Orange County NC Website
Efland-Buckhorn-Mebane Access Management Plan <br /> <br />9.EconomicImpactsOfAccessManagement <br />Businessownersoftenareconcernedthatchangesinaccesstotheirpremiseswill <br />havetemporaryor permanentimpactsontheirsales. Theyareconcernedthat <br />changesindirectaccesstotheir property-suchasconsolidatingdrivewaysorinstalling <br />raisedmedianswillleadtodeclinesinpatronageandsales. Perceivedimpactsof <br />accessmanagement onadjacentcommercial businessesandlandownersareoften <br />majorimpedimentstoprojectsmovingforward. Inthecaseofaccessmanagement, <br />perceptionsareoftenworsethanreality. <br /> <br />Accessmanagement beforedevelopment offersclarityandrelievesthepost- <br />developmentdifficultyinretrofitting. <br />10.AccessManagementAnd Pedestrian Safety <br />Accessmanagementisusuallypromotedasawaytoimprovedrivingconditionsfor <br />motorists.Clearly,accessmanagementtechniquescanleadtoroadsandstreetsthat <br />aredramaticallysaferandmucheasier andmorepleasanttodrive. However, <br />researchalsoindicatesthatseveralkeyaccessmanagementtechniquesarejustas <br />valuabletopedestrians.Theseinclude: <br /> <br />•reducingthenumber ofdriveways,particularlycommercial driveways,withina <br />givendistance(per blockor mile) <br />•providingfor greaterdistanceseparationbetweendriveway <br />•providingasaferefugeforpedestriancrossingswithraisedmedians <br /> <br /> <br />COMMONACCESSMANAGEMENTTREATMENTS <br /> <br /> <br />11.DrivewayGrade <br />Alongolder urbanarterial streets,itiscommontofindrather steepdrivewayswith <br />grades(or slopes) of5-10percentormore.Drivewayswithsteepgradeswereoften <br />constructedtoallowthedrivewayandconnectingparkinglotstodrainmoreefficiently <br />andtosaveearth-movingcosts.Ontheotherhand, morerecentlyconstructed <br />arterialstypicallyfeatureverygentledrivewaygrades. Drivewaygradeisanimportant <br />–yetoftenoverlooked–safetyconsideration. <br /> <br />Themaximum practicalgradefor drivewaysvariesbetween8-14percentforlow- <br />volumedrivewaysandfivepercent for high-volumedriveways(a30-footlongdriveway <br />witha14percent gradewouldriseorfall aboutfour feet alongitslength). <br />Furthermore, themaximumpracticalchangeingradeisabout 12percent.Abovethis <br />value,manyvehicleswillscrapetheirbumpersorother low-hangingpartsonthe <br />driveway,potentiallycausingdamagetothevehicleanddrivewayorroadwaysurface. <br />Whilethismaybethemaximumpracticalgrade,itismuchsafertouseasmaller <br />grade. Aminimalgrade(say,twopercent)isstill neededfordrainage. <br /> <br /> <br />49