[Ord. No. 1713, 12-19-1978; Ord. No. 2164, Ren&Amd, 1-20-1998; Ord. No. 2688, Amended, 12-1-2015]
This article establishes standards and criteria for the design and construction of roadways.
[Ord. No. 1713, 12-19-1978; Ord. No. 2164, Ren&Amd, 1-20-1998; Ord. No. 2688, Amended, 12-1-2015; Ord. No. 2727, Amended, 11-1-2016]
Streets are classified by function as freeways, major arterials, minor arterials, major collectors, neighborhood collectors and local streets as designated and defined in the Transportation System Plan, a part of the Lake Oswego Comprehensive Plan.
[Ord. No. 1713, 12-19-1978; Ord. No. 1807, 9-15-1981; Ord. No. 1981, 2-7-1989; Ord. No. 2091, Amended, 4-19-1994; Ord. No. 2164, Ren&Amd, 1-20-1998; Ord. No. 2316, Amended, 3-5-2002; Ord. No. 2688, Amended, 12-1-2015]
All roadway improvements within the jurisdiction of the City of Lake Oswego shall be governed by the provisions of this article and the provisions of LOC Chapter 50.
[Ord. No. 1713, 12-19-1978; Ord. No. 1851, 11-16-1982; Ord. No. 2164, Renumbered, 1-20-1998; Ord. No. 2617, Amended, 6-4-2013; Ord. No. 2688, Amended, 12-1-2015]
1. ALLEY ROADWAY STREET
Definitions.
Means a right-of-way that provides vehicle access to the rear or side of lots, buildings, or common parking areas and not intended for through vehicular traffic.
Includes "alley" and "street."
Means the entire width between the right-of-way lines of a local street, collector, or arterial capable of providing the principal means of access to abutting property.
2.
New development required by a development permit issued under LOC Chapter 50 to make street and frontage improvements shall do so consistent with the standards of this article.
3.
Acceptance of public improvements including street and frontage improvements shall be signified in writing by the City Manager. Recordation of an instrument dedicating land for public use, or granting an easement for such use, shall not constitute acceptance of the public improvements within, upon, under or across such land.
[Ord. No. 1713, 12-19-1978; Ord. No. 2164, Ren&Amd, 1-20-1998; Ord. No. 2688, Amended, 12-1-2015; Ord. No. 2687, Amended, 12-15-2015; Ord. No. 2847, Amended, 1-4-2022; Amended, 11-19-2024 by Ord. No. 2948]
1.
The following factors shall be considered in arriving at the design of a particular roadway through application of the standards set forth in this Chapter:
a.
Site design.
b.
Topography.
c.
Soil characteristics, particularly permeability and susceptibility to erosion.
d.
Site conditions, including existing structures, improvements, watercourses and vegetation.
e.
Comprehensive Plan land use designation and roadway functional classification.
f.
Traffic volume based on Transportation System Plan criteria or traffic study.
g.
Traffic safety (bicycle, pedestrian and vehicular).
h.
Parking requirements.
i.
Compatibility with abutting roadway characteristics.
j.
Presence of Sensitive Lands overlay districts.
k.
Natural hazards.
l.
Presence of or connectivity of bicycle and pedestrian facilities.
m.
Provision of existing or planned transit opportunities.
n.
Placement of utilities, street trees, and street lighting.
o.
Stormwater collection and treatment.
p.
Connection to new or existing transportation infrastructure.
q.
AASHTO sight distance.
r.
Zones, overlay districts, and other Community Development Code requirements.
s.
Traffic impact analysis.
2.
To permit evaluation of proposed roadway designs, the City Engineer may require developers to furnish information on soil conditions, topography, soil permeability, characteristics of natural drainage courses, property ownerships, location and characteristics of adjoining roadways, grading plans, and landscaping plans.
3.
Drainage.
a.
Drainage is not an assumed function of the roadway, but is an additional function to be imposed upon a roadway only after it has been demonstrated that alternative management methods for surface waters per LOC § 38.25.125 are not feasible.
b.
In determining the necessity of using the roadway for drainage of surface waters, a storm of 10-year frequency shall be utilized to calculate the stormwater runoff to be dealt with by the drainage system.
[Ord. No. 1713, 12-19-1978; Ord. No. 2164, Renumbered, 1-20-1998; Ord. No. 2688, Amended, 12-1-2015]
1.
Arterial streets shall be designed to carry through traffic to major regional arterials and freeways.
2.
Arterial streets shall be designed to restrict access except from other public streets, with emphasis on collectors.
3.
Arterial streets shall be designed to draw through traffic away from neighborhood streets.
4.
Arterial streets shall be designed to minimize adverse social and environmental impacts on adjoining property.
5.
The design width shall be based on the ultimate full development of the surrounding areas which will generate traffic on the particular arterial.
6.
Arterial streets shall be designed for transit, bicycle and pedestrian facilities on both sides.
7.
The width of any arterial street, both as to right-of-way and paved roadway, shall be determined by the City Engineer taking into account the following criteria:
8.
Arterials located within residential areas should include design elements to buffer sight and sound impacts on adjoining properties including, but not limited to, street trees, open spaces, and grade differentials.
[Repealed by Ord. No. 2688, 12-1-2015]
[Ord. No. 1713, 12-19-1978; Ord. No. 2164, Renumbered, 1-20-1998; Ord. No. 2617, Amended, 6-4-2013; Ord. No. 2688, Amended, 12-1-2015]
1.
Collector streets shall be designed to carry through traffic to arterials.
2.
Collector streets shall be designed to limit direct access to the greatest extent possible.
3.
Collector streets shall be designed to keep through traffic off adjoining residential streets.
4.
The width of collector streets, both right-of-way width and actual paved roadway width, shall be designed for future full development of surrounding land areas in accordance with the Comprehensive Plan.
5.
The City Engineer shall consider development activities when considering a system of adequate collector streets for the entire area.
6.
Collector streets shall be designed for bicycle and pedestrian facilities on both sides.
7.
Collectors through residential areas shall be designed to buffer sight and sound through use of such elements as street trees, open spaces, and grade differentials.
[Repealed by Ord. No. 2688, 12-1-2015]
[Ord. No. 1713, 12-19-1978; Ord. No. 2164, Ren&Amd, 1-20-1998; Ord. No. 2617, Amended, 6-4-2013; Ord. No. 2688, Amended, 12-1-2015; Ord. No. 2727, Amended, 11-1-2016]
1.
Local streets shall be designed and constructed with a minimum of paved roadway width and other structural elements necessary to provide proper functioning of the street as a transportation element. The City Council determines that it is in the public interest to depart from the existing street patterns and that new local streets should not be required to conform to the plats of subdivisions and maps of major partitions already approved for adjoining property. Such circumstances shall be considered in the design of local streets so as to permit an orderly transition from previous standards to the standards set forth in this article.
2.
Local streets shall be designed to provide a minimum of disruption to neighborhood livability while providing adequate and safe circulation from residential lands to collector and arterial streets.
3.
The width of any local street, both as to right-of-way and paved roadway, shall be determined by the City Engineer.
4.
Pedestrian facilities shall be provided on at least one side of all streets, unless deferred or waived pursuant to LOC § 42.08.400.
5.
Portions of existing streets contiguous to, but not included in, any new development shall, as part of the development and at the discretion of the City Engineer, be improved to any appropriate standards of this article.
6.
The starting point for the right-of-way and design of local streets shall be two vehicular travel lanes and comply with the current Fire Code.
7.
A design maximum speed of 25 miles per hour shall be utilized in computing vertical and horizontal curvatures of the paved surface per AASHTO guidelines.
[Repealed by Ord. No. 2688, 12-1-2015]
[Ord. No. 2164, Renumbered, 1-20-1998; Amended, 11-19-2024 by Ord. No. 2948]
To the maximum extent feasible, utilities shall be placed underground outside the paved roadway. Exception: stormwater facilities may be located aboveground and in the parking zone.
[Ord. No. 1713, 12-19-1978; Ord. No. 2164, Renumbered, 1-20-1998; Ord. No. 2688, Amended, 12-1-2015]
The minimum radius of curvature of streets shall be calculated per AASHTO based on the posted speed of the street, side friction factor, and superelevation rate of the roadway. Final design for the horizontal alignment of a centerline shall be reviewed and approved by the City Engineer.
[Ord. No. 1713, 12-19-1978; Ord. No. 2164, Renumbered, 1-20-1998; Ord. No. 2688, Amended, 12-1-2015]
Roadways shall intersect one another at an angle as near to a right angle (90 degrees) as practicable, and no intersections of roadways at less than 80 degrees will be approved unless necessitated by topographic conditions or approved by the City Engineer. Such intersections shall be subject to imposition of special conditions for minimizing impact of such acute angles. A tangent segment shall be carried a minimum of 25 feet each side of the intersecting curb lines or edge of pavement, or in cases where the roadway is not improved, the edge of the travel way as determined by the City Engineer, and shall be adjusted to accommodate the appropriate design vehicle. All streets other than minor streets or cul-de-sacs shall, as far as practicable, be in alignment with the continuations of the centerlines of existing streets. In no case shall the staggering of roadways making tee intersections be so designed that a dangerous jog is produced. Jogs of less than 100 feet on such roadways, measured along the centerline of the intersected roadways, will not be permitted. Final design of an intersection shall be reviewed and approved by the City Engineer.
[Ord. No. 1713, 12-19-1978; Ord. No. 2164, Ren&Amd, 1-20-1998; Ord. No. 2617, Amended, 6-4-2013; Ord. No. 2688, Amended, 12-1-2015; Amended, 11-19-2024 by Ord. No. 2948]
1.
Location of new or improved roadways shall follow the access spacing standards listed in the current Transportation System Plan.
2.
In industrial, commercial, high-density residential areas, the central business district, and other areas of high traffic volume:
a.
The right-of-way widths shall be determined by the City Engineer.
b.
The width of pavement shall be determined by the City Engineer based on the requirements for number and width of travel lanes, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, number and width of on-street parking lanes, and the need for protected turning movements.
3.
Loop streets shall be considered acceptable principally in residential areas only.
4.
Alleys shall be located in a right-of-way of not less than 20 feet, with paved roadway widths to be approved by the City Engineer based on the function of the alley.
5.
One-way local streets may be less than 20 feet wide, subject to approval of the City Engineer and in accordance with the current Fire Code.
[Ord. No. 1713, 12-19-1978; Ord. No. 2164, Renumbered, 1-20-1998; Ord. No. 2328, Amended, 8-6-2002; Ord. No. 2688, Amended, 12-1-2015; Amended, 11-19-2024 by Ord. No. 2948]
Engineering design and construction details shall be subject to approval by the City Engineer. All designs for roadways, stormwater conveyance, and public utilities shall conform to the City's current Engineering Design Standards, Transportation System Plan, and standard detail drawings. Stormwater treatment facilities shall conform to the requirements of the current Stormwater Management Manual and standard detail drawings.
[Ord. No. 1713, 12-19-1978; Ord. No. 2164, Ren&Amd, 1-20-1998; Ord. No. 2307, Amended, 12-4-2001; Editorial correction, Amended, 10-16-2006; Ord. No. 2579, Amended, 3-20-2012; Ord. No. 2688, Amended, 12-1-2015]
1.
Cul-de-sacs shall not be permitted where they would preclude current or future through roadway connections. If all connections required by a neighborhood circulation plan are made, or if natural constraints restrict connection, cul-de-sacs may be permitted with appropriate accessways required for pedestrian and bicycle circulation dedicated as public right-of-way.
2.
Cul-de-sacs shall generally be designed with a circular closed end with sufficient radius and rightof-way to allow for utilities, street lights, pedestrian facilities, etc. Use of a "fish tail" or "hammerhead" configuration must be approved by the City Engineer. Pedestrian facilities shall be provided on at least one side of all closed end streets with five or more lots.
3.
A cul-de-sac or dead end street shall be no longer than 200 feet in length and shall serve no more than 25 dwellings, except where extreme topography, the presence of Sensitive Lands Overlay District lands as described in LOC §§ 50.05.010 and 50.07.004.8, floodplains as described in LOC § 50.10.003.2, freeways, existing development patterns on abutting property or arterial access restrictions, preclude the logical connection of streets. A cul-de-sac shall provide a turnaround without the use of a driveway per the Fire Code.
4.
Dead end roadways that are created after December 31, 2015, and that are planned for future extension through LOC § 50.06.003.4.c.iv shall be permanently posted until extension occurs.
5.
In determining the length of a cul-de-sac or closed-end roadway for compliance with subsection (3) of this section, the starting point for the measurement shall be at the intersection of the centerline of the proposed closed-end roadway or cul-de-sac with the projected edge of the right-of-way of the nearest intersecting through roadway, measured along the centerline of the cul-de-sac or closed-end roadway to the nearest point of curvature of the cul-de-sac bulb or the nearest angle of a hammerhead turn around. See Table 42-1:
TABLE 42-1 METHOD OF DETERMINING CUL-DE-SAC LENGTH  |
The length of a cul-de-sac or hammerhead does not include the area devoted to the turnaround, and shall be measured along the centerline according to the methods illustrated in Table 42-1. A future street plan that shows a roadway will be extended from a proposed closed-end roadway, to form a through roadway, will be not be subject to the 200-foot limitation and will be considered a temporary closed-end roadway. In such cases, a temporary provision for turning around without using a driveway shall be required. |
[Ord. No. 1713, 12-19-1978; Ord. No. 1807, 9-15-1981; Ord. No. 2091, Amended, 4-19-1994; Ord. No. 2164, Ren&Amd, 1-20-1998]
No proper street names shall be used which will duplicate or be confused with the name of an existing street except for an extension of said street or a connecting cul-de-sac or loop street. Street names shall conform to the established patterns of the City and surrounding area. The City Engineer shall have the authority to approve new street names and to approve changes of existing street names.
[Ord. No. 1713, 12-19-1978; Ord. No. 2164, Ren&Amd, 1-20-1998; Ord. No. 2688, Amended, 12-1-2015; Ord. No. 2687, Amended, 12-15-2015; Amended, 11-19-2024 by Ord. No. 2948]
When physical circumstances on site or in the vicinity of the site make strict compliance with the standards of this article impracticable when applied to a specific application or roadway project, the City Engineer may allow modifications to such standards. Such modifications shall be minimized to the degree practical in order to address the special site or vicinity condition. The process for requesting a variance in the City's Engineering Design Standards must be followed when requesting a modification to these design standards.
[Ord. No. 565, 5-6-1958; Ord. No. 1807, 9-15-1981; Ord. No. 2164, Renumbered, 1-20-1998]
Reserve strips or street plugs controlling the access to streets will not be approved unless such strips are necessary for the protection of the public welfare or of substantial property rights or both, and in no case unless the control and disposal of the land composing such strips is placed definitely within the jurisdiction of the City under conditions of the development permit.
[Ord. No. 565, 5-6-1978; Ord. No. 1807, 9-15-1981; Ord. No. 2164, Ren&Amd, 1-20-1998; Ord. No. 2688, Amended, 12-1-2015]
When a land division that creates a street abuts a property that could be further divided, the approving authority may require the street to be continued to the boundary of that property when necessary or beneficial for the purpose of future extension in order to ensure access or to comply with any requirement for connectivity of streets and public utilities. Reserve strips and street plugs may be required to preserve the objectives of street extensions.
[Ord. No. 565, 5-6-1978; Ord. No. 1807, 9-15-1981; Ord. No. 2164, Ren&Amd, 1-20-1998; Ord. No. 2316, Amended, 3-5-2002; Ord. No. 2579, Amended, 3-20-2012; Ord. No. 2688, Amended, 12-1-2015]
Whenever existing roadways adjacent to or within a tract are of inadequate width, the provision of additional right-of-way may be required as a condition of development permit approval pursuant to LOC § 50.07.003.5.a.iii.
[Ord. No. 565, 5-6-1958; Ord. No. 2164, Renumbered, 1-20-1998]
Half streets while generally not acceptable may be approved where essential to the reasonable development of the subdivision, when in conformity with the other requirements of these regulations, and when the Planning Commission finds it will be practical to require the dedication of the other half when the adjoining property is subdivided, the other half of the street shall be platted within such tract. Reserve strips and street plugs may be required to preserve the objectives of half streets.
[Ord. No. 565, 5-6-1978; Ord. No. 2164, Renumbered, 1-20-1998; Ord. No. 2688, Amended, 12-1-2015]
Wherever the proposed subdivision contains or is adjacent to a railroad right-of-way, provision shall be made for a roadway at a distance suitable for the appropriate use of the land between such roadways and the railroad. Such distance shall be determined with due consideration at cross roadways of the minimum distance required for approach grades to a future grade separation and to provide sufficient depth to allow screen planting along the railroad right-of-way.
[Ord. No. 565, 5-6-1978; Ord. No. 1807, 9-15-1981; Ord. No. 2091, Amended, 4-19-1994; Ord. No. 2164, Renumbered, 1-20-1998]
Where a subdivision abuts or contains an existing or proposed arterial street, the Planning Commission or Development Review Commission may require marginal access streets, reverse frontage lots with suitable depth, screen planting contained in a nonaccess reservation along the rear property line, or such other treatment as may be necessary for adequate protection of residential properties and to afford separation of through and local traffic.
[Ord. No. 2617, Added, 6-4-2013; Ord. No. 2688, Amended, 12-1-2015; Ord. No. 2727, Amended, 11-1-2016; Ord. No. 2854, Amended, 11-3-2020; Amended 11-21-2023 by Ord. No. 2937; Amended, 12-3-2024 by Ord. No. 2954]
1.
Purpose. The City Council finds that to protect the health, safety, property, and welfare of the traveling public and to provide the neat, clean, orderly and attractive appearance of the community, it is necessary to regulate the design, construction, location, and maintenance of all roadway intersections, driveway approaches, and accesses that impact the public rights-of-way open to public travel by all modes.
2.
AASHTO procedures. Sight distance shall be determined and approved generally in accordance with the procedures as stated in the current AASHTO guidelines using "A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets" or "Guidelines for Geometric Design of Low-Volume Roads."
3.
Definitions.
a.
AASHTO - American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials.
b.
Clear Sight Triangle - That area enclosed by the lines formed by the intersection approach legs of roadway(s), driveway approaches, and accesses and a straight line drawn diagonally across the corner, connecting those lines at the various distances per AASHTO guidelines.
c.
DBH - Diameter at breast height (4.5 feet).
4.
Standards.
a.
All new or modified roadway intersections, driveway approaches, and accesses shall follow access spacing as shown in Table 42.03.130-1, Access Spacing. Where not practicable (as term is defined in LOC § 50.10.003.2), the City Engineer may authorize a lesser minimum spacing when a lesser spacing does not create a traffic operational or safety conflict.
Table 42.03.130-1: Access spacing | |
|---|---|
Functional Classification | Minimum Spacing (feet) |
Major arterial | 300 |
Minor arterial | 200 |
Major collector | 150 |
Neighborhood collector | 100 |
Local residential street | 50 |
Local commercial/industrial street | 50 |
Alley | 30 |
b.
Sight distance requirements shall apply at all roadway intersections, driveway approaches, and accesses with the following:
i.
Intersection sight distance (ISD) per AASHTO shall be provided at all intersections. If ISD cannot feasibly be achieved, lesser sight distance may be acceptable upon review and approval of the City Engineer, as long as Subsection (4)(a)(ii) of this section is achieved.
ii.
Stopping sight distance (SSD), based on the design speed or 85th percentile speed of the roadway, shall be provided along all public roadways.
iii.
New construction of an intersection (roadway(s), driveway approaches, and accesses) or a modification to an existing intersection must comply street opening permit requirements.
iv.
A written report submitted by a licensed engineer for sight distance certification shall accompany the application.
v.
Driveways that serve one residence along alleys shall maintain at least 80 feet of visibility when viewing down the alley from 10 feet behind the nearest edge of the traveled way at a height of 42 inches above the surface. This area shall remain clear of any items prohibited by Subsection 4(c) below.
c.
Prohibited items in clear sight triangle. Within the clear sight triangle, it shall be unlawful to install, set out or maintain, or to allow the installation, setting out or maintenance of, any sign, fence, hedge, shrubbery, natural growth or other obstruction to the view, higher than 30 inches above the level of the centerline of the adjacent pavement.
d.
Exceptions. The requirements of Subsection (4) of this section do not apply to:
i.
Utility poles and guy anchors;
ii.
Fire hydrants;
iii.
Individual tree trimmed (to the trunk) from the ground to a line at least eight feet above the level of the traveled way with a maximum DBH of 36 inches;
iv.
Roadway warning signs, sign supports or signal equipment owned and maintained by the City of Lake Oswego or other road authority jurisdiction;
v.
Signs mounted nine feet or more above the ground and supported by a single support with a maximum cross-section of 12 inches;
vi.
Earth-formed obstructions, including retaining walls, at intersections that were existing on January 1, 2009;
viii.
Mailbox supports with a maximum cross-section of 12 inches in any horizontal dimension;
ix.
Open-style pedestrian handrails or fences approved by the City Engineer; and
e.
There shall be a landing area where a driveway meets the public street. The landing area shall be a minimum of 25 ft. long and shall have a maximum grade of five percent. The length and grade of the landing area described in this subsection presupposes that the abutting street has been fully improved to its ultimate anticipated width. If a driveway is proposed on a street that is not fully improved, and a development proposal is anticipated to proceed prior to the improvement of the street, the City Engineer shall determine the location and grade of the future street improvement and the applicant shall design the driveway and site grading so that this standard will not be compromised when the street is improved in the future.
[Ord. No. 2688, Added, 12-1-2015; amended 11-21-2023 by Ord. No. 2937]
It shall be the duty of owners of property abutting or lying adjacent to an intersection of roadway(s), driveway approaches, and accesses to keep such areas in good repair and free from obstruction or matter which may impede or render hazardous the use of the intersection.
[Ord. No. 2617, Added, 6-4-2013]
1.
Establishment of Special Street Setback Reference Line.
a.
The "special street setback reference line" shall be established for streets listed in LOC § 50.04.002.3 by the City Engineer, pursuant to the procedures in subsection (1)(b) or (c) of this section, and the criteria in subsection (2) of this section.
b.
Initiated by Property Owner, Including Development Permit Application.
i.
A property owner may request the City Engineer’s establishment of the special street setback reference line for a listed street that has not previously had a special street setback reference line established for the portion of the street fronting the owner’s property, by submitting:
ii.
Notice to Affected Property Owners. Written notice of the request shall be given to property owner(s), including the requestor, of property fronting on the affected portion of the street in the manner provided by LOC § 50.07.003.3.a.i(1). The notice may be included within the notice of the development permit application.
iii.
Any person affected by the establishment of the special street setback reference line may submit written comments addressing the criteria in subsection (2) of this section for the City Engineer’s consideration within 10 days after the notice is issued.
c.
Initiated by City Engineer.
i.
The City Engineer may initiate the establishment (or revision) of the special street setback reference line to a street, or any portion, listed in LOC § 50.04.002.5.
ii.
Written notice of the intended establishment of the special street setback reference line shall be given to property owners on either side of the proposed special street setback reference line in the same manner as provided in subsection (1)(b)(ii) of this section.
iii.
Written comments may be submitted to the City Engineer in the time and manner provided in subsection (1)(b)(iii) of this section.
d.
The City Engineer shall consider comments timely submitted and shall establish the special street setback reference line. The City Engineer’s decision shall be final.
2.
Method of Measurement.
a.
The special street setback reference line shall be the line equidistant between the boundary lines of the right-of-way, except as provided in subsection (2)(b) of this section.
b.
An exception to the method in subsection (2)(a) of this section may be used at the discretion of the City Engineer based on site-specific factors when an alternative method is reasonable for the continuous alignment of the centerline of the existing or anticipated future traveled surface of a street. Examples of such factors are, but are not limited to:
i.
Anomalies in right-of-way lines that are inconsistent with the location of anticipated improvements or anomalies within the right-of-way;
ii.
Existing improvements that are offset (not centered) in a right-of-way and future street expansion is anticipated to continue an offset alignment; or
iii.
Extreme topographic or natural resource constraints where strict adherence to subsection (2)(a) of this section would have an unreasonable adverse impact on natural resources.