Access Roads… …For better or for worse? (Houston, La Grange: apartments, how much)

[Need4Camaro]

The Good…

• Can use them to bypass congested segments of freeway
• Can be used in an emergency road closure as an alternative rather than diverting traffic down local roads
• They allow yielding U-Turns
• They follow a similar design state-wide making using them very predictable.

The Bad…

• They make our freeways look very generic. Every highway looks the same
• They mix high speed traffic with local traffic moving much slower creating conflict points
• Traffic signals follow a similar basic pattern for them state-wide, but they generally only allow one direction of travel flow at any given time. This causes bottle necks when trying to cross under a freeway.
• They canabalize surrounding scenery with shops, businesses, restaurants, gas stations, apartments, ect.

Opinions on them?

[michaeltx9412]

It's practical/functional, but it makes Texas look the same and generic no matter what city you are in.

[StealthRabbit]

It's Texas (whadda-u-expect?)

Other states move traffic, with less fatalities and no access roads.

Access roads probably have a very low fatality count (slower speed crashes), than turning across traffic (deadly alternative).

so... Access roads are very good for Texans!

I don't think Texans are ready for 4+ lane high speed Rotaries!

Massachusetts has enough trouble with those. (but they move a lot of traffic every day!) second highest fatality rate.

[brock2010]

I understand why people don't like them but it seems like they keep a lot of traffic off of already crowded freeways.

[Need4Camaro]

One thing I really wish we could implement on our access-roads are SPUI’s. They would allow left turns in opposing directions to occur simultaneously which would eliminate 2 signal phases. Unfortunately it can’t be done without lengthening the overpasses of every interchange.

Something that could be done is a hybrid of a DDI, allowing left turning traffic into the opposing lanes and have them switch into the proper lanes at the other side of the overpass. Traffic moving straight will not be shifted

I need to draw this out…

[LocalPlanner]

I think on net balance, access ("feeder" in Houston lingo) roads are positive, but they do have downsides which can or should be addressed through standards and regulations.

For example, if we expect feeder roads to have 45-50 mph speed limits, driveways and non-signaled intersecting streets need to be drastically limited, or there need to be deceleration and acceleration lanes because of turning movements and massive difference in speeds.

The problem is that adjacent property owners, and oftentimes local political jurisdictions, howl that having feeders and unrestricted curb cuts / intersections are "vital" for economic development and get really upset at TxDOT whenever their plans don't include feeders or do include the justifiable access restrictions.

Also, fronting businesses tend to clutter everything with pole signs, so visual blight usually follows. If traffic is moving at 60+ mph, as everyone seems to want, how much reading of signs etc. can you really expect drivers to do, other than billboards?

[Need4Camaro]

Do the feeders truly help with economic prosperity to a decree that we would notice a significant difference without them?

[LocalPlanner]

Originally Posted by Need4Camaro

Do the feeders truly help with economic prosperity to a decree that we would notice a significant difference without them?

Yeah I'm skeptical of the argument too. There's lots of small towns without feeders on their highways that seem to do just fine - La Grange for example mostly doesn't have feeders along 71.

[EDS_]

In bigger cities full service access roads, long - sometimes double lane - freeway ingress and egress and Texas Turnarounds are more or less mandatory.

[LocalPlanner]

Originally Posted by EDS_

In bigger cities full service access roads, long - sometimes double lane - freeway ingress and egress and Texas Turnarounds are more or less mandatory.

Yes, there's some level of urban development intensity where they become very practical from a mobility standpoint. I'd say the Texas Us are mandatory for these facilities to really function correctly.