[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 28 (Wednesday, February 11, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7045-7047]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-3460]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
Additional Interchanges to the Interstate System
AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of policy statement.
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SUMMARY: This document issues a revision of the FHWA policy statement
regarding requests for added access to the existing Interstate system.
The policy includes guidance for the justification and documentation
needed for requests to add access (interchanges and ramps) to the
existing Interstate System. The policy statement was
[[Page 7046]]
originally issued in the Federal Register on October 22, 1990 (55 FR
42670).
DATES: The effective date of this policy is February 11, 1998.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Seppo I. Sillan, Federal-Aid and
Design Division, Office of Engineering, (202) 366-0312, or Mr. Wilbert
Baccus, Office of Chief Counsel, (202) 366-0780, Federal Highway
Administration, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington DC 20590. Office
hours are from 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday,
except Federal holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Section 111 of title 23, U.S.C., provides that all agreements
between the Secretary and the State highway department for the
construction of projects on the Interstate System shall contain a
clause providing that the State will not add any points of access to,
or exit from, the project in addition to those approved by the
Secretary in the plans for such project, without the prior approval of
the Secretary. The Secretary has delegated the authority to administer
23 U.S.C. 111 to the Federal Highway Administrator pursuant to 49 CFR
1.48(b)(10). A formal policy statement including guidance for
justifying and documenting the need for additional access to the
existing sections of the Interstate System was published in the Federal
Register on October 22, 1990 (55 FR 42670).
The FHWA has adopted the AASHTO publication ``A Policy on Design
Standards--Interstate System'' as its standard for projects on the
Interstate System. This publication provides that access to the
Interstate System shall be fully controlled by constructing grade
separations at selected public crossroads and all railroad crossings.
Where interchanges with selected public crossroads are constructed,
access control must extend the full length of ramps and terminals on
the crossroad.
Summary of Changes
The changes in the policy statement are being made to reflect the
planning requirements of the Intermodal Surface Transportation
Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA, Pub. L. 102-240) as implemented in 23
CFR part 450, to clarify coordination between the access request and
environmental processes, and to update language at various locations.
The following specific revisions are made to the existing policy
statement:
1. An additional sentence is added to item 5 under ``Policy'' that
ensures requests for new or revised access are consistent with 23 CFR
part 450 and 40 CFR parts 51 and 93.
2. Text in item 5 pertaining to future interchange additions has
been moved to item 6 because it covers a different subject.
3. Item 6 is redesignated as item 7.
4. A new item 8 is added so that those reviewing the access request
have the information necessary to process the request.
5. The fifth paragraph under ``Application'' is revised to clarify
coordination with the environmental process.
The revised policy statement also includes various editorial
changes to enhance clarity and readability. The revised policy
statement is as follows:
Policy
It is in the national interest to maintain the Interstate System to
provide the highest level of service in terms of safety and mobility.
Adequate control of access is critical to providing such service.
Therefore, new or revised access points to the existing Interstate
System should meet the following requirements:
1. The existing interchanges and/or local roads and streets in the
corridor can neither provide the necessary access nor be improved to
satisfactorily accommodate the design-year traffic demands while at the
same time providing the access intended by the proposal.
2. All reasonable alternatives for design options, location and
transportation system management type improvements (such as ramp
metering, mass transit, and HOV facilities) have been assessed and
provided for if currently justified, or provisions are included for
accommodating such facilities if a future need is identified.
3. The proposed access point does not have a significant adverse
impact on the safety and operation of the Interstate facility based on
an analysis of current and future traffic. The operational analysis for
existing conditions shall, particularly in urbanized areas, include an
analysis of sections of Interstate to and including at least the first
adjacent existing or proposed interchange on either side. Crossroads
and other roads and streets shall be included in the analysis to the
extent necessary to assure their ability to collect and distribute
traffic to and from the interchange with new or revised access points.
4. The proposed access connects to a public road only and will
provide for all traffic movements. Less than ``full interchanges'' for
special purpose access for transit vehicles, for HOV's, or into park
and ride lots may be considered on a case-by-case basis. The proposed
access will be designed to meet or exceed current standards for
Federal-aid projects on the Interstate System.
5. The proposal considers and is consistent with local and regional
land use and transportation plans. Prior to final approval, all
requests for new or revised access must be consistent with the
metropolitan and/or statewide transportation plan, as appropriate, the
applicable provisions of 23 CFR part 450 and the transportation
conformity requirements of 40 CFR parts 51 and 93.
6. In areas where the potential exists for future multiple
interchange additions, all requests for new or revised access are
supported by a comprehensive Interstate network study with
recommendations that address all proposed and desired access within the
context of a long-term plan.
7. The request for a new or revised access generated by new or
expanded development demonstrates appropriate coordination between the
development and related or otherwise required transportation system
improvements.
8. The request for new or revised access contains information
relative to the planning requirements and the status of the
environmental processing of the proposal.
Application
This policy is applicable to new or revised access points to
existing Interstate facilities regardless of the funding of the
original construction or regardless of the funding for the new access
points. This includes routes incorporated into the Interstate System
under the provisions of 23 U.S.C. 139(a) or other legislation.
Routes approved as a future part of the Interstate system under 23
U.S.C. 139(b) represent a special case because they are not yet a part
of the Interstate system and the policy contained herein does not
apply. However, since the intention to add the route to the Interstate
system has been formalized by agreement, any proposed access points,
regardless of funding, must be coordinated with the FHWA Division
Office. This policy is not applicable to toll roads incorporated into
the Interstate System, except for segments where Federal funds have
been expended, or where the toll road section has been added to the
Interstate System under the provisions of 23 U.S.C. 139(a).
For the purpose of applying this policy, each entrance or exit
point, including ``locked gate'' access, to the mainline is considered
to be an access point. For example, a diamond
[[Page 7047]]
interchange configuration has four access points.
Generally, revised access is considered to be a change in the
interchange configuration even though the number of actual points of
access may not change. For example, replacing one of the direct ramps
of a diamond interchange with a loop, or changing a cloverleaf
interchange into a fully directional interchange would be considered
revised access for the purpose of applying this policy.
All requests for new or revised access points on completed
Interstate highways must be closely coordinated with the planning and
environmental processes. The FHWA approval constitutes a Federal
action, and as such, requires that the National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA) procedures are followed. The NEPA procedures will be
accomplished as part of the normal project development process and as a
condition of the access approval. This means the final approval of
access cannot precede the completion of the NEPA process. To offer
maximum flexibility, however, any proposed access points can be
submitted in accordance with the delegation of authority for a
determination of engineering and operational acceptability prior to
completion of the NEPA process. In this manner, the State highway
agency can determine if a proposal is acceptable for inclusion as an
alternative in the environmental process. This policy in no way alters
the current NEPA implementing procedures as contained in 23 CFR part
771.
Although the justification and documentation procedures described
in this policy can be applied to access requests for non-Interstate
freeways or other access controlled highways, they are not required.
However, applicable Federal rules and regulations, including NEPA
procedures, must be followed.
Implementation
The FHWA Division Office will ensure that all requests for new or
revised access submitted by the State highway agency for FHWA
consideration contain sufficient information to allow the FHWA to
independently evaluate the request and ensure that all pertinent
factors and alternatives have been appropriately considered. The extent
and format of the required justification and documentation should be
developed jointly by the State highway agency and the FHWA to
accommodate the operations of both agencies, and should also be
consistent with the complexity and expected impact of the proposals.
For example, information in support of isolated rural interchanges may
not need to be as extensive as for a complex or potentially
controversial interchange in an urban area. No specific documentation
format or content is prescribed by this policy.
Policy Statement Impact
The policy statement, first published in the Federal Register on
October 22, 1990 (55 FR 42670), describes the justification and
documentation needed for requests to add or revise access to the
existing Interstate System. The revisions made by this publication of
the policy statement reflect the planning requirements of the ISTEA as
implemented in 23 CFR part 450, clarify coordination between the access
request and environmental processes, and update language at various
locations. The States will have to take these factors into
consideration when making future requests for new or revised access
points, but the overall effort necessary for developing the request
will not be significantly increased.
Authority: 23 U.S.C. 315; 49 CFR 1.48.
Issued: February 4, 1998.
Kenneth R. Wykle,
Administrator, Federal Highway Administration.
[FR Doc. 98-3460 Filed 2-10-98; 8:45 am]
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