Chapter 8: Mobility Corridor (5 R) Design Criteria

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Section 1: Overview

Introduction

Mobility corridors are intended to regenerate, or produce new, long-term transportation opportunities. These transportation opportunities may include multiple modes such as rail, utilities, freight, and passenger characteristics. These modes may occur within a single corridor alignment or the modes may be separated for some intervals. This chapter is intended to provide design guidance on the roadway aspects of these mobility corridors. This guidance can be expected to be updated as experience is gained in the planning, design, construction, and operations of these transportation facilities.

The primary focus of these corridors is mobility. The roadway portions of a mobility corridor facility are intended for long-distance travel and will therefore be controlled in terms of access. Access will be limited to public roadways via ramp connections. Access will not be allowed along the ramps connecting to the mobility corridor.

Since these corridors are intended for mobility, the design speeds presented in this chapter are between 85-mph to 100-mph. Because mobility corridors may be generated or regenerated, this design criteria may be applied when planning new facilities or reconstructing existing corridors. While higher operating speeds may not be appropriate in all instances (such as densely developed urban areas), these higher design speeds can be applied, and should be considered, whenever prudent.

With respect to facilities that one day could be part of a major corridor, particularly new location routes, it is strongly recommended that these facilities be initially designed to accommodate a 100-mph design speed. Even though the facility may initially be posted for an 85-mph speed, the higher speed design criteria will allow the greatest flexibility, both in the roadway portion as well as for other transportation modes within the right of way, in terms of maximizing the future use of the corridor.This does not mean that all projects must be over-designed. If it is determined through the project development process that substantial, adverse and unavoidable social, economic and environmental impacts will occur, then different design criteria may be appropriate. Contact the Environmental Affairs Division and the Right-of-Way Division with questions about environmental and right-of-way impacts while planning for higher design speeds.

As always, the potential long-term use and growth of the system must be considered and appropriate planning and engineering principles must be applied. Again, these mobility corridors are not primarily intended for local travel.

5R projects must be assessed to determine if bicycle accommodations are required per Chapter 6, Section 4, Bicycle Facilities; if bicycle facilities are provided, they must meet the additional requirements specified in Chapter 6, Section 4.