Orange County NC Website
Efland-Buckhorn-Mebane Access Management Plan <br /> <br />20.FrontageAndBackageRoads <br />Frontageandbackageroadsrunparallel themainlinerouteandprovidealternative <br />accesstoproperty.Propertyaccessisprovidedalongthefrontageorbackageroad, <br />whichaccessesthearterial viaacrossroad(withatrafficsignal ifnecessary).This <br />reducesthenumberanddensityofconflictpointsassociatedwithstripdevelopment. <br />Theseroadsaregenerallyapplicabletocommercial development. <br /> <br />A backageroad providesaccesstotherear sideofcommercial properties <br />locatedbetweenthebackageroadandthearterial.It alsoprovides <br />accesstopropertieslocatedontheoppositesideofthebackageroad <br />fromthearterial,thusincreasinglandvaluesandreducinginfrastructure <br />coststoindividual properties. <br /> <br />A frontageroad providesaccesstothefront sideofcommercial <br />propertieslocatedalongthearterial.Caremustbetakentoensure <br />adequateseparationbetweenthearterial andtheintersectionofthe <br />frontageandcrossroads. <br /> <br />Whyarefrontageandbackageroadsimportant? <br />Frontageandbackageroadsreduceconflictpointsbetweenthroughtrafficandturning <br />trafficassociatedwithstripdevelopmentanddirectpropertyaccesstothearterial. <br />Conflict pointsareassociatedwithreducedlevelsofroadwaysafetyandoperations. <br />Studieshaveshownthat whendrivewayaccesstoarterial roadwaysisgrantedtotoo <br />manypropertyownerswithout consideringfuturetrafficvolumesandroad <br />classifications, theadditional drivewaysincreasetherateofaccidentsanddecrease <br />theefficiencyoftheroadway. <br /> <br />21.Dedicated LeftAndRightTurningLanes <br />Oneof themajor concernsoftransportationengineersandplannersincitiesand <br />suburbanareasiskeepingthroughtrafficmovingat asmoothandevenpace.When <br />trafficcan’tmoveat anevenpace,delaysandcongestionaretheresult.This <br />frustratesmotoristsandcreatesopportunitiesfor“fender-bender” crashes.Oneofthe <br />simplestwaystoaccomplishsmoothandeventrafficistoremovetheturningtraffic <br />fromthethroughtrafficflowatroadintersectionsandnear busydriveways.Often, <br />dedicatedturninglanesareprovidedtoservethat purpose. Manytimesturninglanes <br />areusedinconjunctionwithraisedmediansandmediansatintersectionstoprovide <br />additional safetybyprotectingturningtraffic. <br />22.DrivewayTurnRadius <br />Turnradiusreferstotheextentthattheedgeofacommercial drivewayis“rounded” to <br />permit easier entryandexitbyturningvehicles. Drivewayentranceswithlongerturn <br />radii helpslower,turningtrafficmoveoff thearterial morequickly.Theyalsohelp <br />trafficleavingadrivewayturnandenterthestreamoftrafficmoreefficiently. <br />Guidelinesfor turnradiiaregenerallyappliedtonon-residential developmentsand <br />subdivisions. <br />52