Access management is defined as the systematic control of the location, spacing, design, and operation of driveways, medians, and street connections to a roadway. Taken as a whole, access management is an important tool in preserving the safety and regional mobility utility of our existing highway corridors. The aim of access management is to maximize the functionality of the surface transportation system by minimizing conflict points, decreasing delays, improving access to adjacent parcels for multiple modes of travel, supporting local land use efforts and improving corridor aesthetics.

Resource Systems Group, Inc has recently completed work on a Regional Access Management Study for the Glens Falls urban area. The purpose of this project is to prepare a reference source on access management strategies and principles that in turn can be used to guide land use decisions by our local municipalities. To demonstrate the potential benefits of access management, the following four demonstration corridors were analyzed in greater detail:

• US 9 / Upper Glen Street in Queensbury from Glens Falls to Round Pond Road

• Quaker Road from US 9 to Dix Avenue in Queensbury

• Dix Avenue (NYS 32) from Quaker Road to US 4 in Kingsbury

• Reynolds Road (NYS 197) in the Town of Moreau

The corridor-specific analyses serve as demonstrations that the implementation of access management principles can improve community form, public safety and transportation efficiency in a variety of different land use settings.

All municipalities listed above in addition to other members of A/GFTC’s Technical Advisory Committee participated on the study's steering committee and outreach to the business community was facilitated by the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Excluding technical appendices, the complete contents of the study are available using the links below. The study will be considered for A/GFTC adoption in February and March. Once the study is adopted, A/GFTC will encourage local municipalities to adopt it in turn in an effort to strengthen local land use planning and minimize potentially adverse development-related transportation impacts to the community. Please contact this office if you would like more information regarding this study.