Access Management Report

ROUTE 196 ACCESS MANAGEMENT
WESTMINSTER STREET, LEWISTON TO THE LISBON/TOPSHAM
TOWN LINE
2009
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196
Route 196 Study Corridor – Westminster Street, Lewiston to the Lisbon/Topsham Town line
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Route 196 is an important arterial highway in the ATRC area because it is a
primary connector between the cities of Lewiston and Auburn and major
employers in the mid-coast communities of Bath and Brunswick. Additionally,
Route 196 is a major link between the Maine Turnpike and I-295. Recent
development on Route 196 in Lewiston has resulted in a reduction in travel lanes
from four to two with a center turn lane. It is expected that continued
development and associated traffic volume increases will result in the widening
of Route 196 to five lanes unless access management strategies are established
to regulate the location and number of driveways along this highway.
Maintaining the mobility of traffic on Route 196 while allowing Lewiston and
Lisbon to increase their economic bases and support new development is
contingent on good access management. The State of Maine has adopted
access management rules for rural highways which do not apply to highways
such as Route 196 that are located within a designated Urban Compact Area.
Therefore, communities must adopt their own standards locally in order to
manage points of access on these highways.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this study is to develop appropriate access management
standards to regulate access on Route 196, between Westminster Street in
Lewiston and the Lisbon/Topsham town line, in a manner that protects the safety
of access and highway users by regulating and reducing the number of conflict
points along the highway, prevents highway expansion to five lanes, preserves
mobility and economic productivity related to highway transportation, and
avoids the long-term cost of constructing new highway capacity.
Concerns have been raised about recent and expected increases in traffic on
Route 196 and, in particular, its impact on Lisbon Falls, Lisbon Center and the
Town of Lisbon. This study is intended to take the 2007 Traffic System
Management Study recommendations on Access Management and aid
Lewiston and Lisbon in implementing them.
METHODOLOGY
To accomplish this, GIS and GPS were used to identify curb cuts, restrictions and
possible access points throughout the corridor. A baseline map was developed
that identifies structures, locations of existing points of access, and constraints to
access such as guardrails (see Appendix A). This map provides the basis for
determining where new points of access might be acceptable, problematic or
prohibited.
1
Land use ordinances for Lewiston and Lisbon were reviewed to gauge the
current level of access management regulation in each community. The state’s
access
management
rules
for
rural
roads
(http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/rules/17/229/229c299.doc) were reviewed for
suitability in an Urban Compact Area and to identify improvements to access
points and where they should be restricted.
ATRC met with staff from both communities and with the Lewiston Planning
Board and Lisbon Planning Board to determine where future development is
anticipated, to discuss what level of access management each community
desires and to identify problem areas along Route 196.
Both communities are committed to managing access points along this arterial
highway.
Each community requested ATRC draft access management
ordinances for their consideration; that was done as part of this study. Key
features of the access management regulations are driveway separation
standards, sight distance standards, requirements for properties with dual
frontage to access the lesser classified road, corner clearance requirements,
consolidation and elimination of driveways, limiting the number of driveways per
lot and maximum widths of driveways. The City of Lewiston intends to regulate
points of access along Route 196 within the study area. The Town of Lisbon has
opted to regulate points of access on all State and State-Aid roads in town.
ORDINANCE REVIEW – Lewiston
The city does not have comprehensive access management standards
currently. The city has legislative authority to assess impact fees for larger
developments on Route 196 that need traffic movement permits. The city’s
Highway Business District standards and the Policy for the Design and
Construction of Streets and Sidewalks were reviewed to determine what level of
access management regulations exist currently for Route 196.
Residential uses are not permitted on Route 196 within the study area, which is
zoned Highway Business (HB). The purpose of the HB District is “to provide areas
within the city for the location of businesses which are dependent on
automobile borne customers and which require large parking areas to be
successful. The standards of this district are intended to allow commercial uses
while requiring controlled highway access, good quality site design and
protection of adjacent residential property.”
2
The HB standards regulate the number of driveways per parcel as follows:
• Existing lots of record having 150-feet or less of frontage on an arterial
highway “shall be limited to one (1) point of vehicular access to the arterial
to service all development on the lot including the division of the lot into
additional lots”;
• Existing lots of record having more than 150-feet, but less than 500 feet, of
frontage on an arterial highway “shall be limited to two (2) points of vehicular
access to the arterial to service all development on the lot including the
division of the lot into additional lots”; and
• Existing lots or record having 500-feet or more of frontage on an arterial
highway “shall be limited to two (2) points of vehicular access to the arterial
for up to one thousand (1,000) feet of frontage, plus (1) additional point of
access to the arterial for each additional five hundred (500) feet of
frontage”.
The Policy for the Design and Construction of Streets and Sidewalks requires that
sight distances for new street intersections or driveway curb-cuts “shall be based
upon the posted speed limit and conform to current MaineDOT standards”. The
Policy further specifies that “intersections will be located to avoid hazardous
conflicts with existing turning movements and traffic flows” but does not specify
separation distances or other dimensional standards for such intersections. The
Policy also limits curb cuts to “one per developed lot” and curb cuts on arterial
streets “shall be a minimum of one hundred fifty (150) feet from the centerline of
the intersecting street”.
ORDINANCE REVIEW – Lisbon
The Lisbon Comprehensive Plan Update, dated June 5, 2007, indicates that the
town should “manage new and redeveloped driveways entering Route 196 to
minimize congestion and maximize safety”. A strategy to accomplish this is to
“amend the Zoning and Subdivision Standards to include access management
standards for the Route 196 corridor”.
The Town of Lisbon is in the process of rewriting its land use ordinances. At this
point in time, the town does not have access management standards. Land
along Route 196 is regulated by seven different zoning districts, including the
Commercial, Diversified Development, Industrial, Village, General Residential,
Limited Residential, and Resource Protection Districts. Each land use district
regulates allowed and prohibited uses, and dimensional requirements, and, with
the exception of the Diversified Development District, access management
standards do not exist.
3
Within the Diversified Development District, access is limited to three points along
Route 196, a minimum of 500 feet apart. All existing access points for existing
uses within this district are grandfathered and can remain, however new uses
must comply with these standards.
In the other districts, generally, the
dimensional standards establish minimum requirements for lot size, frontage, and
yard dimensions, maximum lot coverage and parking requirements.
A 2002 Route 196 Corridor Committee recommendation indicates that “the
town should implement strong access management control on Route 196”.
FINDINGS – Lewiston
• There are too many driveways for the property on the northeast corner of
Westminster Street and Route 196 and their widths are very wide. This parcel
has two driveways on Westminster Street, two driveways on Route 196, and
one driveway on Weybosset Street.
4
•
The Route 196 driveway for Tire Warehouse, on the southerly side of Route
196, is wider than 40-feet and is too close to the Westminster Street
intersection.
•
The Westminster Street driveway for Tire Warehouse is too close to the Route
196 intersection and gets blocked by Westminster Street traffic.
•
The parcel on the northeasterly corner of Weybosset Street and Route 196
has a driveway on each road, both of which are very wide.
5
•
There are too many driveways on the southerly side of Route 196, between
the Westminster Street and Cottage Road, particularly in the vicinity of the
Selco Plumbing & Heating Supplies property; there are 10 driveways within
approximately 130 feet.
•
Desirable driveway separation exists between Cottage Road and North
Lisbon Road but there is potential for increased density of driveways if future
access to undeveloped land in this area is not regulated.
•
There are too many driveways on the southerly side of Route 196, between
the easterly intersection of North Lisbon Road and the westerly intersection of
North Lisbon Road. This creates potential for conflicts with motor vehicles
turning into and out of each of these driveways. Many of these parcels have
dual frontage on Route 196 and North Lisbon Road.
•
The driveway at Roberts House on the northerly side of Route 196 is very wide
which can create conflicts for motor vehicles entering and leaving the site.
6
•
At the corner of Route 196 and Gould Road, the used car site has two
driveways that are approximately 130 feet apart. One is too close to the
adjacent driveway at Gediman Major Appliances, the other is too close to
Gould Road. This creates potential for conflicts with motor vehicles turning
into and out of Gould Road.
•
There are four driveways accessing one parcel on the northerly side of Route
196, between Foss Road and Gayton Road. One of the four driveways serves
the residence on the property, the other three driveways do not serve
individual businesses or structures and do not appear to have any significant
purpose.
FINDINGS – Lisbon
Throughout the entire length of Route 196 in Lisbon, there is a high density of
driveways compared to the number of buildings. There are many parcels with
multiple driveways throughout the study area that lead to increased conflicts
among motor vehicles turning into and out of driveways, potentially reducing
the safety of this arterial highway. Some noteworthy findings include the
following:
•
Future non-residential development is anticipated between the Lewiston city
line and Litchfield Road. An industrial park has been approved for the Huston
property and a 30-year industrial park tax increment financing agreement
has been approved for the Longchamps property. There are wetlands and
some MaineDEP mitigation sites between these parcels but a connecting
road may be feasible.
7
•
The Furniture Superstore and Floor Systems currently have an interconnection
between the two parking lots, as well as their own driveways.
•
The former BradCo Chair facility has multiple access points on Route 196 as
well as onto Littlefield Road.
•
The site of the Flea Market has four points of access. The easternmost of
these is designated “Entrance Only” and the westernmost is designated “Exit
Only”.
•
Most of the lots on the southerly side of Farwell Street appear to have access
to both Farwell Street and Route 196.
•
The Rite Aid driveway on Capital Avenue is too close to the Route 196
intersection.
•
The driveway at the newly constructed Aubuchon Hardware store is too
close to the existing driveway at B&W Automotive.
•
The Bill Stevens Auto Sales & Body Shop driveway on Capital Avenue is too
wide and too close to the Route 196 intersection.
•
There are too many driveways at the Citgo gas station on the corner of
Prince Street and Route 196. One of the Route 196 driveways is too wide and
both driveways on Prince Street are too wide.
8
•
The apartment building at the corner of Plummer Street and Route 196 has a
driveway on each road.
•
There are several wide driveways between the bowling alley and the former
auto parts store. This site is available for sale or lease.
•
The driveway serving 670 Lisbon Street and 672 Lisbon Street is a wonderful
example of access management and consolidation of driveways.
•
The Route 196 driveway to the former gas station on the corner of Bend
Street and Route 196 is too wide. This property is for sale.
9
•
There are too many wide curb openings for the Getty gas station on the
corner of Union Street and Route 196.
•
There are too many driveways for the Gulf gas station plaza east of Davis
Street and they are too wide. There is access to the gas station from Davis
Street as well.
10
•
The entrance to Railroad Diner and MaineDOT Park & Ride lot is too close to
the Main Street/Canal Street/Route 196 intersection and is blocked by Route
196 traffic during peak times.
•
The lots on the southerly side of Oak Street (704-716 Lisbon Street) are an
excellent example of access management. With the exception of the house
on the corner of Oak Street, Birch Street, and Route 196 (724 Lisbon Street),
each house has dual frontage on Oak Street and Route 196 but the driveway
to each house is located on Oak Street, the lesser classified road, rather than
on Route 196. Residents are able to drive in and out of their driveways
without conflicting with traffic traveling 50 miles per hour.
•
The commercial properties across Route 196 from these Oak Street/Route 196
homes (Neighborhood Redemption & Discount Beverage and John D. Craft
Auto Sales) have too many driveways and some are much too wide.
RECOMMENDATIONS – Lewiston
• For the property on the northeast corner of Westminster Street and Route 196,
consider eliminating some of the Route 196 driveway openings and reducing
the width of remaining driveway(s) to improve safety by reducing turning
movement conflicts.
•
Reduce the width of the Tire Warehouse driveway on the southerly side of
Route 196 and consider relocating driveways further away from the Route
196/Westminster Street intersection.
•
For the parcel on the northeasterly corner of Weybosset Street and Route
196, consider eliminating the Route 196 driveway opening and reduce the
width of the Weybossett Street driveway opening.
11
•
Eliminate as many driveway openings as possible in the vicinity of the Selco
Plumbing & Heating Supplies property.
Strive to meet the driveway
separation standards in the city’s access management standards.
•
The driveways between the North Lisbon Road intersections should be
eliminated to reduce conflicts. All of these parcels have access to North
Lisbon Road. When highway improvements are implemented along this
section of Route 196, or when these parcels are redeveloped, new driveways
should be established on North Lisbon Road.
•
The driveway at Roberts House should be narrowed so that traffic entering
and leaving the site does not conflict with through traffic on Route 196.
•
At the used car business on the corner of Route 196 and Gould Road, the
driveway closest to Gould Road should be eliminated to reduce conflicts
with traffic turning into and out of Gould Road.
•
New development on lots that also have frontage on North Lisbon Road
should be prohibited from having direct access to Route 196 and should
have driveways from North Lisbon Road only.
•
New development on lots that also have frontage on South Lisbon Road
should be prohibited from having direct access to Route 196 and should
have driveways from South Lisbon Road only.
•
There is significant undeveloped road frontage on the northerly side of Route
196, between South Lisbon Road and Foss Road. Access to undeveloped
land with dual frontage should be from the lesser classified road and not
Route 196.
•
Three of the four driveways on the northerly side of Route 196, between Foss
Road and Gayton Road, should be eliminated. The remaining driveway
should be that which is the most easterly on the parcel, directly in front of the
residence.
RECOMMENDATIONS – Lisbon
• The number of driveways along Route 196 throughout town should be
reduced whenever possible. Any time a land use is changed, the town
should review the number and location of driveways on that lot and require
elimination of unnecessary driveways.
12
•
The town should require property owners of adjacent parcels to provide
interconnection of parking lots or driveways to allow for vehicular traffic
between parcels without forcing traffic destined to one lot from having to
get out onto the highway and turn off in an adjacent driveway. This can
reduce turning movements on Route 196 which allows vehicles traveling
through town to maintain traveling speed, and reduces potential for conflict
at these driveways.
•
Potential road connection between the Longchamps parcel and the Huston
parcel should be given serious consideration.
•
The easternmost of the Furniture Superstore/Floor Systems driveways should
be eliminated.
•
The driveways closest to the Route 196/Littlefield Road intersection at the
former BradCo Chair facility should be eliminated.
•
The two center curb cuts at the Flea Market should be eliminated.
•
Elimination of driveways on Route 196 from lots with dual frontage on Farwell
Street should be considered.
•
The Rite Aid driveway on Route 196 should be eliminated or redesigned to
allow for right-turning traffic only.
•
The Rite Aid driveway on Capital Avenue should be eliminated and replaced
with a new driveway that is further away from the Route 196 intersection.
•
The driveways at B&W Automotive and Aubuchon Hardware should be
combined to reduce potential conflicts of turning traffic.
•
A connection between the Aubuchon Hardware lot and Central Plaza
should be established to allow vehicular movements between the two
commercial properties.
•
The Bill Stevens Auto Sales & Body Shop driveway on Capital Avenue should
be redesigned to allow turning vehicles to access the site further from the
Capital Avenue/Route 196 intersection.
•
The easternmost driveway on Route 196 for the Citgo gas station at the
Prince Street/Route 196 intersection should be eliminated.
13
•
The Citgo gas station’s Prince Street driveway closest to Route 196 should be
eliminated and the other Prince Street driveway width should be reduced.
•
The driveways between the bowling alley and the former auto parts store
should be consolidated and narrowed to meet the town’s ordinance
standards.
•
The driveways at the Getty gas station on the corner of Union Street and
Route 196 should be evaluated to make the turning movements into and out
of this site safer.
•
Consideration should be given to consolidating the Getty gas station’s Route
196 driveway with the House of Pizza driveway.
•
Need to eliminate some of the driveways and reduce width of others at the
Gulf gas station plaza, east of Davis Street, so that they conform to the town’s
access management standards.
•
The entrance to Railroad Diner and MaineDOT Park & Ride lot needs to be
examined to determine if there is a safer location for motor vehicles to
access Route 196. Serious consideration should be given closing the existing
access and relocating it to Davis Street, behind the gas station plaza.
•
Some of the driveways at the commercial properties on Route 196 east of
Oak Street, in the vicinity of Neighborhood Redemption & Discount Beverage
and John D. Craft Auto Sales, should be eliminated and the widths should be
narrowed to meet the town’s access management standards.
•
The Route 196 driveway at 724 Lisbon Street should be eliminated and the
location of the Birch Street driveway should be examined for its proximity to
the Route 196 intersection.
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APPENDIX A – CORRIDOR MAP
Route 196 Access Management Study
2009
Lewiston
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Sheet 1 of 3
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APPENDIX A – CORRIDOR MAP
Route 196 Access Management Study
2009
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APPENDIX A – CORRIDOR MAP
Route 196 Access Management Study
2009
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A-4
APPENDIX B – DRAFT ACCESS MANAGEMENT ORDINANCES
City of Lewiston
Driveway/Entrance Access Standards for Route 196 (east of Westminster Street)
Article II, DEFINTIONS
Sec. 2 Definitions
Access Point – The intersection of an existing or proposed access with the public right-ofway.
Alteration-Driveway/Entrance – A significant physical change to a driveway or entrance
existing on or after the effective date of this section, including significant changes to
location, width, cross-section, grade, or drainage characteristics of the access. Paving a
gravel access will not be considered an “alteration” unless accompanied by other such
changes.
Corner Clearance – The minimum distance, measured parallel to a highway, between the
nearest curb, pavement or shoulder line of an intersecting public way and the nearest
edge of a driveway/entrance excluding its radii.
Driveway/Entrance Width – The distance across the driveway/entrance, excluding radii,
measured parallel to the highway.
Passenger Car Equivalent – The number of passenger cars displaced by a single heavy
vehicle of a particular type under specified roadway, traffic, and control conditions.
Posted Speed – The speed limit set and maintained by the Maine Department of
Transportation, or limited by statute as defined in Title 29 MRSA, Chapter 19, Section
2024.
Article XIII. DEVELOPMENT REVIEW AND STANDARDS
Sec. ? Additional Access Management Standards for Route 196
The purpose of the access management standards is to manage access to Route 196,
between Westminster Street and the Lisbon town line, in a manner that protects the safety
of access and highway users by regulating and reducing the number of conflict points
along the highway, prevents expansion to five lanes, preserves mobility and economic
productivity related to highway transportation, and avoids the long-term cost of
constructing new highway capacity.
1.
Applicability
These standards apply to all public and private driveways/entrances onto Route 196,
between Westminster Street and the Lisbon town line, to the alteration of existing
B-1
driveways/entrances onto said highway, and to projects subject to development review
pursuant to Article XIII of this Code.
2.
TECHNICAL STANDARDS
Driveways/Entrances onto Route 196 between Westminster Street and the Lisbon town
line must comply with the following standards:
a) Sight Distance – The sight distance for driveways/entrances onto Route 196 must meet
or exceed the distances listed in Table 2. Sight distance is measured in accordance with
its definition.
Table 2 – Sight Distance
Posted Speed
(MPH)
Sight Distance
(Feet)
30
35
40
45
50
55
250
305
360
425
495
570
2.1 Spacing Between Driveways/Entrances – New driveways/entrances onto Route 196
must be separated from other existing or proposed driveways/entrances. This applies
only to existing or proposed driveways/entrances on the same side of Route 196 and
those serving the same lot, in accordance with the minimum spacing standards set forth in
Table 3. Driveway/entrance spacing is measured from edge of proposed
driveway/entrance to edge of driveway/entrance, excluding radii. Driveways/entrances
located directly across the highway from the proposed driveway/entrance are not counted
in applying the spacing standard.
Table 3 – Minimum Driveway/Entrance Spacing Standards
Posted Speed
(MPH)
Driveway/Entrance Separation
(Feet)
30
35
40
45
50
55
70
85
175
265
350
525
B-2
2.2 Driveway/Entrance Width – The width of a one-way driveway/entrance shall be 1020 feet wide. The width of a two-way driveway/entrance shall be 20-24 feet wide, with
10-12 feet provided for each additional turning lane up to a maximum width of 36 feet.
The driveway/entrance width will be the minimum necessary to accommodate the design
vehicle.
d. Corner Clearance – The minimum corner clearance for driveway/entrances onto
Route 196 must be 150 feet, except that the city may require increased corner clearance if
the city reasonably determines that the proposed driveway/entrance will significantly
impact public safety or cause a reduction in posted speed.
e. Shared Driveway/Entrances – Whenever possible, property owners should seek
opportunities for shared driveway/entrances onto Route 196, between Westminster Street
and the Lisbon town line.
f. Number of Driveway/entrances – Lots on Route 196, between Westminster Street and
the Lisbon town line, will be limited to one two-way driveway/entrance or two one-way
driveways/entrances.
g. One-Way Driveway/entrance Requirements – If a one-way system is proposed and
the predominant traffic volume is truck traffic, the driveway/entrance will be configured
on the minimum angle that permits the truck to enter or leave the highway safely and
smoothly. Otherwise, all driveway/entrances must be configured perpendicular to the
highway for at least the length of the design vehicle.
A physical separation of curbing, ditching, grass or other landscaping must be used for
one-way driveway/entrances and must be designed and constructed to prevent adjacent
one-way driveway/entrances from becoming one entrance in practice. Both portions of a
one-way driveway/entrance on a single lot must be separated from another one-way
driveway/entrance by at least 12 feet. Both portions of a one-way driveway/entrance
abutting a sidewalk must have a minimum separation of at least 18 feet and allow for 7
foot terminal ends and at least a 4 foot header in between. A terminal end is the end
section of a run of curb that is sloped to aid the design vehicle in turning into the
driveway/entrance or to meet Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. Section
1213 et seq., requirements. A header is a piece of curbing between two terminal ends.
h. Intersection Angle/Radius of Edge – To the maximum extent practical, the two-way
driveway/entrance must be constructed perpendicular to the highway at the access point.
Except where curbing exists or is proposed, the minimum radius on the edges of a
driveway/entrance must be sufficient to allow the design vehicle to enter the
driveway/entrance without encroaching into the path of exiting vehicles.
Driveway/entrances designed for right turns only must be designed to the greatest extent
possible to prohibit illegal traffic movements.
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i. Paving of Driveway/Entrance – The driveway/entrance, including all radii, must be
paved from the edge of pavement of Route 196 to the highway right-of-way or to the
length of the design vehicle, whichever is greater.
j. On-Street Parking – Parking within the right-of-way of Route 196 is prohibited.
Direct access into one or more off-street parking spaces is prohibited. Parking must not
be situated such that it blocks sight distance along the highway or where vehicle
headlights within the parking area may interfere with vision of drivers on Route 196.
k. Turnaround Area/Parking – Driveway/entrances will be designed such that all
maneuvering and parking of any vehicles will take place outside of the right-of-way of
Route 196 and such that vehicles may exit the premises without backing onto the street or
street shoulder. All driveway/entrances must have a turnaround area with a width of at
least 8 feet and a length of at least 15 feet or the length of the design vehicle, whichever
is greater.
l. Loading Dock Requirements – Loading docks or other delivery areas must not be
located within the right-of-way of Route 196 and must be situated so that delivery
vehicles do not encroach on the right-of-way. All delivery vehicles must maneuver
entirely on-site.
m. Double Frontage Lots – Driveways/entrances for lots with double frontage on Route
196 and another public way will be restricted to the other public way (not Route 196),
unless the property owner can demonstrate that access directly onto Route 196 is the only
viable access for the property in question because of environmental limitations of the site,
that the driveway/entrance will not negatively impact public safety, and that the
driveway/entrance will not compromise mobility of traffic on Route 196.
n. Mobility Enhancement Measures – The city may require applicants to provide for
improvement of the existing safety or mobility levels through enhancement measures if
the city determines, based upon accepted traffic engineering principles, that the proposed
driveway/entrance will significantly impact public safety or cause a reduction in posted
speed. Mobility enhancement measures include:
1. Elimination, combination or modification of existing driveways/entrances on
Route 196
2. Development of frontage, backage or other service roads within the Route 196
corridor to provide alternate access to existing driveway/entrances.
3.
WAIVERS –
Waiver of Standards. Driveway/entrance standards may be relaxed or waived only as
provided in this section.
a.
Standards that may not be waived: The sight distance standards, corner clearance
standards, paving of driveway/entrance, on-street parking standard, loading dock
requirements, and turnaround area/parking standards of this section may not be waived.
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b.
Waivers will not be granted to a property owner whose property has been granted
limited access entrances in accordance with 23 M.R.S.A. §303.
c.
Standards that may be waived: All other standards may be waived in accordance
with the provisions of this section.
1) Waiver requests will be granted if the applicant demonstrates, to the satisfaction
of the City, that: (i) the waiver will not significantly detract from public safety,
(ii) the proposed driveway meets the standards to the maximum extent
practicable, and (iii) there is no feasible alternative.
2) In determining that the waiver will not significantly detract from public safety, the
city shall consider such factors as crash rates, traffic volumes, road geometrics,
types and frequency of traffic moving to and from existing uses within 1000 feet
of the proposed driveway.
3) In determining practicability and feasibility, the city will consider the availability
and cost of alternative driveway locations and designs in relation to the proposed
use.
4) In cases involving alterations or changes of use of existing accesses, the city may
grant waiver requests if it determines the alteration will likely result in a net gain
to public safety or will result in a reduction in the driveway’s non-conformity
with these rules.
5) In cases involving double frontage lots, the city will consider the length of
frontage on Route 196, the intensity of traffic generated by the proposed use, the
geography along the frontage of the other public way and the distance to the other
public way.
d. The spacing standards in Table 3 of this section may be waived only to the extent that
lots of record existing as the effective date of this ordinance, that do not have access to
another public way and do not have sufficient lot frontage to meet these spacing
standards, may be allowed access if the applicant meets the following criteria, in addition
to the above referenced waiver criteria:
1. The applicant meets the criteria of granting waivers set forth above in section 3(c)
and;
2. The proposed access will not have an unreasonable adverse impact on the
Department’s ability to maintain the existing posted speed limit.
4.
Mitigation – If a proposed driveway/entrance has been granted a waiver and the city
reasonably determines, based upon accepted traffic engineering principles, that the
proposed driveway/entrance will significantly impact public safety or cause a reduction
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in posted speed, the city may require mitigation of traffic impacts from a proposed
driveway/entrance. In making such determinations, the city may consider existing
developments planned or reasonably expected on the parcel of land owned or controlled
by the applicant.
If mitigation is required, applicants will be required to employ and, in some instances
maintain, one or more of the mitigation techniques listed below. Such techniques
generally will be considered in the order listed based upon the degree of impact of the
proposed driveway/entrance.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
Signage
Removal of Vegetation
Payment of a fee equal to an amount necessary for the city to purchase an
easement on an adjacent lot for purposes of developing a shared entrance.
Payment of a equal to an amount necessary for the city to purchase easements
across one or more lots for purposes of developing a frontage road for
driveway/entrances serving subdivisions or commercial or industrial uses or
parks.
Acceleration and/or deceleration lanes.
Medians, jug handles or turnarounds.
When mitigation measures are required, the city may require the applicant, prior to
construction, to submit a performance and payment bond or certified check payable to the
City of Lewiston, in an amount and form satisfactory to the City. In addition, the city
may require that notice of conditions applicable to the driveway/entrance be recorded in
the Androscoggin County Registry of Deeds.
*******************************************************
Town of Lisbon
Driveway Access Standards
1.
GENERAL PROVISIONS
1.1
Definitions
Access – A public or private point of entry or exit from land adjacent to a public road
used by motor vehicles as defined in Title 29-A MRSA, Chapter 1, Section 101.
Access Point – The intersection of an existing or proposed access with the public rightof-way.
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Alteration – A significant physical change to an access existing on or after the effective
date of this section, including significant changes to location, width, cross-section, grade,
or drainage characteristics of the access. Paving a gravel access will not be considered an
“alteration” unless accompanied by other such changes.
Applicant – The person applying for the permit. Normally, this will be the owner of the
property but can be another party provided that person (or organization) can demonstrate
that he/she has right, title or interest in the property.
Change in Use – A change in activity occurring on the property accessed by the driveway
that will result in (a) an intermittent or seasonal use becoming permanent or year-round,
or (b) an increase in daily traffic. Examples include changes in use (a) from farming or
forestry to a commercial use; or (b) from residential use to commercial or industrial use.
A change in ownership is not a change in use.
Corner Clearance – The minimum distance, measured parallel to a highway, between the
nearest curb, pavement or shoulder line of an intersecting public way and the nearest
edge of a driveway excluding its radii.
Driveway – “Private Road or Driveway means every way or place in private ownership
and used for vehicular travel by the owner and those having express or implied
permission from the owner, but not by other persons.”
Driveway Width – The distance across the driveway, excluding radii, measured parallel
to the highway.
Impervious Surfaces – The footprint of buildings, pavement, gravel, or other lowpermeability or compacted surfaces, not including natural or man-made water bodies.
Lot(s) of Record – A lot or lots for which the deed was legally recorded on or before the
effective date of this ordinance or which was created by a plan legally recorded in the
Androscoggin County Registry of Deeds on or before {__the adoption date of this
ordinance__}.
Passenger Car Equivalent – The number of passenger cars displaced by a single heavy
vehicle of a particular type under specified roadway, traffic, and control conditions.
Peak Flow – The greatest rate of flow in a drainage way, measured as volume per unit of
time, resulting from storms of up a to 50-year event.
Posted Speed – The speed limit set and maintained by the Maine Department of
Transportation, or limited by statute as defined in Title 29 MRSA, Chapter 19, Section
2024.
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Sight Distance – The sight distance required to allow a vehicle entering the highway to
reach 85% of the posted speed without being overtaken by a vehicle traveling at the
posted speed and approaching the entering vehicle from behind. Sight distance is
measured from the perspective of a hypothetical person seated in a vehicle from three
vantage points: (1) sitting in the access viewing vehicles traveling on the highway (both
left and right), (2) traveling on the highway viewing a vehicle sitting in an access, and (3)
traveling on the highway viewing a vehicle turning into the access (both ahead and
behind). In case of discrepancy between these measurements, the lesser measurement
will be used to determine whether the sight distance standard is met. Sight distance is
measured to and from the point on the centerline of the proposed access that is located 10
feet from the edge of the travel way. The height of the hypothetical person’s view is
considered to be 3½ feet above the pavement and the height of the object being viewed is
considered to be 4¼ feet above the pavement.
1.2
Purpose
The purpose of the access management standards is to manage access onto State and
State-Aid roads in a manner that protects the safety of access and highway users, protects
the highway system from the negative impacts of drainage, preserves mobility and
economic productivity related to highway transportation, and avoids the long-term cost of
constructing new highway capacity.
1.3
Applicability
These standards apply to all public and private accesses onto State and State-Aid roads,
to the alteration of existing driveways onto said roadways, and to changes in use on the
property serviced by such driveways. (See Appendix A for a list of State and State-Aid
roads. The list of State and State-Aid roads is subject to change if the MaineDOT
changes the federal functional classification of roads.)
1.4
Administration
The Driveway Access Standards will be administered by the Planning Board and the
Public Works Director with assistance from the Town Engineer, as needed. The Code
Enforcement Officer is responsible for determining if a proposed development requires
approval from the Planning Board and/or the Public Works Director.
2.
TECHNICAL STANDARDS
Driveways must comply with the following standards:
2.3
Sight Distance – The sight distance for driveways must meet or exceed the distances
listed in Table 2. Sight distance is measured in accordance with its definition.
Table 2 – Sight Distance
Posted Speed
(MPH)
25
Sight Distance
(Feet)
250
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30
35
40
45
50
55
2.4
305
380
580
710
840
990
Spacing Between Driveways – New driveways must be separated from other existing or
proposed driveways, including those located across the roadway and those serving the
same lot, in accordance with the minimum spacing standards set forth in Table 3.
Driveway spacing is measured from edge of proposed driveway to edge of driveway,
excluding radii. Driveways located directly across the roadway from the proposed
driveway are not counted in applying the spacing standard.
Table 3 – Minimum Driveway Spacing Standards
Posted Speed
(MPH)
Driveway Separation
(Feet)
25
35
40
45
50
55
70
85
175
265
350
525
2.3
Driveway Width – If 30% or less of the traffic projected to use the proposed entrance will
be larger vehicles, the width of a two-way driveway within the road right-of-way must be
between 22 and 30 feet inclusive. If more than 30% of the traffic projected to use the
proposed driveway will be larger vehicles, the width of a two-way driveway within the
road right-of-way must be between 30 and 42 feet inclusive. Driveways must be
designed in accordance with the MaineDOT Standard Details {NEED TO KEEP A
COPY ON FILE FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION}. The driveway width will be the
minimum necessary to accommodate the design vehicle.
2.4
Corner Clearance – The minimum corner clearance for driveways onto the roadway must
be 150, except that the town may require increased corner clearance if the town
reasonably determines that the proposed driveway will significantly impact public safety
or cause a reduction in posted speed.
2.5
Shared Driveways – Whenever possible, property owners should seek opportunities for
shared driveways.
2.6
Number of Driveways – Lots will be limited to one two-way driveway or two one-way
driveways.
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2.7
One-Way Driveway Requirements – If a one-way system is proposed and the
predominant traffic volume is truck traffic, the driveway will be configured on the
minimum angle that permits the truck to enter or leave the roadway safely and smoothly.
Otherwise, all driveways must be configured perpendicular to the roadway for at least the
length of the design vehicle.
A physical separation of curbing, ditching, grass or other landscaping must be used for
one-way driveways and must be designed and constructed to prevent adjacent one-way
driveways from becoming one entrance in practice. Both portions of a one-way driveway
on a single lot must be separated from another one-way driveway by at least 12 feet.
Both portions of a one-way driveway abutting a sidewalk must have a minimum
separation of at least 18 feet and allow for 7 foot terminal ends and at least a 4 foot
header in between. A terminal end is the end section of a run of curb that is sloped to aid
the design vehicle in turning into the driveway or to meet Americans with Disabilities
Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. Section 1213 et seq., requirements. A header is a piece of curbing
between two terminal ends.
A one-way entrance abutting a curbed, non-sidewalk section must have a minimum
separation of at least 12 feet and allow for two 4-foot terminal ends separated by at least
a 4-foot header.
2.8
Intersection Angle/Radius of Edge – To the maximum extent practical, the entrance must
be constructed perpendicular to the highway at the access point. Except where curbing
exists or is proposed, the minimum radius on the edges of a driveway must be sufficient
to allow the design vehicle to enter the driveway without encroaching into the path of
exiting vehicles in accordance with the MaineDOT Standard Details included in
Appendix B. Driveways designed for right turns only must be designed to the greatest
extent possible to prohibit illegal traffic movements
2.9
Throat Length – The throat is a portion of a driveway used to store vehicles waiting to
exit from the driveway. The throat must be of sufficient length to prevent incoming
vehicles from queuing back into the roadway. Access from the throat to parking or other
areas is prohibited.
2.10
Driveway Separator Strips – A separator strip is a strip of land that separates the roadway
from the throat or parking area of a driveway. Driveway separator strips must be
installed between the parking area and the roadway and along the throat. The separator
strip must extend away from the roadway to the greater of (1) 5 feet from the right-ofway limits, or (2) in areas where the right-of-way limits are defined by wrought portion, 7
feet from the edge of a clearly evident shoulder. The property owner must maintain any
vegetation within the separator strip such that it does not interfere with the sight distance
at the driveway. In areas where sidewalks exist, curbing or wheel stops must be provided
to prevent parking vehicles from interfering with pedestrian flow.
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2.11
Paving of Driveway – The driveway, including all radii, must be paved from the edge of
pavement of the roadway to the road right-of-way or to the length of the design vehicle,
whichever is greater.
2.12
On-Street Parking – Parking within the road right-of-way is prohibited. Direct access
into one or more off-street parking spaces is prohibited. Parking must not be situated
such that it blocks sight distance along the roadway or where vehicle headlights within
the parking area may interfere with vision of drivers on the road.
2.13
Turnaround Area/Parking – Driveways will be designed such that all maneuvering and
parking of any vehicles will take place outside of the road right-of-way and such that
vehicles may exit the premises without backing onto the roadway or roadway shoulder.
All driveways must have a turnaround area with a width of at least 8 feet and a length of
at least 15 feet or the length of the design vehicle, whichever is greater.
2.14
Loading Dock Requirements – Loading docks or other delivery areas must not be located
within the road right-of-way and must be situated so that delivery vehicles do not
encroach on the road right-of-way. All delivery vehicles must maneuver entirely on-site.
2.15
Double Frontage Lots – Driveways for lots with double frontage on State or State-Aid
roads and another public way will be restricted to the other public way, unless the
Planning Board determines that queuing of traffic using a driveway off the other public
way would interfere with traffic on the State or State-Aid road due to insufficient lot
frontage along the other public way.
2.16
Traffic Signal Restriction – No proposed driveway will be permitted on a State or StateAid road if the proposed driveway serves a development that warrants installation of a
traffic signal.
2.17
Mobility Enhancement Measures – The Planning Board may require applicants to
provide for improvement of the existing safety or mobility levels through enhancement
measures if the Planning Board determines, based upon accepted traffic engineering
principles, that the proposed driveway will significantly impact public safety or cause a
reduction in posted speed.
Mobility enhancement measures include:
A.
Elimination, combination or modification of existing driveways
B.
Development of frontage, backage or other service roads within the corridor to
provide alternate access to existing driveways
2.18 Mitigation – If a proposed driveway has been granted a waiver and the Planning Board
reasonably determines, based upon accepted traffic engineering principles, that the proposed
driveway will significantly impact public safety or cause a reduction in posted speed, the
Planning Board may require mitigation of traffic impacts from a proposed driveway. In making
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such determinations, the Planning Board may consider existing developments planned or
reasonably expected on the parcel of land owned or controlled by the applicant.
If mitigation is required, applicants will be required to employ and, in some instances maintain,
one or more of the mitigation techniques listed below. Such techniques generally will be
considered in the order listed based upon the degree of impact of the proposed driveway.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
Signage
Removal of Vegetation
Payment of a fee pursuant to __LOCAL AUTHORIZING STATUE?__ equal to
an amount necessary for the town to purchase an easement on an adjacent lot for
purposes of developing a shared entrance.
Payment of a fee pursuant to __LOCAL AUTHORIZING STATUE?__ equal to
an amount necessary for the town to purchase easements across one or more lots
for purposes of developing a frontage road for driveways serving subdivisions or
commercial or industrial uses or parks.
Acceleration and/or deceleration lanes.
Medians, jug handles or turnarounds.
When mitigation measures are required, the town may require the applicant, prior to
construction, to submit a performance and payment bond or certified check payable to the Town
of Lisbon, in an amount and form that complies with ___(LOCAL REQUIREMENT
AUTHORITY?)___. In addition, the town may require that notice of conditions applicable to
the driveway be recorded in the Androscoggin County Registry of Deeds.
2.19
Drainage Standards
A.
Culvert Size – The diameter of culverts within the road right-of-way will be
determined by either the Public Works Director or the MaineDOT, as appropriate.
B.
Construction and Maintenance Standards – Driveways, on-site ditches, swales,
pipes and other structures that direct runoff toward ditches or drainage systems on State
and State Aid roads must be constructed, crowned, stabilized and maintained with stable
materials and appropriate erosion control measures such as permanent vegetation or
stone.
C.
Mitigation – If the proposed development poses a significant drainage risk, then
the applicant must mitigate the impacts of increases in peak flow from storms into the
roadway drainage system through measures specified by the Public Works Director or
MaineDOT. Mitigation measures may include on-site controls, off-site improvements, or
payment of a fee pursuant to 23 MRSA Section 57-A. A “significant drainage risk”
exists (a) when the applicant proposes a fixed connection to a closed drainage structure
owned by the Town or MaineDOT, or (b) when the Public Works Director determines,
using acceptable engineering and hydrologic principles, that: (i) the proposed driveway
has a grade of 10% or greater for a length of 150 feet or more draining toward the
roadway, (ii) the proposed development has more than 10,000 square feet of impervious
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surface draining toward the roadway, or (iii) the proposed development will substantially
contribute to the failure of a downstream public facility. The applicant owner is
responsible for all on-site and off-site mitigation expenses.
D.
Retail Fueling Station Requirements – Applicants with driveways for use by retail
fueling stations must demonstrate that in the event of a spill, deposit of contaminants in
the right-of-way will be contained.
3.
WAIVERS
Driveway standards may be relaxed or waived only as provided in this section.
3.1
Standards That May Not Be Waived – The sight distance standards, corner clearance
standards, paving of driveway requirement, on-street parking standards, loading dock
requirements, and turnaround area/parking standards.
Waivers will not be granted to a property owner whose property has been granted limited
access entrances in accordance with 23 M.R.S. Section 303.
3.2
Standards That May Be Waived – All other standards may be waived in accordance with
the provisions of this section.
3.3
Criteria for Granting Waivers - Waiver requests will be granted if the applicant
demonstrates, to the satisfaction of the Town, that: (i) the waiver will not significantly
detract from public safety, (ii) the proposed driveway meets the standards to the
maximum extent practicable, and (iii) there is no feasible alternative.
A.
B.
C.
D.
3.4
In determining that the waiver will not significantly detract from public safety, the
Town must consider such factors as crash rates, traffic volumes, road geometrics,
types and frequency of traffic moving to and from existing uses within 1000 feet
of the proposed driveway.
In determining practicability and feasibility, the Town will consider the
availability and cost of alternative driveway locations and designs in relation to
the proposed use.
In cases involving alterations or changes of use of existing accesses, the Town
may grant waiver requests if it determines the alteration will likely result in a net
gain to public safety or will result in a reduction in the driveway’s non-conformity
with this section.
In cases involving double frontage lots, the Town will consider the length of
frontage on the State/State-Aid road, the intensity of traffic generated by the
proposed use, the geography along the frontage of the other public way, and the
distance to the other public way.
Spacing Standards Waiver -The spacing standards in Table 3 of this section may be
waived only to the extent that lots of record existing as of {___the adoption date of this
ordinance__}, that do not have access to another public way and do not have sufficient
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lot frontage to meet these spacing standards, may be allowed access if the applicant meets
the following criteria, in addition to the above-referenced waiver criteria:
A.
The applicant meets the criteria of granting waivers set forth in this section.
B.
The proposed access is located in an area designated for growth in the Town’s
comprehensive plan.
C.
The proposed access will not have an unreasonable adverse impact on the
state/state-aid roadway such that the speed limit must be reduced to accommodate
new traffic expected to be generated.
APPENDIX A
State and State-Aid Roads in Lisbon:
Canal Street (Route 9/125) – From Lisbon Street (Route 196) to Durham town line
Frost Hill Avenue – From Ridge Road (Route 9) to Lisbon Street (Route 196)
Lisbon Street (Route 196) – From Lewiston city line to Topsham town line
Main Street (Route 125) – From Lisbon Street (Route 9/196) to Bowdoin town line
Ridge Road (Route 9) – From Sabattus town line to Route 196
School Street – From Vining Street to Main Street (Route 125)
Store Road – From Bowdoin town line to Sabattus town line
Upland Road – From Webster Road to Ridge Road (Route 9)
Village Street – From Pinewoods Road to Lisbon Street (Route 196)
Webster Road – From Lisbon Street (Route 196) to Upland Road
APPENDIX B
MaineDOT Standard Details
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APPENDIX C – ADOPTED ACCESS MANAGEMENT ORDINANCES
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