Hereafter all streets and/or roads proposed for dedication for public
use and maintenance within the corporate limits of Middle Smithfield Township
shall conform to the following general standards, requirements and specifications.
A. Application. The standards, requirements and specifications
contained in this article are intended as the minimum for the preservation
of the environment and promotion of the public health, safety and general
welfare and shall be applied as such by the Middle Smithfield Township Planning
Commission and the Middle Smithfield Township Board of Supervisors in reviewing
and evaluating plans for all streets and/or roads intended for dedication
to the Township for public use and maintenance.
B. Other ordinances and regulations. Whenever other Township
ordinances and/or regulations impose more restrictive standards, requirements
and/or specifications than those contained herein, such other ordinances and/or
regulations shall be observed, otherwise the standards, requirements and specifications
of this chapter shall apply.
C. Modifications. The Middle Smithfield Township Planning
Commission may recommend and the Middle Smithfield Township Board of Supervisors
may, subject to appropriate conditions, modify the design and construction
standards as follows to preserve the environment and to protect the public
health, safety and general welfare:
(1) Waive any standards which in their opinion are inappropriate
because of the inadequacy of connecting facilities or because of specific
site or design situations.
(2) Require more restrictive or higher standards necessary
in their judgment to secure the objectives or provisions of this chapter under
certain unique site or design situations.
Hereafter all street and roads proposed for dedication for public use
and maintenance within the corporate limits of Middle Smithfield Township
shall conform to the following design standards:
A. Unusable land.
(1) Land subject to flooding and land deemed by the Planning
Commission and/or the Board of Supervisors to be unusable for other reasons
shall not be plotted for streets or roads in such a manner as may increase
danger to health, life or property or aggravate the flood hazard.
(2) When encroachment of such land is necessary, the applicant
shall be responsible to obtain all permits and approvals from all applicable
agencies and to submit copies of the permits and approvals to Middle Smithfield
Township upon receipt. Failure to obtain such permits and approvals shall
result in the Township approvals and/or acceptance of any such street or road
null and void with no further action on the part of Middle Smithfield Township.
B. Comprehensive Plan and Official Map requirements. All
streets and roads proposed shall conform to any applicable provisions of any
Township Comprehensive Plan or Official Map which is promulgated by Middle
Smithfield Township. All streets or roads must be coordinated with existing
nearby streets or roads to permit a harmonious development of all streets
or roads.
C. Soil protection. Prior to land proposed for streets or roads being developed or changed by grading, excavation or by removal or destruction of the natural topsoil, trees or other vegetative cover, the applicant shall be required to submit an erosion and sediment pollution control plan prepared by a person trained and experienced in erosion and sediment pollution control methods and techniques as provided under Title 25, Rules and Regulations, Chapter
102, issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and any rules or regulations promulgated by Middle Smithfield Township.
D. Streets and topography. Proposed streets and roads shall
be adjusted to the contour of the land so as to produce minimum cuts and fills
and street of reasonable gradient.
E. Stormwater management and drainage systems. All proposed
streets and roads shall have a stormwater management and drainage system in
accordance with the requirements of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance
and as follows:
(1) Natural drainagecourses shall be maintained whenever
possible.
(2) Drainage easements shall be provided where deemed advisable
by the Township.
(3) No stormwater or natural drainage shall be so diverted
as to overload existing drainage systems or to create flooding or the need
for additional drainage structures on other private properties or public lands
without complete approval by all parties of the provisions proposed by the
applicant for handling such conditions.
(4) Storm drainage facilities shall be so designed not only
to handle the anticipated peak discharge from the proposed street or road
but also the anticipated increase in runoff that will occur when all the property
at a higher elevation in the same watershed is fully developed.
(5) All streets and roads shall be so designed as to provide
for discharge of surface water runoff from their rights-of-way.
(6) All proposed surface drainage structures shall be indicated
on the stormwater management and drainage plan.
(7) Drainage plans shall include all appropriate design details
and dimensions necessary to clearly explain proposed construction materials,
grades and elevations.
(8) Whenever storm sewer drains are proposed or required
by the Planning Commission and/or the Board of Supervisors, such storm sewer
system shall be separate from any existing or proposed sanitary sewer system.
Storm drains or storm sewer facilities may be required for any street or road
where the Planning Commission and/or the Board of Supervisors determine that
surface drainage facilities are inadequate to prevent excessive erosion and/or
road maintenance problems.
(9) Drainage structures located on state highway rights-of-way
shall be approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, and a
letter or approved permit from that agency indicating such approval shall
be furnished to the Township prior to acceptance of the subject road.
F. Streets. The location, width and classification of all
streets shall conform to the Township's Official Plan or to such parts thereof
as may have been or will be adopted by the Township, with classification as
follows:
(1) Arterial street. Arterial streets are designed primarily
to carry traffic and generally should not provide access to land or uses which
would interfere with their primary functions.
(a) Arterial streets are designated as "limited," "controlled"
or "partial" access streets.
(b) Arterial streets serve an unlimited number of dwelling
units and uses and unlimited average daily traffic.
(2) Connector street. Connector streets collect traffic from
local access, minor and collector streets and also provide a connection to
arterial streets and expressways and between towns and villages. Connector
streets serve an unlimited number of dwelling units and uses and unlimited
average daily traffic.
(3) Collector street. Collector streets gather traffic from
local access and minor streets and feed this traffic to connector and arterial
streets and expressways.
(a) Collector streets carry heavier traffic volume than minor
streets although they also provide direct access to lands and individual uses
located along them.
(b) Collector streets serve up to an ultimate of 500 dwelling
units and/or uses and/or up to an average daily traffic count of 4,000 vehicles.
(4) Minor street. Minor streets provide direct access to
lands and individual uses located along them and gather traffic from local
access streets and feed this traffic to collector streets. Minor streets serve
up to an ultimate 150 dwelling units and/or uses and/or up to an average daily
traffic count of 1,200 vehicles.
(5) Local access street. Local access streets primarily provide
direct access to lands and individual uses located along them and serve to
provide the connecting link between the beginning or end of a trip and the
higher categories of streets and are further classified as follows:
(a) Cul-de-sac street. A cul-de-sac street is permanently
terminated at one end by a vehicular turnaround and intersects another street
at the other end.
[1] Cul-de-sac streets shall not furnish access to more than
25 dwelling units and/or uses and/or ultimately have an average daily traffic
count in excess of 200 vehicles.
[2] All cul-de-sac streets shall terminate in a circular
right-of-way with a minimum diameter of 120 feet or a tee-type turnaround
with each leg at least 75 feet in length as measured from the street center
line. (See Figures 3-3, 3-4, 3-5 and 3-6.)
(b) Loop street. A loop street intersects other streets on
each end and may intersect a cul-de-sac or other loop street at some point
between each end. Loop streets shall not furnish access to more than 75 dwelling
units and/or uses and/or ultimately have an average daily traffic count in
excess of 600 vehicles.
(6) Marginal access street. Marginal access streets are minor
streets parallel and adjacent to high traffic streets. Marginal access streets
provide access to abutting lands and/or uses and control intersection with
high traffic streets.
G. Intersections. All intersections of streets shall be
designed in accordance with the following:
(1) Center lines of streets shall intersect as nearly at
right angles as possible.
(a) Any center-line intersection less than 75º shall
be allowed only upon approval by the Board of Supervisors of a written request
by the applicant.
(b) Center-line angles of less than 60º shall not be
approved under any condition.
(2) Intersections of more than two streets at one point shall
be allowed only upon approval by the Board of Supervisors of a written request
by the applicant.
(3) Where streets intersect other streets, offsets shall
not be created except as follows:
(a) The minimum offset or distance between center lines of
parallel or approximately parallel streets intersecting a cross street from
an opposite direction shall be as follows:
[1] One hundred fifty feet for minor or local access streets.
[2] Three hundred feet for connector or collector streets.
[3] Six hundred feet for arterial streets. The street of
the highest classification involved shall determine the intersection offset.
(4) At intersections of minor or local access streets, the
right-of-way or property line shall be rounded by arcs with a radii of not
less than 25 feet.
(5) For intersections involving collector, connector or arterial
streets, the Township may require a larger radii at the right-of-way or property
line.
(6) For typical intersections and designs, see Figures 3-1
and 3-2.
H. Street right-of-way widths. Minimum street right-of-way
widths, measured from property lines shall be as shown on Table 3-1.
I. Street travelway widths. Minimum street travelway or
pavement widths shall be as shown on Table 3-1.
J. Street shoulder widths. Minimum street shoulder widths
shall be as shown on Table 3-1.
K. Street alignment. Street alignment shall be designed
as follows:
(1) Whenever street lines are deflected in excess of 5º
within 100 feet, connection shall be made by horizontal curves as set forth
on Table 3-1.
(2) Streets shall be so laid out that there will be unobstructed
sight distances along the center line thereof as set forth in Table 3-1.
(a) Sight distances shall be measured from a point 3.75 feet
above the road surface to a point 0.5 feet above the road surface.
(b) Sight distances at stop intersections shall be measured
from a point 3.75 feet above the road surface to a point 3.75 feet above the
road surface.
(3) Between reverse curves, the following minimum tangents
will be provided:
(a) Two hundred feet on arterial streets.
(b) One hundred feet on connector or collector streets.
(c) Fifty feet on minor and/or local access streets.
L. Street grades. Street gradients shall be designed as
follows:
(1) Center-line grades shall not exceed the gradients set
forth on Table 3-1.
(2) The minimum center-line grades shall not be less than
0.5%.
(3) The maximum grade across the turnaround in a cul-de-sac
street shall not exceed 8%.
(4) To provide adequate drainage, the minimum grade of any
street gutter shall not be less than 0.5%.
(5) To provide adequate drainage, the minimum grade of any
paralleled ditch along a street shall be not less than 1%.
(6) A leveling area for all street intersections shall be
provided as follows:
(a) The tangent grade of the through street at the point
of intersection of the center lines of the two streets shall not exceed 8%.
(b) The tangent grade of the connecting street(s) shall not
exceed 4% within the right-of-way lines of the through street. No point of
vertical curvature shall be within the through street right-of-way.
M. Vertical curves. Vertical curves shall be used at changes
of grade exceeding 1% and shall be designed as follows:
(1) Crest vertical curves shall be designed in relation to
the design speed to provide vertical sight distances consistent with the horizontal
sight distances as set forth in Table 3-1.
(2) On minor streets and local access streets, sag vertical
curves shall have a minimum length of 15 feet for each one-percent algebraic
difference in tangent grade with an absolute minimum length of 75 feet. (Example:
1% to 5% = 75 feet v.c., 5.1% to 6% = 90 feet v.c., etc.)
(3) On collector, connector or arterial streets, sag vertical
curves shall have a minimum length of 25 feet for each one-percent algebraic
difference in tangent grade with an absolute minimum length of 100 feet. (Example:
1% to 4% = 100 feet v.c., 4.1% to 5% = 125 feet v.c., etc.)
(4) Vertical curve sight and length calculations shall be
shown on the profile sheets with the curve.
N. Intersection sight distances (clear sight triangles).
At intersections, any obstructions of any type, including vegetation and earth,
shall be removed (by excavation if necessary) so that clear and unobstructed
sight is provided from a point on the center line of the intersecting road
distant 15 feet from the nearest edge of the travelway of the through road
to a point on the center line of the through road a distance of:
(1) Seven hundred feet if the through road is an arterial
street.
(2) Five hundred feet if the through road is a connector
street.
(3) Four hundred feet if the through road is a collector
street.
(4) Three hundred feet if the through road is a minor or
local access street.
O. Requests for modification of street requirements. The Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors recognize that the preceding Subsections
G to
N are not applicable in all circumstances because of unusual topography or property line layout and may consider deviations or variations therefrom on an individual case-by-case basis.
(1) In recommending and granting a request for such a modification,
the Planning Commission and/or the Board of Supervisors may impose such requirements
and conditions as it deems fit and proper in each case to maintain the integrity
of this chapter and to assure safety of the traveling public.
(2) Any and all requests for such a modification shall be
in writing and, if recommended by the Planning Commission and granted by the
Board of Supervisors, shall be entered in the minutes of the meeting of the
Board of Supervisors when granted, and the request shall be attested to and
signed by the Township Secretary and a copy submitted to the Planning Commission
prior to the Commission's action on the submitted plan.
(3) Requests for modifications shall be on the form in
Appendix D-8 of this chapter.
P. Street names. All streets shall be named in compliance
with the following:
(1) Proposed streets which are obviously in alignment with
others already existing and named shall bear the same of the existing streets.
(2) In no case shall the name of a proposed street be the
same as or similar to an existing street name in the Township, irrespective
of the use of the suffix "street," "road," "avenue," "boulevard," "drive,"
"place," "court," "lane," etc.
Q. Driveways. Existing driveways along a proposed street
or road shall be designed and constructed to prevent stormwater drainage from
sheeting onto or across the street or road.
R. Embankment and excavation design. Embankments and excavations
shall be designed as follows:
(1) The maximum slope of any embankment or earth excavation
shall not exceed one foot vertical to two feet horizontal.
(2) The maximum slope of any rock excavation shall not exceed
four feet vertical to one foot horizontal.
(3) All embankments and excavations shall have a continuous
slope to the point of intersection with the natural grade with a slight rounding
of the top of the slope of excavations to help prevent erosion.
(4) Where embankment is to be constructed on a slope of more
than 10%, the natural slope shall be benched to allow the embankment to be
placed in horizontal layers.
(5) Where the embankment foundation is to be situated in
water or swamp areas or is saturated or unstable, the embankment shall be
designed for a rock fill to a height not less than the existing high-water
table. Alternate methods of stabilization of these areas may be approved by
the Board of Supervisors.
S. Street cross sections. The finished travelway and shoulders
of all streets and roads shall be designed as follows:
(1) Shoulder surfaces shall be graded away from the paved
travelway at a slope of 1/2 inch per foot.
(2) The finished paved travelway surface of tangent sections
and curved sections not required to be superelevated shall be crowned at 1/4
inch per foot away from the center line.
(3) Properly superelevated cross sections shall be required
on arterial, connector and collector streets when the curve radii are less
than 500 feet.
(a) The maximum permissible superelevation shall be 0.08
feet per foot across the travelway pavement.
(b) When the superelevation rate is over 1/2 inch per foot,
the shoulder on the low side shall be sloped at the same rate as the pavement
superelevation.
T. Bridges and stream crossings. Bridges and other stream
crossings which are part of the proposed street system shall be designed and
constructed in accordance with the current Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
standards and specifications. Evidence of compliance with an approval of the
Division of Dams and Encroachments, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Protection, shall be provided when applicable.
U. Guide rails. Guide rails shall be provided in accordance
with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation standards. Guide rails
shall be provided at locations where a fill slope of less than three feet
horizontal to one foot vertical has a height of five feet or more from natural
ground to the outside edge of the shoulder for a distance of 30 feet or more.
V. Ground cover requirements. Exposed slopes on all streets
and roads shall be protected with a vegetative growth that is capable of preventing
soil erosion. The vegetative cover shall not be poisonous in nature.
W. Driveway entrances. All driveway entrances shall be in
accordance with Township standards as set forth in the Driveway Ordinance. All driveway entrances shall contain provisions for adequate parallel
drainage facilities.
X. Drainage. Parallel and cross drainage facilities shall
be properly located and designed to maintain proper drainage of all completed
streets and roads.
(1) Stormwater runoff shall be calculated and drainage facilities
designed in accordance with the requirements of the Subdivision and Land Development
Ordinance.
(2) The minimum diameter of any cross drainage or culvert
pipe shall be 18 inches.
(3) All cross drainage or culvert pipe shall be either reinforced
concrete pipe, asphalt coated corrugated metal pipe or an approved equal.
(4) All drainage pipe shall have concrete headwalls and concrete
endwalls or an approved equal. (See Figures C-1, C-2 and C-3.)
(5) Consideration shall be given for subgrade drainage of
those soils subject to frost heave as itemized in the following subsection:
(a) The Soil Conservation Service has reported the following
soils as having moderate or high potential for frost heave: Albie, Albrights,
Aldens, Bartle, Boynton, Braceville, Fredon, Mardin, Middlebury, Morris, Pekin,
Troy, Volusia, Watson and Wellsboro.
(b) Design of the road bed in such locations may require
that subgrade drains and/or pipe underdrains be installed to properly stabilize
the subgrade. The Township may require that such drainage facilities be provided.
(c) The design of subgrade drainage facilities shall be subject
to the review and approval of the Township Engineer and/or the Township Planning
Commission consultant.
(6) All parallel drainage ditches shall have a minimum bottom
width of 18 inches with slopes not to exceed one foot vertical to two feet
horizontal. Pipe outlet ditches shall be the same design as parallel ditches.
Y. Curbs and gutters. Curb and gutter design shall be in
accordance with the standards of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
Gutter requirements shall be in conformance with good engineering practice
and subject to the approval of the Township Engineer and/or the Township Planning
Commission consultant.
Z. Street name signs. The applicant shall provide the street
or road with adequate name and number signs at all intersections. Sign style
and characteristics, including color and lettering, shall be acceptable to
the Board of Supervisors.
AA. Streetlighting. Streetlights may be required when the
Board of Supervisors deems them necessary or advisable to provide safe auto
and/or pedestrian traffic circulation. Such lights shall be subject to approval
by the Board of Supervisors.
BB. Traffic signs. Traffic signs shall be required as necessary
or advisable to provide safe auto and/or pedestrian traffic circulation. Such
traffic signs shall meet design standards as established by the Pennsylvania
Department of Transportation (Bulletin No. 43).