(a) Gneral Requirements.
(1) All streets shall conform to the Comprehensive Plan prepared by the Planning Commission with respect to arrangements, character, extent and location.
(2) Streets in plans not shown in the Comprehensive Plan shall be arranged to: Provide for the continuation or appropriate projection of existing principal streets in surrounding areas; or conform to a plan approved or adopted by the Commission to meet a situation where topographic or other conditions make continuance or conformity to the lines of existing streets impracticable.
(3) Details of streets on an approved and recorded final plan shall be considered to form part of the Major Thoroughfare Plan for the City.
(4) The design of all streets shall be considered in relation to: The existing and planned streets; the topography of the site; public convenience and safety; appropriate relation to the proposed uses of land in the area such streets serve; and shall tie into existing street profiles on file in the City Engineer’s Office.
(5) Local access streets shall be so laid out that their use by through traffic shall be discouraged.
(6) Street right of way and cartway widths shall be as follows:
Street Type | Right of Way (feet) | Cartway (feet) |
Arterial | 80 or as determined after consultation with the PA Dept. of Transportation | 48 with concrete curbs |
Collector | 60 - 80 as determined by the City Engineer | 40 with concrete curbs |
Local access | 50 | 34 with concrete curbs |
(7) Street grades shall conform to the following:
Street Type | Minimum | Residential Maximum | Nonresidential Business and Industry Maximum |
Arterial | .75% | 5% | 5% |
Collector | .75% | 6% | 6% |
Local access | .75% | 10% | 6% |
%=Percent Grade |
(8) Names of new streets and other right of ways in all plans shall be subject to the approval of the Commission and Council.
(b) Special Considerations.
(1) Where a plan abuts or contains an existing or proposed arterial street, railroad or a limited access highway, the Commission may require such other treatment as it may deem necessary to protect residential properties from the effects of heavy traffic, as well as to afford separation of through and local traffic.
(2) Reserve strips controlling access to streets shall be prohibited except where their control is definitely assigned to the City.
(3) Half streets shall be prohibited except where they are essential to reasonable development conforming to the other requirements of these regulations and the Commission finds it shall be practicable to require dedication of the other half, when adjoining property is developed.
(4) Whenever a half street adjoins property proposed to be developed, the completion of such street shall be required as a condition to approval of the final plan.
(c) Geometrical Design Requirements.
(1) Street jogs with less than 200 feet center line to center line shall be avoided.
(2) Street curb intersection at ninety degrees shall be rounded and contain wheelchair ramps with a curve having a radius in accordance with the following schedule:
Intersecting Streets | Minimum Curb Radius (Feet) |
Arterial with collector or local access | 30 |
Collector and local access | 25 |
Local access | 10 |
(3) The minimum radius at the center line for curves shall be as follows:
Type of Street | Minimum Radius (Feet) |
Arterial | 500 |
Collector | 300 |
Local access | 150 |
(4) A tangent at least 100 feet long shall be introduced between reverse curves on collector streets and 200 feet on arterial streets.
(5) Dead end or cul-de-sac streets in general shall not exceed 600 feet in length and shall be provided with a paved turnaround with a minimum diameter of eighty feet to the outside curb and 100 feet to the legal right of way.
(6) Proper sight distances shall be provided with respect to both horizontal and vertical alignment. Measured along the center line, three and seventy-five hundredths feet above grade, this sight distance shall be as follows:
Type of Street | Sight Distance (Feet) |
Arterial | 400 |
Collector | 250 |
Local access | 175 |
(7) Proper site lines shall be maintained at all street intersections. Clear sight triangles of seventy-five feet, 150 feet for arterial streets, measured along street centerlines from their points of junction shall be provided at all intersections and no building, structure, grade or planting higher than three feet above the centerline of the street shall be permitted within such sight triangles.
(8) Right angle intersections shall be used whenever practicable. When local access streets intersect collector or arterial streets, the angle of intersection of the street center lines shall not be less than seventy-five degrees. No street shall intersect any other street at less than sixty degrees measured from the intersection of the center lines.
(9) Multiple intersections, where more than two streets meet, shall be avoided.
(10) Intersections shall be approached on all sides by leveling areas. Where the street grade exceeds seven percent (7%), such leveling areas shall have a minimum length of fifty feet measured from the intersection of the centerlines within which no grade shall exceed a maximum of four percent (4%).
(11) Alleys shall not be allowed in residential areas.
(12) Vertical curves shall be used in changes of grade exceeding one percent (1%) and shall not be less than 100 feet in length.
(Ord. 12-1982 Sec. 4.10. Passed 11-3-82.)