(a) Access management provides or manages access to land while simultaneously preserving the flow of traffic on the surrounding road systems in terms of safety, capacity and speed. Every roadway in a transportation network has a specific function which can be broadly stated as either to provide direct access to abutting land or to provide for through traffic movement. In this context, it can be stated that the effects of access management become significant in the case of freeways, arterial streets and collector streets, where there needs to be a balance between through traffic movement and the access functions performed by the roadway.
(1) In order to promote safe and reasonable access between public roadways and adjacent land, improve the convenience and ease of movement of travelers on public roads, and permit reasonable speeds and economy of travel while maintaining the capacity of the roadway, the location and design of access points shall be in accordance with the access management regulations as outlined in the Manual of Design. These regulations shall apply to all existing, planned, or proposed roadways within the jurisdiction of the City. New or proposed roadways within the City not identified on the adopted Street Master Plan shall interconnect with the existing roadway network in a uniform and efficient manner.
(2) Even though existing roadways and their accesses do not comply with the respective access restrictions in their class, for the prevention of the future breakdown of the balance between mobility and access functions, it is required that the City follow the regulations for all future access permits.
(3) When direct property access (wherever allowable) is permitted to any roadway, the developer shall bear the cost of the corresponding roadway improvements required to meet the restrictions defined by the access level of the respective roadway.
(4) The Engineering and Environmental Services Director shall be responsible for the uniform administration of the regulations.
(b) The following are the key components of the access management regulations:
(1) Roadway Classification. Location-based and functional classification of roadways.
(2) Access Classification. Classification of different access levels and their assignment to the roadways in the City.
(3) Access Spacing Regulations. Spacing guidelines for different access features at different levels of access.
(4) Traffic Impact Study Guidelines. Regulations as to when a traffic impact study is needed and determination of the necessary components.
(5) Driveway Approach and Curb Cut Regulations. Regulations for the placement and construction of driveway approaches and curb cuts.
(c) The roadways of the City are classified based on their location, function and desired level of access control. The classifications are described in the Manual of Design.
(d) Access spacing regulations establish standards of access spacing for the different access levels. Different sets of standards apply to interchanges and signalized intersections, unsignalized intersections and driveways, median openings and to lateral access restrictions, as described in the Manual of Design.
(Ord. O2007-24, passed 3-20-2007)