Stop or Signal Control (mph) | Minimum Stopping Distance (In Feet) Required Unless Alternative Permitted by Borough Council | Alternative Stopping Distance (In Feet) Permissible at the Discretion of the Borough Council Only on Highways with ADT less than 100, Where the Removal of Sight Obstructions Would Be Costly |
20 | 150 | 90 |
25 | 175 | 110 |
30 | 200 | 130 |
35 | 240 | 155 |
40 | 275 | 180 |
45 | 320 | 200 |
50 | 350 | 220 |
55 | 425 | 240 |
(4) (a) Street intersections shall be located and designed to provide the following minimum sight distance for a vehicle traveling on an approaching street which has a stop control:
Design Speed of Street Being Approached by Vehicle on Stop Control Street (mph) | Minimum Sight Distance Required (In Feet) |
Design Speed of Street Being Approached by Vehicle on Stop Control Street (mph) | Minimum Sight Distance Required (In Feet) |
20 | 200 |
25 | 250 |
30 | 300 |
35 | 350 |
40 | 400 |
45 | 450 |
50 | 500 |
55 | 550 |
(b) For calculating sight distance, refer to American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials publication A Policy on Geometric Design of Rural Highway and Streets, latest edition.
(J) Cul-de-sac streets.
(1) Dead-end streets are prohibited unless designed as cul-de-sac streets, provided that in the case of streets which are planned for future extension into adjoining tracts and will not be the primary means of access to any lot or dwelling unit, a turnaround is not required.
(2) (a) Except as provided in division (J)(1) above, any street dead-ended for access to an adjoining property or because of authorized stage development shall be provided with a turnaround within the subdivision or land development and the use of such turnaround shall be dedicated to the public until such time as the street is extended.
(b) If a cul-de-sac turnaround is offset, it shall not be offset to the right.
(c) Should a temporary cul-de-sac be proposed, agreements satisfactory to the Borough Council and Borough Solicitor shall be made for construction and installation responsibilities of all improvements when the temporary cul-de-sac is abandoned and the street is extended.
(d) In the event that the Borough Council shall not consider development of adjoining property to be imminent, the Borough Council may require that a permanent curbed cul-de-sac be constructed.
(3) Cul-de-sac streets shall be at least 250 feet from the right-of-way of the street intersected to the beginning of the turnaround. Cul-de-sac streets shall not exceed 750 feet in length and shall not furnish access to more than 20 dwelling units. The Borough Council may permit temporary cul-de-sacs longer than 750 feet at its discretion if future extension of the cul-de-sac is likely in the opinion of the Borough Council. At its discretion, the Borough Council may permit cul-de-sacs to serve more than 20 dwelling units when it believes adequate provision will be made for vehicular circulation and parking.
(4) Unless future extension is clearly impractical or undesirable, the turnaround right-of-way shall be placed adjacent to the tract boundary with sufficient additional right-of-way width provided along the boundary line to permit extension of the street at full width.
(5) All cul-de-sac streets, whether permanently or temporarily designed as such, shall be provided at the closed end with a fully paved turnaround. Minimum radius to the pavement edge or curb line shall be 50 feet, and minimum radius to the right-of-way line shall be 60 feet.
(6) Drainage of cul-de-sac streets shall preferably be toward the open end. If drainage is toward the closed end, water shall be conducted away in an underground storm sewer or by other means approved by the Borough Council.
(7) The centerline grade on a cul-de-sac street shall not exceed 10% and the grade of the diameter of the turnaround shall not exceed 5%.
(K) Street names.
(1) Proposed streets which are in alignment with others already existing and named shall bear the names of the existing streets.
(2) In no case shall the name of a proposed street duplicate an existing street name in the borough and the postal district, irrespective of the use of the suffix street, road, avenue, boulevard, drive, way, place, court, lane and the like.
(3) All street names shall be subject to the approval of the Borough Council and Postmaster having jurisdiction.
(L) Service street (alleys).
(1) Service streets are prohibited in residential subdivisions except where required by the Borough Council to avoid direct driveway access to arterial or collector streets,
(2) Service streets may be permitted by the Borough Council in commercial or industrial types of development, provided that the developer produces evidence satisfactory to the Borough Council of the need for such service streets and provided that the service streets are not the primary means of access.
(3) Dead-end service streets are prohibited unless permitted at the discretion of the Borough Council. Dead-end service streets shall be terminated with a paved circular turnaround with a minimum radius to the outer pavement edge (curb line) of 40 feet.
(4) Parking is prohibited along service streets, and no parking signs shall be erected by the developer at his or her expense.
(Ord. 1-2006, passed 5-8-2006)