Every driveway and street connection is a potential conflict point among motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians. Therefore, managing the number, spacing, access, directional flow, and other aspects of driveway and side street connections protects those traveling along the corridor from conflicts with those entering or leaving the corridor. Access management strategies such as providing raised/non-traversable medians and limiting driveway access may be useful in promoting safe bicycle travel, particularly on arterial or major collector streets, since they help reduce the number of potential conflict points.

The principles of access management incorporate providing specialized roadways appropriate to their intended use. The trade-off is between providing direct access and promoting through movement. For example, the main purpose of freeways and arterials is to move through traffic, and access should be restricted to necessary interchanges. Local streets should generally serve all destinations and access should not be limited. There are exceptions, however, if management is needed to reduce non-local traffic or create preferential bicycle boulevards (see Traffic Diversion). Access management includes such measures as limiting the number of or establishing minimum spacing between driveways; providing for right-in, right-out only movements; locating signals to favor through movements; restricting turns to certain intersections; and using non-traversable medians to manage left- and U-turn movements. Other measures such as provision of left and right turn lanes at intersections to remove slowing/turning vehicles from the traffic stream could also be included. Hodgson, et al., have provided an in depth discussion of potential impacts (positive and negative) of access management strategies on bicyclists and pedestrians.¹² The Transportation Research Board (TRB) Committee on Access Management identifies 10 principles or strategies of access management altogether, along with the rationale and elements of a comprehensive program (see http://www.accessmanagement.gov/). TRB also published the Access Management Manual in 2003 that provides a comprehensive description of access management principles, techniques and effects, and rationale and steps toward developing an access management program and policies.¹³ Safety and other impacts of access management are documented in National Cooperative Highway Research Report 420.¹⁴