Some state DOT’s regulations and many local government ordinances require access connection on opposite sides of a roadway be aligned directly opposite one another. Local government subdivision regulations commonly define ‘jog’ and prohibit jogs in subdivision design. A ‘jog’ occurs when crossing from an access connection on one side of a road to a connection or the other side is one continuous movement instead of a series of two successive right-turns. (See Exhibit 1.)
The roadway centerline separation is what actually results in a right-turn followed by a left-turn, or a left-turn followed by a right-turn, instead of a ‘jog’ maneuver. Most ordinances define a jog as when the rear right-of-way lines are separated by less than 125 ft. (see Exhibit 2). The 125 ft. separation results from a minimum centerline separation of 175 ft. and a 50 ft. right-of-way. The near right-of-way criteria is used in the regulations because subdivision plats are a description of property and show property lines – those of the parcel being subdivided and those of the lots (parcels) being created by the subdivision. If a 175 ft. centerline separation is sufficient to avoid a jog maneuver, subdivision regulations might define a ‘jog” as when the near right-of-way lines are separated by less than 115 ft.
