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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>360097</law_id><section_number>33.2-241</section_number><catch_line>Connections over shoulders of highways for intersecting commercial establishment entrances; penalty</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="77" identifier="33.2">Highways and Other Surface Transportation Systems</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="I">General Provisions and Transportation Entities</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="2" identifier="2">Transportation Entities</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="3" identifier="3">Commissioner of Highways</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>The <span class="dictionary">Commissioner of Highways</span> shall permit suitable connections from where commercial establishment entrances are desired to intersect improved highways and over and across the shoulders and unimproved parts of such highways to the paved or otherwise improved parts thereof that comply with the access management standards of the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner of Highways</span> for the location, spacing, and design of entrances, taking into account the operating characteristics and federal functional classification of the <span class="dictionary">highway</span>, to provide the users of such entrances safe and convenient means of ingress and egress with motor vehicles to and from the paved or otherwise improved parts of such highways while minimizing the impact of such ingress and egress on the operation of such highways, provided that any person desiring such an entrance shall:</p></section>
						<section id="1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Be required first to obtain a permit therefor from the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner of Highways</span>; <a id="paragraph-1339788" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/33.2-241/#1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="2"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Provide the entrance at his expense; <a id="paragraph-1339789" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/33.2-241/#2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="3"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> If required by the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner of Highways</span>, provide for the joint use of the desired entrance with adjacent property owners or provide <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> of such efforts; and <a id="paragraph-1339790" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/33.2-241/#3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="4"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> Construct the entrance or have the entrance constructed, including such safety structures as are required by the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner of Highways</span>, pursuant to the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> of Transportation&#x2019;s design standards and applicable <span class="dictionary">Department</span> regulations concerning access management and applicable <span class="dictionary">Board</span> regulations concerning land use permits.
			All commercial entrances whether or not constructed under this section shall be maintained by the owner of the premises at all times in a manner satisfactory to the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner of Highways</span>.<br/><br/>			Any person violating the provisions of this section is guilty of a <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span> punishable by a fine of not less than $5 nor more than $100 for each <span class="dictionary">offense</span>. Following a <span class="dictionary">conviction</span> and 15 days for correction, each day during which the violation continues shall constitute a separate and distinct <span class="dictionary">offense</span> and be punishable as such. Such person shall be civilly liable to the Commonwealth for actual damage sustained by the Commonwealth by reason of his wrongful act.<br/><br/>			The <span class="dictionary">Commissioner of Highways</span> shall document and maintain a list of anyone who has requested an onsite meeting with the resident engineer or his staff. Such list shall also include recommendations made pursuant to the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> of Transportation&#x2019;s design standards and applicable <span class="dictionary">Department</span> regulations concerning access management and applicable <span class="dictionary">Board</span> regulations concerning land use permits and any associated cost estimates. Such list shall be provided to a locality upon the request of such locality. <a id="paragraph-1339791" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/33.2-241/#4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 33-116.1; 1956, c. 91; 1966, c. 378; 1970, c. 322, &#xA7; 33.1-198; 2005, c. 645; 2007, cc. 863, 928; 2014, c. 805; 2017, c. 542.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
