Overview

Proper access management assists in protecting the substantial public investment in transportation by preserving roadway efficiency and enhancing traffic safety, thus reducing the need for expensive improvements. Furthermore, access management can significantly reduce traffic accidents, personal injury, and property damage. To appreciate how access management fits into the entire spectrum of the roadway network, one should understand that freeways, arterials, collectors, and local streets serve varying levels of through-traffic movement and access to property (see Figure 1-1).
  • Freeways
     - provide the highest level of mobility and are intended to carry the greatest amount of traffic at the highest speeds. Accordingly, freeway mainlanes provide no direct access to property and access to the freeway mainlanes is provided only at interchanges and ramps.
  • Arterials
     - provide the next highest level of mobility and are intended to carry substantial amounts of traffic over relatively long distances and at relatively high speeds. Direct property access may be provided but must be carefully managed to preserve arterial mobility and avoid creating unsafe and congested traffic operations.
  • Collectors
     - provide lower mobility and are intended to carry lower volumes of traffic at lower speeds. Since most of the trips on collectors are shorter distance local trips, these streets can safely provide a higher amount of property access.
  • Local streets
     - provide the lowest level of mobility and are intended to provide direct access to properties, preserve the neighborhood environment, and enhance pedestrian and bicycle safety.
    Access Function TRB Committee on Access Management, Access Management Manual, Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C., 2003. (click in image to see full-size image)
    Figure 1-1. Access Function
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TRB Committee on Access Management, Access Management Manual, Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C., 2003.