WAC 468-58-090   Guides for application of access control of state highways.  (1) Fully controlled limited access highways:

     (a) All interstate highways shall require full access control.

     (b) All principal arterial highways requiring four or more through traffic lanes within a twenty-year design period, shall require full control of access, unless approved for partial or modified access control on existing highways by the secretary of transportation or his designee.

     (2) Partially controlled limited access highways:

     (a) Principal arterial highways requiring two through traffic lanes where the estimated traffic volumes exceed three thousand average daily traffic within a twenty-year design period shall require partial control of access, unless approved for modified access control on existing highways by the secretary of transportation or his designee.

     (b) Rural minor arterial highways on both new and existing location and urban minor arterial highways on new location, requiring four or more through traffic lanes within a twenty- year design period, or requiring only two through traffic lanes where the estimated traffic volumes exceed three thousand average daily traffic within a twenty-year design period, shall require partial control of access; however, modified access control may be applied on existing location when approved by the secretary of transportation or his designee.

     (c) Collector highways on new location requiring four or more through traffic lanes in a twenty-year design period shall require partial control of access.

     (d) Other rural minor arterial highways with only two lanes may be considered for partial or modified control of access if the control can be acquired at a reasonable cost; if the route connects two highways of a higher classification; if the potential land development would result in numerous individual approaches such as may be encountered in a recreational area; or if the highway traverses publicly owned lands where access control seems desirable.

     (e) Partial access control will not normally be used in urban areas, or inside corporate limits on existing principal arterial or minor arterial highways where traffic volumes are less than seven hundred design hour volume if required levels of urban service, including operating speeds, can be maintained for the estimated traffic under existing and estimated future conditions, including traffic engineering operational improvements. If not, the route should be relocated or reconstructed in accordance with the modified or partial access control standards.

     (f) Existing collector highways will normally be considered for access control only where all of the following conditions apply:

     (i) The highway serves an area which is not directly served by a higher class of highway.

     (ii) Existing or planned development will result in traffic volumes significantly higher than the warrants for access control on minor arterials.

     (iii) Partial or modified access control may be established without a major impact on development of abutting properties within the constraints of zoning established at the time access control is proposed.

     (g) Termini of access control sections should be at apparent logical points of design change.

     (3) Modified access control - Access control on existing highways:

     (a) Modified access control may be established on existing highways. The degree of control applied will be such that most approaches, including commercial approaches, existing and in use at the time of the establishment, may be allowed. Commercial approaches for future development may also be considered in order to avoid economic land locking. No commercial approaches will be allowed other than those included in the plan at the time access control is established and access rights are acquired.

     (b) Selection of facilities on which modified access control will be applied, will be based upon a design analysis considering but not limited to traffic volumes, level of service, route continuity, population density, local land use planning predicted growth rate established by the planning agency having jurisdiction, economic analysis, and safety. A comparison of these factors based on modified access control versus full or partial control shall be the basis of the decision by the secretary of transportation or his designee to establish modified access control on a section or sections of highway.

     (c) Where modified access control is to be established on existing highways, commercial areas may be excepted from control when all or most of the abutting property is developed to the extent that few, if any, additional road approaches would be required with full development of the area. Such exceptions will not normally extend to corporate limits or to urban area boundaries.

Nothing in this policy should be construed to prevent short sections of full, partial, or modified control of access where unusual topographic, land use, or traffic conditions exist. Special design problems should be dealt with on the basis of sound engineering-economic principles.

     Because specific warrants cannot be logically or economically applied in every circumstance, exceptions may be considered upon presentation to the secretary of transportation or his designee of justification for reasonable deviation from this policy.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 47.52.020. 79-08-061 (Order 34), § 468-58-090, filed 7/23/79. Statutory Authority: 1977 ex.s. c 151. 79-01-033 (DOT Order 10 and Comm. Order 1, Resolution No. 13), § 468-58-090, filed 12/20/78. Formerly WAC 252-20-080.]