Access Management & Corridor Preservation
Comprehensive access management is a relatively new approach to addressing traffic congestion, crashes, and loss of arterial capacity. Access management programs address the location, spacing, design, and operation of street and driveway connections to major roadways, as well as subdivision and site design practices. Access management also involves roadway design applications, such as median treatments and auxiliary lanes, and the appropriate spacing of traffic signals.
Access management does more than preserve the safety and efficiency of major roadways. Well-designed access systems help preserve community character, advance economic development goals, and protect the substantial public investment in roads and highways. As state and local governments strive to cope with traffic problems, limited rights-of-way, rising construction costs, and revenue shortfalls, more and more are recognizing the benefits of access management.
In the face of shrinking revenue, communities across the nation are struggling to keep pace with growing demand for transportation improvements. Agencies are paying more and getting less when it comes to roadway improvements. Right-of-way costs often represent the single largest expenditure on a transportation project and now exceed construction costs in many urban areas. One reason is the lack of adequate corridor preservation measures.
Corridor preservation
is the coordinated application of measures to obtain control of or
protect the right-of-way for a planned transportation facility. CUTR
conducts research on corridor preservation best practices, prepares
policies and ordinances, and provides training on corridor preservation
to states, local governments, and MPOs.
Planning & Policy
MPO Planning
Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO) are multi-jurisdictional agencies that prepare Long Range Transportation Plans and Transportation Improvement Programs for metropolitan regions, as well as other specialized transportation studies and activities. They are created by federal and state law to provide a continuing, cooperative and comprehensive (3C) regional transportation planning process for urbanized areas of more than 50,000 people.
CUTR provides technical assistance and research support to MPOs, state Departments of Transportation, and multi-MPO alliances through best practices research, training, policy development, organizational analysis, and other specialized applied research.
Other
It is the role of transportation planners to provide solutions to society’s mobility needs while remaining sensitive to the potential impacts of transportation improvements to the built and natural environment.
In an effort to provide a wide range of services relevant to state and national policy decision-makers, CUTR provides research and support services in a variety of transportation planning areas. Among these are community impact assessment, growth management, and transportation and land use policy development.