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Objectives of a Thoroughfare Plan <br />Thoroughfare planning is a process public officials use to assure the development of the <br />most appropriate street system that will meet existing travel desires within the urban <br />area. The primary aim of a thoroughfare plan is to guide the development of the urban <br />street and highway system in a manner consistent with changing traffic demands. <br />Through proper planning for street development, many costly errors and much needless <br />expense can be averted. A thoroughfare plan will enable street improvements to be made <br />as traffic demands increase, and help eliminate unnecessary improvements. <br />A thoroughfare plan is a public document which helps guide citizens in choosing a home <br />or business when selecting a site. The thoroughfare plan also aids state and local <br />officials, serving as a guide when making requirements of developers in critical <br />transportation areas. The plan can be used as a guide for advanced right -of -way <br />dedications and reservations, which translate into saved public monies and faster <br />implementation schedules. <br />By developing the urban street system to keep pace with increasing traffic demands, a <br />maximum utilization of the system can be attained that will require a * Wimum amount <br />of land for street purposes and minimize future impacts on development. Also, with an <br />approved thoroughfare plan in hand, plans for acquiring monies, (CIP and TIP) can be <br />set into' motion well in advance of actual construction. <br />Long range road planning allows for identification of social and environmental concerns <br />long before construction. The development of a thoroughfare plan helps to define <br />neighborhoods by protecting them from "cut through" traffic on minor streets caused by <br />drivers seeking to avoid congestion on major arterials. By increasing the traffic- moving <br />efficiency of these arterials, traffic can be "siphoned' from inappropriate neighborhood <br />streets. If properly implemented, this can have a very positive impact on reinforcing <br />neighborhoods' integrity -- a well acknowledged top priority in every community. <br />What a Thoroughfare Plan Ls: <br />A thoroughfare plan is a planning document delineating the type and general location of <br />needed roadway facilities. It is a plan for a system of interconnected roadways designed <br />to serve in a proper functional hierarchy, not unlike that of a tree, whose trunk divides <br />into smaller branches. <br />Designation of a roadway as a major thoroughfare involves an assessment of its <br />importance to the area's road system. The assessment takes into consideration a road's <br />length, continuity, and proximity to other roads serving similar trip movements. Existing <br />and projected traffic volumes are only two of several considerations involved. All major <br />1.2 <br />