The New Jersey State Highway Access Management Code (the “Access Code”) was first adopted on April 20, 1992, and has been readopted with numerous amendments since that time. The New Jersey Department of Transportation (“NJDOT”) has recently evaluated the Access Code for reorganization, simplification, and clarification, and now proposes its full repeal and replacement.
The purpose of the Access Code is to manage vehicular traffic to and from State highways and minimize its interference with through traffic by utilizing an access classification system, which regulates the construction and operation of access points along these highways. To accomplish this, the Access Code establishes a general classification system for the State highway system based on (1) the function that segments of State highway serves and are planned to serve within the State highway system and within the general system of streets and highways; (2) the environment within which highways are located including, but not limited to, urban and rural environments; (3) the appropriate and desirable balance between facilitating safe and convenient movement of through traffic and providing access to abutting property; and (4) the desirable rate of speed and the degree to which traffic should be protected from major variations in speed. Access classification also provides a system for regulating driveway access and establishing permissible turning movements to and from State highways.
The notice of rule proposal for readoption of the Access Code was published in the January 2, 2018 issue of the New Jersey Register at 50 N.J.R. 11. Comments on the rule proposal must be submitted to NJDOT no later than March 3, 2018. The rule proposal is available at NJDOT.
For more information, or if you have any questions about the issues raised in this Alert, please contact James L. Lott, Jr., Scott G. Collins, or Diane Hickey.
