The purpose of traffic calming is to encourage the design of
streets and roadside appurtenances to be pedestrian-friendly and aesthetically
pleasing, with the goal to reduce vehicle operating speeds, promote
adherence to the speed limit within a development, and negate the
need for future traffic calming retrofits. Traffic calming shall enhance
the livability of a street and shall produce a roadway network that
naturally disperses and slows traffic. Traffic calming shall be implemented
in a comprehensive approach utilizing both noninvasive and invasive
techniques as differing situations apply. Noninvasive traffic calming,
such as traffic calming through geometric design elements, shall be
considered first. Invasive traffic calming shall be applied where
dictated by this chapter.
A.
A traffic calming plan shall be submitted for review by
the Township Engineer, Public Safety Committee, and Planning Commission.
This plan shall depict specific design elements that have been utilized
to calm traffic.
B.
A traffic calming plan shall be required for all proposed
developments that meet the requirement to prepare a traffic study.
The traffic calming plan shall include the following:
C.
The plan shall be prepared, signed and sealed by a professional
engineer registered in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with sufficient
prior traffic engineering experience to qualify the engineer to develop
the plan and render any opinions and recommendations set forth therein.
D.
Traffic calming shall be required on all minor roads.
E.
Traffic calming shall be required on collector roads within
600 feet of areas of concentrated pedestrian traffic (i.e.: town squares,
intersections of two collector roads in a business district, parks,
schools, churches, planned Greenway Plan and Comprehensive Plan improvements)
and within all developments required to install sidewalks.
G.
All traffic calming elements shall be designed in accordance
with Pennsylvania's Traffic Calming Handbook. All features shall
also be designed to facilitate a forty-two-foot minimum turning radius
and eleven-foot minimum travel lane to facilitate emergency vehicles
and snow clearing apparatus.
H.
Noninvasive traffic calming elements are design elements
relating to street geometry and are the preferred method of traffic
calming, such as:
I.
Invasive traffic calming elements involve the physical change of the street or roadside appurtenances that limit vehicle operating speeds. Invasive traffic calming elements shall be considered at locations of concentrated pedestrian movements, as previously defined where non-invasive design elements cannot be employed. Refer to Subsection J(3)(a) for preferred examples of invasive traffic calming devices.
J.
Speed control points are points at which speed is limited
by either invasive or noninvasive traffic calming elements. The maximum
road length between speed control points shall be 600 feet. Types
of speed control points are:
(1)
Warranted stop sign:
(a)
Stop signs shall not be used as speed control
points unless the stop sign meets warrants for installation as set
forth in the current edition of PennDOT Publication 212 and the Manual
on Uniform Traffic Control Devices as published by the Federal Highway
Administration.
(2)
Horizontal curve:
(a)
Curvilinear street form is a preferred method
of noninvasive traffic calming that not only reduces vehicle speed
but also enhances aesthetics. The "600 feet" measurements shall be
measured from the point of curvature (PC) of the curve.
(3)
Traffic calming device:
(a)
A traffic calming device is an invasive physical
alteration of the roadway, or roadside appurtenance that has the tendency
to limit vehicle operating speeds. Refer to PennDOT Publication 383,
"Pennsylvania Traffic Calming Handbook," for background information
regarding traffic calming techniques and devices. Preferred examples
are:
