PREFACE

The City of Austin's Development Criteria Manuals (DCMs) were promulgated to administer and implement the City's Land Development Code in providing concise and comprehensive criteria for proper planning, design and coordination of all facilities applicable within the City of Austin and its Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ).

The guidelines and criteria presented in the Transportation Criteria Manual provide a foundation or starting point for rational engineering design decisions. The standards contained herein are based largely upon the guidelines and policies promulgated by the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO).

The Transportation Criteria Manual includes a classification system for the City of Austin, street characteristics and definitions of the various classes of streets, tabulation of design criteria and guidelines and schematic details of proposed street cross sections. The new design values are not intended to imply that current roadways are unsafe. The new design values represent recent design guidelines and established practices which should result in more satisfactory designs for new roadways as well as for modifications to current roadways.

Deviations in regard to functional classifications, design criteria and recommendations as set forth in this document should be warranted based on sound engineering principles. Deviations may be sought where warranted by social, economic or environmental impacts. All deviations from these guidelines including horizontal alignments, vertical grades, pavement widths, corner radii, median breaks, driveway and sidewalk designs must be approved by a Professional Engineer as designated by the Director of Public Works and/or the Director of the Transportation, Planning and Sustainability Department unless specific or joint authority is given to another stated designee by this document or by City Ordinance. These decisions shall be final except as otherwise designated by ordinance.

The design criteria established in the Transportation Criteria Manual affect the review and approval of subdivision plats, special permits, zoning change applications, street construction plans, street rights of way dedications and other development related plans and plats. The design criteria are based on the characteristics of urban transportation demands and the various levels of land development. Analyzed together they set forth Austin's roadway development criteria. Toward this objective this document has:

*  Summarized the characteristics of urban/rural travel demand;

*  Analyzed the relationship between travel behavior and geographic location;

*  Set forth key parameters for residential development and inclusive street networks; and

*  Applied the transportation planning process to land use development.

The legal authority for enforcement of this document is derived from Chapter 1-2, Title I of the Austin Code of Ordinances. Any changes to this document shall be made in accordance with the promulgation procedure outlined in Chapter 1-2, Title I of the Austin Code of Ordinances.

Special recognition goes to the professionals on the technical review committees organized by the Austin Contractors and Engineers Association, the Texas Capital Area Builders Association and the Land Development Council for their in-depth technical review and comments on this document.