§ 1601. Definitions.

AASHTO: The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.

Access street, private: A private street built to standards required by this UDC and providing access to abutting properties.

Arterial, principal: A term used in the functional classification of roads. These roads, which include interstates and rural freeways: serve "substantial" statewide or interstate trips, as defined by high mileage or volume; connect most urban areas of 25,000 or more and virtually all urban areas of 50,000 or more; and provide an integrated network without stub connections except where geography dictates otherwise. Arterials are the longest roads with the highest speed limits. Principal arterials begin and end at principal arterials or interstates.

Arterial, minor: A term used in the functional classification of roads. With the principal arterial system, these roads form a rural network that links other cities, larger towns, and other traffic generators, such as major resort areas, capable of attracting travel over long distances; link all developed areas of the state; and serve corridors with trip lengths and travel density greater than those predominantly served by rural collector or local systems. Minor arterials, therefore, constitute routes whose design should be expected to provide for relatively high overall travel speeds, with minimum interference to the through-movement. Minor arterials begin and end at minor or principal arterials or interstates.

Collector, major: A term used in the functional classification of roads. These roads, with minor collectors, primarily serve the county rather than state traffic. Consequently, more moderate speeds are typical. They serve any county seat or larger town not on an arterial route, and other traffic generators of equivalent intra-county importance, such as consolidated schools, shipping points, county parks, and important mining and agricultural areas; link the latter places with nearby larger towns or cities, or arterials and freeways; and serve the more important intra-county travel corridors. Collectors are shorter roads with slower travel speeds than arterial roads. Major collectors begin and end at other major collectors, at minor or principal arterials or at interstates.

Collector, minor: A term used in the functional classification of roads. Serving county-wide traffic, these roads should evenly collect traffic from local roads and bring all developed areas within a reasonable distance of a collector road; provide service to the remaining smaller communities; and link the locally important traffic generators with the hinterlands. Minor collectors begin and end at other minor collectors or any of the higher functional classifications.

Deceleration lane: A speed-change lane, including tapered areas, for the purpose of enabling a vehicle that is making an exit turn from a roadway to slow to a safe turning speed after it has left the mainstream of faster-moving traffic. Also called a "decel lane"; it denotes a right turn lane or a left turn lane into a development or subdivision.

Functional classification of roads: A system for the classification of roads used by the Federal Highway Administration, the Georgia Department of Transportation and Jackson County. The system is based on several factors, including: the amount of traffic currently on the road plus if any new major traffic generators (e.g., new schools, new subdivisions, new community level commercial centers, or new major employers) are being built in the next four years along that roadway; the length of the roadway in comparison with the functional classification of other roads in the same area.

Grade:

(1)

The profile of the center of the roadway, or its rate of ascent or descent.

(2)

To shape or reshape an earth road by means of cutting or filling.

(3)

Elevation.

Highway: A term applied to streets and roads that are under the jurisdiction of the Georgia Department of Transportation or federal highway agency. Highways are major arteries of the circulation network, carry significant volumes of traffic for both long and short trips, and are designed with access to abutting properties with some degree of control and safe standards of design.

Horizontal alignment: Horizontal geometrics of the roadway.

Horizontal curve: A curve by means of which a road can change direction to the right or left.

Intersection: The general area where two or more roads join or cross, including the roadway and roadside facilities for traffic movements within the area.

Local road: A term used in the functional classification of roads. These roads primarily serve to provide access to adjacent land uses and serve low mileage trips as compared to collectors or other higher systems. Local roads constitute the rural mileage not classified as part of the principle arterial, minor arterial, or collector road systems. Local roads are the shortest roads with the slowest speeds when compared with other functional classifications of roads.

Left turn lane: A speed-change lane within the median to accommodate left turning vehicles.

Pavement markings: Devices or paint placed on the roadway to mark pavement for vehicular and pedestrian traffic control.

Profile: A longitudinal section of a roadway, drainage course, etc.

Right-of-way: Land reserved for and immediately available for public use as a street or other purpose.

Road: A state highway, a county road, a road adopted as a county-owned right-of-way approved for county maintenance, a street owned and/or maintained by a municipality, or where permitted, a private road. Roads afford the principal means of access to abutting property or properties and are required to meet specifications contained in this UDC. The term includes "street" but does not include "access easement."

Road, private: An improved road, distinguished from a public road in that the right-of-way which affords a principal means of access to abutting property or properties is privately owned and maintained. Private roads are required to meet specifications contained in this UDC.

Road, public: A state highway, county road, a road adopted as a county-owned right-of-way approved for county maintenance, or a street owned and/or maintained by a municipality. New public roads are required to meet specifications contained in this UDC.

Shoulder: The portion of the roadway contiguous with the traveled way for accommodation of stopped vehicles, for emergency use, and for lateral support of base and surface courses.

Sidewalk: A hard-surfaced pedestrian access area adjacent to or within the right-of-way of a street.

Sight distance: The length of roadway ahead visible to a driver.

Street: A dedicated and accepted public right-of-way, or a private street approved by the Jackson County Board of Commissioners, which affords the principal means of access for motor vehicles to abutting properties.

Street jog: The incidence where two streets or two portions of a single street are separated by a relatively short distance, usually at their intersection with another street (see illustration).

Traveled way: The portion of the roadway provided for the movement of vehicles, exclusive of shoulders, auxiliary lanes and bicycle lanes.

(Ord. No. 17-003 , § 1, 10-2-2017)