What Are Frontage Roads?
A frontage road is a road that runs parallel to major highways and offers direct access to local businesses, neighborhoods, and other destinations. Depending on where you reside in the Lonestar state, these roads may be called frontage roads, service roads, access roads, or feeders.
The purpose of frontage roads is to serve as a community’s primary entryway into establishments such as local businesses and neighborhoods. Texas has integrated frontage roads as a key part of the infrastructure design of the state’s highway system. Read on to learn more about Texas frontage roads and how they work.
Navigating Texas Frontage Roads
With over 6,500 miles of frontage roads throughout Texas, they are a major part of the state’s infrastructure. These roads are common in urban and suburban areas and extend into the countryside. Typically, they are one-way and run parallel to both sides of the highway. Frontage roads are generally marked with signage indicating the entrances and exits to the main highway and directional signs for local destinations.
Navigating frontage roads may be confusing for visitors to Lonestar state. Drivers should be aware of the separate U-turn lanes, which allow drivers to reverse their direction on a one-way frontage road. These are called “Texas U-turns” or “turnarounds,” according to the Texas Highway Man. Speed limits on frontage roads typically range from 50-60 mph in rural areas and 40-50 mph in urban areas.
Some believe frontage roads make highway travel more dangerous because these roads can be very confusing and dangerous to navigate. Their proximity and parallel alignment to the main highways can also increase the risk of wrong-way driving.
Entrance and exit ramps are also located very close to each other, which can cause accidents between vehicles trying to enter and exit. These roads can also encourage reckless driving maneuvers such as lane sweeping, which is illegal and dangerous. It’s crucial to review the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT) online manual, which explains the rules for frontage roads in great detail.
Right-of-Way Rules for Texas Frontage Roads
Understanding the right-of-way rules and being mindful of merging traffic is essential for safely navigating these roads. The Texas Transportation Code requires the following:
- Access or feeder road traffic must yield the right-of-way to traffic entering an on-ramp or leaving an off-ramp on limited-access or controlled-access highways.
- A motorist about to enter or cross a highway from an alley, building, private road, or driveway shall yield the right-of-way to vehicles already on the freeway.
- A motorist approaching an intersection on a roadway controlled by a stop sign, after stopping, must yield to a vehicle that has entered the highway from another intersection from another highway.
History of Frontage Roads
The concept of frontage roads in Texas dates back to the 1940s, coinciding with the rapid expansion of the state’s highway system. Initially, these roads were designed to accommodate local traffic and provide easy access to the newly constructed highways.
Construction for frontage roads grew rapidly under Dewitt Greer, the state Highway Department’s chief engineer from 1940 to 1968 and then highway commissioner until 1981. Greer initially wanted to cut the acquisition costs by providing landowners who were impacted by highway expansion with access to the new road, which lowered the price.
Over time, frontage roads became integral to Texas’s transportation plan. One common misconception about frontage roads is that they are unique to Texas. However, similar roads exist in other states, including California.
Feeder Roads, Service Roads, & Access Roads
In Texas, frontage roads are often referred to by different names depending on the region. Terms like “feeder roads,” “service roads,” and “access roads” are commonly used interchangeably, but they describe the same type of road.
Generally, people in central Texas, east of Austin, call them service roads. Houstonians refer to them as feeder roads or simply “feeders”. Dallasites call them frontage roads or service roads. San Antonians call them access roads. However, municipalities typically label them as “frontage roads” on highway exit signs. Regardless of the terminology, these roads serve the same purpose: providing convenient access to local destinations alongside highways.
Award-Winning Car Accident Lawyers in Texas
Despite the advantages of frontage roads, accidents occur, often due to driver error or unfamiliarity with local road systems. If you’ve been involved in a car accident on a Texas frontage road, it’s essential to consult with an experienced Texas car accident lawyer who understands the nuances of Texas traffic laws and frontage roads.
At Alpha Accident Lawyers, our award-winning personal injury lawyers are well-versed in handling cases specific to Texas roadways, including those involving frontage roads. Our car accident attorneys maintain a 99% success rate and have recovered millions of dollars in compensation for our clients. We will protect your rights and help you pursue the compensation you deserve. Call us today to schedule a free consultation.
