Trans 231.02 History
History: 1-2-56;
am. (2), (3), (4) and (6),
Register, January, 2001, No. 541, eff. 2-1-01; corrections in (1) and (5) made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 5., Stats.,
Register, January, 2001, No. 541; correction in (1) made under s. 35.17, Stats.,
Register March 2012 No. 675;
CR 22-048: am. (1) Register July 2023 No. 811, eff. 8-1-23.
Trans 231.03
Trans 231.03 Location, design and construction requirements — general. The location, design, and construction of a driveway shall conform to the following:
Trans 231.03(1)
(1) A driveway shall be located and restricted as to width as necessary so that the entire driveway roadway and its appurtenances are contained within the frontage along the highway of the property served. At public highway intersections a driveway shall not provide direct ingress or egress to or from the public highway intersection area and shall not encroach on or occupy areas of the roadway or right of way deemed necessary for effective traffic control or for highway signs or signals. A driveway shall be so located and constructed that vehicles approaching or using it will have adequate sight distance in both directions along the highway.
Trans 231.03(2)
(2) The number of driveways permitted serving a single property frontage along a state trunk highway shall be the minimum deemed necessary by the department for reasonable service to the property without undue impairment of safety, convenience, and utility of the highway.
Trans 231.03(3)
(3) The island area on the right of way between successive driveways or adjoining a driveway and between the highway shoulder and right-of-way line shall remain unimproved for vehicular travel or parking. Such areas shall be considered as restricted and may be filled in or graded down only as hereinafter provided in sub.
(7).
Trans 231.03(4)
(4) The surface of the driveway connecting with rural-type highway sections shall slope down and away from the highway shoulder a sufficient amount and distances to preclude ordinary surface water drainage from the driveway area flowing onto the highway roadbed.
Trans 231.03(5)
(5) The driveway may not obstruct or impair drainage in highway side ditches or roadside areas. Driveway culverts, where necessary, shall be adequate for surface water drainage along the highway and in no case less than the equivalent of 15-inch diameter pipe. The distance between culverts under successive driveways shall be not less than 10 feet except as such restricted area is permitted to be filled in under the provisions of sub.
(7).
Trans 231.03(6)
(6) When curb or gutter is removed for constructing a driveway, the new connections shall be of equivalent acceptable material and curb returns provided or restored in a neat, workmanlike manner. The driveway surface shall connect with the highway pavement and the sidewalk, if any, in a neat, workmanlike manner. The driveway construction shall include replacement of sidewalk areas which are inadequate or become damaged by reason of vehicular travel across the sidewalk.
Trans 231.03(7)
(7) The restricted area between successive driveways may be filled in or graded down only when the following requirements are fully complied with:
Trans 231.03(7)(a)
(a) The filling in or grading down shall be to grades approved by the department and, except where highway drainage is by means of curb and gutter, water drainage of the area shall be directed away from the highway roadbed in a suitable manner.
Trans 231.03(7)(b)
(b) Culvert extension under the restricted area shall be of like size and equivalent acceptable material of the driveway culvert, and intermediate manholes adequate for clean-out purposes may be required where the total culvert length exceeds 100 feet.
Trans 231.03(7)(c)
(c) Where no highway side ditch separates the restricted area from the highway roadbed, permanent provision may be required to separate the area from the highway roadbed, to prevent its use for driveway or parking purposes, by construction of a border, curb, rail, or posts deemed adequate by the department.
Trans 231.03 History
History: 1-2-56; am. (2), (5), (7) (a) and (c),
Register, January, 2001, No. 541, eff. 2-1-01.
Trans 231.04
Trans 231.04 Commercial — rural. On rural type highway cross section, driveways serving commercial or industrial establishments shall conform to the following:
Trans 231.04(1)
(1)
Width of drive. No driveway except as hereinafter provided shall have a width greater than 35 feet measured at right angles to the centerline of the driveway, except as increased by permissible radii. In no instance shall a driveway have a width greater than 62 feet, including flare of return radii, measured along a line 10 feet from and parallel to the edge of the pavement on which the entrance will be constructed.
Trans 231.04(2)
(2)
Return radii. No return radius projected between the edge of highway pavement and the driveway shall be greater than 40 feet. Usually, these radii will be determined by the restrictions given in subs.
(1),
(3), and
(4).
Trans 231.04(3)
(3)
Angular placement of drive. The angle between the centerline of a driveway serving two-way traffic and the edge of the pavement may not be less than 45
°. Where suitable precautions are taken, or one-way operation along divided highways permits only one-way operation of the driveways, the angle of the entrance drive to grantee's property may be decreased. The angle of the exit drive with the highway pavement shall be not less than 45
°.
Trans 231.04(4)(a)(a) An island of a minimum length of 10 feet shall be maintained between driveways serving the same premises. The measurement shall be along a line 10 feet from and parallel to edge of pavement. The permit shall specify that the island area, if less than 20 feet in length or 10 feet in width, is to be defined by physical structures such as curbs, posts, boulders, masonry walls or guard rails. Materials used to define the island, except concrete curbs, shall be painted white. The side of the island next to the highway shall be not less than 10 feet from the pavement edge. The side of the island farthest from the highway shall be at the right-of-way line.
Trans 231.04(4)(b)
(b) The area within 5 feet of a property line shall be a restricted area over which no driveway may be developed. The 5-foot restriction shall be measured parallel to the pavement edge and shall be effective between the right-of-way line and a line 10 feet from and parallel to the pavement edge. This is to serve as an island area should the adjoining property owner request a permit for a driveway.
Trans 231.04 History
History: 1-2-56; am. (1), (3) and (4) (a),
Register, January, 2001, No. 541, eff. 2-1-01.
Trans 231.05
Trans 231.05 Noncommercial — rural. On rural type highway cross section, driveways serving farm or residence property shall conform to the following:
Trans 231.05(1)
(1)
Width of drive. No noncommercial driveway or combination of driveways shall have a width less than 16 feet nor greater than 24 feet measured at right angles to the centerline of the driveway except as increased by permissible radii.
Trans 231.05(2)
(2)
Return radii. No return radius projected between the edge of highway pavement and the driveway shall be greater than 30 feet.
Trans 231.05(3)
(3)
Angular placement. The centerline of that part of the driveway lying on the state right of way shall be at approximately right angles to the pavement except as topography may make certain angular placement necessary.
Trans 231.06
Trans 231.06 Commercial — urban. On urban type highway cross section, driveways serving commercial or industrial establishments shall conform to the following:
Trans 231.06(1)
(1)
Width of drive. No driveway shall have a width greater than 35 feet measured at right angles to the centerline of the driveway, except as increased by permissible radii.
Trans 231.06(2)
(2)
Return radii. The return radii projected between the line of face of curb of the highway and the driveway shall be determined by the department basing its decision on the type of traffic and the restrictions given in subs.
(1) and
(4). In all cases, the entire flare shall fall within the right of way.
Trans 231.06(3)
(3)
Angular placement of drive. The angle between the centerline of the driveway and the curb line shall be not less than 45
°.
Trans 231.06(4)(a)(a) When sidewalk is adjacent to curb, an island of a minimum length of 6 feet, measured along the curb line, shall be placed between each entrance to a state highway. The curb shall be left intact for this length.
Trans 231.06(4)(b)
(b) When sidewalk is remote from curb, an island of a minimum length of 10 feet measured along the right-of-way line shall be maintained between each entrance to a state highway. All flares shall be tangent to the curb line.
Trans 231.06(4)(c)
(c) A curb length of not less than 3 feet shall be left undisturbed adjacent to each property line to serve as an island area should the adjoining property owner request a permit for an entrance.
Trans 231.06 History
History: 1-2-56; am. (2) and (3),
Register, January, 2001, No. 541, eff. 2-1-01.
Trans 231.07
Trans 231.07 Noncommercial — urban. On urban type highway cross section, driveways serving residence property shall conform to the following:
Trans 231.07(1)
(1)
Width of drive. No noncommercial driveway or combination of driveways shall have a width greater than 24 feet measured at right angles to the centerline of the driveway, except as increased by permissible radii.
Trans 231.07(2)
(2)
Return radii. The radius of the return connecting the line of face of curb of the highway and the edge of driveway may not exceed 10 feet. In all cases the entire flare shall fall within the right of way.
Trans 231.07(3)
(3)
Angular placement. The centerline of the driveway may be either parallel to the property line of the lot for which access is requested, or at right angles to the curb line.
Trans 231.07 History
History: 1-2-56;
am. (2),
Register, January, 2001, No. 541, eff. 2-1-01.
