1. Secondary Street Acceptance Requirements
Nick Donohue
October 2008

2. Secondary Street Acceptance Requirements
Initiative is a result of legislation proposed by Governor Kaine and unanimously approved during the 2007 General Assembly Session
Legislation requires the Commonwealth Transportation Board to develop new Secondary Street Acceptance Requirements
Regulation will supersede and replace existing Subdivision Street Requirements
Intended to ensure streets accepted into state system for perpetual public maintenance provide public benefit

3. Why Update Secondary Street Acceptance Requirements?
Isolated developments cause additional strain on the regional transportation network by forcing local trips onto major roads
Requiring all trips – local and regional – to rely on major roads is not sustainable
Increased connectivity will allow for context sensitive design neighborhood streets
Will help encourage friendly environments for pedestrians and bicyclists, and discourage speeding in neighborhoods

4. Why Update Secondary Street Acceptance Requirements?
Today
Goal

5. Secondary Street Acceptance Requirements
To be accepted into state system streets must provide public benefit, defined as:
Public service
Connectivity*
Pedestrian accommodations*
*Vary depending on location of development
Streets may be accepted as:
Network addition (group of streets)
Individual street

6. Secondary Street Acceptance Requirements
Network Additions
Evaluating connectivity requires consideration of all streets in a proposed development as a whole instead of individually
Streets within a development or a phase of a development will be considered as a group for acceptance into the state system

7. Area Types Proposed regulation:
Establishing graduated requirements based on location and conditions, with appropriate flexibility
Creating areas based on long-term local, regional and federal planning boundaries
Three tiered system – one size does not fit all
Compact Area Type
Suburban Area Type
Rural Area Type
Area types may be modified at the request of the local governing body

9. Connectivity Requirement
The goal is to require additional connectivity between developments
Connectivity is measured through a connectivity index for compact and suburban area types
Connectivity index is the number of street segments divided by the number of intersections and dead ends

10. Connectivity Requirement
Connectivity index increases as connectivity of road network increases

11. Connectivity Requirements - Examples
The highest connectivity index that can be achieved is over 2.5
The lowest connectivity index that can be achieved is 1.0

12. Connectivity Requirements
Compact Area Type
Network addition must have sufficient connections to have a connectivity index of 1.6 or greater
Suburban Area Type
Network addition must have sufficient connections to have a connectivity index of 1.4 or greater
Rural Area Type
Network addition must have multiple connections
All Area Types
Developments must connect with adjoining development’s stub-outs to be eligible for acceptance into state system
Connections should be in multiple directions to both local and higher order roadways

13. Connectivity Exceptions
Connectivity is not always feasible
Automatic reductions would be given for perimeter constraints such as wetlands, existing development, rivers, terrain, railroad tracks, etc
In this example 25% of the perimeter is effectively eliminated for connections due to railroad tracks, so the connectivity index is automatically reduced from
1.4 to 1.3 or 25%

14. Connectivity Exceptions
Review related exceptions
Incompatible land use
Unique characteristics of parcel
Access management regulations
Consideration would be built into initial conceptual sketch review
VDOT would be required to respond within 45 calendar days

15. Grandfathering
Streets within a proffered plan of development, site plan/subdivision plat, preliminary subdivision plat or approved street construction plan may be accepted under former requirements
Proposals officially accepted for review by a local government may be accepted under the former requirements at the request of the locality
Regulation allows previous area type requirements to apply when area type is modified after approval of development proposal

16. Pedestrian Accommodations
Based on density
Accommodations on both sides of the street with two or more units per acre
Accommodations on one side of the street with lot sizes of two acres or less
Requirements for “missing link” connections
Accommodations required along higher order roadways

17. Street Design
These local streets – with multiple on-street and off-street parking spaces for each house – have lane widths effectively six feet wider than most interstates
Lane widths of this size can encourage travel at high speeds and increase impervious surface area

18. Street Design
This design and lane widths are necessary in many situations today due to emergency access needs and the lack of connectivity
Increased vehicle speeds increase pedestrian injuries and fatalities
Studies have also found a correlation between local street widths and accident rates
A Colorado locality found its accident rates were significantly higher on wider local streets

19. Street Design
Connectivity allows design of local streets will result in lower vehicle speeds – built-in traffic calming

20. Recommended Standards
Street Design
Increased connectivity can allow the use of context sensitive street design which can:
Promote safe environments for pedestrians, bicyclists and children
Reduce stormwater runoff
Discourage high travel speeds within neighborhoods
Recommended widths promote context sensitive solutions and are in compliance with engineering principles including AASHTO and Institute of Traffic Engineers Based on understanding that local roads serve access to property and disperse traffic
(curb and gutter)
Recommended Standards
Current Standards
Less than 2000 vehicles
29 ft
36 ft
2001 to 4000 vehicles
40 ft
* Widths assume on-street parking on both sides of the street

21. Stormwater Runoff
VDOT has worked with DCR and private sector to develop list of innovative stormwater facilities that can be placed within VDOT right of way
Today, stormwater facilities are not permitted within VDOT right of way
Also includes raintanks and other bio-infiltration facilities within the right of way

22. Implementation
VDOT will produce a guidance document to accompany regulation to assist local staff and developers
There will be a 6 month transition period from effective date for the implementation of the regulation
VDOT will provide outreach and training similar to the outreach and training that was provided for the Traffic Impact Analysis regulations (Chapter 527)