The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1953-11-06
WARNED AGAINST
BUILDING TOO
CLOSE TO ROAD
Highway Chairman Cites
Law to Avoid Filling Sta
ton Traffic Hazards

Raleigh. = Highway Chairman
A. H. Graham today called on all
property owners who plan to
build service stations, drive-inS,
motels and other commercial
establishments adjoining State
highways to first familiarize
themselves with the Commits
sion's regulations on driveway
a mainline highway.
He said some misunderstanding
had existed in the past and that
some property owners were not
aware of the Commissions en-
trance regulations. AS a safety
measure and to protect the
motorist, the Commission adopted
in 1851 minimum standards for
entrances to highways. The Com
missions 20-page booklet, "Min-
imum Standards for Entrances to
Highways" is available upon re-
quest from Robert Burch, Traffic
Engineer, State Highway Com
mission, Raleigh, and from any
of the Commissions highway
offices throughout the State. The
gooklet clearly states the Com
missions requirements for en-
frances from service or COM
mercial businesses to the high
way. Inside the booklet are
eleven easily-understood sketch
es dealing with the proper loca-
ton of service stations or COM
mercial establishments adjoining
mainline highwa:
Graham explained that any
property-owner desiring to con-
struct driveway or driveways
connecting with any State high
way must first secure and fill
out an application for a driveway
permit. These application forms
can be secured from the State
Highway Maintenance Supervi-
sors who are located in each
county, or from Resident En-
gineers, or from District of Div
vision highway offices. An appI-
cation for a driveway permit
must be submitted to the District
Engineer for his written approx
al.
The booklet, minimum Stan
dards for Entrances to Highways"
says: "Any driveway or approach
constructed by a property-owner
must be for the bona fide pur-
pose of securing access to his pro-
perty and not for the purpose of
parking or servicing vehicles on
the highway right of way"
Later, "The construction of
parking areas on the highway
right of way is specifically pro-
hibited. Those places of business
requiring parking space for their
customers shall provide same on
their premises"
And, Gall entrances and exits
shall be so located that vehicles
approaching or using them will
be able to obtain adequate sight
distance in both directions along
the highway in order to maneu-
yer safely and without inter
fering with traffic"
At the same time, Graham said
that the Commissions engineers
throughout the State were being
instructed to watch closely for
indications of property-owners
building commercial establish
ments too close to the States
highways. To inconvenience the
builder as little as possible, the
engineers are striving to contact
and acquaint the property
owners with the Commissions
specific driveway regulations.
Where gasoline pumps are To-
Gated Immediately adjacent to
the highways right of way line,
it is not permissible for the
owner to pave a service lane
within the right of way and
pump gas into cars which are
parked in this area. This means
that a service station owner must
place his pump fully IL feet back
of the highway right of way line
if he plans to service cars be-
tween his pumps and the high
way; nor shall other establish
ments use the highway right of
way for parking vehicles.
Should the property-owner in
sist on constructing his driveway
so that cars will be serviced on
the highways right of way, Ora
ham warned that the owner can
be restrained from doing so by
court order. The owner will be
notified first that he will be re-
strained and that should he per-
sist in constructing the drive be-
fore the restraining order is SER
we'd, the Commission NAV then