[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township
of Towamencin 12-1-1969; amended in its entirety 4-17-1995 by Ord. No. 95-6. Subsequent
amendments noted where applicable.]
On or after the passage of this chapter, it shall not be lawful
for any person to construct or reconstruct any driveway or alter the
grade, line or width of any shoulder within the right-of-way of Township
roads until a permit to perform such construction or reconstruction
has been issued by Towamencin Township.
The provisions of this chapter shall be held to be minimum requirements
to meet the above-stated purposes. Where the provisions of this chapter
impose greater restrictions than those of any statute, other ordinance
or regulations, the provisions of this chapter shall prevail. Where
the provisions of any statute, other ordinance or regulation impose
greater restrictions than those of this chapter, the provisions of
such statute, ordinance or regulation shall prevail.
An "access driveway" is any means for passage of vehicles between
property abutting on a Township highway and the highway. It shall
be deemed to include that part of the driveway that lies within the
established right-of-way limits of the Township highway. It will also
include such drainage structures as may be necessary for the proper
construction and maintenance thereof.
A.
Plans and specifications. All construction, grading or planting within
the right-of-way of Township roads shall be executed in accordance
with plans and specifications showing all proposed work in a manner
satisfactory to the Township. Such plans may be part of or included
in plans prepared for building, zoning, subdivision or sewage applications.
B.
Permits. A permit will be issued in writing when a plan is deemed
satisfactory to the Township. Under no circumstances whatever shall
a verbal approval or permission given by anyone be considered a justification
for any deviation from the approved plans or for the violation of
any of the rules and regulations governing construction within the
right-of-way of Township highways.
A.
Supervision. It shall be the duty of the Township Roadmaster or his
representatives to inspect all work within the right-of-way of the
Township highway for conformity with the ordinances of the Township.
B.
Notice. Notice must be given to the Township when the work is sufficiently
advanced for inspection, when it shall be the duty of the proper officer
to inspect the same within two working days after receipt of said
notification.
Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall
be liable, upon conviction thereof, to a penalty not exceeding $1,000
and costs of prosecution for each and every offense or, upon default
in payment of the fine and costs, to imprisonment in the Montgomery
County Prison for not more than 30 days, and whenever such person
shall have been notified by the Township Zoning Officer or by service
of a summons in a prosecution or other written notice, that he is
committing such violation of this chapter, each day that he shall
continue such violation after such notification shall constitute a
separate offense, punishable by a like fine or penalty. Such fines
or penalties shall be collected as like fines and penalties are now
by law collected.
B.
CORNER CLEARANCE
INTERMEDIATE ISLAND
PAVEMENT EDGE
PERMANENT-TYPE CONSTRUCTION
PROPERTY LINE CLEARANCE
RADIUS CURB
RURAL AREA
SHOULDER LINE
SIDEWALKS
STABILIZED MATERIAL
URBAN AREA
VEHICLE
The following words and phrases, when used in these regulations,
shall, for the purpose of these regulations, have the following meanings,
respectively, except in those instances where the context clearly
indicates a different meaning:
The distance, at an intersection of two highways, between
the near edge of the access driveway approach and the point of intersection
of the pavement edges or the curbline extended.
That section of the roadway right-of-way between the pavement
edge or curb and the property line, which occurs between driveways.
The edge of the main traveled portion of any street or highway,
exclusive of shoulder or berm.
Plain or reinforced concrete, bituminous concrete or macadam
of required thickness.
The distance measured along the pavement edge or curb between
the property frontage boundary line and the edge of the driveway.
That section of curb forming an arc beginning at end of driveway
and continuing to throat of driveway.
An area where roadways have been built to typical rural highway
standards without sidewalks and curbs.
The intersection of the shoulder slope with the side slope
or ditch slope.
A permanent hard paved walkway, continuous for a reasonable
distance and an integral part of the highway development, solely for
use of pedestrians.
Any aggregate such as gravel, stone, slag or mixtures of
such aggregates with soil, placed in such a manner as to provide a
smooth, stable, all weather surface, not subject to undue raveling.
An area where the roadways have been built to typical city
street standards, including sidewalks and curbs.
Any device in, upon or by which any person or property is
or may be transported or drawn upon a public highway.
A.
All driveways shall be located, designed and constructed in such
a manner as not to interfere or be inconsistent with the design, maintenance
and drainage of the highway.
B.
Access driveways shall be located in such manner so that they will
not cause interference with the traveling public, a hazard to the
free movement of normal highway traffic, nor areas of undue traffic
congestion on the highway. In accordance with this principle, driveways
should be located where the highway alignment and profile are favorable,
i.e., where there are no sharp curves or steep grades and where sight
distance in conjunction with the driveway access would be adequate
for safe traffic operation.
C.
Access driveways should not be located at interchanges, ramp areas
or locations that would interfere with the placement and proper functioning
of highway signs, signals, detectors, lighting or other devices that
affect traffic control. The location of a driveway near a signalized
intersection that has an actuated traffic signal may include a requirement
that the permittee provide, without expense to the Township, additional
detectors for the control of traffic movement from his establishment
or for the relocation of existing detectors.
D.
Where highway curbs exist, driveway approaches shall be installed
11/2 inches above the adjacent highway or gutter grade to maintain
the proper drainage.
E.
Maintenance of grade line.
(1)
Where highway curbs do not exist, driveways shall be constructed
in such a manner as not to interfere with the drainage grade line
of shoulders. If, in the opinion of the Roadmaster, a pipe is required
to maintain the grade line, the permittee shall install such pipe,
at his expense, parallel to the pavement edge and at a minimum distance
of 10 feet therefrom and on the grade line as directed by the Roadmaster
(unless advised to the contrary by the Township Engineer).
(2)
Where a pipe is placed in the shoulder line, the driveway may slope
away from the roadway at a lesser gradient than the normal shoulder
slope but not less than 1/4 inch per foot from the paving edge to
the pipe.
(3)
The minimum pipe length shall be equal to the width of the driveway
plus eight feet.
The permissible number, arrangement and width of driveways shall
be governed in part by the highway frontage of abutting private property.
The number of driveways permitted shall be the minimum number required
to serve adequately the needs of the abutting property. Frontages
of 50 feet or less shall be limited to one driveway. Normally not
more than two driveways need to be provided to any single property
tract or business establishment. Exception may be made where the frontage
exceeds 300 feet in length or where the frontage is along a divided
highway. In such instances, requests for additional driveways shall
require prior approval from the Township.
A.
The location and angle of an access driveway approach in relation
to the highway intersection shall be such that a vehicle entering
the driveway may do so in an orderly and safe manner and with a minimum
of interference with through highway traffic and a vehicle leaving
the driveway may enter safely into the lane of traffic moving in the
desired direction.
B.
Where the access driveway approach and highway pavement meet, flaring
of the approach may be necessary to allow safe, easy turning of the
vehicle when entering or departing from the driveway.
C.
No part of any access driveway shall be constructed outside of the
applicant's frontage.
D.
Each roadside business establishment shall provide sufficient parking
or storage space off the right-of-way to prevent the storage of vehicles
on the driveway or the backing up of traffic on the traveled roadway.
E.
No part of the highway right-of-way shall be used for servicing of
vehicles, displays or conducting a private business. The area between
the edge of the pavement and the right-of-way line shall be kept clear
of all buildings, sales exhibits, business signs, parking areas, service
equipment, etc., excluding mailboxes.
F.
Improvements on private property adjacent to the right-of-way shall
be so located that parking, stopping and maneuvering of vehicles on
the right-of-way will not be necessary in order for vehicles or patrons
to be served properly.
A.
Angle of access driveway approach.
(2)
Single access driveway approaches shall be positioned at right angles
[90°] to the highway or as near thereto as site conditions permit.
When two access driveways are constructed on the same property frontage
and used for one-way operations, each of these driveways may be placed
at less than a right angle, but not less than 75° to the highway.
C.
Intermediate island between multiple driveways.
E.
Width of access driveway approaches.
(1)
The width of driveways shall be as specified in the Towamencin Township
Engineering Standards, as last amended.
(2)
The width of access driveways shall not exceed the above dimensions
when measured at right angles to the center line of driveway. Where
a commercial access driveway approach and the highway pavement meet,
flaring of the driveway shall be required to allow safe and easy turning
of the vehicle either into or out of a commercial development.
F.
Curb.
(1)
All curb must be of a permanent type.
(2)
In areas where no curb exists, an eight-inch-high vertical face curb
shall be used.
(3)
Where the property abutting the highway right-of-way will be used
for parking area, the Township may require curb to be placed. This
curb will be required to confine the traffic movement to the access
driveway and to prohibit encroachment upon sidewalks or shoulder area.
G.
Sight distance.
(1)
Access driveways shall be located at a point of optimum sight distance
along the highway within the property frontage limits. The profile
of the driveway and the grading of the right-of-way area shall provide
a maximum sight distance so that the operator of a vehicle departing
from such a driveway will have optimum visibility in either direction
along the highway.
(2)
Where adequate sight distances cannot be attained, the location of
the driveway will be at the discretion of the Township Engineer.
H.
Slope of access driveway.
(1)
All driveways shall be constructed in such a manner as not to impair
drainage within the highway right-of-way, alter the stability of the
roadway subgrade or materially change the drainage of adjacent areas.
Where open shoulders or berms exist, the grade of a paved access driveway(s)
shall slope away from the highway pavement at the same rate as the
existing shoulder (unless advised to the contrary by the Township
Engineer) for the width of the shoulder. The gradient of a driveway
beyond this point (within the highway right-of-way) shall not be less
than 1/4 inch per foot.
(2)
Driveway ramps may extend from the face of the curb up to the outer
edge of the sidewalk area in those cases where a planted area occurs
between multiple driveways. The rate of slope for such driveway ramps
preferably should not exceed one inch per foot. Where conditions are
such that one inch per foot of slope is not obtainable, the sidewalk
area of the driveway may be lowered sufficiently to obtain the allowable
ramp slope and the sidewalk may be warped up to meet the normal sidewalk
grade at a rate of slope not to exceed 3/8 inch per foot.
(3)
Where a drainage ditch or swale exists, adequate pipe shall be installed
under the driveway (by the permittee) in accordance with Township
specifications. Minimum diameter of such drainage pipe shall be 15
inches (or eleven-inch-by-eighteen-inch arch) unless otherwise specified
by the Township Engineer.
I.
Access driveway pavement. Access driveways shall be appropriately
surfaced between the traveled road and the business or service area
with a stabilized material when specified by the Township Engineer.
J.
Deceleration and acceleration lanes.
(1)
The shoulder or berm area leading to the entrance driveway of a business
establishment or other roadside developments in rural areas may be
paved for a suitable distance to permit vehicles to decelerate or
accelerate in safety when entering or leaving the property. Such paving
shall be limited to the area in front of the abutting property and
shall be done by the property owner, at his expense, in accordance
with Township specifications.
(2)
Special attention will be given to permit requests for the construction
of access driveways to large business establishments, shopping centers,
outdoor theaters, etc., particularly when the volume of traffic generated
may necessitate acceleration and deceleration lanes, standby lanes,
jughandles, channelization, etc. In all such cases, the permittee
will be advised that costs incident to the construction of such additional
roadway improvements shall be at no expense to the Township. Such
work shall be constructed under the supervision and inspection of
the Township.
All driveways, adjacent areas and areas between such driveways,
including channelization, paving, drainage, etc., installed by the
permittee shall be maintained by the property owner in such a manner
as not to interfere or be inconsistent with the design, maintenance
and drainage of the highway or the safe and convenient passage of
traffic upon the highway. The term "adjacent area" shall apply only
to that area within the permittee's property line extended.
These rules and regulations shall become effective on the 31st
day of December 1969 and shall continue in full force and effect thereafter
until amended, modified, revoked or rescinded by the Township.
