Access Management Regulations and Standards

Preserving and Improving the Efficient Operation of State Highways

2008 General Assembly Legislation:  Regulations and Standards to be Phased

Last year access management regulations and standards were developed in accordance with 2007 General Assembly legislation.  See “Background” & “Process” sections below.

During the 2008 General Assembly session, legislation (Chapter 274)   (PDF, 32 KB) was enacted to require the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to implement the regulations and the design standards in phases according to a highway’s functional classification.  

The first phase applies to VDOT highways classified as principal arterials

The second phase applies to VDOT highways classified as minor arterial, collector, and local. More information can be found in the About Highway Functional Classifications  (PDF, 35KB) document.

Illustration comparing a four-lane highway with access
management to a six-lane highway without it.
Click to enlarge.

First Phase:  Access Management Regulations and Standards for Principal Arterials

The regulations and the standards developed during 2007 will only apply to principal arterials. 

On July 1, 2008, the “Access Management Regulations: Principal Arterials ” (PDF, 114KB)  and the “ Access Management Design Standards for Entrances and Intersections: Principal Arterials ," (WORD, 11MB) -- a new Appendix F in the VDOT Road Design Manual -- will take effect.  The spacing standards for entrances and intersections are in the second document.

Existing entrance regulations and standards will continue to apply to all other state highways:  minor arterials, collectors, and local streets.   See in the Road Design Manual (Appendix C), the Land Use Permit Manual (PDF), and the Minimum Standards of Entrances to State Highways (PDF).

Principal arterials represent only about 6% of all VDOT highways.  Many counties have only one non-interstate principal arterial and some have none. See Map of Principal Arterials (PDF, 3MB) and  List of Principal Arterials  (PDF, 30KB) for more information.

Workshops are being planned on the regulations and standards.  Once the schedule is finalized, information on the dates, locations and times will be posted on this Web site.

The access management regulations and standards for principal arterials will:

• Preserve public investment in new and existing highways;
   
• Enhance public safety by reducing conflicting traffic movements;
   
• Reduce the need for new or wider highways by preserving the performance of existing highways;
   
• Support economic development by promoting the efficient movement of goods and people; and,
   
• Respect vested property rights.

The legislative goals for access management will be accomplished through:

• Spacing standards for entrances, intersections, and median openings based on the type of entrance and highway classification
  
  
• Signal spacing to maximize the progression of traffic on highways
  
  
• Locating entrances a safe distance from intersection turning movements
  
  
• Rules for vehicular, and where appropriate, pedestrian circulation between adjoining properties
  
  
• Sharing of highway entrances.

All parcels of land abutting a state highway will be provided with reasonable access to the highway, except for limited access highways. The regulations will not be retroactive; they apply to new requests for access.

Entrance locations shown on rezoning proffered plans of development, site plans, and subdivision plats that were approved by the locality prior to the July 1 effective date will be exempt from the spacing standards. 

The spacing standards also will not apply on:

• Older, business corridors of urban highways
  
  
• Streets internal to new urbanism and traditional neighborhood developments
  
  
• Highway corridors with local access management plans.

Procedures are included for appealing or requesting exceptions to the access management regulations and standards with deadlines for VDOT decisions.

Second Phase:  Regulations & Standards for Minor Arterials, Collectors, and Local Streets

During 2008 and 2009 the access management regulations and design standards for entrances and intersections prepared during 2007 for these highway types will undergo extensive public evaluation in accordance with the Administrative Process Act.  The legislation specifies they will take effect on Oct. 1, 2009.

Multiple opportunities will be provided for people throughout the Commonwealth to participate in their development.  After the draft regulations have been reviewed by the Attorney General’s Office, the Dept. of Planning and Budget, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Governor’s Office, they will be posted on this Web site and published in the Virginia Register during the fall of this year.  The access management design standards will also be available on this Web site.

To assure a broad outreach for public input on the draft regulations and design standards, the public will be encouraged during a 60 day comment period to provide their comments and recommendations via the internet, through the mail, and in person at public hearings to be held throughout the state. 

Details on these opportunities to help develop the regulations and standards will be posted on this Web site.

Background:  2007 Legislation

The 2007 General Assembly unanimously approved legislation proposed by Gov. Timothy M. Kaine - HB 2228 and SB 1312 - to direct the VDOT commissioner to develop and implement access management regulations and standards with the goals of:

• Reducing traffic congestion
  
  
• Enhancing public safety by decreasing traffic crash rates
  
  
• Supporting economic development by promoting the efficient movement of people and goods
  
  
• Reducing the need for new highways and road widening by maximizing the performance of the existing state highways
  
  
• Preserving the public investment in new highways.

The legislation required the commissioner to solicit and consider public comment in the development of the regulations and standards (which were exempt from the Administrative Process Act) and publish them by December 31, 2007.   Legislation (Chapter 863) PDF, 32 KB)   

Process Used During 2007 to Develop and Solicit Input on the Regulations and Standards

A VDOT technical committee, representing a broad range of disciplines from Central Office divisions, the regions, districts, residencies, and the VA Transportation Research Council, prepared the first draft of the regulations and standards. 

To assure a wide variety of viewpoints were considered, a multi-step process was developed for gaining public input on the proposed regulations and standards:

• First, the documents were reviewed and refined in August/September 2007 by a policy advisory committee composed of representatives from local government, development, environmental, and transportation engineering organizations, as well as VDOT management and the Office of the Secretary of Transportation.
  
  
• Second, a public comment period was provided from Oct. 3 to 29.  The proposed regulations and standards were published on this Web site for public review.  An email form was added to the Web site for the public to send their comments to VDOT on the proposed documents.
  
  
• Third, a public hearing was held Oct. 22 in Richmond.  

Notices about these public input opportunities were advertised twice in 13 newspapers and distributed to 50 media outlets to assure statewide coverage.  A General Notice of the comment period and public hearing was posted on the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall and published in the Oct. 15. "Virginia Register".

VDOT received over 250 comments from nine local governments (urban, suburban, and rural), 4 business organizations, an environmental organization, a Planning District Commission, and 10 individuals.  

The policy advisory committee and the VDOT technical committee evaluated the comments and used them to revise the regulations and standards.  The policy advisory committee submitted their recommendations to the commissioner in November.  They were approved and published on this Web site in December.   

What Is Access Management?

Roads are a critical public resource and constitute a major investment of the public’s money. The importance of providing safe and efficient state highways has resulted in a renewed focus on access management. 

Access management seeks to improve the performance of the existing road network and enhance safety while maintaining the right of private property to have reasonable access to state highways.  To accomplish this, highways are classified according to their function, moving traffic versus providing access to property.

Regulations and standards based on a highway’s functional or operational classification are used to manage the location, number, spacing and design of entrances, median openings, traffic signals, turn lanes, street intersections, and interchanges. See illustration (WORD, 66KB).

In other states, access management has led to:

• Reductions in crashes, injuries, and fatalities
  
  
• Greater mobility that enhances the economic vitality of an area
  
  
• A reduction in the need for additional road capacity
  
  
• Increased traffic carrying capacity of existing roads

For example, studies have demonstrated that a four-lane highway with good access management can carry as much traffic as a six-lane highway with poor access management. (PDF, 55 KB)

Additional Information on Access Management

PDFs:

• Access management principles (829 KB) This presentation on access management concepts includes an overview of the functional classification system for highways and includes examples of counties in Virginia that have adopted local access management standards.
  
  
• From the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA):
  
  
• Benefits of access management (809 KB)
  
  
• Safe access is good for business (2.48 KB)
  
  
• Virginia Tech access spacing study (62 KB)An excerpt is presented from a study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute on the relationship between managing access near intersections and accident rates.

Also:

The Transportation Research Board of the National Academies in Washington, D.C., has created a Web site that is a good resource for information on access management, including research studies, handbooks, and links to other states’ access management Web sites.