Roadway Standards Section 220 - Access Management

220.1 General

1. Access management for private accesses or public intersections is required to improve safety and efficiency of traffic flow for users of the transportation network and to balance those needs with livability, economy and community values.
2. The location and number of roadway intersections and other access points shall be planned, coordinated and controlled by Engineering.
3. By the nature of the roadway functional classification system, higher speed arterial streets require the highest level of access management restriction tending toward less access.  Lower speed collector streets and connector streets require less restrictive access management.  Local streets require very few access management restrictions and tend towards more frequent access.
4. Chapter 10 of the Comprehensive Plan provides various standards for access within certain Community Planning Areas.  Within those plan areas, access shall be determined according to the Comprehensive Plan.

220.2 General Requirements

Accesses are subject to the sight distance standards of Section 240, the design requirements of Sections 230 and 330, and this section.  Accesses that are not compliant with these requirements may not be approved.  Existing accesses may be required to be removed or modified in order to comply with these requirements.

220.3 Access Spacing Standards

Accesses subject to a land use approval and those subject to spacing standards per the Entrance Permit Matrix shall adhere to the minimum spacing requirements of Tables 2-1 or Table 2-2 and requirements of Section 220.4.  Considering access along both sides of the roadway (i.e. spacing from existing accesses on the south side of a road when an access on the north side of a road is proposed), access spacing shall be measured from the proposed centerline to the centerline of an existing access or roadway or planned roadway.  Planned roadways are those illustrated in the Comprehensive Plan, other local transportation system plans, or those approved as part of an approved development not yet constructed. 

Table 2-1 Minimum Access Spacing Inside the UGB

Functional Classification	Full access spacing	Restriced Access Spacing*
Major Arterial	500	250
Minor Arterial	250	150
Collector	150	100
Connector	25**	N/A
Local	25**	N/A

Table 2.2. Minimum Access Spacing Outside the UGB

Functional Classification	Full access spacing
Major Arterial	500
Minor Arterial	400
Collector	300
Connector	200
Local (Non-Residence District)	100
Local (Residence District)	25**

*If approved, restricted access spacing implemented typically by raised median only
N/A = Restriced access not consideredd on these roadways.
** Access shall be placed a minimum of 100 feet from any intersection with an arterial roadway. If less than 100 feet of frontage, spacing from the intersection shall be maximized.

Access modifications may be approved per Section 220.6 and Section 170.

220.4 Additional Access Requirements

The following conditions apply in addition to the requirements of Tables 2-1 and 2-2:

1. Existing or proposed accesses subject to land use approval shall first take access to the lower functional classified roadway unless evidence or an engineering study establishes that access(es) to the higher functional classified roadway are needed for safety, circulation, to address topography or environmental constraints, or are otherwise a benefit to the public.  Existing accesses where ADT is increased by ten or fewer trips are not subject to this standard if the sight distance standards of Section 240 are met.   
2. Parcels or contiguous parcels under the same ownership shall be limited to one access except on local or connector roads where the number of accesses is not limited if sight distance and access spacing standards are met. 
3. Accesses subject to the Entrance Permit Matrix that provide the only access to a parcel or contiguous parcels under the same ownership shall comply requirements of Table 2-1 or 2-2 to the extent feasible.  First priority will be given to achieving adequate sight distance per Section 240, second to access by functional classification per 220.4(a) and (b) and third to access spacing requirements.  Based on the judgment of the Road Official, the access will be placed in the safest location. 
4. Commercial, multifamily and industrial developments that can comply with spacing standards to collectors and arterials may request additional access but shall establish that the proposed access is/are needed for safety, circulation, to address topography or environmental constraints, or are otherwise a benefit to the public. 
5. Reciprocal access easements may be required even if these standards are met in order to promote connectivity and to reduce conflicts on the public street system.
6. On roadways with an ADT greater than 1000 and outside the UGB, additional access(es) may be permitted on collectors, minor arterials and major arterials for logging, agricultural, and accessory structure use when sight distance, functional classification, and spacing standards are met, and for all uses when needed to address safety, circulation, to address topography or environmental constraints, or are otherwise a benefit to the public.
7. On roadways with an ADT less than or equal to 1000 and outside the UGB, additional access(es) may be permitted on collectors, minor arterials and major arterials for all land uses when sight distance, functional classification and spacing standards are met.
8. Conflicting access movements within the 95th percentile queue of any traffic movement of an intersection may be reason to deny, relocate or restrict access.  A traffic study complying with Section 295 will be required if this is a likely issue. 
9. Accesses that serve only emergency vehicles are exempt from these requirements.  However, these accesses shall be gated.
10. Accesses, other than those to a local or connector roadway, that require any vehicle to back onto a public roadway are prohibited.

220.5 Roadway Intersection Management

New developments that will require construction of new streets shall provide full street connections at intervals of no more than 530 feet, where feasible. If full street connections are not feasible at such intervals, accessways for pedestrians, bicyclists or emergency vehicles at intervals of no more than 330 feet shall be provided. Exceptions may be made where there are barriers, including topography, railroads, freeways, pre-existing development, existing easements, or environmental constraints such as streams and wetlands."

No public roadway/public roadway intersection may be offset by less than 100 feet unless approved per Section 250.8.3.

Comply with requirements of Section 225.1.

220.6 Modification Considerations

1. All access requests not meeting these standards for access shall include a scaled site plan and a traffic report if required by Engineering.  The scope of the development will determine the information required and shall comply with Sections 170 and 295.  The evaluation of the access request will consider the impacts that traffic generated by the proposed development will have on through traffic, traffic patterns, traffic queuing, and safety.
2. If approved, access may be restricted to right-in/right-out movements or other movement restrictions.