Illinois Administrative Code › Title 92 - TRANSPORTATION › Part 550 - POLICY ON PERMITS FOR ACCESS DRIVEWAYS TO STATE HIGHWAYS › Section 550.20 - Definitions and Objectives

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 28, July 12, 2024
a)
			 Definition of Terms
"Areas" - An area, either incorporated or unincorporated, is
				defined as Urban where it has been developed primarily for residential and/or
				business purposes (Illinois Vehicle Code Ill. Rev. Stat. 1981, ch. 951/2, par.
				1-214.1). The speed limits will generally be 40 miles per hour or less, the
				street or highway will normally be curbed, and at least 50 percent of the
				frontage on one side of the highway within one-half mile of the driveway
				location developed with residences and/or businesses. All locations not
				included under the Urban definition should be considered as Rural.
"Department" - The Illinois Department of Transportation,
				usually acting through its Regional or District Engineers (See Illustration
				I)
Driveway Types
"A Noncommercial Driveway" is one providing access to a single
				family residence. The term shall also apply to driveways used as access to
				agricultural land, including field entrances.
"A Commercial Driveway" is one providing access to property
				being used other than for a single family residence or for agricultural
				purposes.
"Industrial-Commercial-Recreational-High-Volume
				Traffic-Generator Driveways" are those which provide access to facilities which
				generate high-volume traffic, such as shopping centers, industrial parks,
				athletic fields, etc.
"Flare" - The part of the driveway surface outlined by the edge
				of the highway, the edge of the nominal width or through part of the driveway,
				and the curved (normally) outer edge of the driveway.
"Freeway" - A highway or street designated by the Department as
				a freeway in accordance with Ill. Rev. Stat. 1981, ch. 121, pars. 8-101 et
				seq., which includes both full and partial control facilities.
"Frontage" - The distance along the highway right-of-way line
				in front of the owner's property, determined by projecting a perpendicular line
				from the center line of the roadway to the corner points of the property on the
				right-of-way line.
"Frontage Road" - A public street or road auxiliary to and
				normally located alongside and parallel to a highway for purposes of
				maintaining local road continuity and for control of access.
"Island" - A physical barrier to direct the flow of traffic and
				to separate highway traffic from the activity on the adjacent property.
"Median" - The portion of a divided highway or divided driveway
				separating the traveled ways for traffic in opposite directions.
"Permit" - The term "Permit", as used in this policy, shall
				mean a Highway Permit (Form BT 1045) to allow construction or reconstruction of
				a driveway in accordance with the provisions thereon, granted by the Department
				in accordance with this policy. The form may also be used for other permit
				work, such as backslope grading, etc.
"Right-of-Way Line" - The boundary between the land acquired
				for or dedicated to highway use and adjacent property.
"Shoulder" - The portion of the highway contiguous with the
				traveled way for the accommodation of stopped vehicles and for emergency
				use.
"State Highway" - Any street or highway that is part of the
				State highway system prescribed in Article 2 of the Illinois Highway Code.
				Basically, those highways that are maintained by the State or State routes
				maintained by a City under the terms of a City-State Maintenance
				Agreement.
"Subdivision" - Land divided or subdivided into two or more
				parcels or tracts less than five acres.
"Traffic Control Devices" - All signs, signals, markings, and
				devices that conform to the Illinois Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices,
				placed or erected by authority of a public body or official having
				jurisdiction, for the purpose of regulating, warning, or guiding
				traffic.
"Turning Lane" - An auxiliary lane, including tapered areas,
				primarily for the acceleration or deceleration and storage of vehicles entering
				or leaving the through traffic lanes.
b) Purpose of Access Driveway Permit
			 Procedures
1) Various sections of the
			 Illinois Highway Code restrict persons from working on State highways, and
			 specifically constructing access driveways, except under the terms of a permit
			 issued by the Department. The intent of the Department in issuing these permits
			 is to provide maximum protection to the public through the orderly control of
			 traffic movements onto and from the highway, to safeguard the traffic carrying
			 capacity of the highway, to protect the public investment in highway
			 facilities, and to assure uniform practices throughout the State in the design
			 and construction of driveways. The standards and procedures in this policy have
			 been developed to aid in accomplishing these goals.
2) The standards recognize the differences
			 between noncommercial and commercial driveways, between rural and urban areas,
			 and between relatively low and high traffic volume facilities. High-volume
			 entrances need to be designed to standards similar to those required for street
			 intersections with corresponding traffic.
3) In reviewing a permit request,
			 consideration will be given to all factors affecting the operation of the
			 driveway and the highway. These factors will include, but not be limited to,
			 the location and geometrics of the driveway, turning lane requirements,
			 capacity of the roadway, driveway drainage, safety and operational efficiency
			 of the driveway as related to the highway, and land use. Driveways should be
			 designed to provide good service to users of the entrance while at the same
			 time minimizing interference to highway traffic.
4) The standards contained in this policy
			 were developed to minimize the frequency and severity of potential conflicts
			 between through vehicles and those entering or leaving driveways. Some of the
			 principles considered were:
A) Reducing the
			 speed differential between through vehicles and those using the
			 driveways;
B) Eliminating
			 encroachment of turning vehicles on adjacent lanes;
C) Prohibiting use of the highway as a
			 portion of the internal circulation system of abutting property;
D) Providing sufficient spacing between
			 driveways to lessen interference with traffic from adjacent
			 driveways;
E) Discouraging parking
			 on streets or backing onto the highway, except where such maneuvers clearly
			 will not constitute a hazard or prove detrimental to the operation of the
			 highway;
F) Preserving or improving
			 the integrity of the highway and drainage facilities.
5) Construction on or adjacent to the highway
			 roadway constitutes a hazard to the motorist. For this reason, not only the
			 design of the driveway but the method and type of construction will be governed
			 by the permit.
6) Bonds are
			 required for various types of permits to assure the construction is done
			 properly and completely and that the integrity of the highway is
			 maintained.