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Fairbanks planning board hears staff case for stricter access management to reduce crashes
Summary
Borough transportation staff told the Planning Board that limiting direct driveway access on collectors and arterials can preserve capacity and cut crashes, citing local projects and national research; board members said they will continue weighing variances case by case.
Fairbanks North Star Borough transportation staff presented data and local case studies Wednesday arguing that tighter access management and thoughtful lot configuration can reduce crashes and preserve roadway capacity under FNSB code 17.56.010F.
"There are really two major benefits of access management: preservation of roadway capacity and improved safety," said Don Galligan, the borough transportation planner, summarizing findings from NCHRP Report 420 and local experience. Galligan and other staff showed how design measures such as medians, consolidated access points and center turn lanes can reduce conflict points on busy corridors.
Staff cited the University Avenue reconstruction and a College Road median project as examples where limiting crossing points and turning movements reduced collisions and confusion. They also described Badger Road, a roughly 9.6-mile collector that staff mapped as having about 210 driveways—about 21 driveways per mile—and whose high crash rate prompted a road safety audit and a DOT-funded retrofit, including a two-way center turn lane, at an estimated $12 million.
Kellan (staff) presented the Mat-Su Borough experience as a cautionary example: rapid subdivision without strict lot-access rules produced long strings of individual driveways on arterials such as the Palmer–Wasilla corridor and KGB Road, increasing crash risk and later requiring expensive corrective projects. "With every one of those access points we could actually expect the crash rates to go up by 30%," Kellan said, citing the NCHRP analysis the presenters used to illustrate relative risk.
Board members pressed staff on how borough roadway classifications align with Alaska DOT permitting. Staff said the two agencies use classification systems for different purposes—borough classifications reflect a long-range functional plan, while DOT focuses on design and permit criteria—but reported that the agencies usually coordinate and rely on each other's input when plats or driveway permits are reviewed.
Members emphasized the planning board's remit to balance individual property interests and public safety. One long-serving member said the board must "look 30 years down the road" when approving subdivisions and variances so short-term cost savings for a developer do not create long-term safety problems. Staff urged use of pre-application meetings, thorough draft findings and conditions (for closing or sharing access) to reduce harmful outcomes before items reach the board.
The staff presentation referenced FNSB code 17.56.010F, NCHRP Report 420 and federal Highway Safety Improvement Program funding used by DOT on local retrofits. No formal action or vote was taken at the work session; board members closed the discussion and adjourned at 9:10 p.m.
The planning board will continue to consider variances and subdivision applications under the borough's Title 17 rules, with staff recommending case-by-case review, more pre-application coordination and attention to long-term corridor planning.
