Streets
and roads have as their principal functions the provision of access to property
and the movement of people and goods.Other
functions of streets and roads have included serving as rights-of-way for public
utilities and providing open space between buildings.Over the years the functions of streets and roads have undergone change.Today, there are highways with the sole purpose of moving people and
goods in motor vehicles and not provide access to abutting property, while
others serve pedestrian traffic and exclude motor vehicles.In the County, street and roads utilize large amount of land area and
require a significant sum of money for their construction and maintenance.
Arkansas
counties have the opportunity to undertake planning for their future growth and
development.The Arkansas General
Assembly has provided counties with the authority to undertake studies, prepare
plansand to implement through the
provisions of Act 422 of 1977, as amended.
Planning
conducted by the County Planning Board is customarily concerned with the
physical arrangement of the unin-corporated County.The physical arrangement is dealt with both in terms of how land is used
and how street access is provided to land parcels.A county planning program should describe the existing structure of the
area (physical, social, economic, and governmental); forecast the future
economic and physical potential of the area; prepare plans and programs to
achieve the potential, and recommend measures that can result in implementation
of plans and programs.
The
nature of the street and road system within the County helps determine its form
and arrangement.The quality of the system affects the nature of development.Recognizing the interdependency of land use and streets can beneficially
affect how a county grows and develops.
The
State highway system is generally considered the backbone of the county system.The Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) is
responsible for the planning, designing, construction, and maintenance of the
State system.The AHTD has the
ability and duty to plan and construct the system.
Counties
are responsible for planning and developing their street systems.Pursuant to Ark. Stat. Ann S76-901 the county court of each county shall
have the authority to regulate public roads within its jurisdiction, as follows:
76-901.Powers of County Court.All
public roads and highways shall be laid out, opened and repaired agreeably to
the provisions of this act, and the county court of each county in this State
shall have full power and authority to make and enforce all orders necessary as
well for establishing and opening new roads as for changing and vacating any
public road or part thereof.(Act.
Mar. 23, 1871, No. 26, S2, p. 56; C. & M. Dig., S 5226; Pope's Dig. S 6941.)
A
vital relationship exists between land use and the street and road system that
serve such uses.The type and
intensity of land use, and the physical manner in which land is developed affect
the character and volume of traffic and the operating efficiency of the street
system. Accessibility by a street
is one of the most important determinants of land use.The construction of a new street or the increase in the level of service
on an existing street can result in more intensive use of land, which in turn,
generates new or additional traffic on the street.
The
fact that land uses and streets are interdependent suggests the necessity for
incorporated cities, the AHTD and counties to coordinate their planning efforts.
Coordination
of City and County Planning
Arkansas
Statute Act 186 of 1957 and Act 422 of 1977 both acknowledge and establish the
permissible right of cities and towns to establish a planning area beyond their
corporate limits.Within the
planning area the city has the authority to approve the plats for subdivided
land.The city also attends to any new streets being constructed
according to either city of county standards whichever is the more restrictive.It remains the authority of the County, however, to accept and approve
the dedication and maintenance responsibility for streets platted within the unincorporated
planning area of a city or town.Coordination and cooperation becomes essential in the important matter of
streets and roads.
Coordination
of AHTD and County Planning
All
the public highways, roads and streets in Arkansas have been designated in
accordance with the functional classes as provided by state statute.The AHTD prepares functional classification maps for all municipalities
over 5,000 population and for all counties.These maps are to be reviewed at least every five years by the State
Highway Commission in cooperation with the local governments.Act 308 of the 1973 General Assembly states:
"It
is hereby declared to be the policy of the State of Arkansas to adopt sound,
modern planning methods, procedures, and techniques for the proper
administration, management, and improvement of the state highway, county road,
and municipal street systems of the State and to assure continuing study and
updating of this planning process.It
is further declared to be the legislative intent of this Act to functionally
classify all elements of the public highways, roads and streets in the Arkansas
network according to level of service, with uniform improvement standards for
each class." (AS 76-2701--76-2707.)
Counties
have the authority to adopt an official plan or plans for the county as
conferred by Act 422 of 1977, as amended.Such
plan or plans shall include as a minimum designation f the general location,
characteristics and functions of roads, and the general location f roads to be
reserved for future public acquisition.The plan may also recommend, among other thins, the removal,
widening, narrowing, vacating, abandonment, change of use, or extension of any
public ways.
The
Master Street Plan of Saline County, Arkansas is composed of two parts-- this
textural material and the plan map entitled, Master Street Plan, Saline County,
Arkansas.
In
accord with Act 422 of 1977 (County Planning Statute), as amended:
"The
County planning Board may prepare and recommend an official plan or plans for
the development of the County.The
County planning Board shall have the authority to confer with federal, state,
municipal. and other county and regional authorities regarding matters
pertaining to or affecting the planning or development of said county..."
The
County Planning Board
The
Quorum Court of Saline County has created a planning board with appointment and
terms of members provided by County ordinance.The Planning Board has selected its officers, established its meeting
dates, adopted rules and regulations and by-laws for the discharge of its duties
and the transaction of business, all according to Act 422 of 1977, as amended.Further the Act states:
"The
general purpose of the Planning Board is to promote public interest in planning,
to prepare or have prepared a plan or plans for the County, to receive and make
recommendations on public and private proposals for development, to prepare and
transmit to the Quorum Court recommended ordinances implementing plans, and to
advise and counsel the County Judge, the Quorum Court and other public bodies on
planning related matters."
Master
Street Plan
Act
422 of 1977, as amended future states:
"All
county plans shall reflect the County's development policies and shall contain a
statement of the objectives and principles sought to be embodied therein.Such plans with accompanying maps, charts, and descriptive matter may
make recommendations, among other things, as to ... the development of
transportation facilities..." and further:"Adoption of a county subdivision ordinance shall be preceded by the
adoption of an official road plan for theunincorporated
areas of the County.Such plan
shall include as a minimum designation of the general location, characteristics
and functions of roads, and the general location of roads to be reserved for
future public acquisition..."
General
Objective of the Master Street Plan
The
efficient and safe transportation of people and goods.To minimize or eliminate the effect of traffic on residential areas, to
minimize the effect of frontage development through traffic, to provide a smooth transition for traffic from residential
areas to traffic arterials and expressways.To provide adequate access to all parcels of land in a manner that will
suit their needs and intended use.To
recognize and fulfill that different transportation needs of properties of
different uses (residential, commercial, industrial and public).
Implementation
of the Plan
Following
the adoption and filing of any plan or plans, the Planning Board may transmit to
the Quorum Court for enactment, recommended ordinances and regulations which
will carry out or protect the various elements of the plan or plans.
Scope
of the Plan
The
plan is compiled within the scope of the aforestated general objectives of the
plan as set forth below:
As
enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Arkansas, Act 308 of 1973, the
functional classification is defined as the grouping of public ways by likeness
of services or purpose into classes or systems according to the character of
service they are intended to provide.
The
six (6) functional classes by level of service that are hereby made applicable
to the network of public highways, roads and streets in Arkansas (and Saline
County) are as follows:
Class No.
Rural Systems
Municipal Systems
Level of service
I
Interstate Freeways
Interstate Freeways
Provide basic interstate service, link major cities.
II
Other Principal Arterial Highways
Other Freeways and Expressways
Provide high level of interstate and intrastate service,
connect major generators of internal city traffic.
III
Minor Arterial Highways
Other Principal Arterial Streets
Serve
Trans-State travel to and through principal cities.Provide a
system for the Major
Traffic Generators within a City.
IV
Major Collector Roads
Minor Arterial Streets
Provide
connections to and through the
large
centers of population within the
State
V
Minor Collector Roads
Collector Streets
Provide Inter-county service.Serve
the
Economic
and State Park Areas not serviced
by a Higher System; collect and distribute
traffic to and from Major Streets; provide intra-county service to and into population
centers and other Recreationaland
Industrial areas.
VI
Local Road
Local Streets
Service
small rural communities.Provide access
to residential areas, and neighborhoods within cities; provide direct
access to adjacent properties in rural areas and within cities.
SECTION
IV.Right of Way and Geometric
Design Standards
The
following table and five figures contain minimum right-of-way requirements and
geometric standards for Class II through Vi.Standards are not shown for Interstate Highways (Class I) since there are
no new ones planned for the area.
SUMMARY OF RIGHT OF WAY AND DESIGN STANDARDS
(See
Sketches for Detail Design Requirements)
Class
(1)
II
Class
III
Class
IV
Class
VA
Class
VB
Class
VIA
Class
VIB
Right
of Way (Min. )
200'
100'
80'
70'
60'
50' 4
50'
Paved
Width 3
56'
48'
24'
36'
20'
24'
Shoulder
Width
NA
8'
6'
NA
4'
NA
Centerline
Grade
(Max.)5
9%
9%
12%
12%
15%
15%
Sight
Distance (Min.)
300'
300'
200'
200'
150'
150'
Radius
Curve (Min.)
600'
600'
300'
300'
100'
100'
1.Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department Standards.
2.Class III-Intersection approaches will require an extra width of 20'
extending 250' from the enter line of intersection arterials and collectors.Class IV-intersection approaches may require an extra width of 10'
extending 150' from the centerline of intersecting arterials and collectors.
3.Widths shown are for final stage for Classes II, III. and IV.
Stage construction is recommended for
Classes II, III, and IV.
4.Additional 10' utility and road work easement, 5' on each side of road.
5.Centerline grades may be increased an additional two per cent (2%) for
distances not to exceed 200', subject to approval of the Street Superintendent
and the planning Board, for curb and gutter streets, only.
DESIGN
- All features shall conform to A.H.T.D. standards
RIGHT
OF WAY - must accommodate utilities, drainage facilities, and sub-surface
conditions.Intersection approaches may require
extra right of ways extending from the centerline of intersecting arterialsand collectors.
CONTROL
OF ACCESS - Median cuts only at intersections with arterials and collectors.
Front Slope - 6:1 for traffic safety
and stage construction of III B-FINAL STAGE
Back Slope - 4:1
Ditch Slope - Flowline 12" min.
below base
Flowline - 1/2% gradient or greater
Erosion - slopes steeper than 3:1
must be seeded or sodded.
RIGHT
OF WAY - must accommodate utilities, drainage facilities, and sub-surface
conditions.Intersection approaches
will require an extra width of 20', extending 250' from the centerline of
intersecting arterials and collectors.Waivers
may be approved under extraordinary hardship circumstances.
CONTROL
OF ACCESS - Median cuts only at intersections with arterials and collectors.
Erosion - Slopes steeper than 3:1
must be seeded or sodded.
RIGHT
OF WAY - must accommodate utilities, drainage facilities, and sub-surface
conditions.Intersection approaches
may require an extra width of 10', extending 150' from the centerline of
intersecting arterials and collectors.Waivers
may be approved under extraordinary hardship circumstances.
Erosion - slopes steeper than 3:1
must be seeded or sodded.
RIGHT
OF WAY - must accommodate utilities, drainage facilities, and sub-SURFACE
conditions.Waivers may be approved
under extraordinary hardship circumstances.
CENTERLINE
GRADE - 12% maximum for V AAND V
B.
PAVEMENT
CROWN SLOPE - 3%
SIDEWALK
- in accordance with "Regulation of Development and Subdivision of
Land."
V
CDESIGN - Commercial and
Industrial development may require higher design standards based upon its size,
complexity, location of access points, and traffic generated.
SECTION
V.Class VI Roadways and Process
Requirements
For
the purpose of establishing minimum road standards for Class VI Local Roads, the
County of Saline shall be divided into three separate zones.The three zones shall be outlined on a map and said map shall be made a
part of the master Street Plan.Requirements
for the zones are outlined in the following three illustrations and in the
following text contained herein.
Article
2. Minimum requirements for Class VI roads shall be as follows:
1.
A minimum of fifty (50) foot right-of-way, calculated from the center of the
road, shall be required in all instances. Additionally a ten (10) foot
utility and road work easement, five (5) feet on each side from the road
beginning where the County right-of-way ends, is required except when curb and
gutters are used.
2. The
road bed. or crown width, shall be a minimum of twenty-eight (28) feet wide.
3.
A minimum crown slope of three (3) inches is required.
4.
A minimum of six (6) inches of SB-2 crushed stone, compacted on the road base,
is required with the following exceptions:
A.
The County Judge, in writing, may authorize a comparable substitute to be used
in the place of SB-2 crushed stone.
B.
Additional thickness base material will be required in the areas where
inadequate sub-surface soil conditions exist. The County Judge may impose
such additional requirements.
5.
No road shall be accepted by the county unless adequate drainage is
provided. Drainage must be designed so that water will not collect or
stand at any point in the road right-of-way and any drainage crossing the
roadway must have sufficient length and carrying capacity to insure that water
will not run across the roadway surface. Pipe used for drainage will be
either reinforced concrete or galvanized corrugated metal pipe.
6.
The surface of the road at intersections shall flare on both sides with a radius
of 18 feet. The shoulder width shall carry around the radius.
7.
Maximum grade shall be 15%.
8.
Minimum angle of intersections shall be 75 degrees.
9.
Minimum requirements of grade and angle of intersection may be modified for
short distances by the County Judge (in writing) under extraordinary hardship
circumstances.
1.
Additional requirements for Zone 1 shall be at the discretion of the County
Judge.
2.
Persons constructing roads in Zones 2 & 3 will be given a choice of two ways
of constructing roads. They must choose one of the following options:
A.
The following are minimum requirements for roads constructed in accordance with
Option A:
1.
A minimum of fifty (50) foot right-of-way, with a ten foot easement as outlined
in Article 2, Section 1.
2.
Surface width shall be a minimum of twenty (20) feet wide.
3.
Shoulder width on each side shall be a minimum of four (4) feet wide.
4.
Sloped drainage ditches, with a minimum depth of 15", are required for each
side of the road bed and are to be contoured to facilitate the flow of surface
water resulting from rain.
B.
The following are minimum requirements for roads constructed in accordance with
Option B:
1.
Curb and gutters are optional.
2.
Surface width shall be a minimum of twenty-four (24) feet.
3.
Curbs shall be a minimum width of 1.5 feet.
4.
Surface water shall run no more than 600' in the gutter before being channeled
off the road.
3.
Additional requirements for Zone 2 are as follows:
A.
A prime coat of at least .3 gallons per square yard.
B.
Roads in Zone 2 shall be a minimum of double bituminous surface treatment and
shall have been rolled immediately upon application.
C.
The County Judge may impose stricter requirements should he deem it necessary
D.
Materials and methods shall comply with Arkansas State Highway and
Transportation Department applicable specifications.
4. Additional
requirements for Zone 3 are as follows:
A.
A prime coat of at least .3 gallons per square yard.
B.
Hot mix asphalt a minimum of two (2) inches thick after being rolled.
C.
The County Judge may impose stricter requirements should he deem it necessary.
D.
Materials and methods shall comply with Arkansas State Highway and
Transportation Department applicable specifications.
The
Saline County Planning Board exercises its statutory authority (Act 422 of 1977)
to approve plats and engineering drawings and specifications as specified in the
Saline County Subdivision Ordinance shown in the following enumerated order:
1.
Approval of a preliminary plat subject to;
2.
Approval of engineering drawings and specifications for roadways and other
improvements related to the preliminary plat and;
3.
Approval of a final plat for recordation with the Circuit Clerk/Recorder of
Saline County. Approval of said plat is given provided the roadways and
other improvements are constructed substantially in accordance with the
engineering drawings and specifications as determined by inspection by the
County Road Superintendent.
1.
Roads built to county specifications may be offered by the developer for
inclusion into the County Road System after the completion of construction.
2.
Upon completion of construction, the Saline County Judge may recommend the road
or roads for inclusion into the County Road System.
3.
County maintenance shall not begin until at least one year after recommendation
for inclusion by the Saline County Judge. At the end of the one year
period the County Judge, or the Road Superintendent, shall make an inspection of
the work, and shall notify the responsible person or firm of all defects which
must be corrected.
4.
When said road or roads meet said specifications and all defects corrected, a
certification to that affect shall be present to the Quorum Court for enactment
of an Ordinance accepting the road or roads for county maintenance.
5.
Persons for firms failing to correct defects in roads such as these shall be
deemed guilty of a misdemeanor as outlined in Article 6 herein.
6.
The acceptance of roads for maintenance by Saline County, when said roads are
created by the developer under the subdivision process of Saline County, commits
the County to extend its maintenance capability thereto in the same degree as to
existing County roads subject to the availability of resources.
Owners
or developers who fail to correct defects in roads, offered for County
acceptance, at the end of the one year period shall be deemed. The County
Judge, in writing, may extend the thirty (30) day time limit should it be found
necessary.
The
time and date of application of the road surface (bituminous seal or hot mix)
will be supplied to the Saline County Judge a minimum of one week before the
application in order to allow inspection of the worksite and allow for
supervision of application should he deem it necessary. Owners or
developers shall pay the County a reasonable fee for the supervision and
inspection. This fee will be set by the County Judge.
All
roads accepted into the County road system shall be named and shall have a road
sign at each intersection showing the name of that road and the road
intersecting with it. All road names shall have the approval of the Saline
County Office of Emergency Services Director.
1.
A flood hazard area is one subject to a base flood of 100 year frequency as
defined by the Federal Insurance Administration and it identified on its
"Flood Hazard Boundary Map".
2.
No plat of a subdivisions shall be approved that contains lots or building sites
in a flood hazard area unless the elevation of the sites for structures are
above the level of the base flood.
3.
Roads and streets constructed within flood hazard areas shall be designated so
that backwater elevation will not exceed 1 foot while experiencing a 100 year
frequency flood.
Private
or commercial drives will be installed by the company or owner according to the
following county specifications:
1.
Permits must be secured from the County Judge's Office prior to the installation
of all drives where culverts are needed.
2.
Culvert pipe used for private or commercial drives will be either reinforced
concrete or galvanized corrugated metal, Minimum pipe size shall be
18".
3.
All drives must be constructed and culvert pipes installed so as not to impede
the proper drainage of the roadway ditches.
