Office of Operations
21st Century Operations Using 21st Century Technologies

SAFE ACCESS IS GOOD FOR BUSINESS

Notice

This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation in the interest of information exchange. The U.S. Government assumes no liability for the use of the information contained in this document. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation.

The U.S. Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trademarks or manufacturers' names may appear in this report only because they are considered essential to the objective of the document.

Quality Assurance Statement

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides high-quality information to serve Government, industry, and the public in a manner that promotes public understanding. Standards and policies are used to ensure and maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of its information. FHWA periodically reviews quality issues and adjusts its programs and processes to ensure continuous quality improvement.

Technical Report Documentation Page

1. Report No.

FHWA-HOP-06-107

2. Government Accession No.

3. Recipient's Catalog No.

4. Title and Subtitle

Safe Access is Good for Business

5. Report Date

August 2006

6. Performing Organization Code

 

7. Author(s)

D. Ismart, Wm. Frawley, D. Plazak, K. Williams, D. Matherly, M. Fendrick, N. Spiller

8. Performing Organization Report No.

9. Performing Organization Name and Address

Science Applications International Corporation
1710 SAIC Drive
McLean, VA 22102

10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS)

 

11. Contract or Grant No.

 

12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address

U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration/ Office of Transportation Management
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, D.C. 20590

13. Type of Report and Period Covered

 

14. Sponsoring Agency's Code

FHWA HOTM

15. Supplementary Notes

Contact: Contact: Neil C. Spiller, FHWA, HOTM-1, 202-366-2188 neil.spiller@dot.gov

16. Abstract

The purpose of this document is to assuage business owner's fears that a change in access (e.g., removal or relocation of a driveway(s), restriction in turning movements, etc.) as the result of an adjacent roadway improvement project is not "the" wholly determinant influence on the continuing success of that business.

Construction aside, access changes are unlikely, on their own merits, to negatively impact a business. One of the goals of roadway corridor improvement projects is to clean up the sometimes cluttered distribution and alignments of sidestreet and driveway access points such that property access "order" is developed where chaos existed, and concurrently, throughput traffic delay is reduced and safety is improved. The entire corridor benefits such that customers will be enticed to use it. Improvements through access management practices can be "win-win" for both the properties, and the through traffic in a corridor.

The success (or failure) of a business is dependent on a host of other, more prominent factors, including the business plan, the demand for the product, the quality of the product, local competition, price, customer service, well-trained, courteous employees, and other competitive factors. Absent something hugely impacting, like the total relocation of the adjacent street away from the business (i.e., a bypass) or construction of a view-limiting berm or noise walls, a change in access is a short-term (i.e., construction) impact at best, and upon completion, may indeed actually provide a boon to the business strip in terms of corridor enhancement. Loyal customers will learn the new access patterns. New customers may be enticed to shop now in the newly revamped corridor. They, along with future customers who on their own merits will seek out the product, will assume the new access patterns were "status quo" all along.

This document is intended as a companion product of the FHWA video of the same name. Agencies are encouraged to show the short video at public meetings, and make copies of the document available as take-home products that reinforce the key message. CD's containing both the video and the document may be requested free of charge from the contact person listed above. Additionally, the video and the document may also be viewed and downloaded online at www.accessmanagement.gov or .info.

(FHWA CD "Reduce Congestion Through Access Management" item # FHWA-HEP-07-023)

17. Key Words

Safe access, access, access management, business impact

18. Distribution Statement

No restrictions.

19. Security Classification (of this report)

Unclassified

20. Security Classification (of this page)

Unclassified

21. No. of Pages

16

22. Price

na

Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) Reproduction of completed page authorized.

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