The intent of this documents first section is to provide and manage access from adjacent land development to the roadway network, while preserving the regional flow of traffic in terms of safety, capacity, and speed. Major thoroughfares, including highways and other arterials, serve as the primary network for moving people and goods. These transportation corridors also provide access to businesses and homes and have served as the focus for commercial and residential development. Research has demonstrated a strong correlation between the number of access points and crashes.  In addition, through traffic mobility decreases and travel time increases as access points and traffic signal density increase.  Therefore, access points need to be managed to maintain a proper balance between access and mobility.  If access systems are not properly designed, these thoroughfares will be unable to accommodate the access needs of development with consideration of the movement of people and goods on the roadway.  

The Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) section's intent is to establish uniform guidelines when a TIA is required for site developments and to determine how the analysis is to be conducted, based on suggested guidelines established by the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE). A TIA is a specialized analysis of the impact that a development is projected to have on the surrounding transportation system. It is specifically concerned with the generation, distribution, mode split, and assignment of traffic to and from the “new development,” where the term “new development” also includes properties that are being redeveloped. 

Draft Regional Access Management and Traffic Impact Analysis Standards (pdf)

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