[Ord. 2011-03, 6/27/2011, § 22-701]
1.
Whenever a proposed development will generate 100 new vehicle trips
in the peak direction (inbound or outbound) during the peak traffic
hour of the development, the applicant shall perform a traffic impact
study. Based on this study, certain improvements may be identified
to provide safe and efficient access to the development.
2.
In addition, a traffic impact study shall be prepared whenever either
one of the following conditions exist within the impact study area:
A.
Current traffic problems exist in the local area, such as a high
accident location, confusing intersection or a congested intersection,
which directly affects access to the development.
B.
The ability of the existing street system to handle increased traffic,
or the feasibility of improving the street system to handle increased
traffic, is limited.
[Ord. 2011-03, 6/27/2011, § 22-702]
1.
Area of Traffic Impact Study. The traffic impact study area shall
be based on the characteristics of the surrounding area. The intersections
to be included in the study shall be adjacent to the subject tract
or have direct impact upon the access to the development. The intersections
shall be established by the Board of Supervisors.
2.
Preparation by Transportation Engineer Required. Traffic impact studies
shall be prepared under the supervision of qualified and experienced
transportation engineers with specific training in traffic and transportation
engineering and at least two years of experience related to preparing
traffic studies for existing or proposed developments.
3.
Horizon Year. The traffic forecasts shall be prepared for the horizon
year.
4.
Non-site Traffic Estimates. Estimates of non-site traffic shall be
made, and shall consist of through traffic and traffic generated by
all other developments within the study area for which preliminary
or final plans have been approved. Non-site traffic may be estimated
using any one of the following three methods: "Buildup" technique,
area transportation plan data or modeled volumes, and trends or growth
rates.
5.
Trip Generation Rates Required. The traffic impact study report shall
include a table showing the categories and quantities of land uses,
with the corresponding trip generation rates or equations (with justification
for selection of one or the other) and resulting number of trips.
The trip generation rates used shall be either from the latest edition
of Trip Generation by ITE, or from a local study of corresponding
land uses and quantities. All sources shall be referenced in the study.
6.
Consideration of Pass-By Trips. If pass-by trips or shared trips
are a major consideration for the land use in question, studies and
interviews at similar land uses shall be conducted or referenced.
7.
Rate Sums. Any significant difference between the sums of single-use
rates and proposed mixed-use estimates shall be justified in the study
report.
8.
Explanations Required. The reasoning and data used in developing
a trip generation rate for special or unusual generators shall be
justified and explained in the study report.
9.
Definition of Influence Area.
A.
Prior to trip distribution of site-generated trips, an influence
area shall be defined that contains 80% or more of the trip ends that
will be attracted to the development. A market study can be used to
establish the limits of an influence area, if available. If no market
study is available, an influence area should be estimated based on
a reasonable documented estimate. The influence area can also be based
on a reasonable maximum convenient travel time to the development,
or delineating area boundaries based on locations of competing developments.
B.
Other methods such as using trip data from an existing development
with similar characteristics or using an existing origin-destination
survey of trips within the area can be used in place of the influence
area to delineate the boundaries of the impact.
10.
Estimates of Trip Distribution Required. Trip distribution can be
estimated using any one of the following three methods:
A.
Analogy.
B.
Trip distribution model.
C.
Surrogate data.
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Whichever method is used, trip distribution shall be estimated
and analyzed for the horizon year. A multi-use development may require
more than one distribution and coinciding assignment for each phase
(for example, residential and retail phases on the same site). Consideration
shall also be given to whether inbound and outbound trips will have
similar distributions.
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11.
Trip Assignments.
A.
Assignments shall be made considering logical routings, available
street capacities, left turns at critical intersections, and projected
(and perceived) minimum travel times. In addition, multiple paths
should often be assigned between origins and destinations to achieve
realistic estimates rather than assigning all of the trips to the
route with the shortest travel time. The assignments shall be carried
through the external site access points and in large developments
producing 500 or more additional peak direction trips to or from the
development during the peak hour of the development, through the internal
vehicular circulation system. When the development has more than one
vehicular access, logical routing and possibly multiple paths should
be used to obtain realistic driveway volumes. The assignment should
reflect conditions at the time of the analysis. Assignments can be
accomplished either manually or with applicable computer models.
B.
If a thorough analysis is required to account for pass-by trips,
the following procedure should be used:
C.
Upon completion of the initial development traffic assignment, the
results should be reviewed to see if the volumes appear logical given
characteristics of the street system and trip distribution. Adjustments
should be made if the initial results do not appear to be logical
or reasonable.
12.
Total Traffic Impacts. Traffic estimates for any development with
current traffic activity shall reflect not only new traffic associated
with the development, but also the trips subtracted from the traffic
stream because of the removal of a land use. The traffic impact report
should clearly depict the total traffic estimate and its components.
13.
Capacity Analysis.
A.
Capacity analysis shall be performed at each of the major street
and development access intersection locations (signalized and unsignalized)
within the study area. In addition, analyses shall be completed for
street segments deemed sensitive to traffic from the development within
the study area. These may include such segments as weaving sections,
ramps, internal vehicular circulation patterns, parking facility access
points, and reservoirs for vehicles queuing off-site and on-site.
Other locations may be deemed appropriate depending on the situation.
B.
The recommended level of service analysis procedures detailed in
the most recent edition of the Highway Capacity Manual by the Transportation
Research Board, Washington, DC, shall be followed. The overall level
of service ratings A, B, C and D are considered to be acceptable for
signalized intersections (levels C or better are considered desirable);
level of service E or F is considered to be unacceptable.
C.
The operational analyses in the Highway Capacity Manual by the Transportation
Research Board, Washington, DC, shall be used for analyzing existing
conditions, traffic impacts, access requirements, or other future
conditions for which traffic, geometric and control parameters can
be established.
14.
Required Levels of Service. The recommendations of the traffic impact
study shall provide safe and efficient movement of traffic to and
from and within and past the proposed development, while minimizing
the impact to non-site trips.
A.
The current levels of service shall be maintained if they are C or
D, not allowed to deteriorate to worse than C if they are currently
A or B, and improved to D if they are E or F.
B.
Where new intersections involving streets or access drives are being
established to serve as access to the proposed development, these
intersections shall be designed to at least operate at level of service
C or better.
15.
Documentation Required. A traffic impact study report shall be prepared
to document the purpose, procedures, findings, conclusions and recommendations
of the study.
A.
The documentation for a traffic impact study shall include, at a
minimum:
(1)
Study purpose and objectives.
(2)
Description of the development and study area.
(3)
Existing conditions in the area of the development.
(4)
Recorded or approved nearby development.
(5)
Trip generation, trip distribution and modal split.
(6)
Projected future traffic volumes.
(7)
An assessment of the change in street system operating conditions
resulting from the development traffic.
(8)
Recommendations for development site access and transportation
improvements needed to maintain traffic flow to, from, within and
past the development site at an acceptable and safe level of service.
(9)
The need for emergency traffic signal preemption shall be addressed.
B.
The analysis shall be presented in a straightforward and logical
sequence. It shall lead the reader step-by-step through the various
stages of the process and resulting conclusions and recommendations.
C.
The recommendations shall specify the time period within which the
improvements should be made (particularly if the improvements are
associated with various phases of the development construction) and
any monitoring of operating conditions and improvements that may be
required.
D.
Data shall be presented in tables, graphs, maps and diagrams wherever
possible for clarity and ease of review.
E.
An executive summary of one or two pages shall be provided, concisely
summarizing the purpose, conclusions and recommendations.
F.
The report documentation outlined above provides a framework for
traffic impact study reports. Some studies will be easily documented
using this outline. However, the specific issues to be addressed,
local study requirements and the study results may warrant additional
sections.
[Ord. 2011-03, 6/27/2011, § 22-703]
1.
Responsibility for Improvements. Where the traffic impact study indicates
that improvements are necessary or advisable to existing Township
and/or state streets and/or intersections within the traffic impact
study area in order (A) to assure adequate, safe and convenient access
to each lot and/or structure and/or parking compound proposed as part
of the development of the subject tract, (B) to accommodate the traffic
due to the proposed development, (C) to provide for a level of service
and delay for the design year, or years for phased projects, with
the development that is at least equivalent to the projected level
of service and delay for the design year(s) without the proposed subdivision
or development, and/or (D) to preserve the existing convenience of
access to or ability to exit from abutting lots that gain access from
the existing street, the developer shall install all such indicated
improvements. The developer shall install additional traffic lanes,
traffic dividers, traffic control devices, traffic signals, and other
measures as appropriate to ensure that the development of the subject
tract does not adversely impact the existing street system and/or
access to or the ability to exit from lots gaining access from an
affected street. If the traffic impact study indicates that improvements
shall be made to a state street, the developer shall also take all
action necessary to obtain any PennDOT permits and/or approvals to
install the necessary street widening and/or traffic signals or traffic
control devices. If the traffic impact study recommends installation
of traffic signals or traffic signal modifications, the developer
shall prepare all studies and submit all necessary applications to
enable the installation of the traffic signal or modifications and
shall install the traffic signal or modifications at their cost and
expense. If the traffic impact study indicates that traffic control
devices or regulations, including, but not limited to, stop intersections,
speed limit reductions, or parking prohibitions, are required, the
developer shall prepare all studies necessary to justify imposition
of such regulations in accordance with PennDOT regulations and shall
pay all costs associated with the preparation and enactment of an
ordinance to establish such regulations.
A.
The developer shall bear all costs and expenses in connection with
the improvements required by this subsection. If the developer requires
the Township to submit any permit applications or requests for approvals
in the name of the Township, the developer shall reimburse the Township
for all costs and expenses incurred by the Township in connection
with its review of the application and submission of the application
to PennDOT or any other governmental agency.
B.
When the Township determines that the required improvements are not feasible at the present time, the developer shall deposit funds with the Township in the amount of 110% of the cost of the improvements computed in accordance with the provisions of § 509 of the Municipalities Planning Code, 53 P.S. § 10509. Such funds shall be maintained by the Township in a general account to be used for traffic improvements. The developer may request a modification to reduce the amount of funds to be deposited with the Township under this provision. In order to warrant the granting of such modification, the developer shall make application to the Township in accordance with Part 9. The developer shall establish the particular circumstances, which are applicable to the development and shall demonstrate good cause for such modification. The Township Engineer shall make a recommendation to the Township Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors whether or not and to what extent such requested modification should be granted.
2.
Coordination with Municipal Requirements. The applicant shall be
responsible for other improvements as may be required by any municipal
impact fee ordinance consistent with provisions of the Municipalities
Planning Code, 53 P.S. § 10101 et seq.
