Paulding County › Unified Development Ordinance

Title 3 — Development Regulations, Chapter 500 — Traffic Analysis.

current as of 2026-04-14verified current · checked 2026-08-24Officialofficial source ↗3 sections · full chapter

§ 500-10

Traffic Impact Analysis

500-10.01 General Requirements.

A Traffic Impact Analysis shall be prepared for all developments where required in Section 280-20.03.B.14 or may be required for any development which generates less than 1,000 daily trips, and in the opinion of the Paulding County Department of Transportation Director, the development adversely impacts an existing roadway capacity problem and/or safety deficiency.

500-10.02 Preparation.

The report shall be prepared and sealed by a Professional Engineer licensed to practice in Georgia and trained and experienced in the application of traffic engineering.

500-10.03 Executive Summary.

An executive summary shall cover the following:

A.The proposed site development

B.Major findings of the analysis

C.Mitigation measures proposed, if necessary

500-10.04 Vicinity Map.

A vicinity map showing the location of the proposed development in relation to the transportation system of the area.

500-10.05 Description of Proposed Development.

A complete description of the proposed development, including:

A.A high-resolution site plan

B.The total size and nature of the entire proposed development

C.The proposed location, lane configuration, and traffic control of all proposed access points

500-10.06 Land Use.

A brief description of the current (and proposed, if applicable) land uses adjacent to the site.

500.10-07 Study Area.

A description of the study area for the Traffic Impact Analysis as defined by:

A.All proposed site access points

B.All intersections bordering or adjacent to the site frontage including the closest intersecting collector or arterial street.

C.Any road segment or intersection where the proposed development can be expected to generate more than 25 additional vehicle trips during a single hour.

D.Any other neighboring intersections identified by Paulding County Traffic Operations as having capacity, safety, neighborhood, and/or geometric concerns that will be adversely impacted by the proposed development.

E.The description of the study area shall include:

1.Roadway names, locations, AADT and functional classifications

2.Posted Speed

3.Intersection lane configurations and traffic control

4.Existing and future right-of-way

5.Pedestrian, bicycle, and transit facilities

6.Planned transportation system improvements

7.Existing traffic volumes (measured within the previous six months and adjusted to reflect current conditions) and operational analysis for study intersections including:

(a)Average intersection delay

(b)Level of Service

(c)Volume/capacity ratios

(d)Queue length analysis

(e)Signal timing optimization analysis (for signalized intersections)

7.Crash data summary and analysis within the study area for the most recent available three-year period. Crash data shall be obtained through the Georgia Electronic Accident Reporting System (GEARS) or AASHTOWare Safety Numetric databases.

8.Complete trip generation estimates for all phases and land uses of the proposed development should be calculated with the following requirements:

(a)The most recent edition of the ITE publication Trip Generation Manual should be used.

(b)If the ITE manual does not contain adequate data or the proposed land use is unique, a trip generation study can be conducted and its results used in place of the ITE manual.

(c)Pass-by and/or internal trip estimates may be developed for land uses where trip types are common. The ITE methods on handling these types of trips are required to be followed.

9.Trip distribution of the trip generation information should be performed using directional trip distribution patterns based on historical data. A figure showing the trip distribution pattern will be submitted as part of the study.

10.Trips associated with other proposed, approved developments in the area shall be included in the traffic operations analysis.

Title 3: Chapter 500

11.Forecast traffic volumes and performance evaluation (including average delay, levels of service, and volume-to-capacity ratios) for the study intersections without development of the site.

12.Forecast traffic volumes and performance evaluation, including the proposed development traffic, for all study intersections in the year that full buildout is expected to occur, as well as for the five-year future.

13.Safety analysis of the proposed site accesses, including sight distance (stopping sight distance, left turn sight distance (where applicable), and intersection sight triangle) and operational characteristics.

14.Analysis of right and left turn lane warrants based on Paulding County Turn Policy, 95th percentile and average queue lengths, acceleration lanes, throat lengths, channelization, and other characteristics of the site-access driveways as appropriate.

15.Queue lengths analysis will be submitted in table and map format.

16.Comparison of the location and spacing of the proposed site-access driveways with Paulding County standards and the standards of the Georgia Department of Transportation, if necessary.

17.Analysis of the parking needs of the proposed development, the adequacy of the proposed facilities to meet those needs as appropriate, and the conformance of the proposed parking facilities to applicable standards.

18.Analysis as necessary of the adequacy of the internal vehicle and pedestrian circulation systems to serve the proposed development.

19.Description and analysis of mitigation measures necessary to bring the identified intersections and locations into compliance with the applicable standards. Include analysis showing that these measures will bring these locations into compliance and include signal, turn lane, or other warrant analyses as appropriate.

20.An appendix which includes:

(a)Copies of raw traffic count data used in the analysis;

(b)PDF files of all calculation sheets and/or computer software output for all levels of service, delay, and volume-to-capacity ratio calculations in the analysis;

(c)Warrant worksheets for signals, turn lanes, signal phasing, all-way stops, and other proposed measures as appropriate.

(d)Sight distance profiles.

21.Native output files from the capacity and queue length analysis

500-10.08. Traffic Impact Analysis Standards.

A.All signalized and all-way-stop controlled intersections shall operate at a Level of Service “D” or better with a Volume/Capacity ratio of 0.95 or less. Other unsignalized intersections (including unsignalized private accesses) shall operate at Level of Service “E” or better for major street left turns and side street approaches, although LOS “F” may be allowed if the movement has a relatively low volume-to-capacity ratio and there are no known safety problems at the intersection.

B.Intersection Control Evaluation analysis following GDOT’s ICE concepts may be required by Paulding County DOT when the operational analysis for build conditions shows Level of Service degradation from acceptable to failing under existing intersection traffic control.

C.Following the operational analysis, the report shall include site mitigation improvements as part of the development or system improvements recommendations (whichever one applies)

D.Acceptable analysis includes the most recent Highway Capacity Manual methods modeled in Synchro 12.

E.Signal timing used in capacity or progression analysis shall use the same cycle length as is currently in use at the intersection, unless specifically noted otherwise, and shall not exceed 160 seconds. Signal timing shall provide adequate walk/ped clearance time for pedestrian crossings.

F.Peak hour factors less than 0.75 or greater than 0.90 shall not be used unless justified by specific counts at that location.

G.Provide three copies of the Traffic Impact Analysis report for Paulding County Staff to review.

§ 500-20

Traffic Memo

500-20.01 General Requirements.

A Traffic Memo shall be prepared for all developments where required in Section 280-20.03.B.14 or may be required for any development which generates less than 50 peak hour trips, and in the opinion of the Paulding County Department of Transportation Director, the development adversely impacts an existing roadway capacity problem and/or safety deficiency.

500-20.02 Preparation.

The report shall be prepared and sealed by a Professional Engineer licensed to practice in Georgia and trained and experienced in the application of traffic engineering.

500-20.03 Location Description.

A summary describing the existing conditions shall cover the following:

A.A vicinity Map to scale showing the location of the proposed development in relation to the transportation system in the area.

B.Adjacent roadway functional classification(s)

C.Roadway and Property existing conditions.

D.Posted Speed Limit

E.ADT. Average Daily Traffic volumes for the adjacent county roadway(s)

utilizing counts less than 2 years old, 48 hours and bi-directional Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) coverage counts can be utilized if the count station is within ⅓ of a mile of the development. Paulding County yearly counts should be used if available over GDOT’s Count Station when closer than ⅓ of a mile from the proposed site.

500-20.04 Land Use.

A brief description of the current (and proposed, if applicable) land uses adjacent to the site.

500-20.05 Description of Proposed Development.

A complete description of the proposed development, including:

A.A high-resolution site plan;

B.The total size and nature of the entire proposed development; and

C.The proposed location, lane configuration, and traffic control of all proposed access points

500-20.06 Trip Generation estimate, AM/PM peak hour, Land Code.

Complete trip generation estimates for all phases and land uses of the proposed development should be calculated with the following requirements:

A.The most recent edition of the ITE publication Trip Generation Manual should be used.

B.If the ITE manual does not contain adequate data or the proposed land use is unique, a trip generation estimate based on similar use case in the following order of availability (Paulding, nearby Counties, Atlanta Metro, Georgia, other States) can be conducted and its results used in place of the ITE manual.

C.Pass-by and/or internal trip estimates may be developed for land uses where trip types are common. The ITE methods on handling these types of trips are required to be followed.

500-20.07 Adjacent access spacing – upstream and downstream

A.All proposed site access points;

B.All intersections bordering or adjacent to the site frontage including the closest intersecting collector or arterial street;

500-20.08 Intersection Sight Distance.

Sight distance shall meet minimum requirements per AASHTO. Include a sight distance profile.

500-20.09 Connectivity and circulation review.

A high-resolution site plan showing all connectivity, inter-parcel access and circulation.

500-20.10 Intersection and Roadway Geometric Recommendations.

Description and analysis of mitigation measures necessary to bring the identified intersections and locations into compliance with the applicable standards. Include analysis showing that these measures will bring these locations into compliance and include signal, turn lane, or other warrant analyses as appropriate.

A.An appendix which includes copies of raw traffic count data used in the analysis should be included.

B.Sight Distance profiles should be included.

500-20.11 Traffic Memo Standards.

B.Acceptable analysis includes the most recent Highway Capacity Manual methods modeled in Synchro.

C.Signal timing used in capacity or progression analysis shall use the same cycle length as is currently in use at the intersection, unless specifically noted otherwise, and shall not exceed 160 seconds. Signal timing shall provide adequate green time for pedestrian crossings.

D.Peak hour factors less than 0.75 or greater than 0.90 shall not be used unless justified by specific counts at that location.

E.Provide three copies of the Traffic Memo report for Paulding County Staff to review.

§ 500-30

Queueing Analysis

500-30.01 General Requirements.

A Queueing Analysis showing 95th percentile and average queues, should be submitted for all developments where there is potential to generate significant traffic volumes, congestion delays, and could impact operations of the existing street roadway network.

500-30.02 Minimum Situations.

A.High Volume Traffic Generators. When a proposed development is expected to generate 50 or more new trips during the peak hour of traffic on the adjacent street.

B.Developments with Drive-Through’s.

1.Developments that include drive-thru facilities that involve queuing or queuing-prone operations to ensure adequate on-site storage and to prevent vehicle queues from spilling off-site onto adjacent streets.

2.Queueing Prone Operations (such as Parking garages, gated developments) with limited entrance points and automated parking systems

C.Potential Traffic Disruptions or safety issues. If adjacent roadway or intersection experiences safety and/or operational issues

500-30.03 The report shall be prepared and sealed by a Professional Engineer licensed to

practice in Georgia and trained and experienced in the application of traffic engineering.

500-30.04 Location Description.

A summary describing the existing conditions shall cover the following:

A.A vicinity Map to scale showing the location of the proposed development in relation to the transportation system in the area.

B.Adjacent roadway functional classification(s)

C.Roadway and Property existing conditions.

D.Posted Speed Limit

E.ADT. Average Daily Traffic volumes for the adjacent county roadway(s)

utilizing counts less than two years old, 48 hours and bi-directional Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) coverage counts can be utilized if the count station is within ⅓ of a mile of the development.

500-30.05 Land Use.

A brief description of the current (and proposed, if applicable) land uses adjacent to the site.

500-30.06 Description of Proposed Development.

A complete description of the proposed development, including:

A.A site plan;

B.The total size and nature of the entire proposed development; and

C.The proposed location and traffic control of all proposed access points

500-30.07 Queue Survey,

Utilization of a similar facility to collect queueing data is recommended. The existing site should have characteristics similar to the proposed project and the observed dates and time periods should be notated within the study.

A.Data should be collected of the of queue in 1-minute intervals

B.The location of drop off/ pick up/ entrance/ exit should be considered the start of the queue.

C.Determination of vehicles in queue broken down into 15-minute periods, based on the observed average queue, 95th percentile queue, and the peak queue for each data collection period.

D.Determine the design Queue Length

500.30.08 Analysis

Developments shall be designed to ensure the queue length is sufficient to handle expected queueing on-site without stacking onto the adjacent street network or impacting traffic flow on adjacent roadways.

A.Utilize ITE’s Trip Generation Manual to gather data for expected vehicle volumes and arrival rates for the specific land use or road segment.

B.Estimate the Peak House Demand

C.Utilize Queueing Models such as ITE Transportation and Land Development’s Poisson Queuing analysis methodology, Highway Capacity manual or other to estimate queue length. Consider arrival rates, service rates, etc.

D.Determine the 95th percentile queue length.

E.Compare design queue length to available storage space to ensure it is sufficient to handle expected queueing on-site without stacking onto the adjacent street network or impacting traffic flow on the roadway network.

Title 3: Chapter 500