OF MICE AND STREETS

Some jurisdictions in Virginia, like independent cities and Arlington County, maintain, including snow removal, their own public roads. Most, however, give the maintenance responsibilities to VDOT once the public roads are accepted for VDOT maintenance. This is a major cost burden that the localities have been able to avoid, but VDOT has a large stick – if the public roads do not meet VDOT’s SSAR standards, VDOT does not have to accept maintenance responsibility and the locality pays the freight –or creates private roads and the residents pay. So either VDOT is happy because the public road meets its standards, or VDOT is even happier because it is not responsible for the road.

So why is this an issue? VDOT has complained that land use decisions have ignored these transportation responsibilities. Now, the pendulum could swing the other way.

These new standards effectively mandate interconnectivity – in multiple directions. There are exceptions, but many will be on a case-by-case basis – adding cost and uncertainty to the land use application process. Cul-de-sacs are penalized. VDOT will require new subdivisions (and perhaps ongoing developments not meeting grandfathering requirements) to satisfy both overall connectivity and a Connectivity Index – a ratio calculated by dividing the number of street segments by the number of intersections. A cul-de-sac is deemed an intersection, so each cul-de-sac lowers the index figure for a given development. Bringing a road to a property line is an interparcel connection – not an intersection – but what if the properties surrounding a parcel are already developed without connections? Do you provide a link to nowhere? Or will VDOT or the locality require a “temporary” turnaround or cul-de-sac, and how will that be counted?

Special exceptions may be authorized by the District Administrator on a case-by-case basis (adding the potential for time delays and added costs) and can be based on incompatible land use of adjoining properties. However, unlike many residents’ conceptions of incompatibility, the regulations consider retail, office and residential uses to be compatible.

The required  Connectivity Index level depends on the category of the specific area, with Compact (Urban) Area having the largest required index (­> 1.6), followed by Suburban (> 1.4) and Rural Area, with no required index. What may surprise Prince William County residents is that the proposed VDOT map shows Prince William County to be either Compact (Urban) or Suburban – with the Rural Crescent as Suburban and required to meet that connectivity index for public road acceptance.

VDOT’s executive summary tries to say that the regulation does not take a “one size fits all” approach, but the question is whether it really fits Prince William County at all. Regardless of the fit, the regulations are in force and landowners, planners, designers and engineers need to review the regulations and their developments and determine how to meet (or get exceptions to) the applicable standards. VDOT has scheduled information meetings throughout Virginia this month, with the Prince William County session scheduled for Thursday, April 30th from 10 a.m. to Noon in the Board Chambers of the McCoart Government Center building.

Author: Dennis M. Cate

Email: dcate@comptonduling.com