(1) 
Purpose. It is the primary purpose of this chapter to establish minimum standards for public streets and other facilities hereinafter constructed or improved as a condition of city approval of a development as specified herein. Another purpose is to ensure that traffic impacts of proposed development are identified and mitigated. These standards are intended to preserve the community's quality of life and to minimize total costs over the life of the transportation facility.
(2) 
Applicability. This chapter applies to any development that accesses or fronts upon a public street or planned future public street including, but not limited to, subdivisions, short plats, binding site plan applications, special use permits and building permit applications. The requirement for a traffic impact analysis study also applies more broadly to any new business or development which generates traffic. If any of these standards conflict with other city code provisions, the required design shall be determined by the city engineer. New development shall front on streets improved to the standards of this chapter. Half-street improvements or other mitigation may be required as determined by the city engineer.
(Ord. 3090 § 3, 2009)
Alternative design standards may be accepted when it can be shown, to the satisfaction of the city engineer, that any such alternative will provide equal or superior design to the specified standard. In considering an alternative design, the city shall consider public health, welfare and safety and other applicable factors including the WSDOT design standards and AASHTO standards. If the proposed alternative design is submitted as part of a subdivision of binding site plan, any required public notice shall note the requested deviation and the proposal is subject to applicable modification criteria. An approved alternative design to any standard of this chapter shall not be subject to a variance pursuant to Chapter 19.12 LMC.
(Ord. 3090 § 3, 2009)
The city hereby adopts the following street classification system; provided, that the city engineer has the authority to determine street classification and may utilize sources of information beyond the below definitions in reaching this determination:
(1) 
Principal Arterial. "Principal arterials" are defined as streets connecting two or more minor arterials together or those streets that serve industrial areas.
(2) 
Minor Arterial. A minor arterial provides for movement within the larger subareas bound by principal arterials. Minor arterials may also serve through traffic but provides more direct access to abutting land uses than does a principal arterial.
(3) 
Neighborhood Collector. A "collector street" is defined as a street that collects traffic from local streets and channels it to other areas of the city and to arterial streets.
(4) 
Local Access Street. "Local access streets" are those streets that are of lower service than collector streets and provide direct access to residential properties and some nonresidential uses.
(5) 
Alley. An "alley" is a right-of-way that provides vehicle access to a lot or common parking area. Generally, alleys provide secondary vehicle access and are not intended for general traffic circulation; however, where vehicle access from the street is not allowed, not possible, or not desirable, the alley may provide primary vehicle access.
(Ord. 3090 § 3, 2009)
The city engineer shall have final authority to determine the class of a specific street and may increase the standards below when deemed necessary to protect public health, safety and welfare. Additional right-of-way or easements may be required for cut or fill embankments, turn lanes (as required) and as recommended by a traffic impact analysis or a geotechnical study. Commercial and industrial properties may also require additional right-of-way and pavement width. Minimum standards for width (in feet) of street right-of-way, pavement (measured from curb face to curb face), utility/planting strips, and sidewalks shall be as specified in Table 12.50.040, unless otherwise approved or required by the city.
Table 12.50.040: Minimum Street Design Standards
Design Standard
Residential Alley
Residential Access
Residential Collector
Commercial Alley
Commercial Access
Primary Arterial
Secondary Arterial
Minimum right-of-way width
20 feet
60 feet, or as approved
60 feet
20 feet
60 feet
80 feet
100 feet
Minimum pavement width
14 feet or as approved
32 feet, or as approved
36 to 40 feet
20 feet
36 to 40 feet
44 feet
60± feet
Sidewalks (5 feet)
None
Both sides
Both sides
None
Both sides
Both sides
Both sides
Street drainage
Center gutter as approved
Curb and gutter both sides, or as approved
Curb and gutter both sides, or as approved
Center gutter as approved
Curb and gutter both sides, or as approved
Curb and gutter both sides, or as approved
Curb and gutter both sides, or as approved
Cul-de-sac or hammerhead ("T")
N/A
45-foot paved radius, 90-foot hammerhead
105-foot ROW width
N/A
N/A
45-foot paved radius, 90-foot hammerhead
105-foot ROW width
N/A
N/A
Intersection curb radius
15 feet
15 feet
20 feet
15 feet
15 feet
20 feet
20 feet
Design speed (MPH)
25 MPH
25 MPH
As approved
25 MPH
25 MPH
As approved
As approved
Minimum centerline radius for normal crown
N/A
200 feet
450 feet
N/A
200 feet
450 feet
450 feet
Stopping site distance
155 feet
155 feet
As approved
155 feet
155 feet
As approved
As approved
Parking strip*
None
As approved
As approved
None
As approved
As approved
As approved
Center turn lane*
None
As approved
As approved
None
As approved
As approved
As approved
*Additional right-of-way and pavement width may be required to allow parking, turn lanes and median strips.
Traffic-calming devices may be required as part of the street design and shall be approved by the city engineer.
(Ord. 3090 § 3, 2009; Ord. 3351 § 1, 2017)
Street design shall adhere to the following standards:
(1) 
Streets, street drainage, and sidewalks, including planting/utility strips and other right-of-way improvements, shall be constructed by the developer in accordance with applicable public works standards and all conditions of permit approval as applicable. All street improvements, grades and design shall comply with the standard regulations, special provisions and standard drawings adopted by the city's engineering division. Plans for the construction of sidewalks, planting/utility strips, curbs and gutters are to be submitted to the city for review as part of the street plans when applicable.
(2) 
Developments abutting arterial streets, collectors or local access streets shall, in conjunction with new construction on such properties or alterations, reconstruction, or improvements, where the total cost of construction, reconstruction or remodeling in the opinion of the city warrants frontage improvements, shall be required to provide sidewalks, curbs and gutters and streetlights along abutting streets.
(3) 
Where existing streets adjacent to or within a subdivision or proposed development are of inadequate width or where the city's capital improvements plan or comprehensive plan indicate a need for a new street or additional right-of-way or realignment for an existing street, the developer shall dedicate necessary right-of-way to the city as determined by the city engineer.
(4) 
Street Intersections. The city's preferred intersection treatment is a roundabout, for reasons of safety, capacity, and traffic flow. If, during intersection design, a roundabout is not identified as a preferred alternative, an engineering study stamped by a professional engineer shall be provided to the city. The city may select a different intersection treatment, considering land acquisition needs, operational considerations, topography, and other engineering factors.
Street intersections shall be as nearly at right angles as possible and should not have an acute angle of less than 80 degrees. Intersections of local access and collector streets with arterials shall be no closer than 1,320 feet apart from centerline to centerline. Proposed new intersections along one side of an existing street shall coincide, whenever possible, with any existing intersection on the opposite side of such street. The number of intersections of local and collector streets with minor and major arterials shall be minimized.
(5) 
Where a deflection angle of more than 10 degrees occurs in the alignment of a street, a simple curve of reasonably long radius shall be designed subject to the approval of the city engineer.
(6) 
The slope of cuts and fills for street construction shall not exceed two feet horizontal to one foot vertical (2:1) for cuts or three feet horizontal to one foot vertical (3:1) for fills, unless otherwise approved by the city engineer.
(7) 
Cul-de-Sacs. Permanent dead-end streets shall terminate with a turning circle. The turning circle may include a landscaped island or stormwater bioretention facility, as approved by the fire code official and city engineer. The maximum length from center of turning circle or hammerhead ("T") to center of intersection shall be 500 feet. The city engineer and fire code official may allow an alternative turnaround providing comparable ease of turning.
(8) 
Alternative Access Requirement. Where a proposed development results in 30 or more dwelling units, such development shall include a minimum of two ingress/egress points to ensure adequate emergency access; provided, that the city engineer and fire code official retain the authority to grant variances from this requirement and add conditions to any variance granted.
(9) 
Greater Widths Can Be Required. When a subdivision or development application includes commercial or industrial uses, or where probable future conditions warrant, greater widths than those provided in Table 12.50.040 may be required by the city.
(10) 
Half-Width Streets. In situations where the property being developed does not permit full-width public streets, half streets having a minimum right-of-way or easement and street improvement width of half of the design width may be permitted when placed adjacent to adjoining property so long as there is no physical obstruction or development constraint prohibiting the completion of the street on such adjoining property; provided, that public street half-width shall be a minimum of 20 feet wide. Public half-width streets serving six or more parcels shall be required to dedicate additional right-of-way as necessary to provide for a minimum of one foot of right-of-way beyond the edge of the sidewalk. Further, additional right-of-way or easement may be required between the edge of the street and the property line for construction clearance, slopes or other features. Half-width public streets shall serve a maximum of 200 ADT. If the number of trips generated is greater than 200 ADT, the street shall be widened to full-width standards. Parking shall be prohibited along any half-width street and necessary signs and pavement markings shall be the responsibility of the developer.
(11) 
Provide for Future Access. Streets shall be designed so as to provide for continuation of principal streets in adjoining subdivisions and, where appropriate, allow for future opening of streets to possible adjoining subdivisions. Streets shall be extended to the boundary of the future subdivisions or adjoining land and the resulting dead-end street shall be either barricaded pursuant to MUTCD standards or provided with a temporary or permanent cul-de-sac. The cul-de-sac shall be paved, with curbs, gutter and sidewalks constructed to city standards. The inclusion of the curbs, gutters and sidewalks in the cul-de-sac may be required depending upon whether the cul-de-sac should be a permanent street feature or whether it would be eliminated by future street extensions. In designing streets, existing development, proposed development and possible future development shall all be considered in the recommendation of right-of-way widths, street widths, paving sections, sidewalks and other applicable standards.
(12) 
Street Signs. The developer is responsible for providing all traffic control signs. Traffic control signing shall comply with the provisions as established by the U.S. Department of Transportation Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) and city of Longview standards. Street designation signs, including poles and hardware, will be paid for by the developer. Street designation signs shall display street names or grid numbers as applicable. The city shall identify locations, numbers, size and type of street signs.
(13) 
Street Naming. Street names shall not duplicate or too closely approximate phonetically the name of any other street within Cowlitz County, except in the case of new streets serving as a continuation of existing streets. Streets having the same name except for "Court," "Lane," or other suffix shall be deemed duplicative and not permitted. Names of new streets running on a line with an existing street but separated by a park or barrier may duplicate the name of the existing street; provided, that a prefix indicating direction from the park or barrier is attached to the new street's name.
(14) 
Street Lights. Street lights shall be installed by the developer along all improved public streets and shall also be installed down commercial alleys.
(15) 
Alleys. Alleyways may be required by the city for commercial and industrial development. However, their use shall be limited to provide general circulation as opposed to providing the primary ingress/egress point for parking lots.
(Ord. 3090 § 3, 2009; Ord. 3351 § 2, 2017; Ord. 3537 § 1, 2024)
(1) 
In order to assess the traffic impacts of a proposed development, the city engineer may require submittal of a traffic study ("traffic impact analysis"), unless exempted this section, undertaken by an engineer licensed to practice in the state of Washington with special training and experience in traffic engineering and transportation. Such studies must meet the standards set forth by the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) manual and transportation impact analysis guidelines prepared by the city traffic engineer that are filed with the city clerk.
(2) 
A queuing analysis shall be performed as part of the traffic impact study for any driveway where the queuing distance is under 75 feet for arterials, 50 feet for collectors, and 25 feet for local streets, as measured from the edge of the right-of-way to the first conflict point.
(3) 
Exemptions.
(a) 
For development of property classed as "same use" by the ITE manual, no traffic impact study shall be required.
(b) 
For development of vacant land, no traffic impact study shall be required, pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, where the proposed development will generate less than 10 new p.m. peak hour vehicle trips, unless the city traffic engineer determines that one is needed to address one or more issues of particular concern. However, an engineer licensed to practice in the state of Washington with special training and experience in traffic engineering and transportation shall provide a letter addressing trip generation, trip distribution, and any safety related issues, such as but not limited to sight distance, traffic calming, pedestrian and bicycle access, transit service and other matters.
(Ord. 3090 § 3, 2009)