New Mexico Administrative Code › Title 18 - TRANSPORTATION AND HIGHWAYS › Chapter 31 - CLASSIFICATION AND DESIGN STANDARDS FOR HIGHWAYS › Part 6 - STATE HIGHWAY ACCESS MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS › Section 18.31.6.7 - DEFINITIONS

Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 13, July 16, 2024
A.
Acceleration lane--
A speed-change lane, including full-width
				auxiliary lane and tapered area, for the purpose of enabling a vehicle entering
				a roadway to increase its speed to a rate at which it can safely merge with
				through traffic.
B.
Access
-- Any driveway or other point of access such as a street,
				road, or highway that connects to the general street system. Where two public
				roadways intersect, the secondary roadway shall be considered the
				access.
C.
Access
				category
-- The definition by which access to a state highway is
				controlled according to the categories described in
				18.31.6.10
				NMAC.
D.
Access
				control
-- The regulated limitation of access to and from a highway
				facility including full control of access, partial control of access, and
				driveway regulations.
E.
Applicant
-- The owner of property or the representative of an
				owner applying for an access permit.
F.
Arterial roadway
-- The
				primary function of an arterial roadway is to provide mobility for through
				traffic movements. Arterial roadways provide for land access as a secondary
				function.
G.
At-grade
				intersection
-- A crossing of two or more highway facilities at the same
				elevation where through traffic movements on one or more of the highways cross
				and where turning movements between the highway facilities may be
				allowed.
H.
Auxiliary
				lane
-- An additional lane adjoining the traveled way which may be used
				for parking, speed change, turning, storage for turning vehicles, weaving,
				truck climbing, and other purposes supplementary to through traffic
				movement.
I.
Average daily
				traffic (ADT)
-- The average traffic volume per day, over a seven-day
				week, for a unique segment of roadway in both directions of travel on a two-way
				facility and in one direction of travel on a one-way facility.
J.
Average weekday traffic
				(AWDT)
-- The average traffic volume for a unique segment of roadway on a
				typical weekday (Monday through Friday) in both directions of travel on a
				two-way facility and in one direction of travel on a one-way
				facility.
K.
Average weekend
				traffic (AWET)
-- The average traffic volume for a unique segment of
				roadway over the weekend period (Saturday and Sunday) in both directions of
				travel on a two-way facility and in one direction of travel on a one-way
				facility.
L.
Developed
				area/business district
-- A developed area/business district occurs along
				a highway when within 300 feet along such highway there are buildings in use
				for business or industrial purposes (including but not limited to hotels, banks
				or office buildings, railroad stations and public buildings) which occupy at
				least fifty percent of the frontage on one side or fifty percent of the
				frontage collectively on both sides of the highway.
M.
Capacity
-- The maximum hourly
				rate at which persons or vehicles can reasonably be expected to traverse a
				point or uniform section of a lane or roadway under prevailing roadway,
				traffic, and control conditions.
N.
Change of use
-- Occurs when a change in the use of the property
				including land, structures or facilities, or an expansion of the size of the
				structures or facilities, is expected to result in an increase in the trip
				generation of the property greater than twenty-five percent (either peak hour
				or daily) and greater than 100 vehicles per day more than the existing
				use.
O.
Channelized
				intersection
-- An "at grade" intersection with painted islands, raised
				islands, or other devices for directing traffic along definite paths.
P.
Collector street
-- Collector
				streets connect developed areas with the arterial street system, balancing the
				need to provide traffic movement with the need to provide property
				access.
Q.
Commission
-- The New Mexico state transportation commission or its
				predecessor.
R.
Control of
				access
-- The condition in which the right of owners or occupants of land
				abutting or adjacent to a roadway is controlled by public authority.
S.
Controlled-access highway
--
				Includes highways, streets or roadways to which owners or occupants of abutting
				lands, and other persons, have no legal right of access except as determined by
				the public authority having jurisdiction over the highway, street or
				roadway.
T.
Corner
				clearance
-- At an intersecting street or highway, the dimension measured
				along the edge of the traveled way between the centerline of the intersecting
				street and the centerlines of the first adjacent access points on the approach
				and departure sides of the intersection.
U.
Cross street
-- The lower
				function roadway that crosses a higher function facility, also referred to as
				minor street.
V.
Curb
				cut
-- An opening along a state highway with raised curb or
				curb-and-gutter to provide for driveway access using drivepad construction.
				Also referred to as driveway cut.
W.
Curb return
-- The access
				radius for an intersection or driveway opening, also referred to as radius
				return.
X.
Curb return
				construction
-- As applied to a driveway opening, means that proper
				access radii are used in the design and construction of an access
				facility.
Y.
Deceleration
				lane
-- A speed-change lane, including full-width auxiliary lane and
				tapered areas, for the purpose of enabling a vehicle to slow to a safe turning
				speed when exiting a roadway.
Z.
Department
-- New Mexico department of transportation and all of
				its components, including but not limited to, the district engineers, and the
				department divisions.
AA.
Design vehicle
-- A selected motor vehicle with the weight,
				dimensions, and operating characteristics used to establish highway design
				controls.
AB.
Developer
-- A person or persons representing a proposed land
				development project.
AC.
Divided highway
-- A highway with separated roadways for traffic
				traveling in opposite directions. Separation may be provided by depressed
				dividing strips, raised medians, traffic islands, other physical separations,
				standard pavement markings, or other traffic control devices.
AD.
Drivepad construction
-- As
				applied to a driveway or curb cut, means that access radii are not used in the
				design and construction of an access facility.
AE.
Driveway
-- For the purposes
				of department access management requirements, a driveway is a public or private
				access along a state highway serving a limited area where traffic signal
				control is not required. Excludes public streets, roads, highways, and other
				signalized intersections.
AF.
Driveway angle
-- The angle of 90 degrees or less between the
				driveway centerline and the edge of the traveled way.
AG.
Driveway cut
-- An opening
				along a state highway with raised curb or curb-and-gutter to provide for
				driveway access using drivepad construction. Also referred to as curb
				cut.
AH.
Driveway throat
				width
-- The narrowest width of a driveway measured parallel with the
				edge of the traveled way exclusive of radii, ramps or tapers.
AI.
Edge clearance
-- The
				distance measured along the edge of the traveled way between the frontage
				property line and the point of tangency of the nearest radius return for an
				access.
AJ.
Egress
--
				To exit an abutting property or intersecting roadway to gain access to a state
				highway.
AK.
Freeway
--
				A multi-lane divided highway having a minimum of two lanes in each travel
				direction, with access provided by grade-separated interchanges.
AL.
Frontage
-- The distance
				along the highway right-of-way line of a single property tract or roadside
				development area between the limits of the property.
AM.
Frontage property line
-- A
				line, perpendicular to the highway centerline, at each end of the frontage,
				extending from the right-of-way line to the edge of traveled way.
AN.
Full control of access
--
				That part of access control where preference is given to through traffic by
				providing access connections only with selected public roads, and by
				prohibiting at-grade crossings and direct private driveway connections. Access
				control is accomplished by legally obtaining right-of-way from the abutting
				property owners or by the use of frontage roads or other means to provide
				access to abutting properties.
AO.
Functional area of an intersection
-- The areas of both upstream
				and downstream of an intersection where additional access points should not be
				allowed. The upstream area consists of length. The downstream area consists of
				stopping sight distance. Right-turn conflict overlap should also be considered
				when determining the downstream area.
AP.
Functional classification
--
				The grouping of highways by the character of service they provide to through
				traffic movements (mobility) versus access to abutting properties (land
				accessibility).
AQ.
General-purpose lanes
-- The continuous through lanes on a highway,
				excluding auxiliary lanes. Sometimes referred to as mainline lanes.
AR.
General street system
-- The
				interconnecting network of city streets, county roads, and state
				highways.
AS.
Grade
				separation
-- A crossing of two transportation facilities, such as two
				roadways or a roadway and a railroad, at different elevations where access is
				not provided from either facility at their intersection.
AT.
Grade or gradient
-- The rate
				(or percent) of change in slope. For highway facilities, it is measured along
				the centerline of the roadway or access facility.
AU.
Highway
-- The entire width
				between the right-of-way lines of publicly maintained traveled way when any
				part thereof is open to the public for purposes of vehicular travel, or the
				entire width of any traveled way declared to be a public highway by law. It may
				include bridges, culverts, sluices, drains, ditches, waterways, embankments,
				walls, trees, shrubs and fences.
AV.
Highway improvement
				project
-- Includes any project to improve a roadway segment or
				intersection facility to protect and maintain the general health, safety and
				welfare of the traveling public, typically conducted by the public entity
				having jurisdiction over the facility being improved. Highway improvement
				projects are generally included in the public entity's transportation
				improvement program, whether the program is local, regional or
				statewide.
AW.
Horizontal
				alignment
-- The combination of curved and tangent sections of a highway
				in the horizontal plane.
AX.
Ingress
-- To leave the highway and enter into an abutting property
				or intersecting roadway.
AY.
Intersection
-- Public street or other access serving a large area
				or a major traffic generator(s) where traffic signal control may be
				provided.
AZ.
Interstate
				highway
-- Represents the highest functional classification of a roadway
				in a highway network. Interstates are multi-lane divided highways having a
				minimum of two lanes in each travel direction, with access provided by
				grade-separated interchanges.
BA.
km/h
-- A rate of speed measured in kilometers traveled per
				hour.
BB.
Land development
				project
-- Includes any project to develop or redevelop private or public
				property adjacent or in close proximity to a state highway where direct or
				indirect access to the property is required from the state highway. Land
				development projects may be conducted by either private or public
				entities.
BC.
Lane
--
				The portion of a roadway for the movement of a single line of vehicles, not
				including the gutter or the shoulder of the roadway.
BD.
Level of service (LOS)
-- A
				qualitative measure describing traffic operational conditions within a traffic
				stream based on factors such as speed, travel time, freedom to maneuver,
				traffic interruptions, comfort and convenience, and safety. Level of service
				designations range from A (best) to F (worse).
BE.
Local governments and
				authorities
-- Every county, municipal, and other local board or body
				having authority to enact laws relating to traffic under the constitution and
				laws of the State of New Mexico.
BF.
Local road
-- Local roads
				primarily provide direct access to abutting land and to roads of higher
				functional classification. Mobility is discouraged, especially in urban
				areas.
BG.
May
-- A
				permissive condition where the condition is suggested but not
				mandatory.
BH.
MUTCD
--
				Manual on uniform traffic control devices for streets and highways, latest
				edition.
BI.
Median
--
				That portion of a divided highway separating traffic traveling in opposite
				directions.
BJ.
Minor
				street
-- The lower function roadway that crosses a higher function
				facility, also referred to as cross street.
BK.
mph
-- A rate of speed
				measured in miles traveled per hour.
BL.
NMDOT
-- The New Mexico
				department of transportation.
BM.
Nominal control of access
-- That part of access control that may
				be applied when full or partial control of access has not been obtained by a
				highway authority. A means of access control that is consistent with the
				functional classification of a state highway facility, and that is sufficient
				to maintain a safe and efficient transportation system.
BN.
Non-access controlled
				highway
-- Includes state highways where roadside access is permitted and
				access control has not been established by legally obtaining right-of-way from
				the abutting property owners or by the use of frontage roads or other means to
				provide access to abutting properties.
BO.
Non-traversable median
-- A
				median which, by its design, physically discourages or prevents vehicles from
				crossing it except at designated openings which are designed for turning or
				crossing movements.
BP.
Partial control of access
-- That part of access control where
				preference is given to through traffic to a degree that some at-grade crossings
				may be permitted. Access control is accomplished by legally obtaining
				right-of-way from the abutting property owners or by the use of frontage roads
				or other means to provide access to abutting properties.
BQ.
Permittee
-- The
				individual(s) responsible for fulfilling the terms and conditions of the access
				permit as imposed by the department.
BR.
Property owner
-- The person
				or persons holding the recorded title to property abutting a state highway, and
				other persons holding a recorded interest in such property, that includes a
				right to reasonable access from the state highway system.
BS.
Radius return
-- The access
				radius for an intersection or driveway opening, also referred to as curb
				return.
BT.
Recovery
				Area
-- An unobstructed area provided beyond the edge of a traveled way
				for the recovery of errant vehicles.
BU.
Right-in/right-out driveway
				(RI/RO)
-- A driveway located along a roadway prohibiting left-turn
				access into or out of the driveway.
BV.
Right-turn conflict
				overlap
-- A conflict that occurs when a driver in a through travel lane
				must monitor more than one access connection at a time.
BW.
Setback
-- The lateral
				distance between the highway right-of-way line and any development structure,
				obstacle or parking area along the highway roadside.
BX.
Shall
-- A mandatory
				condition where the requirements must be met.
BY.
Should
-- An advisory
				condition where the condition is recommended but not mandatory.
BZ.
Sight distance
-- The length
				of roadway visible to the driver of a vehicle, as further defined in the AASHTO
				document,
a policy on geometric design of highways and
				streets
, latest edition.
CA.
Signal progression
-- The
				timing of consecutive signalized intersections to provide for the progressive
				movement of traffic at a planned rate of speed.
CB.
Speed-change lane
-- A
				separate lane for the purpose of enabling a vehicle entering or leaving a
				roadway to increase or decrease its speed to a rate at which it can more safely
				merge into or exit from through traffic.
CC.
State highway
-- Any public
				highway that has been designated as a state highway by either the New Mexico
				state legislature or the state transportation commission.
CD.
Stopping sight distance
--
				The distance required by a driver of a vehicle to bring the vehicle to a stop
				after an object on the roadway becomes visible.
CE.
Storage lane length
-- The
				length provided within a deceleration lane for the storage of queued vehicles,
				typically based on the vehicle queue expected during peak travel
				periods.
CF.
Subdivide
-- To divide land into two or more smaller lots, tracts
				or parcels of land.
CG.
Subdivision
-- A tract of land which has been subdivided in
				accordance with the laws of the state usually with appropriate streets,
				dedications and other facilities for the development or sale of industrial,
				commercial or residential land.
CH.
Traveled way
-- That portion of a roadway containing the travel
				lanes and speed-change lanes, exclusive of pavement provided for
				shoulders.
CI.
Traversable
				median
-- A median which, by its design, does not physically discourage
				or prevent vehicles from entering upon or crossing it.
CJ.
Trip
-- A one way vehicle
				movement from one location to another.
CK.
Trip assignment
-- Refers to
				the addition of trips generated by a proposed development to a transportation
				network. Involves the specific routing of traffic on the street
				system.
CL.
Trip
				distribution
-- Refers to the geographic origin or destination of trips
				related to a project. Involves the general allocation of trips generated by a
				development over the transportation network.
CM.
Trip generation
-- An
				estimate of the number of trips expected to be generated by specific type of
				land use.
CN.
Undivided
				roadway
-- A highway without physical separation between traffic
				traveling in opposite directions.
CO.
Vertical alignment
-- The
				vertical profile of a highway, intersection approach or driveway approach,
				typically measured along its centerline.