HomeMy Public PortalAbout2009-02-09 Curb and Sidewalk Ordinance 2010-6ELECTED OFFICIALS:
Mark S. Sideris,
Council President
Stephen P. Corbett,
Councilor At Large
John A. Donohue,
Councilor At Large
Susan G. Falkoff,
Councilor At Large
Anthony Palomba,
Councilor At Large
Angeline B. Kounelis,
District A Councilor
Cecilia Lenk,
District B Councilor
Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr.,
District C Councilor
John J. Lawn, Jr.,
District D Councilor
(3)
Watertown Town Council
Administration Building
149 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472
Phone: 617-972-6470
ORDINANCE # 2010- 6
AN ORDINANCE GOVERNING THE GENERAL STANDARDS AND
REQUIREMENTS FOR CURBS AND SIDEWALKS
WHEREAS, the Department of Public Works together with the Curb Committee, find
that standards of design and requirements for the construction and/or reconstruction of
curbs and sidewalks shall be established in accordance with the MassHighway guidelines;
and
WHEREAS, a clear demarcation between where cars travel and where pedestrians travel
is essential for public safety; and
WHEREAS, the design and requirements will conform to the Americans Disability Act
(ADA) and Massachusetts Architectural Access Board (MAAB) Guidelines.
NOW THEEFORE, BE IT ORDAINED, that the Town Council for the city known as the
Town of Watertown does hereby amend the 2006 Revised Watertown Ordinances by
adding a new Section 55, Curbs and Sidewalks as follows:
INSERT the following new Section 55, Curbs and Sidewalks
Section 55.01, Curbing Requirements
(a) All materials for curb installation shall conform to the following standards to provide a barrier
between the roadway and pedestrian sidewalk and its adjacent planting strip. In areas where
curbing is installed, parking on any portion of the sidewalk or planting strip will not be
permitted.
All curbing hereinafter installed for full depth reconstruction roadway projects shall consist of
granite curbing, unless otherwise directed by the Superintendent of Public Works under section
55.01 (d) 3.
(2) Curbing for roadway resurfacing projects not included in subsection (1) shall consist of asphalt
"bread loaf' curb with a vertical face and non -mountable, except that sections of the curb at
intersections and adjacent to handicap ramps and sections of existing granite curb shall be
granite, unless otherwise directed by the Superintendent of Public Works under section 55.01 (d)
3.
When roadway improvement projects extend for less than a full block, the installation of new
curbing will be at the discretion of the Superintendent of Public Works under section 55.01 (d) 3.
(1)
(b) Curbing will be installed when adequate lane width is available for each roadway component
based on roadway classification. Roadway classification shall consist of the following:
Arterials are roadways that "service statewide travel as well as major traffic movements within
urbanized areas or between suburban centers" or "link cities and towns in rural areas and
interconnect major arterials within urban areas".t Arterials have high or moderate mobility and
limited points of access
Collectors are roadways that "link arterial roadways and provide connections between cities and towns" or
"connect local roads to major collectors and arterials".1. Collectors have moderate mobility and moderate to
high access.
Local Streets are roadways with low speeds and a high degree of local circulation and access and are not
intended for regional connectivity.1
The following table contains a partial listing of Watertown roadways and their functional classification.
Roadways that are not listed are assumed to be local roads. For purposes of this Ordinance, the Mass
Highway classification shall be used, except as noted. Changes to the listed classifications shall be
considered based upon the classification criteria and will be brought before the DPW subcommittee of
the Council with a recommendation from the Superintendent of Public Works.
Table 1 Functional Classification of Watertown Streets
Road
Arsenal Street
Belmont Street
Galen Street
Greenough Blvd
MDC
Main Street
Mount Auburn Street
North Beacon Street
Pleasant Street
Watertown Street
Arlington Street
Charles River Rd -
MDC
Common Street
Coolidge Avenue
Howard Street
Irving Street
f
DPW
Classification
Arterial
Arterial
Arterial
Arterial
Arterial
Arterial
Arterial
Arterial
Arterial
Connector
Connector
AASHTO
Classification*
Minor Arterial
Minor Arterial
Principal Arterial
Minor Arterial
Principal Arterial
Principal Arterial
Principal Arterial _
Collector
Principal Arterial
Collector
Collector
Connector
Connector
Connector
Connector
MassHighway
Classification
Principal Arterial
Principal Arterial
Principal Arterial
Principal Arterial
Principal Arterial
Principal Arterial
Principal Arterial
Principal Arterial
Principal Arterial
Minor Arterial
Minor Arterial
Minor Arterial Minor Arterial
Collector Minor Arterial
Collector
Minor Arterial
Local I Minor Arterial
i Mass Highway , Project Development and Design Guide, p. 3-8
Road
_ _ _ _ __
Lexington Street
DPW
Classification
AASHTO
Classification*
1
MassHighway
Classification --
Minor Arterial
Connector
Collector
Nonantum — MDC
Connector
Minor Arterial
Minor Arterial
School Street
Connector
Collector
Minor Arterial
Waverley Avenue
Connector
Collector
Minor Arterial
Acton Street
Primary
Local
Local
Bigelow Avenue
Primary
Local
Local
California Street
Primacy
Collector
Collector
Church Street
Primary
Collector
Collector
Coolidge Hill Road
Primacy
Local
Collector
Collector
Dexter Avenue
Primary
Collector
Grove Street
Primary
Local
_Collector
Highland Avenue
Primary
Local
Collector
Nichols Avenue
Primary
Collector
Collector
Orchard Street
Primary
Minor Arterial
Collector
Spring Street
Primary
Local
Collector
Summer Street
Primary
Collector
Collector
Sycamore Street
Primary _ _ _
Primary
Collector
Collector
Walnut Street
Collector
Collector
Waltham Street
Primary
Collector
Collector
Warren Street .
Primary
Local
Collector
*Source: MassGIS Data
(1) Adequate travel lane width is deemed to be 11 feet on principal and minor arterials, 10 feet on
collectors and on local roads. Adequate parking lane width is deemed to be 7 feet in residential areas
along -all classes of roads and 8 feet in width within commercial areas.
(2) A principal or minor arterial, or a collector, with two way traffic must have a minimum of two
separate travel lanes.
(3) Local Roads, which are considered roads not having the DPW Classification of Arterial, Connector,
or Primacy, may have a single shared travel lane for two way traffic, provided there are periodic
opportunities for passing.
(4) A minimum street width of 18 feet curb to curb shall be adequate for the following roadway
configurations:
(i) A one-way street with one travel lane and with one side on -street parking.
(ii) A two way local street with one travel lane and one side of on -street parking with
provision for periodic spaces of restricted parking at least every 100 feet for vehicles to
pull over to the side.
(iii)A two-way collector or local road with two travel lanes and no on -street parking.
(5) The curb -to -curb pavement width will then determine if there is adequate room for on street parking
on one side or both sides of a street. Resulting parking issues shall be referred to the Traffic
Commission for consideration.
(c) In cases where curbing is proposed, but no curbing currently exists, and where the resulting street width is
not great enough to allow both adequate travel lanes and parking shoulder widths per subsection (b), every
effort should be made to accommodate a defined curb.
(d) Curb Installation Requirements:
1. Whenever the owner of a parcel abutting a public way desires that curbing be installed abutting such
parcel, the property owner may pay for and install granite curbing at their full expense, subject to the
approval of the Superintendent of Public Works and subject to the conditions as herein defined. Such
installation shall also include appropriate transition to adjoining curbing and walkways, including
handicapped ramps and access as required.
2. Any new development project shall include the installation of granite curbing and concrete sidewalk with
planting strip across the entire project's public street frontage at the property owner's expense, subject to
the approval of the Superintendent of Public Works and subject to the conditions as herein defined,
including the rules and regulations promulgated by the Superintendent of Public Works. Such installation
shall also include appropriate transition to adjoining curbing and walkways, including handicapped
ramps and access as required. As used in this section, "new development project" shall mean any project
where there is a new building foundation, either because there was no pre-existing building or the
previous foundation has been removed.
3. No curbing shall be installed under this section at those locations where the Superintendent of Public
Works determines that the installation of curbing is not feasible due to public safety, site constraints,
budget constraints, or conflicts with future plans for the area. In such cases the Superintendent of Public
Works shall receive the concurrence of the Town Manager and written notice to the Council.
4. The Superintendent of Public Works is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations, consistent with
the Curb and Sidewalks Ordinance, which shall implement the provisions of this Ordinance.
5. All curb installations shall comply with the rules and regulations of the Superintendent of Public Works
in addition to the provisions ,of this Ordinance.
Section 55.02, Sidewalk Requirements
a) All materials for sidewalk construction or repair shall consist of concrete unless exempted under subsection
(b, c and e) below.
b) The material used at street tree locations may include the use of asphalt in order to address tree root issues in
accordance with DPW regulations.
c) The material used as a temporary utility repair, where deemed necessary by the Superintendent of Public
Works, may include asphalt. Temporary repairs shall be permanently replaced with concrete in accordance
with the DPW regulations.
d) Sidewalks which are constructed hereinafter may extend the full length of the public way at the discretion of
the Superintendent of Public Works and shall have a preferred clear walking surface of 5 feet not including
curbing with a minimum of 4 feet, and shall conform to Americans Disability Act (ADA) and Massachusetts
Architectural Access Board (MAAB) Guidelines, unless otherwise exempted under subsection (e). A
minimum clearance of 3 feet shall be provided around obstructions in the sidewalk such as utility poles,
street trees, and hydrants. In residential areas the sidewalk width shall be a maximum of 5 feet. A minimum
width of two feet shall be provided as a planting strip. Whenever the owner of a parcel abutting a public way
desires that a sidewalk be installed abutting such parcel, the property owner may pay for and install concrete
sidewalk at their full expense, subject to the approval of the Superintendent of Public Works and subject to
the conditions as herein defined and in compliance with other DPW regulations. Such installation shall also
include appropriate transition to adjoining curbing and walkways, including handicapped ramps and access as
required.
e) No sidewalks shall be installed under this section at those locations where the Superintendent of Public
Works determines that the installation of sidewalks is not feasible due to public safety, site constraints,
budget constraints, or conflicts with future plans for the area. In such cases the Superintendent of Public
Works shall receive the concurrence of the Town Manager and written notice to the Council.
f) Any new development project shall include the installation of granite curbing and concrete sidewalk with
planting strip across the entire project's public street frontage at the property owner's expense, subject to the
approval of the Superintendent of Public Works and subject to the conditions as herein defined, including the
rules and regulations promulgated by the Superintendent of Public Works. Such installation shall also
include appropriate transition to adjoining curbing and walkways, including handicapped ramps and access as
required. As used in this section, the term "new development project" shall mean any project where there is
a new building foundation, either because there was no pre-existing foundation or the previous foundation
has been removed.
g) The Superintendent of Public Works is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations, consistent with the
Curb and Sidewalks Ordinance, which shall implement the provisions of this Ordinance.
h) All sidewalk installations shall comply with the ruled apd regulatio i s of the Superintendent of Public Works
in addition to the provisions of this Ordinance.
ouncil Mem. r
I hereby certify that at a regular meeting of the Town Council for which a quorum was present, the
Above Ordinances adopted by a roll call vote of q for, 0 against, 0 present on Februry9, 2010.
Valerie '-apas
Council Clerk
ark S. Sidi s
Council President