Code of Maine Rules › 17 - DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION › 229 - DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION - GENERAL › Chapter 299 - HIGHWAY DRIVEWAY AND ENTRANCE RULES › Part B - ENTRANCE RULES › Section 229-299-B-2 - TECHNICAL STANDARDS

Current through 2024-29, July 17, 2024
The technical standards that apply depend upon the type of
					 highway. Entrances onto any state and state aid road located outside urban
					 compact areas must comply with the basic safety standards in Section 2.1. If
					 the entrance is onto a Major Collector or a Non-compact Arterial, it must also
					 comply with the increased or additional standards in Section 2.2. If the
					 entrance is onto a Mobility Arterial, it must also comply with the increased or
					 additional standards in Sections 2.2 and 2.3. If the entrance is onto a
					 Retrograde Arterial, it must also comply with the increased or additional
					 standards in Sections 2.2, 2.3 and 2.4.
2.1. Basic Safety Standards
A. Sight Distance. The minimum allowable
				  sight distances for all entrances onto all state and state aid highways located
				  outside urban compact areas are set forth in Table 1. For standard passenger
				  vehicles, the sight distances shown in the middle column apply. Unless a waiver
				  is granted pursuant to Section 3.3(D), if more than 30% of the traffic
				  projected to use the proposed entrance will be larger vehicles, the sight
				  distances shown in the right hand column apply.
Table 1 - Sight Distance
Posted Speed
Sight Distance Standard
								Vehicles
Sight Distance Larger Vehicles
(MPH)
(Feet)
(Feet)
20
155
230
25
200
300
30
250
375
35
305
455
40
360
540
45
425
635
50
495
740
55
570
855
60
645
965
B.
				  Entrance Width. If 30% or less of the traffic projected to use the proposed
				  entrance will be larger vehicles, the width of a two-way entrance within the
				  highway right of way must be between 22 and 30 feet inclusive, unless a waiver
				  is granted pursuant to Section 3.3(D). If more than 30% of the traffic
				  projected to use the proposed entrance will be larger vehicles, the width of a
				  two-way entrance within the highway right of way must be between 30 and 42 feet
				  inclusive, unless a waiver is granted pursuant to Section 3.3(D). Entrances
				  must be designed in accordance with the MaineDOT Standard Details included in
				  Appendix G. Unless a waiver is granted pursuant to Section 3.3(D), the entrance
				  width will be the minimum necessary to accommodate the
				  design-vehicle.
C. Corner
				  Clearance. Unless a waiver is granted pursuant to Section 3.3(D), the minimum
				  corner clearance for entrances onto Major Collectors or Non-Compact Arterials
				  must be 100 feet for un-signalized intersections and 125 feet for signalized
				  intersections except that at no time will an entrance be located on the radius
				  of the two intersecting roadways.
D. Turnaround Area / Parking. Entrances will
				  be designed such that all maneuvering and parking of any vehicles will take
				  place outside of the highway right of way and such that vehicles may exit the
				  premises without backing onto the highway traveled way or shoulder. All
				  entrances must have a turnaround area with a width of at least 8 feet and a
				  length of at least 15 feet or the length of the design vehicle, whichever is
				  greater.
E. Drainage Standards
(1) Culvert Size. Pursuant to 23 M.R.S.A.
				  §705, MaineDOT will determine the diameter of culverts within the highway
				  right of way depending upon local conditions.
(2) Construction and Maintenance Standards.
				  Driveways, on-site ditches, swales, pipes and other structures that direct
				  runoff toward MaineDOT ditches or drainage systems must be constructed,
				  crowned, stabilized and maintained with stable materials and appropriate
				  erosion control measures such as permanent vegetation or stone.
(3) Mitigation. If the proposed development
				  poses a significant drainage risk, then the applicant must mitigate the impacts
				  of increases in peak flow from storms into MaineDOT drainage systems through
				  measures specified by MaineDOT, unless a waiver is granted pursuant to section
				  3.3(D). Mitigation measures may include on-site controls, off-site
				  improvements, or payment of a fee pursuant to 23 M.R.S.A. §57-A. A
				  "significant drainage risk" exists (a) when the applicant proposes a fixed
				  connection to a closed system drainage structure owned by MaineDOT or (b) when
				  MaineDOT determines, using accepted engineering and hydrologic principles,
				  that: (i) the proposed driveway has a grade of 10% or greater for a length of
				  150 feet or more draining toward the highway; (ii) the proposed development has
				  more than 10,000 square feet of impervious surface draining toward the
				  highway
,
or (iii) the proposed development will substantially
				  contribute to the failure of a downstream MaineDOT facility. "Impervious
				  surfaces" are the footprint of buildings, pavement, gravel, or other
				  low-permeability or compacted surfaces, not including natural or man-made water
				  bodies; "Peak flow" is the greatest rate of flow in a drainage way, measured as
				  volume per unit of time, resulting from storms up to a 50-year event.
(4) Retail Fueling Station Requirements.
				  Applicants with entrances for use by retail fueling stations must demonstrate
				  that in the event of a spill, deposit of contaminants in the right-of-way of
				  the state or state aid highway will be contained.
F. Intersection Angle / Radius of Edges. To
				  the maximum extent practical, the entrance must be constructed perpendicular to
				  the highway at the access point. Except where curbing exists or is proposed,
				  the minimum radius on the edges of an entrance must be 10 feet, unless a waiver
				  is granted pursuant to Section 3.3(D).
G. Profile Requirements. The profile of the
				  entrance must comply with the MaineDOT Standard Details included in Appendix G,
				  unless a waiver is granted pursuant to Section 3.3(D).