[Added 8-23-1993 by Ord. No. 93-23]
A traffic management study shall be required for all major subdivisions, land developments and rezoning requests as described in § 205-102. This study and report will enable Montgomery Township to assess the effect of a proposed subdivision, land development or rezoning request on the transportation system in Montgomery Township. The purpose of the study is to ensure that proposed developments or zoning changes do not adversely affect the transportation network, to identify any traffic problems associated with site access and to determine traffic problems on Township, county or state roads in the study area of the proposed project. The study also will assist in the protection of air quality, the conservation of energy and the safety of the motoring public. The study shall also present specific determination of necessary traffic control signing (i.e., stop signs, speed limit signing, warning signs, no parking signing, etc.), conforming to Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, Title 75, and applicable Township requirements.
The traffic management study shall be prepared by a qualified traffic engineer and/or transportation planner with previous traffic study experience. The requirements, procedures and standards for the traffic management study are set forth in § 205-104.
A.
A traffic management study shall be submitted for
all residential subdivisions or land developments of 20 or more lots
or dwelling units; all commercial, office, industrial, institutional
or other nonresidential uses requiring subdivision or land development
approval; all rezoning requests; and, with respect to residential
subdivisions or land developments of fewer than 20 dwelling units,
the Board of Supervisors, at its discretion where it determines that
there is a need for a traffic management study because of the location
of the proposed site, may require a traffic management study and report;
provided, however, that the Supervisors notify the applicant of this
requirement within 30 days of the original filing of the application.
As used in this article, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
This elevation is defined in the 1985 Highway Capacity Manual,
Special Report 209, as amended, as operational conditions within a
traffic stream (or at an intersection approach). "Level of service"
also generally describes these conditions in terms of such factors
as speed, travel time, freedom to maneuver, traffic interruptions,
comfort and convenience and safety. Six "levels of service" are defined
for each type of traffic facility, ranging from A to F. Level of Service
A indicates free flow; Level of Service B indicates stable flow; Level
of Service C indicates stable but inhibited flow; Level of Service
D indicates high-density, restricted stable flow; Level of Service
E indicates operation at or near capacity; and Level of Service F
is indicative of flow breakdown.
Any intersection where traffic generated by the proposal
will have a significant effect on the operation of traffic through
the intersection. Where doubt exists, the qualified traffic engineer
and/or planner shall seek guidance from the Montgomery Township Board
of Supervisors and/or the Township Traffic Engineer prior to the submission
of the study.
This procedure includes the average queue and maximum queue
of vehicles which will be observed in each traffic stream and intersection
approach, measured in both feet and vehicles. Various statistical
and/or computer models may be applied.
This area will extend along all Township, county and state
roads serving the development and will extend to all major intersections
in the Township that may be affected. Where doubt exists, the qualified
traffic engineer and/or transportation planner will seek guidance
from the Montgomery Township Board of Supervisors or its designee
prior to the submission of the study.
The total count of trips to and from a study site per unit
of land use (i.e., acres, dwelling unit, etc.) as established by the
most recent edition of the Institute of Transportation Engineers Trip
Generation Report. For land uses not listed in this report or if information
is determined through a small sample size, the qualified traffic engineer
and/or transportation planner shall seek guidance from the Montgomery
Township Board of Supervisors or its designee prior to the submission
of the study.
This procedure compares the volume of a traffic facility
to its capacity. The procedure described in the 1985 Highway Capacity
Manual, Transportation Research Board Special Report 209, as amended,
shall be followed.
A series of warrants which detail the minimum traffic volume,
pedestrian volume or other criteria necessary for the installation
of a traffic signal. These criteria are contained in the most recent
edition of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets
and Highways, United States Department of Transportation, FHWA.
A traffic management study shall follow the
outline in Subsection A and include information as contained in Subsection
B.
A.
B.
Traffic management report guidelines. The report made
after the study shall be in the following format and contain the following
information unless any part of the following requirements are specifically
waived by the Board of Supervisors.
(1)
Introduction. The objective of this section
is to clearly identify the site and use and transportation setting
for the site and its surrounding area.
(a)
Site and study area boundaries. A brief description
of the size, location, general terrain features, proposed land uses,
construction staging and completion date of the proposed land development
shall be provided. If the development is residential, types of dwelling
units and number of bedrooms shall be included. Also, the description
shall include probable socioeconomic characteristics of site users
with respect to transportation needs of the site (i.e., number of
senior citizens).
(b)
Existing and proposed site uses. The existing
and proposed uses of the site shall be identified in terms of type
and zoning classification category.
(c)
Existing and proposed nearby uses. A complete
description of the existing land uses in the vicinity of the site
as well as their current zoning, proposed uses for adjacent land and
other major existing and proposed land development shall be provided.
(d)
Existing and proposed roadways and intersections.
The description shall contain full documentation of the proposed internal
and existing external transportation system. This description shall
include proposed internal vehicular bicycle and pedestrian circulation,
all proposed ingress and egress locations, all internal roadways (widths
and rights-of-way), parking conditions, traffic channelization and
any traffic signals or other intersection control devices at all intersections
within the site. Also, locations for all signing (i.e., speed limits,
etc.) shall be shown and verified. The report shall describe the entire
external roadway system within the study area. Major intersections
in the study area shall be identified and illustrated. All existing
and proposed public transportation services and facilities within
a one-mile radius of the site shall also be documented. All future
highway improvements within Montgomery Township and the study area,
including proposed construction and traffic signalization, shall be
noted. Improvements cited within the most recent Montgomery Township
Comprehensive Plan shall be referenced. Improvements from the Pennsylvania
Department of Transportation's twelve-year Highway and Bridge Program,
within Montgomery Township and the study area, shall also be noted.
Any proposed or in-place roadway improvements due to proposed surrounding
developments shall be noted.
(2)
Analysis of existing conditions. This section
shall describe the results of the volume/capacity analysis to be completed
for the roadways and intersections in the study area under existing
conditions as well as any data collection efforts that are required.
(a)
Daily and peak hour volumes. Schematic diagrams
shall be presented depicting existing traffic volumes for average
daily traffic (ADT), the weekday peak highway traffic hour(s) and
peak development-generated hour(s) and the Saturday peak traffic hour.
All documentation must be contained in the report. Turning movement
and mainline volumes shall be presented for all peak hour conditions
(weekday a.m. peak, weekday p.m. peak, weekday site-generated and
Saturday peak) while only mainline volumes are required for ADT's.
Source and method of computation must be included.
(b)
Volume/capacity analysis at critical points.
A volume/capacity analysis based upon existing volumes shall be performed
during the weekday and Saturday peak traffic hour(s) and the peak
development-generated hour(s) for all roadways and major intersections
in the study area.
(c)
Levels of service at critical points. Based
on the results obtained in the previous section, levels of service
are to be computed and presented in schematic form. Included in this
section shall also be a description of typical operating conditions
at each level of service.
(3)
Analysis of future conditions without the proposed
development. This section shall describe the anticipated traffic volumes
in the future and the ability of the roadway network to accommodate
this traffic without the proposed development. The future year(s)
for which projections are made shall be the development completion
year unless required otherwise by the Montgomery Township Board of
Supervisors. Factors included within this section include, but are
not limited to, background traffic growth expansion and traffic generated
by other proposed developments as well as associated improvements.
(a)
Daily and peak hour traffic volumes. This section shall clearly indicate the method and assumptions used to forecast future volumes in order that Township personnel can duplicate these calculations. The schematic diagrams depicting future volumes shall be similar for those described previously in Subsection B(2)(a) in terms of location and times (daily and peak hours).
(b)
Volume/capacity analysis at critical points. The ability of the roadway system to accommodate future traffic (without the proposed development) is to be described in this section. If roadway improvements or modifications are committed for implementation, the volume/capacity analysis should be presented for these conditions. Periods of analysis shall be presented for these conditions. Periods of analysis shall be the same as those previously performed in Subsection B(2)(b).
(4)
Trip generation. The estimation of vehicular
trips to result from the proposal shall be completed for average weekday,
average Saturday, peak traffic hours during the weekday a.m. and p.m.
peak traffic hours, the weekday peak development-generated hour and
the Saturday peak traffic hour. These development-generated traffic
volumes shall be provided for the inbound and outbound traffic movements
as estimated, and the reference source(s) and methodology followed
shall be documented. Any characteristics of the site which may cause
particular trip generation problems shall be noted.
(5)
Trip distribution. The direction of approach
for site-generated traffic will be presented in this section for the
appropriate time periods. As with all technical analysis steps, the
basic method and assumptions used in this work must be clearly stated
in order that Township officials may replicate these results.
(6)
Traffic assignment. This section describes the utilization of study area roadways by site-generated traffic. The proposed traffic volumes shall be combined with anticipated traffic volumes as calculated under Subsection B(3) to describe mainline and turning movement volumes for future conditions with the site developed as proposed. Traffic volumes shall be assigned to individual access points. If school crossings are to be used, pedestrian volumes shall be assigned to each crossing.
(7)
Analysis of future conditions with the proposed
development. This section describes the adequacy of the roadway system
to accommodate future traffic with development of the site.
(8)
Recommended improvements. A description of proposed improvements to remedy deficiencies shall be included in this section. Improvements shall be identified which would replace capacity and/or return predevelopment levels of service conditions. Alternative improvement schemes shall be presented for postdevelopment traffic volumes to operate at a minimum Level of Service D or in no circumstances at a level of service worse than predevelopment levels. These recommendations shall separately identify committed projects of governmental agencies which were described and independently identified in Subsection B(1) and reflected in the analysis contained in Subsections B(2) and B(3).
(a)
Proposed recommended improvements. This section
should describe the location, nature and extent of proposed improvements
to assure sufficient capacity. The listing of recommended improvements
shall include, but not be limited to, the following elements: internal
circulation design, speed limit, stop and no parking sign locations,
site access location and design, external roadway and intersection
design and improvements and traffic signal installation and operation,
including phasing and timing. All physical roadway improvements shall
be shown in sketches. This listing shall also include, for each improvement,
preliminary cost estimates, funding source, timing and likelihood
of the improvement implementation and the party responsible for the
improvement.
(b)
Volume/capacity analysis at critical points.
Another iteration of the volume/capacity analysis shall be presented
and described which demonstrates the anticipated results of making
recommended improvements.
(c)
Levels of service at critical points. Based
on the results obtained in the previous section, levels of service
for the study area with improvements shall be presented.
(d)
Conclusion. The last section of the study shall
be a clear, concise description of the study findings. It is anticipated
that this concluding section should serve as an executive summary.
A.
The traffic management study shall be submitted to
the Township Secretary with the preliminary plan application or the
petition for rezoning, as the case may be. An application for preliminary
plan approval shall be deemed incomplete and unacceptable for filing
if the traffic study is not included in the submission, and the time
period for approval of such plans pursuant to Section 508 of the Pennsylvania
Municipalities Code, 53 P.S. § 10508, shall not commence
until the study is received by the Township Secretary. A petition
for rezoning will not be accepted or scheduled for hearing until the
traffic management study is received.
B.
The preliminary plan and accompanying improvement
construction plans shall not be submitted to the Pennsylvania Department
of Transportation until the plans and the traffic management study
have been reviewed by the Montgomery Township Planning Commission,
the Montgomery Township Engineer and the Montgomery Township Traffic
Engineer and approved by the Montgomery Township Board of Supervisors.
The submittal to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation shall
be accompanied by the comments of Montgomery Township.
A.
The Montgomery Township Planning Commission, the Township
Engineer, the Township Traffic Engineer and Board of Supervisors shall
review the traffic management study to analyze its adequacy in solving
any traffic problems that may occur due to the land development, subdivision
or request for rezoning.
B.
The Montgomery Township Board of Supervisors may decide,
after receiving the reports and recommendations of the Planning Commission,
Township Engineer and Township Traffic Engineer, that certain improvements
are necessary and may make these additional improvements to be completed
by and at the cost of the developer as conditions to the subdivision,
land development or request for rezoning approval.
A.
The Board of Supervisors of Montgomery Township may waive or modify, in whole or in part, the requirement for a traffic management study or any of the requirements and standards set forth in § 205-104 if literal enforcement will exact undue hardship because of peculiar conditions pertaining to the land in question, provided that such waiver or modification will not be contrary to the public interest and that the purpose and interest of this article is observed.
B.
In considering any waiver or modification, the Board
of Supervisors may consider, in its discretion, but is not limited
to considering, such factors as the location of the subject property,
its proximity to intersections and major roadways, the size and density
of the proposed subdivision or land development, the number and location
of proposed accesses to the subject property and the nature of the
use proposed.
