Regional Implementation of Access Management

In 2010, MAG sought input from peer organizations on the implementation of access management at the regional level.  MAG Staff sent an electronic announcement to MPOs in 50 states and the District of Columbia.  The initial results of the survey are provided below.

Question 1:  What type of organization do you belong to?
MPO (34), COG (7), RPC (1)

Please note, an error occurred on the survey website that allowed respondents to select multiple answers for this question. However, the website only recorded the first answer marked.

Question 2:  Organization Name
(Answers for this question are not provided for confidentiality reasons.)

Question 3: Number of agencies represented by your organization
1–9 agencies (18)
10-24 agencies (10)
25-49 agencies (6)
50-100 agencies (3)
101 or more agencies (4)

Question 4: Population size served by your organization
Less than 100,000 (6)
100,000-249,999 (14)
250,000-499,999 (1)
500,000-999,999 (7)
1,000,000 or more (6)

Question 5:  Has your organization adopted... (check all that apply)
Access management guidelines/regulations/standards (9)
A region-wide functional classification system (31)
Long Range Transportation Plan goals/objectives addressing access management (30)
Programming guidelines that include access management guidelines/standards (10)
A regional access management system/plan(1)
Other (16)

Question 6:  If other, please explain.

• Project Prioritization Program
• The MPO has not separately adopted access management guidelines but has supported development of standards by agencies with implementing authority
• Adopted in Municipal Engineering Manual
• Area access management plans
• Corridor management plans that include Access Mgt.
• County wide development regulations
• The Colorado DOT has a state access management code that applies to all state highways. We encourage locals governments to follow similar practices.
• Long Range Transportation Plan
• We conduct corridor/area access studies and make physical and policy recommendations appropriate to the specific circumstances
• Plan/study is underway
• SCDOT has an access management policy too
• We have a regionally adopted complete streets policy that includes access management principles
• Currently working towards adoption of local AM ordinances
• Getting ready to adopt access management guidelines
• Each jurisdiction has adopted their own access management standards
• Access management plan for a region of our area.

Question 7: How often does your organization include access management in corridor plans?
Never(3)
Rarely (1)
Sometimes (14)
Most of the time (15)
In every plan (7)

Question 8: Is access management applied to your organization's prioritization and project selection process (ie. funding allocated in the TIP)?
Yes (12)
No (27)

Question 9: If yes, how?

• Access management was a consideration in our recent support of transit expansion within our study area and inter-city transit service between two neighboring metropolitan areas.
• We have been actively promoting access management throughout the region for over 30 years, and the concepts are well understood by our member agencies. TIP projects receive points for safety, capacity, and Level of Service improvements, all of which are integrally related to improved access management.
• through the Plan Transportation 2030
• Some projects have access management improvements specified in the TIP as part of technical review and final approval.
• As a potential congestion mitigation measure in our CMP
• The application of access management treatments in the proper context increases the score for highway reconstruction and traffic flow improvement proposals.
• it is a minor consideration mentioned under a factor related to TSM-type improvements
• A small yes. DRCOG's TIP process works on a point system. Roadway projects can score 2 points (out of 100 total) for implementing raised, depressed or barrier medians and for consolidating accesses (driveways, side streets).
• making better use of existing roadways is prioritized over new construction
• For capacity adding projects it is a congestion management strategy
• It is one of several considerations used to assess how well a project will address a corridor's congested conditions. Projects receive points for including congestion management strategies and additional points based on the number of driveways that are eliminated.
• A number of our highest-priority TIP projects are to retrofit existing facilities with medians/driveway restrictions to restrict turning movements. Safety is the primary goal and a high priority of our TIP prioritization process.
• up to 3 points for access mgmt improvements

Question 10:  What access management activities does your agency allocate funding towards? (Check all that apply).
Education and Outreach (9)
Training for elected officials and/or local agency staff (11)
Acquisition of access rights (4)
Funding for retrofits and access management upgrades (11)
None (17)
Other (6)

Question 11: Does your organization coordinate or assist in the coordination of land use and transportation?
Yes (33)
No (7)

Question 12: If yes, how?

• Through Livability Planning Studies
• We are in the process of updating our Year 2035 LRTP utilizing consultant services and land use is a major consideration regarding that update.
• We developed and adopted a Regional Strategic Policy Plan, which was specifically designed to integrate transportation and land use policies and practices, along with other policies aimed at coordinating regional growth and development.
• Comprehensive Land Use Act (RI General Law)
• Cooperates in development policy recommendations and development review activities with the primary implementation/enforcement agency, the City of Abilene
• Our LRTP includes policy considerations for land use as part of larger regional sustainability goals. We are also in the process of developing more integrated land use and transportation plans at the corridor and activity-center level within our region.
• All UPWP-funded corridor and area (e.g., neighborhood, village, etc.) studies must include a land use component to receive funding. In addition, the LRTP includes generalized land use recommendations that should be considered by municipalities in the region.
• We try...
• Planning and Zoning review updates
• Technical assistance, mapping, education
• As an RPC, our long range plan (Metro Vision) jointly addresses land use and transportation.
• Through road classification, regulations
• It is integrated into our transportation and regional plans.
• All transportation studies include land use analyses
• Through TAC
• Through long range plan and as contributor to comprehensive plans
• drafting municipal comp. plans, region wide land use plan, LU-transportation. corridor plans, LRTP ranking criteria includes LU, emphasizing nodal development to support transit network
• Planning assistance
• Provide comments on developments that potentially impact the regional transportation network; indicate when MPO policies/standards apply to new developments
• The Oregon Transportation Planning Rule (TPR) requires coordination of land use and transportation. We assist our member agencies with their efforts to meet the requirements of the TPR (through corridor plans, comp plan updates, land use changes, area plans, etc).
• Through LRTP, TIP and project development coordination
• We develop many of the comprehensive plans for local governments. Most of these have a detailed transportation component that includes access management principles. We also develop the regulatory tools i.e. zoning and subdivision regulations to support the comprehensive plans.
• The MPO staff is housed within the County's Land Use Planning Agency
• Through the local city planning process
• Through our long range plan (scenario planning)
• Land development reviews, zoning and subdivision ordinance reviews and development, comprehensive planning, Long Range Transportation Plan
• Part of the joint City/County Office of Planning and Grants
• Fund future land use plans for the various jurisdictions
• Our corridor planning efforts include recommendations for land use and transportation.
• We are also the County Planning Department.
• Long Range Transportation Plan
• Primarily through education of elected officials, planners

The Maricopa Association of Governments would like to express our gratitude to the organizations that participated in the survey.  The input received will assist MAG Staff with access management efforts in our region.

More Information

• MAG Access Management Home
• Principles of Access Management
• Access Management Concepts
• Why Use Access Management?
• Publications
• Access Management Resources
• Regional Implementation of Access Management