Township of Middle Smithfield, PA Article II Street Names and Signs

§ 85-5 Terms defined; assignment of street names; no liability of Township for private owned or maintained streets.

A. For purposes of this chapter, the term "street" shall mean any and all public and/or private roads, streets, lanes, drives, avenues, easements and/or other similar rights-of-way used for vehicular traffic.

B. All streets within Middle Smithfield Township, whether they be publicly dedicated and publicly maintained, publicly dedicated and privately maintained, or privately owned and privately maintained, having two or more habitable structures or residences located adjacent thereto, either at the time of the signing of this chapter or any time in the future, including but not limited to all existing and future mobile home parks, shall apply for and/or be assigned by the Township a designated street name, and used to identify the street name on an approved street sign. Assignment of street names shall be by the Board of Supervisors.

C. Any such designation of a privately owned or maintained street shall not impose any obligation or liability upon the Township for the maintenance, inspection, or improvement of said street.

§ 85-6 Street signs specifications.

All streets within Middle Smithfield Township, both public and private, shall be properly marked with street signs in a manner and form acceptable to the Township. Existing street signs are grandfathered until such time as they need to be replaced. New street signs shall comply with the following specifications:

A. The sign and pole on which the sign is mounted shall be made of a material and installed in a manner approved by the Township and shall meet the approved current Township and/or Pennsylvania Department of Transportation standards and specifications for street signs as set forth within the current edition of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, as amended (MUTCD).

B. The text of the sign shall be six inches in height, lowercase letters with initial uppercase letters, and spaced in a manner so it is identifiable and readable from both sides of the street. The sign face shall be eight inches in height exclusive of the border, if any.

C. The text shall be in reflective white letters and/or numbers in accordance with the minimum retroreflectivity requirements of the MUTCD.

D. The sign shall be located on a pole at least seven feet tall.

E. The background of the sign shall contrast in color from the reflective white text so that the text of the sign is more visible in accordance with the MUTCD.

F. The signs shall be mounted at each street intersection in accordance with the MUTCD.

G. Signs naming the streets at the intersection shall be installed with their faces parallel to the streets they name.

H. The sign shall be retroreflective or illuminated to show the same shape and color both day and night.

§ 85-7 Time for repair.

If a private street sign is knocked down and/or removed and/or otherwise covered by an unforeseen occurrence, the owner and/or maintainer of the private street shall repair and/or reinstall the street sign within five days of the occurrence.

§ 85-8 Time for installing.

All persons required to install street signs, as set forth herein, shall install said signs for existing street, both public and private, within 180 days of the enactment of this chapter. The owners of any street to be constructed in the future, after the date this chapter is executed by the Board of Supervisors, shall procure the official street name assignment and complete the requisite sign installation as part of the normal subdivision, land development, or building permit approval process, as applicable. A new street shall be assigned a name and the requisite sign shall be installed within 30 days after completion of the street.