Mobility corridors are intended to regenerate, or produce new, long-term transportation opportunities. These transportation opportunities may include multiple modes such as rail, utilities, freight, and passenger characteristics. These modes may occur within a single corridor alignment, or the modes may be separated for some intervals. This chapter is intended to provide design guidance on the roadway aspects of these mobility corridors. This guidance can be expected to be updated as experience is gained in the planning, design, construction, and operations of these transportation facilities.

The primary focus of these corridors is mobility. The roadway portions of a mobility corridor facility are intended for high-speed, long-distance travel and will therefore be controlled in terms of access. Access will be limited to public roadways via ramp connections. Access will not be allowed along the ramps connecting to the mobility corridor.

To support this primary focus of mobility, the design speeds presented in this chapter are between 85-mph to 100-mph. The design criteria may be applied whether planning new facilities or reconstructing existing corridors. While higher operating speeds may not be appropriate in all contexts (such urban and urban core), the higher design speeds can be applied, and should be considered, whenever prudent.

With respect to facilities that one day could be part of a major corridor, particularly new location routes,

it is strongly recommended that these facilities be initially designed to accommodate a 100-mph design speed.

Even though the facility may initially be posted for an 85-mph speed, the higher speed design criteria will allow the greatest flexibility, both in the roadway portion as well as for other transportation modes within the right of way (ROW), in terms of maximizing the future use of the corridor.

This does not mean that all projects should be over-designed.

If it is determined through the project development process that substantial, adverse and unavoidable social, economic and environmental impacts will occur, then different design criteria may be appropriate. Contact the Environmental Affairs Division (ENV) and the ROW Division (ROW) with questions about environmental and ROW impacts while planning for higher design speeds.

The potential long-term use and growth of the system must be considered and appropriate planning and engineering principles must be applied.

5R projects must be assessed to determine if bicycle accommodations are required per ; if bicycle facilities are provided, they must meet the additional requirements specified in .

The values represented in the following Tables for 5R criteria represent design minimum values and may be increased as project site constraints allow.

This chapter discusses the features and design criteria for mobility corridors and includes the following topics: