Chapter 12.28 CONSTRUCTION OF STREETS, SIDEWALKS AND STORM DRAINS

A. Improved right-of-way is required for access to all new construction projects. A traffic study prepared to the specifications of the city engineer may be required to identify required right-of-way improvements.

B. Improved right-of-way for new single-family and duplex buildings on existing lots of record is defined as grading to a minimum of 20 feet and installing six inches of crushed rock. An additional three-inch lift of crushed rock is required if the roadbed is destroyed by trucks during the construction process.

C. All other new construction shall meet the right-of-way improvement standards specified in this code unless, in the opinion of the city engineer, improvements are not warranted at the time of development. In that case, the property owner shall be required to do one of the following, as specified by the city engineer:

1. Enter into a binding agreement to participate in any street improvement, local improvement district (LID) affecting the described right-of-way which LID may be formed now or in the future;

2. Enter into a binding agreement to construct specified right-of-way improvements at a specified date;

3. Construct improvements which conform to existing improvements in the immediate area.

D. The city of Burlington comprehensive transportation plan has adopted level of service “C” for all streets except Burlington Boulevard, for which a level of service “D” is adopted. If a traffic study meeting the specifications of the city engineer is prepared that demonstrates that the development causes the level of service to decline below the adopted standards, then transportation improvements or strategies to accommodate the impacts of development are required to be made concurrent with the development, or the development permit application shall be denied.

These strategies may include increased public transportation service, ride sharing programs, demand management, and other transportation systems management strategies. For the purposes of this section, “concurrent with the development” shall mean that improvements or strategies are in place at the time of development, or that a financial commitment is in place to complete the improvements or strategies within six years. In the case of transportation facilities of statewide significance, which includes State Route 20, every effort shall be made to coordinate with the state to work toward timely planned improvements, although a six-year commitment may not be feasible. (Ord. 1536 § 1, 2004; Ord. 1474 § 1, 2001; Ord. 1419 § 1, 1999; Ord. 1401 § 1, 1999; Ord. 1188 § 1, 1991; Ord. 959 § 1, 1980).

12.28.020 Standard specifications.

Construction and maintenance of all public works, including streets, sidewalks, storm drains and all associated appurtenances shall be in conformance with, and comply with, the most current Washington State Department of Transportation/American Public Works Association (WSDOT/APWA) standard specifications, WSDOT amendments and General Special Provisions (GSPs), and the APWA amendments, and as hereafter amended, unless different standards or specifications are required by the city engineer, or are provided for in the applicable public works contract. (Ord. 1708 § 1, 2010; Ord. 1059 § 2, 1985; Ord. 959 § 2, 1980).

I. Street Classifications

12.28.030 Generally.

All streets in the city shall be functionally classified in one of the categories specified in BMC 12.28.040 through 12.28.070. (Ord. 959 § 3, 1980).

12.28.040 Major arterial (Principal).

Major arterials provide for the movement of traffic across and between large subparts of the urban region and serve predominately “through” trips with minimum direct service to abutting land uses. Major arterial service is required by the central business district, large shopping centers, large industrial plants, major governmental centers, large hospitals, important secondary business districts and similar land uses which comprise the top layer of hierarchy of trip generators. Major arterials shall form a closed, interconnected system linking together major traffic generators in the urban region, and functioning to collect and distribute traffic from freeways and state highways to less important arterial streets. (Ord. 959 § 3, 1980).

12.28.050 Secondary arterial (Minor).

Secondary arterials provide for movement within the large subparts prescribed by major arterials. Secondary arterials may also serve “through” traffic, but provide more direct service to abutting land uses than do major arterials. Secondary arterial service is required by small central business districts, tourist districts with motels and restaurants, high schools and some grade schools, strip commercial development, parks and recreational areas, warehousing areas and similar land uses which comprise the middle layer of the trip generator hierarchy. Secondary arterials shall, whenever possible, be long, continuous streets with direct rather than meandering alignments. (Ord. 959 § 3, 1980).

12.28.060 Collector arterial (Collector).

Collector arterials provide for movement within the smaller areas, which are often definable neighborhoods and may be bounded by higher class arterials. Collector arterials serve very little “through” traffic but serve a high proportion of local traffic requiring direct access to abutting land uses. Collector arterial service is required for the majority of land uses which generate measurably important traffic volumes such as plats, churches, small parks and recreation areas, convenience shopping centers and other areas which are not served by major or secondary arterials. Collector arterials need not be particularly long or continuous since this would tend to attract through trips. (Ord. 959 § 3, 1980).

12.28.070 Access street (Access).

Access streets provide for movement within residential neighborhoods, light commercial areas, and the residential agricultural districts. Access streets serve no through traffic and may terminate in cul-de-sacs. (Ord. 959 § 3, 1980).

12.28.080 Street designations.

The city council shall designate a comprehensive arterial street plan. Classification of new streets shall be made by the city supervisor according to the comprehensive street plan. Every effort shall be made to incorporate new streets into the existing street grid pattern, and to provide for systematic naming and numbering of streets. (Ord. 959 § 3, 1980).

II. Street and Sidewalk Design Criteria

12.28.090 Plans required.

Street and sidewalk improvements or new street and sidewalk construction shall require engineering plans with the following information:

A. Vicinity map showing the location of existing arterial streets adjoining the proposed improvement or within the immediate vicinity of the improvement;

B. Street plans for individual street sections shall contain at least the following information:

1. Width and location of existing streets adjoining the improvement,

2. Property lines, right-of-way lines and easement lines with dimensions and north arrow,

3. Location of street improvement and appurtenances including driveways, properly dimensioned and stationed along the centerline and location and stationing of all horizontal angle points and horizontal curve data,

4. Location of all existing and proposed overhead and underground utilities, including storm and sanitary sewers, water courses, railroad crossings, structures within the right-of-way, trees, and all pertinent topographic features, including location and elevations of all survey bench marks,

5. Suitable title plate on each drawing with street name, name and address of developer, scale, date and the name, address and telephone number and stamp of the registered engineer or land surveyor responsible for the plan preparation;

C. Street profiles for individual street sections shall contain at least the following information:

1. Street centerline stationing and vertical elevations,

2. A two or three line profile showing the existing ground surface along the street centerline and proposed top of curb and street centerline profiles,

3. Slope of the street between grade changes and vertical curve information,

4. Centerline profile of intersecting streets a minimum of 100 feet each side of street improvement and profile of all driveways with grades greater than eight percent,

5. Suitable title plate on each drawing with street name, name and address of developer, vertical and horizontal scale, date and the name, address, telephone number and stamp of the registered engineer or land surveyor responsible for the plan preparation;

D. Structural details shall include properly dimensioned details of curbs and gutters, street cross sections, drainage facilities, retaining walls and all major structures to be constructed within the right-of-way. (Ord. 959 § 4, 1980).

12.28.095 Telecommunication conduit required.

A. Applicability. This section shall apply whenever a permit is required for the following actions:

1. Clearing, grading, cutting, boring, trenching, excavation, or the construction or modification of utilities within a city right-of-way or a future city right-of-way identified in the capital facilities or transportation elements of the city’s comprehensive plan;

2. Land divisions, including subdivisions, short subdivisions, and binding site plans;

3. The construction of new residential and nonresidential buildings;

4. Any development involving the construction or establishment of public or private streets.

B. As a condition of permit approval fiber optic telecommunications conduit and vaults shall be installed or constructed in accordance with the requirements of this section.

C. Unless otherwise specified by the public works director or city engineer fiber optic telecommunications conduit and vaults shall be provided along any streets, alleys, sidewalks, or pedestrian paths that are disturbed, constructed or established in conjunction with the development activities identified in subsection (A) of this section.

D. For proposals involving land divisions or the construction of new residential or nonresidential buildings telecommunications conduit shall be provided between the demarcation point(s) associated with the proposed buildings and adjacent rights-of-way. If city telecommunications conduit exists in the adjacent right-of-way, the conduit serving the development shall be connected to the existing conduit. If no conduit exists in the adjacent right-of-way a vault shall be provided in the adjacent right-of-way and the conduit serving the new development shall terminate in the vault.

E. Conduit shall be four-inch diameter for primary telecommunication paths and two-inch diameter for secondary paths. Vaults shall be located at intervals of no more than 500 feet. Conduit shall be placed at horizontal and vertical locations as determined by the public works director. Conduits shall be labeled for identification and provided with pull strings. The conduit shall conform to the size, shape and characteristics as determined by the public works director based on an evaluation of industry standards.

F. Conduit and vaults installed within a city right-of-way, and accepted by the city, shall become the property of the city of Burlington. For conduit and vaults located on private property the property owner shall be responsible for all maintenance.

G. Any abandoned, unmarked or unused conduit and/or vaults located within the city right-of-way shall become the property of the city following 60 days’ notice posted at the approximate location of the conduit, and following reasonable efforts by the city public works director to contact the last known owner of said conduit and/or vaults. If reasonable efforts by the public works director fail to identify the last known presumed owner of said conduit and/or vaults, then the public works director shall publish a notice in the legal newspaper for the city of Burlington notifying the public of the city’s intent to take possession of the applicable conduit and/or vaults, and shall provide 60 days’ notice of said possession.

H. All conduit and vaults installed within the city right-of-way shall be properly labeled and identified as determined by the public works director. An “as built” drawing shall be provided to the public works director on the completion and/or inspection of the completed work.

I. Applicability to Service Providers. This section shall apply to “service providers” as defined in RCW 35.99.010 except as modified by RCW 35.99.070. (Ord. 1904 § 1 (Exh. A), 2021; Ord. 1810 § 1, 2015; Ord. 1805 § 1, 2014).

12.28.100 Geometric design standards – Generally.

Streets shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the requirements set out in BMC 12.28.110 through 12.28.150. (Ord. 959 § 5, 1980).

12.28.110 Geometric design standards – General requirements.

Streets shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the following general requirements:

A. Streets shall be designed to provide vehicular access according to the street classification to, from and through the service area;

B. Street widths shall be adequate to provide access for emergency vehicles, firefighting equipment, garbage trucks and city service vehicles;

C. Whenever possible streets shall be used to collect runoff from adjacent properties in the service area and divert it into storm drain systems;

D. Whenever possible new streets shall align with the existing street grid. New streets shall intersect existing streets at an approximate 90-degree angle;

E. Vertical clearance of structures or vegetation above a paved roadway shall be 16-1/2 feet. Vertical clearance of structures or vegetation above a sidewalk or walkway surface shall be eight feet;

F. Lateral clearance between the curb or edge of street shoulder and the closest part of any fixed object (excluding traffic control signs and breakaway supports) shall be at least three feet;

G. Traffic control devices shall conform to the Washington State Department of Transportation Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, latest edition;

H. Ramps for Handicapped. Curb ramps for physically handicapped persons shall be included in all construction in accordance with the laws of the state of Washington;

I. Roadway Geometrics. Street designs shall be based on accepted engineering practices and current standards of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials;

J. Design Year. Twenty years after the year construction is completed;

K. Street Intersections. Gutter drainage should not be allowed to cross any intersections on major, secondary or collector arterials. (Ord. 959 § 5, 1980).

12.28.120 Geometric design standards – Major arterials.

Major arterials shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the following requirements:

A. Access conditions; intersections at grade with traffic signals at all major intersections; traffic channelization at all major intersections or driveways; parking restricted within road right-of-way; access control to adjoining properties according to the following conditions:

1. One driveway per lot or driveways spaced a minimum of 150 lineal feet apart,

2. No driveways within 150 lineal feet of street intersections,

3. Driveway width 24 feet minimum, 36 feet maximum;

B. Average daily traffic. 5,000 to 25,000 vehicles per day;

C. Right-of-way width: 80 feet minimum;

D. Traffic lane width criteria:

Two-way traffic	12 feet minimum
Turn lane	12 feet minimum
Shoulders	8 feet minimum
Bus lane	12 feet minimum

E. Pavement width (two-way traffic):

With curbs	48 feet measured to face of curb
With shoulders	56 feet

F. Horizontal curvature: minimum centerline radius = 955 feet;

G. Maximum grade = 6 percent; minimum grade = 0.5 percent;

H. Road surface cross slope: 2.5 percent minimum;

I. Curb radii at intersections = 25 feet minimum;

J. Curb type: APWA Type A;

K. Five-foot wide sidewalks each side required unless exempted by city council. (Ord. 959 § 5, 1980).

12.28.130 Geometric design standards – Secondary arterials.

Secondary arterials shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the following requirements:

A. Access conditions: intersections at grade with traffic channelization at major intersections; driveways within 150 feet of an intersection may be prohibited if there are potential traffic hazards. The extent of the potential traffic hazard shall be determined by the city engineer in his sole discretion;

B. Average daily traffic: 1,500 to 10,000 vehicles per day;

C. Right-of-way width: 60 feet minimum;

D. Traffic lane width criteria:

Two way traffic	11 feet minimum
Turn lane	12 feet minimum
Shoulders	8 feet minimum
Parking lane	10 feet minimum
Bus lane	12 feet minimum

E. Pavement width (two-way traffic):

With curbs	44 feet measured to face of curb
With shoulders	52 feet

F. Horizontal curvature: minimum centerline radius = 820 feet;

G. Maximum grade = 6 percent; minimum grade = 0.5 percent;

H. Road surface cross slope: 2.5 percent minimum;

I. Curb radius at intersections = 20 feet minimum;

J. Curb type: APWA Type A;

K. Five-foot wide sidewalks required each side of street unless exempted by the city council. (Ord. 1326 § 1, 1996; Ord. 959 § 5, 1980).

12.28.140 Geometric design standards – Collector arterials.

Collector arterials shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the following requirements:

A. Access conditions: intersections at grade with stop signs at major cross streets; driveways within 150 feet of an intersection may be prohibited if there are potential traffic hazards. The extent of the potential traffic hazard shall be determined by the city engineer in his sole discretion;

B. Average daily traffic: 1,000 to 5,000 vehicles per day;

C. Right-of-way width: 60 feet minimum;

D. Traffic lane width criteria:

Two-way traffic	11 feet minimum
Parking lane	8 feet minimum
Bus lane	12 feet minimum

E. Pavement width (two-way traffic):

With curbs	36 feet measured to face of curb
With shoulders	44 feet

F. Horizontal curvature: minimum centerline radius = 715 feet;

G. Maximum grade = 7 percent; minimum grade = 0.4 percent;

H. Road surface cross slope = 2.78 percent minimum;

I. Curb radius at intersections = 20 feet minimum;

J. Curb type: APWA Type A or D;

K. Five-foot wide sidewalks each side of street required. (Ord. 1326 § 2, 1996; Ord. 959 § 5, 1980).

12.28.150 Geometric design standards – Access streets.

Access streets shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the following requirements:

A. Access conditions: intersections at grade with stop signs at all major cross streets; driveways within 150 feet of an intersection may be prohibited if there are potential traffic hazards. The extent of the potential traffic hazard shall be determined by the city engineer in his sole discretion;

B. Average daily traffic: 500 vehicles per day or less;

C. Right-of-way width: 50 feet minimum;

D. Traffic lane width criteria:

Two-way traffic	10 feet minimum
Parking lane	8 feet minimum;

E. Pavement width (two-way traffic):

With curbs and parking	36 feet
both sides	measured to face of curbs
With curbs and parking
one side	32 feet
With shoulders (five	34 feet
feet each side)	total width

F. Horizontal curvature: minimum centerline radius = 410 feet;

G. Maximum grade = 12 percent; minimum grade = 0.4 percent;

H. Road surface cross slope = 2.78 percent;

I. Curb radius at intersections = 10 feet minimum;

J. Curb type: APWA Type A or D;

K. Cul-de-sacs:

Length 300 feet maximum

Diameter 90 feet – residential zone

100 feet – commercial zone

L. Sidewalks optional at discretion of the city council. (Ord. 1326 § 3, 1996; Ord. 959 § 5, 1980).

12.28.160 Structural design standards.

A. All streets shall be designed to provide a useful life span of 20 years without excessive maintenance. Major, secondary and collector arterials shall be designed and stamped by a civil engineer registered in the state of Washington. Accepted engineering practices shall be employed in the street designs. Soil, drainage and traffic conditions shall be considered in the design.

B. Access streets will not require design by a registered engineer but shall be submitted to the city according to the format described in BMC 12.28.090. The following minimum pavement cross-sections shall apply to access streets:

1. Asphalt concrete surfacing:

a. Three inches Class B asphalt concrete placed in two lifts of one and one-half inches;

b. One and one-half inches crushed rock base;

c. Eight inches pit run gravel ballast.

2. Portland cement concrete pavement:

a. Five inches 4,000 psi PC concrete on compacted subgrade.

C. Adequate storm sewers shall be provided for all streets. (Ord. 959 § 5, 1980).

III. Storm Sewers