Morrisville UDO - June 2017 version

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Article 5: Development Standards
Section 5.8. Access and Circulation
5.8.6. Vehicular Access and Circulation
June 23, 2017 Morrisville, NC
Page 5-50 Unified Development Ordinance
Table
Accessway Classification and Description
Number
of Lanes
[1]
Daily
Traffic
Volume
Access
Control
Land Use
Service
Posted
Speed
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.
2-5
5,000 –
40,000
Fair Moderate
35-45
mph
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.
2-7 > 20,000 Moderate Low
45-55
mph
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.
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.