LARIMER COUNTY RURAL AREA ROAD STANDARDS

Chapter 10 – Access Requirements and CriteriaSection 10.4 Access Design Standards and Specifications10.4.9 Access Surfacing1. The access shall be surfaced upon completion of the earthwork construction andprior to being used. A delay in placement of hot bituminous pavement due toseasonal restrictions may be allowed provided adequate gravel surfacing issubstituted.2. Asphalt surfacing of the access shall be required when the highway is paved (aminimum 3.5" thick asphalt pavement over 6" thick Class 5 or 6 aggregate basematerial).a. Single-family residential accesses shall be paved 4 feet from the edge of thepavement or to the edge of the shoulder of the County Road, whichever isgreater.b. Multi-family, Commercial and Industrial accesses shall be paved from theedge of the pavement to the right-of-way line.3. Surfacing material shall be specified according to these standards.4. Gravel will be permitted for individual residential access or field entrancesadjacent to County Roads with gravel surfacing. The gravel surface will includeminimum of six inches (6") of compacted Class 5 or 6 aggregate base course orequivalent material from the R.O.W. line to the edge of the traveled roadway.5. Accesses to oil and gas wells shall meet all criteria required by special reviewand/or other local and state requirements.10.4.10 Edge ClearanceEdge clearance is the distance measured along edge of pavement from the nearestedge of the access opening to a point where the property line extended intersects theedge of pavement.1. Residential: 0 feet (preferably not to exceed the property line extended)2. Commercial and Service Stations: 25 ft minimumNOTE: Joint access with adjoining property is encouraged. Joint access shall be the onlyjustification for reducing the minimum edge clearance dimension.10.4.11 Corner ClearanceIt is important to locate driveways away from major intersections. This constraint is asmuch for the ability to enter and leave the property as for the benefit of intersectionsafety and operations. Exiting a driveway during peak-hour conditions at traffic signalsis difficult where the queue of standing or slow-moving vehicles never allows a sufficientgap for entry from the driveway. Corner clearances are specified in Table 10-1.10.4.12 Sight DistanceSight distance for curb openings to private property adjacent to mainline County Roadsshall consist of a sight triangle conforming to the requirements of Chapter 4 of theseRoadway Standards.10.4.13 Speed Lane ChangesSpeed change lanes, also called auxiliary lanes, are useful in maintaining the safety,traffic flow and operation of the highway and access.Larimer County Rural Area Road Standards Page 10-8October 22, 2007