The following shall apply to the design and
construction of streets associated with subdivision and land development
applications, and are intended as the minimum standards for the promotion
of the public health, safety and welfare. In the case where it can
be clearly demonstrated by the applicant to the satisfaction of the
Board that, because of peculiar conditions pertaining to a tract of
land, the literal enforcement of these standards would cause undue
hardship, such variations from their literal interpretation may be
permitted as may be reasonable and consistent with the purpose and
intent of this chapter.
[Amended 10-27-1993 by Ord. No. 93-07]
A. All street construction and paving must conform to
the specifications incorporated in this section of the standards,
to the applicable requirements of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
Specifications, Publication 408 as most recently published, and shall
be approved by the Township Engineer prior to acceptance by the Board
of Supervisors. All design standards shall conform to the requirements
established by this chapter and shall be subject to the approval of
the Township Engineer.
B. Street paving shall have a minimum total compacted
depth of 13.5 inches, consisting of a six inch sub-base of 2A Type
"C" stone, a six (six) inch bituminous concrete base course, and a
1.5 inch bituminous wearing course ID-2. Alternate paving sections
may be approved by the Board of Supervisors and Township Engineer,
as long as the proposed alternative meets the structural strength
achieved with the existing construction method.
C. All Township streets shall have a crown of 1/4 inch
per foot sloping away from the centerline unless otherwise directed
by the Township Engineer.
D. Subgrade. Wherever possible the subgrade shall be
in cut, or undisturbed subsoil. In no case shall the subgrade consist
of filled or undisturbed topsoil or frozen soils. All deleterious
material such as tree roots, leaves, branches, trash, stones exceeding
six inches in diameter and miscellaneous construction debris shall
be removed from the subgrade. Compaction shall be accomplished by
sheep's-foot, smooth wheel or rubber tired roller, at the discretion
of the Township Engineer. The subgrade shall be compacted tight and
dry and shall not be soft and spongy when check rolled. Compaction
of the subgrade shall extend the full width of the cartway, including
the width to be occupied by shoulders where applicable. Unstable areas
shall be removed and replaced with suitable fill and then rerolled
as required to provide a uniform even surface. The required road crown
shall be built into the shaped subgrade.
E. Subbase. The subbase shall be a 2A Type "C" stone
placed to a compacted depth of six inches (this may be achieved in
one lift). The sub-base shall be compacted to a firm and unyielding
surface by rolling the entire area with a minimum of a ten- twelve-ton
vibratory roller. Prior to continuing to the next course, the sub-base
shall be checked by the Township Engineer for grade, crown, and contour.
Proper compaction will be determined by the Engineer based on non-movement
of the material under the specified compaction equipment.
F. Bituminous concrete base course. The bituminous concrete
base course shall have a compacted depth of six inches (this is to
be achieved in two equal lifts). It shall be mixed, delivered, placed
and protected in accordance with the requirements of Pennsylvania
Department of Transportation Specifications, Publication 408, Section
305, as per the latest edition.
G. Wearing course. After proper cleaning, repairing and
preparation of the bituminous concrete base course, as directed by
the Township Engineer, the base course shall be primed with a tack
coat consisting of materials meeting the specifications of the Pennsylvania
Department of Transportation, Publication 408, Section 406, latest
edition. The wearing course shall then be placed and must achieve
a compacted depth of 1.5 inches of ID-2 material. The wearing course
shall be mixed, delivered, placed and protected in accordance with
the specifications of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation,
Publication 408, Section 420, as per the latest edition.
H. Joint seal. After application of the wearing course,
all curb, inlet, manhole, etc., joints shall be sealed with a six-inch-wide
Grade BM-1 or A-1 bituminous gutter seal.
I. Grading and shoulders. Roadways with curbs shall be
graded with a slope of 1.5 inches per foot from the right-of-way line
toward the curbline, unless directed otherwise by the Township Engineer,
so that all runoff within the right-of-way is directed to the curbline.
The following standards shall apply to individual
and common private driveways:
A. General.
(1) In order to provide a safe and convenient means of
access, all driveways may not exceed a slope of 5% (one foot height
in 20 feet of length) within the street right-of-way as well as within
25 feet of the right-of-way line. Where a drive enters the street
through a cut in a ground bank, the shoulders and slope of the cut
may not exceed a 2 to 1 horizontal to vertical ratio. Grades on any
other portion of driveways shall not exceed 14%. In addition, driveways
shall be paved where grades exceed 7%.
(2) Private driveways whether individual or common on
corner lots shall be located at least 40 feet from the point of intersection
of the nearest street right-of-way lines.
(3) Driveways shall comply with the provisions of Chapter
81, Driveways, of the Code of the Township of West Brandywine.
(4) In any subdivision or land development, no more than
two parallel fifty-foot private driveways serving single interior
lots shall be permitted. An area equal to two lots conforming to the
appropriate zoning district area and bulk regulations shall separate
parallel private driveways.
B. Common private driveways.
(1) A common private driveway may serve no more than two
contiguous lots or units.
(2) Common private driveways shall have a minimum cartway
width of 12 feet, paved to Township specifications.
(3) No parallel and immediate adjacent common driveways
are permitted. All common driveways shall be separated by an area
to two lots which conform to the appropriate zoning district area
and bulk regulations.
(4) An easement of access shall be defined to the satisfaction
of the Board, and included on the plan and deeds of record.