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<br />ECONOMIC IMPACTS O'F ACCESS MANAGEMENT <br /> <br />A growing number of state and local transportation agencies are adopting <br />regulations' aimed at managing driveway access and incorporating raised medians <br />into roadway projects in urban areas. The purpose of these actions is to reduce <br />traffic conflicts, protect driver safety. and improve traffic flow on major roadways. <br />Yet introducing a median or regulating driveway access on an existing roadway is <br />often controversial. In particular..owners of abutting businesses often feel that their <br />business will be adversely affected. Below is a synthesis of recent research on the <br />economic impacts of access' management to assist transportation agencies in <br />responding to public questions and concerns. ' <br /> <br />Effects on Business Activity <br /> <br />Several studies were conducted in the 1990s to help fill the need for more <br />information on the potential economic effects of access management. These studies <br />have focused largely on the potential impacts of left-turn restrictions (median <br />projects) on ,business activity, although some have also addressed changes to <br />driveway access. Due to the proprietary nature of sales information and the variety <br />of factors that affect business activity, analysis of this issue has been difficult. Most <br />studies have focused on business owner perceptions of impacts, before and after case <br />examples, or generalized comparisons of business activity across corridors. Below is <br />a summary of available studies and findings. beginning with the most recent. <br /> <br />Kansas <br /> <br />In 1999, the Kansas Department of Transportation studied 15 businesses that had <br />filed inverse condemnation lawsuits against the Department in the past on access <br />related issues.t In nearly every case, the landowner had claimed that the applicable <br />regulation, ranging from driveway consolidation to mainline relocation, would have <br />devastating effects on their business and the highest and best use of their property. <br />Some had been compensated for potential impacts. Each property was studied to <br />determine if the economic impacts had in mct been realized. The study examined <br />specific economic impact claims of the landowners, as well as "before" and "after" <br />aerial photography of the involved parcels and roadways, and historical land uses for <br />each parcel. <br /> <br />. In all but one of the cases either the claimant was still in possession of the <br />property and operating the business, the property was being used for the <br />same use by a different operator, or the use of the property had been <br />upgraded. The only exception was where a mainline was relocated with two <br />gas stations remaining on the old mainline, which was converted to a <br /> <br />I Michael Rees, Tim Orrick, and Robert Marx, "Police Power Regulation of Highway Access and Traffic <br />Flow in the State of Kansas," presentation, 79'h Annual Meeting oft/;e Transportation Research Board, <br />Washington D.C., January 10,2000. <br /> <br />Prepared by Kristine M. Williams, AlCP, Center for Urban Transportation Research, University of South <br />Florida, Tampa, January 28, 2000. ' <br />