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CHAPTER 441. ACCESS TO AND OCCUPANCY OF HIGHWAYS
BY DRIVEWAYS AND LOCAL ROADSSec.
441.1. Definitions.
441.2. Purpose and application.
441.3. Permit application procedure.
441.4. Permit fees.
441.5. Issuance of permits.
441.6. General conditions.
441.7. General driveway requirements.
441.8. Driveway design requirements.
441.9. Driveway layout illustrations.
441.10. Penalties and enforcement.Authority The provisions of this Chapter 441 issued under the State Highway Law (36 P. S. § 670-420), unless otherwise noted.
Source The provisions of this Chapter 441 adopted March 28, 1980, effective April 1, 1980, 10 Pa. B. 1392, unless otherwise noted.
Cross References The provisions of this § 441.1 amended September 2, 2011, effective September 3, 2011, 41 Pa.B. 4772. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (317547) to (317548), (216111) to (216112) and (337737).
Notes of Decisions Responsible Person
The pavement cartway used for vehicular traffic was beyond the curb line which separated the highway from pedestrian traffic and was, therefore, the responsibility of the Commonwealth, not the city. Ruch v. City of Philadelphia, 587 A.2d 830 (Pa. Cmwlth. 1991); appeal denied 604 A.2d 251 (Pa. 1992).
Absent an agreement on maintenance at an intersection of a city street and a state highway, the State is responsible for maintaining only that portion of the vehicular intersection between actual or extended curb lines of its highway, without any reference to sidewalks; the city is responsible for maintaining crosswalks and other areas up to the actual or extended curb lines of the state highway at the vehicular intersection. Crigler v. City of Philadelphia, 667 A.2d 470 (Pa. Cmwlth. 1995).
Roadway
The State is responsible for maintaining only those vehicular areas on its streets between curb lines. The crosswalk on the lane was not between existing curb lines available to vehicular traffic on the street; it is beyond the outer edge of the shoulder, along which curbing may be located on the street. Thus, the State would have no liability for plaintiffs injuries caused by a fall in a pothole on the crosswalk of the lane. Crigler v. City of Philadelphia, 667 A.2d 470 (Pa. Cmwlth. 1995).
Cross References Permittee Required to Obtain All Required Approvals or Permits
Although the Department of Transportation had authority to approve satisfactory completion of roadwork authorized by its permit, regulations did not confer upon the Department the authority to permit landowner to open and operate a new land use; Township had authority to enforce its zoning ordinance and land development regulations, and had final approval of the land development and issuance of the required certificate of occupancy. Smithfield v. Kessler, 882 A.2d 17, 23 (Pa. Cmwlth. 2005); apeal denied 903 A.2d 539 (Pa. 2006).
Police Powers
Although driveway opening on to State highway was established prior to promulgation of these regulations, this regulation could be applied retroactively to reasonably limit ingress and egress since property is held subject to valid police power regulations made, and to be made, for the health and comfort of the people. Department of Transportation v. Longo, 510 A.2d 832 (Pa. Cmwlth. 1986); affirmed 518 A.2d 265 (Pa. 1986).
§ 441.3. Permit application procedure.
(a) General rule. No driveway, local road or drainage facility or structure shall be constructed or altered within State highway right-of-way and no drainage facility of the Department may be altered or connected onto without first obtaining a permit from the Department. A permit may not be required for maintenance.
(b) Who may execute applications. Permit applications shall be submitted in the name of and executed by the owner of the property.
(c) Where to submit application. Permit applications shall be submitted to either the district or county office having jurisdiction over the county in which the proposed work will be performed.
(d) When to submit applications. Permit applications shall be submitted prior to the construction of any building which the proposed driveway will serve to assure that the driveway can be constructed in accordance with this chapter.
(e) Application procedure and required information. Permit applications:
(1) Shall be submitted in person or by mail on a properly completed Department Form M-945A.
(2) Shall be signed by the applicant.
(3) Shall include five sets of plans, of a quality sufficient for microfilming, detailing the location and pertinent dimensions of both the proposed installation and related highway features.
(4) Shall be accompanied by a check or money order, payable to the Department, in the appropriate amount, as set forth in § 441.4 (relating to permit fees).
(5) Shall be submitted to the Department at least 30 days prior to the anticipated start of work.
(6) Shall contain proof of ownership.
(f) Traffic control plan. Submission of the traffic control plan shall be as follows:
(1) When the applicant anticipates that it will be necessary to close a portion of a lane to vehicular traffic in order to perform the permitted work, the applicant shall submit a traffic control plan with the application.
(2) The district office may require the applicant to submit a traffic control plan if it is anticipated that a potential hazard or interference to vehicular or pedestrian traffic will result from performance of the work.
(3) The traffic control plan shall be either:
(i) A detailed drawing, showing all traffic control devices.
(ii) a reference to a standard drawing found in Publication 43 or Publication 90, provided the referenced standard drawing properly depicts the work area and completely addresses the needed traffic control.
(g) Drainage control plan for other than minimum use driveways. Drainage control plan for other than minimum use driveways shall be as follows:
(1) If it can reasonably be anticipated that there will be an increase in the flow of water onto the highway or into highway drainage facilities as a result of action by the applicant, or that there will be an increase in the flow of water onto the property of some other person as a result of any action authorized by the permit, a drainage control plan shall be submitted with the application. The drainage control plan shall contain the following:
(i) Source of water.
(ii) Existing flow in cubic feet per second.
(iii) Predicted flow in cubic feet per second.
(iv) Where drainage currently flows.
(v) Where drainage ultimately outlets.
(vi) Hydraulic computations showing effect of additional flow on existing highway drainage system.
(2) Issuance of a permit shall be conditioned upon the Departments approval of the drainage control plan.
(h) Drainage release for other than minimum use driveways. If it can reasonably be anticipated that there will be an increase in the flow of water onto the property of some other person as a result of action, authorized by the permit, a drainage release shall be submitted with the application. Where possible, drainage releasesForm L-15 or CC-15will be obtained, by and at the expense of the applicant, from all property owners over whose land additional drainage will flow. All drainage releases shall be notarized and recorded, by and at the expense of the applicant, in the County Office of the Recorder of Deeds. If a drainage release cannot be obtained from any affected property owner, the Department may nonetheless issue a permit if it determines that there is no reasonable and prudent alternative available to the applicant and the applicant executes an indemnification agreement acceptable to the Department.
(i) Plans for other than minimum use driveways. The permit application for all driveways other than those classified as minimum use shall include a plan which illustrates, as a minimum, the following, including dimensions where applicable:
(1) Existing highway pavement, ditches, right-of-way and relevant property lines, highway appurtenances, utilities, and medians.
(2) Existing and proposed building, including a description of present and proposed use of building.
(3) Details of internal traffic circulation, parking, and traffic signs.
(4) Design features of existing and proposed driveways, curbs, tapers, acceleration, and deceleration lanes including the following:
(i) Driveway width.
(ii) Driveway radii and other points of curvature.
(iii) Driveway grades or profile view of drive.
(iv) Driveway angle relative to the highway.
(v) Dimensions of traffic islands adjacent to the highway and within the development that separate traffic flow from or onto the highway.
(vi) Driveway surface material and traffic island materials.
(vii) Location of all required traffic control devices.
(5) Distance from each existing and proposed driveway to the following:
(i) Nearest intersecting street, road, and highway.
(ii) Nearest driveway on adjacent properties.
(iii) Street, road, highway, or driveways opposite the site.
(iv) Relevant property lines and property lines extended to the roadway.
(v) Building and business appurtenances on the site.
(6) Sight distance in each direction from each proposed driveway.
(7) The number of vehicles per day which are expected to utilize each proposed driveway.
(j) Review by municipalities, planning commissions, and zoning boards. Review by municipalities, planning commissions, and zoning boards shall comply with the following:
(1) Certain local governing bodies wish to review driveway applications within their jurisdictions.
(2) A listing of these municipalities and local agencies is available from the appropriate district office.
(3) Each application for an access driveway within one of these jurisdictions must be accompanied by evidence which indicates that the location and type of access being requested has been reviewed by that municipality or agency.
(4) The Department will consider any comments or recommendations resulting from this review prior to approving the access permit.
(k) Authority to reject application. The Department will examine and determine the genuineness, regularity, and legality of every application, and may reject any application if not satisfied of its genuineness, regularity or legality, or the truth of any statement contained in the application. The Department may also make such investigations and require such additional information as it deems necessary.
(l) Penalty for falsifying application. Information provided in applications must be accurate. Section 4904 of the Crimes Code, (18 Pa. C.S. § 4904), makes it a misdemeanor for a person to mislead a public servant in performing an official function by making any written false statement which the person does not believe to be true.
This section cited in 67 Pa. Code § 441.6 (relating to general conditions).
Notes of Decisions Although driveway opening on to State highway was established prior to promulgation of the regulations, the regulation could be applied retroactively to reasonably limit ingress and egress since property is held subject to valid police power regulations made, and to be made, for the health and comfort of the people. Department of Transportation v. Longo, 510 A.2d 832 (Pa. Cmwlth. 1986); affirmed 518 A.2d 265 (Pa. 1986).
§ 441.9. Driveway layout illustrations.
Figures 7 through 12 illustrate and supplement the minimum design requirements described in this chapter. Although site conditions may not allow strict adherence to the dimensions shown in these illustrations, every effort shall be made to design and construct the safest and most efficient access onto the State highway.
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