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Comprehensive Plan Transportation Element These restrictions and controls apply only to new development or proposed access changes to existing development. Because existing land uses which do not conform to these standards are grandfathered in, there is a profusion of driveways in the already developed areas along the county's key thoroughfares, including US 1, SR 60 and portions of SR AlA. These access conditions reduce the traffic carrying capacity of the thoroughfares by creating "side friction" as vehicles enter and exit the driveways. This side friction is increased on divided roadways (such as portions of US 1 and SR 60) where there are either no medians at all or medians with a large number of median openings. Those conditions allow vehicles to make left turns across the flow of traffic. On State maintained roadways, special permits must be obtained from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) in order to create median openings where none currently exist. Because of the negative impact that an excessive number of median openings have on arterial capacity and motorist safety, FDOT applies strict criteria in issuing such permits. Until the construction of Indian River Boulevard and CR 512, the County did not have any divided arterials under its jurisdiction, and thus did not have any special regulations on median openings in its land development regulations. While limiting the number and location of driveways and median openings is an effective means of preserving an arterial's traffic capacity, the most effective means of limiting side friction is through the use of frontage (or marginal access) roadways. These roads act as buffers between arterials and adjacent land uses. Where frontage roads are used, land uses have direct access to the marginal access road (which may be either a one or two way facility), and the access road typically has connections provided to the arterial at discreet intervals. In Indian River County, the County's land development regulations state that non-residential developments fronting major and minor arterials shall establish frontage/marginal access roads by interconnecting parking areas. Existing Right of Way Right-of-way is that land on which a roadway is located. Besides accommodating the roadway itself, the right-of-way must also accommodate various other improvements, including drainage swales/canals, utility lines, sidewalks, bike paths, landscaping, and traffic control signs. In the 2010 Comprehensive Plan adopted in 1990, Indian River County established minimum right-of-way requirements for all roadways identified on the Thoroughfare Plan map. These requirements were organized according to functional classification and are listed below: Type of Facility U.S. 1 Corridor - 6LD U.S. 1 Corridor - 4LD w/frontage roads 6LD Principal Arterial 4LD Principal Arterial 4LD Minor Arterial Collector Subdivision Collector Roads Urban Rural 130 240 140 240 130 240 100 200 100 200 80 80 60 60 Community Development Department Indian River County 17