• Purpose of the Brochure
• What is Access Management
• Access Spacing
• Turning Lanes
• Median Treatments
• Related Techniques
• Citations
• PDF Version

Benefits of Access Management

PURPOSE OF THE BROCHURE

This brochure serves as a guide to the major benefits of several access management techniques in use across the United States. The purpose of this brochure is to provide a comprehensive and succinct examination of the benefits of access management and address major concerns that are often raised about access management.

The benefits usually identified with access management include improved movement of through traffic, reduced crashes, and fewer vehicle conflicts. Most major concerns about access management relate to potential reductions in revenue to local businesses that depend on pass-by traffic.

This brochure does not describe the precise strategies that transportation departments should follow to implement an access management program, but rather provides an introduction to the key concepts. The brochure may also be a useful tool to distribute at public meetings for both general access management plans and specific applications of access management techniques.

This brochure describes the relevant benefits and issues with three key sets of access management techniques:

1. Access spacing, including spacing between signalized intersections and distance between driveways;
2. Turning lanes, including dedicated left- and right-turn lanes, as well as indirect left turns and U-turns, and roundabouts; and
3. Median treatments, including two-way left-turn lanes and raised medians.