This subsection discusses access control and includes the following topics:

The entire Interstate Highway System and portions of the State Highway System have been designated by the Texas Transportation Commission as Controlled Access Highways (refer to the ). It can be necessary to limit or deny an abutting owner’s access rights along certain sections of highways, which includes the right of ingress and egress and the right of direct access to and from the owner’s abutting property to the highway facility.

Such access may be controlled under the State’s Police Power (e.g., driveway permitting), which is an inherent right of sovereignty, which may entitle the owner to potential damages suffered by the loss of such access.

Refer to TxDOT’s for additional information on the determination of control of access limits.

A controlled access highway may be developed in either of two ways:

When the Texas Transportation Commission designates a freeway as a controlled access facility under , the State is empowered to control access through access restrictions. All Interstate Highways are designated as controlled access facilities as well as other routes that have been or may be designated by Commission Minute Order. These designated freeways may or may not have frontage roads, whichever arrangement is determined to be appropriate during Project Scoping. Development of freeways by designation, rather than solely by design, is the preferred design approach especially for all new location freeways.

TxDOT is not empowered to purchase access rights. If an existing highway is to be developed as a controlled access facility solely by design (i.e., not designated by the Texas Transportation Commission), TxDOT must achieve access control by construction of continuous frontage roads and by the utilization of the State's Police Power to control driveways, particularly at ramp junctions with frontage roads. The State may effectively regulate driveway location in accordance with statewide policy as long as the following two conditions are met:

Refer to TxDOT’s for additional guidance on access requirements.

The design philosophy from the Frontage Roads Access section below applies whenever new or relocated ramps are to be provided along existing freeways. Access should be controlled at frontage road junctions through access restriction as illustrated in and .

Whenever access is to be controlled solely by provision of frontage roads, State’s Police Power to regulate driveway location and design should be used to control access near ramp junctions. However, where designation by the Transportation Commission is practical, use of access restrictions as illustrated in and is preferred over controlling access solely by design (State’s police power).

Some designated controlled access freeways may be a combination of new location and along an existing road. , , and State’s Police Powers may be used at appropriate locations.

Freeway mainlane access, either to or from abutting property or cross streets, is only allowed to occur through a ramp. This control of mainlane access may be achieved through one of the following methods:

In either case, direct access from private property to the mainlanes is prohibited without exception.

Information on the driveway clearances from the cross-street intersection is contained in TxDOT’s and should be considered when locating driveways on projects involving the construction or reconstruction of ramps and/or frontage roads.

The remainder of this section addresses driveway and side street access in relation to ramps.

Frontage road access should be controlled by imposing recommended access restrictions in accordance with and whenever both of the following conditions prevail:

Access may be controlled by use of the State's police power to control driveway location and design where either of the following conditions prevail:

Whenever the State's Police Powers are used, the denial of access zone should be free of driveways insofar as practicable.

The placement of streets and driveways near freeway ramp junction with frontage road should be carefully considered and permitted only after local traffic operations are considered.

On reconstruction projects, it may be necessary to close or relocate driveways to meet these guidelines. If the closure/relocation is not feasible, and adjustment of the location of the ramp gore along the frontage road is not practical, then deviation from these recommended guidelines should be supported by a traffic operations and safety evaluation.

shows the recommended access control strategy for planned exit ramps and should be used where practical. This figure along with the accompanying values in show the desirable spacing to be used between exit ramps and driveways, side streets, or cross streets if practical.

The number of weaving lanes is defined as the total number of lanes on the frontage road downstream from the ramp. Increased weaving, resulting in operational degradation, occurs when driveway or side street access on the frontage road is in close downstream proximity to exit ramp terminals. It is desirable but not required to maintain separation between the Intersection of Travel Lanes (see and ) and downstream driveways or side streets.

It is recognized that there are occasions when meeting the exit ramp separation distance values in may not be possible due to the nature of the existing development. In these cases, at least 250-ft of separation should be provided from the intersection of the exit ramp and frontage road travel lanes to the downstream driveway or side street.

Careful consideration should be given in situations like this, since the minimal separation distance may negatively impact the operation of the frontage road, exit ramp, driveway and/or side street traffic. When a minimum 250-ft separation distance cannot be obtained, consideration should be given to channelization methods, including curbed medians or other channelization that would restrict access to driveways within this 250-ft distance.

Refer to the for channelization options.

The presence of driveways or side streets in close upstream proximity to entrance ramp terminals, similar to exit ramps, increases weaving and results in operational degradation of the frontage roads. Therefore, maintaining proper separation is important.

shows the recommended access control strategy for planned entrance ramps and should be used where practical. There will be occasions when meeting the entrance ramp separation distance values shown in may not be possible due to existing development conditions. In these cases, at least 100-ft of separation distance should be provided between the intersection of the entrance ramp and frontage road travel lanes and the upstream driveway or side street.

This limited separation negatively impacts the operation of the frontage road, entrance ramp, driveway, and/or side street traffic, therefore, careful consideration should be given to its use. When the 100-ft separation distance for entrance ramps cannot be obtained, consideration should be given to channelization methods that would restrict access to driveways within this 100-ft distance. Refer to the for specific types of channelization.

During schematic development, care should be exercised to develop the design in sufficient detail to accurately tie down the locations of ramp junctions with frontage roads and the location of access control limits. Refer to TxDOT’s for specific guidance on schematic development.

These drawings are often displayed at meetings and hearings and become the basis for ROW instruments or the department’s regulation of driveway location for that project.

and provide recommended access control at exit and entrance ramp junctions with frontage roads.

In some instances, ramps must be shifted to satisfy LOS considerations or geometric design controls. When this is necessary, the access control limits should also be shifted if ROW has not been previously purchased.

The following requirements apply to direct access to a ramp from an adjacent property or street: