The Benefits and Impacts of Roadway Access Management 2000 APA Upper Midwest Regional Planning Conference Duluth, Minnesota August 2000

Presentation Outline What is access management? –An example corridor What are the benefits of managing access? What are the main techniques and treatments for managing access? How does access management effect business vitality and commercial development? How can access management be implemented? Conclusions

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 of Access Management functional integrityMaintain 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 roads Balance traffic movement and access to adjacent land by providing land access compatible with the roadway classification

Functional Integrity Access to Property Through Traffic Movement Freeway Arterial Local Collector

Presentation Outline What is access management? –An example corridor What are the benefits of managing access? What are the main techniques and treatments for managing access? How does access management effect business vitality and commercial development? How can access management be implemented? Conclusions

Crashes Are Concentrated Along Arterial Corridors

Crash Density Varies Greatly Why? Variations In Access

Douglas Avenue: Well-Managed Portion Urbandale, Iowa

Douglas Avenue: Moderately Well-Managed Portion Urbandale, Iowa

Douglas Avenue: Poorly Managed Portion Des Moines, Iowa

Douglas Avenue: Poorly Managed Portion Des Moines, Iowa

Douglas Avenue: Poorly Managed Portion Des Moines, Iowa

Presentation Outline What is access management? –An example corridor What are the benefits of managing access? What are the main techniques and treatments for managing access? How does access management effect business vitality and commercial development? How can access management be implemented? Conclusions

What Are the Main Benefits of Managing Access? Improved safety –Reduction in crashes and crash rates Better traffic operations –Improved traffic LOS, capacity, and speed Other public benefits –For pedestrians, bicyclists, public transit riders, taxpayers, and the environment Potentially, a better environment in which to do business and pursue economic development

Safety: Driveway Density And Crash Rates Are Strongly Related

Safety: Crash Rates Are Significantly Lower On Better Managed Roads

Based on seven detailed “before and after” Iowa case studies Case studies show nearly a 40 percent average reduction in accident rates after access management projects were completed.

Safety: Certain Types of Crashes Are Reduced Significantly When Access Is Managed Better

Operations: Capacity Is Higher On Better Managed Roads

Operations: Travel Speeds Are Higher On Well-Managed Roads

Presentation Outline What is access management? –An example corridor What are the benefits of managing access? What are the main techniques and treatments for managing access? How does access management effect business vitality and commercial development? How can access management be implemented? Conclusions

How Access Is Managed The functional integrity of the roadway system can be maintained by: –Limiting conflict points –Separating conflict points –Removing turning traffic from through traffic lanes

Conflict Points at an Intersection

Limiting Conflict Points: Medians

Separating Conflict Points: Why? Drivers can only mentally process one conflict point at a time Separation provides enough time and space for drivers to react to the unexpected Conflict points represent opportunities for accidents, congestion, and delay

Separating Conflict Points: Corner Clearance and Driveway Spacing Standards

Facilitating Turning Movements: Important Strategies and Design Features Increased turning radii Increased driveway width –(while still maintaining well-defined driveways) Decreased driveway slope Including dedicated turn lanes or tapers Improved sight distance for turning traffic Improved internal site design

Facilitating Turning Movements

Steeper Driveways = Slower Turns = More Conflict

Common Access Management Treatments Driveway consolidation Corner clearance Raised medians Raised medians at intersections Two-way left-turn lanes (TWLTL) Alternative access-ways –Frontage roads –Backage roads –Internal circulation systems

New Development With Excellent Internal Circulation Design New Home Depot and Super Target Stores, Delaware Avenue, Ankeny Iowa

Presentation Outline What is access management? –An example corridor What are the benefits of managing access? What are the main techniques and treatments for managing access? How does access management effect business vitality and commercial development? How can access management be implemented? Conclusions

Access Management and Business Vitality Business owners often oppose access changes or restrictions (sometimes very aggressively) Overall impacts on businesses are neutral to positive when access is managed retroactively Iowa case study results show: –Similar business failure rates –Improved retail sales levels versus other locations in the community –Improved potential for redevelopment/new development –Some individual businesses will be negatively impacted

Five Year Comparative Business Survival Rates 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

Same Businesses Sales After Project Completion Source: Opinion survey of business owners and managers.

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--Median) –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 two- way left-turn lanes

Businesses Reporting Any Customer Complaints About Highway Access After Project Completion

Businesses Reporting Customer Access Complaints, By Type

SE 14th StreetArmy Post Road Well-Managed Corridors May Prove More Attractive To Developers (Two Adjacent Corridors in Des Moines, Iowa)

Presentation Outline What is access management? –An example corridor What are the benefits of managing access? What are the main techniques and treatments for managing access? How does access management effect business vitality and commercial development? How can access management be implemented? Conclusions

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 Road agencies manage access through access rights purchases, project design, and driveway permitting Local governments also manage access via land use regulations, particularly when zoning is changed or land is subdivided

Implementing Access Management Involvement of and cooperation among many parties is essential if access is to be managed successfully: –Road jurisdictions –Transportation planning agencies –Land use planning and regulatory organizations –Business owners –Land developers

Presentation Outline What is access management? –An example corridor What are the benefits of managing access? What are the main techniques and treatments for managing access? How does access management effect business vitality and commercial development? How can access management be implemented? Conclusions

Who Wins When Access Management Is Done Right? Motorists: safer, less congested roads Taxpayers: less expensive roads Most business persons and their customers: improved business and commercial environment Communities as a whole: environmental and other benefits

Contact: David J. Plazak Center for Transportation Research and Education, ISU Research Park, Ames, IA Telephone:(515) Fax:(515) URL: Research Sponsor: