Utah Admin. Code R930-6-1 - Purpose
(1) The purpose of this rule is to:
(a) maximize public safety;
(b) provide for efficient highway operations
and maintenance of roadways;
(c)
utilize the full potential of the highway investment.
(2) This rule serves to establish highway
access management procedures and standards to protect Utah's state highway
system. The state highway system constitutes a valuable resource and a major
public investment. The Utah Department of Transportation (Department) has an
obligation and a public-trust responsibility to preserve and maintain the state
highway system, protect the public investment in this system, and to ensure the
continued use of state highways in meeting state, regional, and local
transportation needs and interests. This rule also serves to establish a
procedure for allowing and establishing new or existing highways as
limited-access facilities, for the elimination of intersections and for the
right to access restricted facilities.
(3) The primary function of a state highway
is to provide system continuity and efficiency of state highway system
operation and maintenance activities. Utah Code Section
72-4-102.5.
A state highway may provide access to property as a secondary function. The
primary function of city and county roads is to provide access to property.
Owners of property adjoining a state highway have certain rights of access
unless such access has been restricted by purchase or by legal action. The
Department recognizes that property owners have the right of reasonable access
to their property. This rule establishes standards that balance the need for
reasonable access to properties with the need to preserve the smooth flow of
traffic on the state highway system in terms of safety, capacity, and
speed.
(4) Failure to manage access
to and from state highways can cause an increase in accidents, increased
traffic congestion, decline in operating speed, loss of traffic carrying
capacity, and increased traffic delays. This failure results in reduced traffic
mobility, increased congestion, transportation costs and delays, and
contributes to higher rates of property damage, personal injury, and fatal
accidents. The proliferation of driveways, intersections, and traffic signals
without regard to their proper design, location, and spacing degrades highway
operation and performance and poses traffic hazards for the traveling
public.
(5) It is a goal of the
Department to improve public safety in the development, design, and operation
of the state highway system. In exercising this public safety duty, the
Department enacts this rule to limit the number of conflict points at driveway
locations, separate highway conflict areas, reduce the interference of
through-traffic, and adequately space at-grade signalized and unsignalized
intersections. The Department works closely with property owners and local
authorities to provide reasonable access to the state highway system that is
safe and enhances the movement of traffic. The Department shall utilize all of
the state highway right-of-way to the best advantage for highway purposes
through a permit process that assesses the number, location, width, and design
of connecting streets and driveways.
(6) This rule provides guidance to Department
Permit Officers, local authorities, landowners, or developers for when a
conditional access permit or encroachment permit is required, how to apply for
a permit, what standards or guidelines are considered in the issuance of a
conditional access permit and encroachment permits, and what to do when a
variance is sought to deviate from the standards and requirements of this
rule.
Notes
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