I have a client under contract to purchase 5 rural acres off US Hwy 90 just outside of Hallettsville. However, we spoke to a neighbor who told us that Txdot has a new rule that you can't build a new road access/driveway within 500 feet of an existing driveway which the neighbor has. This would render the 5 acres my client's purchasing useless and really impact the property value for the seller. I can't find anything on the TxDot website but maybe I didnt look correctly. Any insight would be appreciated.

My Ex did research for a commercial land broker and she said (about 25 years ago, at least IIRC) there was some law changed to limit drive access to certain roads. She mentioned this in relation to Belt way 8 extensions.

I believe that's what caused a dead end like this (that probably went through to the side street before the freeway was built).

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.6013342,-95.4687846,53m/data=!3m1!1e3

They're trying to prevent stuff like this:

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.9239034,-95.4111321,786m/data=!3m1!1e3

But, I'm thinking that only applies when a road is built since the law was passed. It seems like they couldn't force that on an existing road for the same problem you have. It may also have something to do with who's building the road, paying, type of road, etc. And there's probably a grandfather clause (seem to remember my Ex mentioning that).

There's something to this, but you can probably get around it. However, you probably need to pay someone who knows this kind of legal stuff to check it out.

Good luck.

Spacing is based upon the posted speed limit. See the Txdot access management manual which was new in 2011

http://onlinemanuals.txdot.gov/txdotmanuals/acm/acm.pdf

Reach out to Randy Woytek w Hville TXDot. Good guy

You might have an out depending on the daily traffic count on that portion of Highway 90.

From the Access Management Manual that JDC just linked:

Quote:

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Table 2-2 [which sets the required distances between driveways] does not apply to rural highways outside of metropolitan planning organization boundaries where there is little, if any, potential for development with current ADT volumes below 2000.

For those highways, access location and design will be evaluated based on safety and traffic operation considerations. Such considerations may include traffic volumes, posted speed, turning volumes, presence or absence of shoulders, and roadway geometrics.

---

It's been many years since I've been to Hallettsville, so I don't know how heavy the traffic on 90 now is.

This highway access permit stuff has been an issue for a while now. You'll see very large commercial tracts now where the developers, in their subdivisions, are having to include reciprocal access agreements so that multiple businesses can share 1 driveway.

But, you'll see older commercial frontages where every single business has its own driveway because they are grandfathered. Sometimes you'll buy one of those older businesses just to get the driveway permit.

Good luck, and definitely get with the TxDOT guys. Make sure, though, they stick to the 'book' and don't add a requirement of their own making.

Great advice. I'm meeting with TxDot on Tuesday at the property. Thanks all!