Access Management

Resources

Access Management Manual

MnDOT's policy is set forth in the MnDOT Access Management Manual, effective Jan. 2, 2008. This manual supercedes Technical Memorandum 02-10-IM-01.

Current chapters

• Chapter 2 (PDF) - Highway Access Category System
• Chapter 3 (PDF) - Guidelines for Public Street and Driveway Connections
• Chapter 4 (PDF) - Development and Permit Review
• Chapter 5 (PDF) - Mn/DOT Traffic Impact Study Guidance

Future chapters

• Chapter 1 - Introduction to Access Management
• Chapter 6 - Access and Highway Improvement Projects
• Chapter 7 - Access Control
• Chapter 8 - Interchange Spacing/ Interchange Management Areas

Brochures

• MnDOT and You brochure for viewing (PDF)
• MnDOT and You brochure for printing (PDF)
• MnDOT Needs You booklet (PDF)

Model Overlay Ordinance

The model overlay ordinance (PDF) is a tool that local units of government may use to regulate access in a manner that supports local growth and economic development while conforming with MnDOT's access management guidelines.

Key components

• Provides legal basis for implementation of access management plans
• Does not change existing underlying zoning
• Establishes access standards for subdivisions and site plans consistent with MnDOT guidelines
• Provides a modification procedure that parallel MnDOT's exception/deviation process to ensure the provision of reasonably convenient and suitable access
• Applies to new and changed land use and access

Resources

• Ordinance Guide (PDF)
• Annotated Ordinance (PDF)
• Access Management Planning (PowerPoint)
• Modal Access Management Plan (PDF)

Research

Background policy studies

• Statistical Relationships Between Vehicular Crashes and Hwy Access (PDF)
  How the occurrence and frequency of accesses onto a roadway affect vehicular crash rates.
  
• Public Understanding of State Hwy Access Management Issues (PDF)
  Includes the results of focus group interviews to on the driving public's view of access management.
  
• Systems Thinking Report (PDF)
  Includes the results of stakeholder meetings to determine the relationship of access management to external forces and how they depend on each other.

Summary report to legislature

• Highway Access Management Study (PDF)
  Submitted to the Minnesota Legislature in 1999, this report included recommendations for a comprehensive access management program.
  

Spacing guidelines studies

• Access Operations Study: Intervening Access Analysis (PDF)
• Access Operations Study: Analysis of Traffic Signal Spacing on Four Lane Arterials (PDF)
  

Other studies

• Greater Minnesota Access Study (PDF)
  Provides examples of good access management practices in commercial areas adjacent to the state highway system in greater Minnesota.
• I-394 Business Impact Study (PDF)
  This study is a first step in documenting credible, local information about the potential business related impacts associated with highway improvements. It looks at the impacts associated with the conversion of TH 12 to I-394 west of Minneapolis.