[1]
Editor's Note: Also reserved for Traffic Impact
Fee Ordinance.
[Amended 5-17-2017 by Ord. No. 955-16]
A.
A traffic impact study (TIS) shall be prepared by a certified professional
engineer, experienced in traffic engineering studies, licensed by
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. All costs of the traffic study shall
be borne by the property owner or applicant. A TIS shall be required
for:
(1)
All new or changed nonresidential land developments, including
new structures or additions to the structures, generating average
weekday traffic of at least 300 trips per day based on the latest
edition of "Trip Generation," Institute of Transportation Engineers.
(2)
All residential and land developments consisting of 30 or more
dwelling units.
(3)
All conditional uses located within residential districts, unless
waived by Council, as recommended by the Planning Commission.
B.
Traffic impact study required components. The following components
shall be required:
(1)
An applicant for a subdivision or land development requiring a traffic impact study, per standards stated in Subsection A of this section, is strongly encouraged to meet with the Municipal Engineer and the Planning Commission for an advisory meeting, pursuant to this chapter, for the purpose of the determination of issues and areas to be addressed in the required traffic impact study. If the applicant does not elect to meet with the Planning Commission or the Municipal Engineer prior to submission, all applicable elements of the traffic impact study as described in Subsection B(2) through (11) below shall be required.
(2)
General site description. A detailed description of the highway
network in the immediate vicinity of the site, a description of the
proposed land uses, the anticipated stages of construction and the
anticipated completion date of the proposed subdivision or land development.
This description shall include a map of the immediate vicinity of
the site with the following items: all major intersections, all proposed
ingress and egress locations, all existing and proposed streets, rights-of-way
and driveway widths, including cartway and shoulder widths, vertical
grades, horizontal curvatures, obstructions, sight distance, posted
speed limits, signage or other notable features; all existing traffic
signals and other traffic control devices and, if applicable, all
existing and proposed public transportation services and facilities
and proposed school bus stops on the site. In addition, any changes
to the highway network within the immediate vicinity shall be described.
This description shall include the above items as well as any proposed
construction project that would alter the width or alignment of the
present highway.
(3)
Description of the existing traffic conditions and volumes (weekday,
morning and evening peak hours and one Saturday peak hour) the proposed
use is in operation in those time periods.
(4)
Transportation impact of the development using the ratios and
methodology contained in the current edition of the Manual of the
Institute of Traffic Engineers.
(5)
Determination of street service level.
(6)
Determination of intersection service levels for intersection(s)
generation more than 100 trips in any peak hour.
(7)
Traffic accident history.
(8)
Impact on pedestrians.
(9)
Traffic improvements, planned or recommended (e.g., additional
traffic lanes, traffic signal, traffic signage).
(10)
Estimates of trip generation. Trip generation can be estimated
using any one of the following three methods: analogy, trip distribution
model or surrogate data. Whatever method is used, trip distribution
shall be estimated and analyzed for the horizon year and a ten-year
projection (both with and without development). Consideration should
also be given to whether inbound and outbound trips will have similar
distributions.
(11)
If the operating speed of 85% or more of the vehicles using
the subject street exceeds the posted speed limit by more than 10
miles per hour, then the 85th percentile speed of vehicles shall be
used by the TIS.
C.
The study shall be submitted to the Municipal Engineer for review
and comments. A copy shall also be forwarded to the Pennsylvania Department
of Transportation if streets under their jurisdiction are in the study
area. A copy shall be forwarded to the Westmoreland County Department
of Planning and Development if streets under jurisdiction of Westmoreland
County are in the study area.
D.
When a proposed development is projected to have an adverse impact sufficient to exceed an acceptable level of service or standard defined by the Pennsylvania Code, Title 67, Chapter 201 regulations, or its succeeding regulations, and adopted by the Municipality in Chapter 97, Construction Standards, then the Planning Commission may recommend and the Municipal Council may require changes to the proposed development plan in order to ensure adequate mitigation of negative traffic impacts. These required changes may include, but are not limited to:
(1)
Altering the proposed project to reduce impacts.
(2)
The phasing of construction plans to coincide with the completion
of state or municipal transportation improvements. Phasing shall not
be required unless the improvements have been budgeted for by the
responsible body and scheduled for commencement no later than six
months after the Council's approval of the proposed development
and for completion no later than 18 months after said approval date.
(3)
The construction of transportation improvements within the proposed
development, or in the immediate vicinity thereof necessary for directing,
providing or controlling access to the development. Such improvements
shall be limited to the aforesaid needs which are proximately caused
by and directly benefit the proposed development and are to be separate
and distinct from general transportation improvements contemplated
under Article V-A of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.
E.
Provisions applicable to land developments involving the utilization
of delivery trucks to nonresidential uses located in residential and
overlay districts.
(1)
The proposed routes must be designed to minimize the impact
on streets within the Municipality. The Municipality reserves the
right to designate alternate routes in the event that the applicant's
proposed routes are deemed inadequate, unsafe or overly disruptive
to normal vehicular traffic by the Municipal Engineer.
(2)
Prior to the commencement of any activity at the development
or facility, the applicant shall enter into a municipal roadway maintenance
and repair agreement with the Municipality, in a form acceptable to
the Municipality, regarding maintenance, repair and bonding of municipal
roads that are to be used by vehicles for development activities.
The municipal roadway maintenance and repair agreement will identify
the responsibilities of the applicant to prepare, maintain, and repair
municipal roads before, during and immediately after activity associated
with the development or facility. The applicant shall take all necessary
corrective action and measures as directed by the Municipality pursuant
to the agreement to ensure the roadways are repaired and maintained
during and at the conclusion of all development activities.
(3)
The applicant shall take the necessary safeguards to ensure
that the municipal roads utilized remain free of dirt, mud and debris
resulting from development activities and/or shall ensure such roads
are promptly swept and cleaned if dirt, mud and debris occur.
(4)
The applicant shall take all necessary precautions to ensure
the safety of persons in areas established for road crossing and/or
adjacent to roadways (for example, persons waiting for public or school
transportation). Where necessary and allowed, during periods of anticipated
heavy or frequent truck traffic associated with the development or
facility, the applicant will provide flagmen to ensure the public
safety and include adequate signs and/or other warning measures for
truck traffic and vehicular traffic.
(5)
There will be no staging of trucks or equipment on local roads.
(6)
A traffic control plan in conformance with PennDOT standards
shall be provided.
F.
Storage of machinery, vehicles and equipment. It shall be illegal
to park or store any vehicle or item of machinery or equipment on
any street, right-of-way or in any driveway, alley or on the development
or facility which constitutes a fire hazard or an obstruction to or
interference with fighting or controlling fires, except that equipment
which is necessary for the maintenance of the development or facility
or for the gathering or transporting of hydrocarbon substances from
the site.
