Jefferson County Fire Protection District #4
Minimum Road Development Standards
The following road standards were adopted by the Board of Fire Commissioners on 12 April 1994. These standards provide the minimum surface and width needed for fire and EMS vehicle to access your property. Should you already have a road or driveway in place that does not meet these standards you should contact the fire department for an onsite review. After the onsite review you will be provided a lists of suggestions that you can accomplish that will improve fire and EMS accessibility.
JEFFERSON COUNTY
Dated: June 02, 2006
Standards
· 2003 Edition of the International Fire Code [I.F.C.], Chapter 5, Section 503 “Fire Apparatus Access Roads”.
· American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials [AASHTO]
· Washington State Department of Transportations [W.S.D.O.T.]
· Less than 100 A.D.T.
Purpose
To assist property owners with responsible design and construction standards for their Fire and Sheriff Department’s efficient delivery of emergency services to the subject property[s], as well as other services.
Scope
The scope of this policy is for emergency services access provision on private properties and privately constructed and maintained roadways in public rights of way.
Standards
· A travel surface shall be constructed and maintained according to these standards:
ê All materials shall meet WSDOT standard specifications for road construction
ê Twenty [20] foot minimum unobstructed width
ê 6-inch ballast or gravel base, which may need to be increased depending upon the suitability of native material, with 2- inch minimum depth of compacted crushed surfacing top course, and;
ê 2 percent crown slope at the centerline, and;
ê compaction of the material to a load capacity of 75,000 pounds
· Minimum finished surface width of twelve [12] feet shall be provided, and maintained.
· Four [4] foot shoulder—each side—is required, as shoulders provide as lateral support of elevated roadway surfaces and provide an “operations zone” around parked emergency services vehicles on the roadway. Compaction of the material to a load capacity of 75,000 pounds.
· Cut and fill slopes, including ditches to provide 2:1 slope gradient
· Any curvature in the roadway shall have a minimum 28-foot radius (internal measurement). Apron radii may be located within the existing public way provided the paved surface width accommodates same, and;
· Maximum grade is 12%, with greater than 12% requiring Dept. of Public Works approval.
· Gradient change/transitions shall be limited to seven [7] percent or less, to accommodate the wheelbase of the fire trucks and the body frame beyond the rear axle, and;
· Driveway approach to any constructed public roadway shall meet and approved 75 degree to 105 degree approach angle, to include brush clearance for line of sight at any “stop and yield” controlled intersection with a constructed public road, and include an approved paved apron, and;
· Brush and landscaping clear width shall be fourteen [14] horizontally and vertically, and;
· An approved address sign with minimum 5-inch numbers shall be posted where the driveway intersects with public roadway, and;
· Gates and fences on the roadway are obstacles to efficient emergency services delivery, and create width constrictions. Any such assemblies shall be eleven [11] feet in opening width, and shall not be locked unless an approved lock-box system is installed, and;
· Driveway turnarounds for roadways over 250 feet in length shall be provided, and are to be designed consistent with the standards from the 2003 International Fire Code, Appendix D.
· Where private roadways are greater than 1000 feet, owners shall provide intervisible turnouts, and should provide a formal off-highway turnaround at the road entrance to allow vehicles to turnaround without having to back-out onto the public right of way.
A recorded document should be executed in cases where property is served over a roadway easement. Such document prescribes the necessary ingress/egress provisions required by these standards, and most importantly, shall include a maintenance agreement. This includes multiple-party use of an access.
Adopted: 12 April 1994 Signed: Ron Garrison, Chairman of the Board
Original Document on file at Fire Headquarters 272 Schoolhouse Road, Brinnon WA. 98320