Morrisville Unified Development Ordinance - April 2019

Article 5: Development Standards Section 5.8. Access and Circulation 5.8.6. Vehicular Access and Circulation

Table 5.8.6.C: Vehicular Accessway Classifications

Daily Traffic Volume

Number of Lanes [1]

Access Control

Land Use Service

Posted Speed

Accessway Classification and Description

Minor Thoroughfares —Accessways that primarily function to provide travel mobility among the Town’s major activity centers by connecting local streets, collector streets, and other minor thoroughfares with major thoroughfares. They generally handle moderate vehicular travel speeds and traffic volumes, and may provide some direct driveway access to abutting development, particularly in commercial and industrial areas, but to a degree and in a way that minimizes interference with through movements along the minor thoroughfare. Major Thoroughfares —Accessways that primarily function to channel intercity vehicular traffic to and through the Town and to provide travel mobility among the Town’s major activity centers by connecting minor thoroughfares with each other and with collector streets. They handle moderate to high travel speeds and traffic volumes over relatively long distances, and provide limited direct driveway access to abutting development. Freeways —Specialized accessways that function solely to channel intercity vehicular traffic to and through the Town and to connect major thoroughfares. They consist of multi-lane divided highways that handle high traffic volumes at very high travel speeds, and limit access to grade-separated interchanges.

5,000 – 40,000

35-45 mph

2-5

Fair

Moderate

45-55 mph

2-7

> 20,000 Moderate

Low

4 or more

> 40,000

High

None

> 50 mph

Notes: [1] Can include center turn lanes, but does not include acceleration and deceleration lanes. (Ord. No. 2015-047, 07/28/2015; Ord. No. 2016-001, 05/10/2016) D. Vehicular Connectivity

Purpose The purpose of the following vehicular connectivity standards is to enhance safe and convenient mobility within and between developments that helps integrate and connect neighborhoods, allow people to conveniently access activity centers without compromising the capacity of the Town’s streets to accommodate through traffic, improve opportunities for comprehensive and convenient transit service, enhance efficient provision of public services, improve the speed and effectiveness with which emergency services and police and fire protection can be provided to Town residents and properties, and implement other connectivity objectives and policies in the Comprehensive Plan. Required Vehicular Access and Circulation a. A development shall be served by an internal system of vehicular accessways (including alleys, fire lanes, and drive aisle lanes) that permits safe, convenient, efficient, and orderly movement of vehicles among origin and destination points within the development in accordance with the following standards for the type of vehicle: (1) Firefighting and other emergency vehicles shall be provided access to points within 150 feet of all portions of buildings and facilities, or such smaller distance required in accordance with requirements for fire apparatus access roads in the Fire Prevention Code. (2) Public transit and school buses shall be provided access to designated or planned bus stops and shelters. (3) Garbage trucks shall be provided access to bulk refuse containers and to points within 150 feet of individual refuse receptacle storage/collection sites.

(4) Large delivery trucks shall be provided access to off-street loading spaces.

April 23, 2019

Morrisville, NC

Page 5-50

Unified Development Ordinance