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

Current through 2024-29, July 17, 2024
Driveways onto any state and state aid highway located
					 outside urban compact areas must comply with the basic safety standards in
					 Section 2.1. If the driveway is onto a Mobility Arterial, it must also comply
					 with the additional or increased standards set forth in Section 2.2. If the
					 driveway is onto a Retrograde Arterial, it must also comply with the additional
					 or increased standards set forth in Sections 2.2 and 2.3.
2.1. Basic Safety Standards
A. Sight Distance. The minimum allowable
				  sight distances for all accesses onto all state and state aid highways located
				  outside urban compact areas are set forth in Table 1. MaineDOT may require up
				  to 50% greater sight distances when at least 30% of the traffic using the
				  driveway will be by larger vehicles.
Table 1 - Sight Distance
Posted Speed (MPH)
Sight Distance
								(Feet)
20
155
25
200
30
250
35
305
40
360
45
425
50
495
55
570
60
645
B.
				  Driveway Width. Unless a waiver is granted pursuant to Section 3.3(C), driveway
				  width within the highway right of way must be between 12 and 22 feet inclusive.
				  The width of a driveway is the distance across the driveway, excluding radii,
				  measured parallel to the highway.
C. Corner Clearance. Unless a waiver is
				  granted pursuant to Section 3.3(C), the minimum corner clearance for driveways
				  is 75 feet for un-signalized intersections and 125 feet for signalized
				  intersections except that at no time will a driveway be located on the radius
				  of the two intersecting roadways.
D. Turnaround Area / Parking. Driveways 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
				  driveways will have a turnaround area at least 8 feet wide by 15 feet long.
				  MaineDOT may require a larger turnaround area to accommodate larger vehicles
				  that are expected to use the driveway on a regular basis. Where the state or
				  state aid roadway speed limit is posted at or below 35 mph, a waiver may be
				  granted, in accordance with Section 3.3(C) for a use in existence as of May 25,
				  2002 that proposes a driveway alteration or change of use so long as the change
				  of use generates no more than 50 trips per day.
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(C). 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.
F. Intersection Angle / Radius of
				  Edges. To the maximum extent practical, the driveway will be constructed
				  perpendicular to the highway at the access point. The minimum radius on the
				  edge of a driveway, if any, must be 10 feet. MaineDOT may require that the
				  edges of the driveway have a radius if larger vehicles are expected to use the
				  driveway on a regular basis.
G.
				  Double Frontage Lots. Unless a waiver is granted pursuant to Section 3.3(C),
				  driveways for lots with frontage on a Non-compact Arterial and another public
				  way, will be restricted to the other public way, unless MaineDOT determines
				  that queuing of traffic entering a driveway off the other public way would
				  interfere with traffic on the Non-compact Arterial due to insufficient lot
				  frontage along the other public way. If the other public way is a mobility or
				  retrograde arterial, the driveway must be located on the highway frontage that
				  allows the intent of this rule to be most effectively and efficiently
				  met.