The Benefits and Impacts of Roadway Access Management

AASHTO Mississippi Valley Meeting Chicago, Illinois

July 1999

Presentation Outline

What is access management?An example corridorBenefits of managing accessTechniques and treatments for managing

accessAccess management and business vitalityImplementing access managementConclusions

What Is Access Management?

“Access Management is the process that provides access to land development while simultaneously preserving the flow of traffic on the surrounding road system in terms of safety, capacity, and speed”.

(Source: Federal Highway Administration)

A Key Goal

A key goal of access management is to maintain the functional integrity of the roadway system

Functional Integrity

Reserve high speed, high capacity roads for high speed, long-distance travel

Maintain a “hierarchy” of roadsBalance traffic movement and access to

adjacent land by providing land access compatible with the roadway classification

Functional Integrity

Access to Property

ThroughTraffic

Movement

Freeway

Arterial

Local

Collector

Presentation Outline

What is access management?An example corridorBenefits of managing accessTechniques and treatments for managing

accessAccess management and business vitalityImplementing access managementConclusions

Douglas Avenue: High Access Management

Douglas Avenue: Moderate Access Management

Douglas Avenue: Little/No Access Management

Douglas Avenue: Little/No Access Management

Douglas Avenue: Little/No Access Management

Presentation Outline

What is access management?An example corridorBenefits of managing accessTechniques and treatments for managing

accessAccess management and business vitalityImplementing access managementConclusions

What Are The Benefits of Managing Access?

Improved safety (reduction in accidents and accident rates)

Better traffic operations (increased LOS, capacity, and speed)

Other public benefits (for pedestrians, bicyclists, public transit, taxpayers, and the environment)

Potentially, a better environment in which to do business

Safety: Driveway Spacing And Accident Rates Are Strongly Related

Safety: Accident Rates Are Lower On Better Managed Roads

Safety: Iowa Case Studies

Seven Iowa case studies

Case studies show nearly a 40 percent average reduction in accident rates after access management projects were completed.

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Accident Rate

(per MVMT)

Before

After

Iowa Case Studies:Accident Reduction By Type

0 50 100 150 200 250

Rear End

Left/Broadside

Right Angle

Other

Total

Before

After

Operations: Capacity Is Higher On Better Managed Roads

Operations: Travel Speed Is Higher On Managed Roads

Presentation Outline

What is access management?An example corridorBenefits of managing accessTechniques and treatments for

managing accessAccess management and business vitalityImplementing access managementConclusions

How to Manage Access

Maintain the functional integrity of the roadway system by: Limiting conflict points Separating conflict points Removing turning traffic from through

traffic lanes

Conflict Points at Intersection

Limiting Conflict Points: Medians

Separating Conflict Points: Why?

Drivers can only mentally process one conflict point at a time

Separation also provides enough time and space for drivers to react to the unexpected

Conflict points represent opportunities for accidents, congestion, and delay

Separating Conflict Points

Facilitating Turning Movements: Important Strategies

Increased turning radii (driveway flares)Increased driveway widthDecreased driveway slopeIncluding turn lanes or tapersImproved sight distance for turning trafficImproved internal site design

Facilitating Turning Movements

Steep Driveways, Slower Turns

Common Access Management Treatments

Driveway consolidationCorner clearanceRaised mediansRaised medians at intersectionsTwo-way left-turn lanesFrontage roadsBackage roads

Presentation Outline

What is access management?An example corridorBenefits of managing accessTechniques and treatments for managing

accessAccess management and business

vitality Implementing access managementConclusions

Business Vitality:

Business owners often oppose access changes or restrictions

Overall impacts on businesses are neutral to positive

Iowa study results mainly show: Lower business failure rates Improved retail sales levels Potential for land redevelopment Some individual businesses may be negatively

affected

Five Year ComparativeBusiness Survival Rates

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70A

me

s

An

ke

ny

Cli

ve

Fa

irfi

eld

Sp

en

ce

r

Sta

tew

ide

Community

Corridor

Note: Based on a five year period bracketing project completion. For corridors, business name changes or moves are counted as failures. First round projects only.

Case Study Corridor Sales Tax Revenue Growth

Retail Trade Growth Trends, 1990s

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500

Ames

Ankeny

Clive

Fairfield

Spencer

Bettendorf

Coralville

Des Moines

West Des Moines

Average

Average, Without Clive

Cas

e S

tud

ies

Index, 1990=100

Corridor Index Community Index

Same Businesses Sales After Project Completion

Source: Opinion survey of business owners and managers.

Reported Sales Trend Post-Project

6%

45%

20%

29%

Decrease Same Increase Uncertain/No response

Businesses Reporting A Loss Of Sales After Project Completion

Nine of 162 businesses surveyed (6%) reported sales losses; these were: Two gasoline stations (both Des Moines--MAI) Two real estate offices (Ankeny--Median and Coralville--TWLTL) A convenience store (Bettendorf--TWLTL) A supermarket (Ankeny--Median) A tanning salon (Clive--Median) A music store (Coralville--TWLTL) A fast food restaurant (Coralville--TWLTL)

Five of these were “auto-oriented” businesses Five of these involved medians while four involved

TWLTLs

Businesses Reporting Customer Complaints About Highway Access

After Project Completion

Businesses Reporting Customer Complaints

28%

72%

Complaints reported No complaints

Businesses Reporting Customer Access Complaints, By Type

Customer Access Complaints By Business Type

28%

19%

4%6%

43%

Restaurant/fast foodAuto service/sales/gas stationHotel/motelInsurance/real estateOther business type

Presentation Outline

What is access management?An example corridorBenefits of managing accessTechniques and treatments for managing

accessAccess management and business vitality Implementing access managementConclusions

Implementing Access Management

In most states, roadway jurisdictions are legally responsible for managing access and providing access to properties.

State legislation usually spells out the regulatory powers of roadway jurisdictions

Local governments can usually also manage access via land use regulations

Implementing Access Management

Road improvement techniques and projects

Driveway permitting Prior to new development Prior to expanded development

Land use regulations Subdivision regulations, such as joint or

cross access regulations Zoning

Implementing Access Management

Cooperation among and involvement of All government agencies involved Business owners Land developers The public, including motorists

Acquisition of access rights

Presentation Outline

What is access management?Typical problems related to accessBenefits of managing accessTechniques and treatments for managing

accessAccess management and business vitalityImplementing access managementConclusions

Who Wins When Access Management Is Done Right?

Motorists: safer, less congested roads

Taxpayers: less expensive roadsMost business persons and their

customers: improved business environment

Communities as a whole: environmental and other benefits

Contact

David J. PlazakCenter for Transportation Research and Education,

ISU Research Park, Ames, IA 50010-8615

Telephone: (515) 294-8103Fax: (515) 294-0467E-mail: dplazak@iastate.eduURL: http://www.ctre.iastate.edu/access