Access management guidelines for activity centers

Access management involves providing (or managing) access to land development while simultaneously preserving the flow of traffic on the surrounding road system in terms of safety, capacity, and speed. This report defines the overall concept of Access Management, reviews the state of the art of current practice, and sets forth basic policy, planning, and design guidelines. The guidelines cover (1) legal and institutional bases for controlling access, (2) access permit procedures and studies, (3) access categories (levels) and spacing standards, and (4) design concepts and criteria. The research was conducted by Metro Transportation Group, Inc., Bloomingdale, Illinois, and Herbert S. Levinson, New Haven, Connecticut. The findings are based on an extensive literature search and a survey of state and local traffic engineers and major private developers to obtain information on effective access management practices, policies, and enforcement techniques.