MD SHA Access Permits: Local Approval First, Then the State Gate

The structural sequence — local first, then state

For MD commercial projects on a state highway:

1. Local planning and zoning approval — county or municipal site plan, subdivision, rezoning, variance as applicable. See our Baltimore County Permits essay for the MD county permit context.
2. MDOT SHA access permit application — after local approval is secured (or in late-stage coordination).
3. Access Management Division plan review — against Access Manual standards.
4. Performance security posting — 150% of estimated construction cost.
5. Pre-construction meeting with MDOT SHA representatives before any ROW work.
6. Construction and inspection.

Primary source: mdot.maryland.gov (State Highway Administration).

The application packet

• Written application with detailed plans.
• Construction plans reviewed and approved by MD SHA's Access Management Division.
• Plans showing improvement relationship to SHA right-of-way — dimensions, contours, drainage, proposed curbs.
• Performance surety — bond, letter of credit, or certified check at 150% of estimated construction cost.
• Utility letter if applicable.
• All required fees — engineering review, signal, inspection as applicable.
• TIS where required.

Access Manual — the design framework

The MDOT SHA Access Manual structures access management standards:

Access Point Standards (Chapter 1)

• Number of access points: maximum two entrances for the first 200 feet of frontage, with one additional entrance per subsequent 100 feet.
• Small sites — commercial sites under 400 feet of frontage typically restricted to single access point unless justified by traffic operations or site circulation.
• Sight distance — must meet safety criteria for intersection and stopping sight distance per current SHA standards.
• Commercial entrance spacing rules.
• Street connection spacing rules.

Entrance Design Standards (Chapter 2)

• Two-way entrance — max 35 feet typical.
• One-way entrance — 20 feet typical.
• Channelization requirements for appropriate entrance types.

Site Access Improvement Standards (Chapter 4)

• Frontage improvements.
• Turning lanes — deceleration, acceleration, bypass, left-turn.
• Scope determined by development type and size, access points, anticipated traffic conditions, highway functional characteristics.

Traffic Impact Study (TIS) — 50-peak-hour-trip threshold

MD SHA's TIS threshold is comparatively low:

• Required threshold: developments generating more than 50 peak-hour trips per ITE Trip Generation Manual current edition.
• Below threshold may still require TIS if MDOT SHA anticipates operational or traffic capacity issues.
• Statutory authority: COMAR § 11.04.05 establishes MDOT SHA's authority to mandate TIS and associated road improvements.

Compare: PA PennDOT at 150 peak-hour entering/exiting (see our PennDOT HOP essay), NJDOT at 200 peak-hour for Major with Planning Review (see our NJDOT essay). MD catches smaller developments at the TIS threshold than its larger neighbors.

TIS requirements

• Traffic counts no older than 1-2 years; include pedestrian and bicycle counts.
• Growth rates provided or approved by MDOT SHA Travel Forecasting and Analysis team or local agency.
• Mitigation proposals addressing development impact, especially where background Level of Service is substandard.
• Study scoping meeting highly recommended — involves City Engineering Staff, developer, study preparer, and MD SHA to define key study elements.

Performance security and permit conditions

• 150% of estimated construction cost as bond, LOC, or certified check.
• Pre-construction meeting mandatory before any work in SHA ROW.
• Permit revocation if construction doesn't begin, property isn't used commercially, or permittee fails to comply with permit conditions.

Where MD's process gets distinctive

• Local-first workflow. Local planning approval typically precedes state permit application. Scheduling needs to account for both sequences.
• Low TIS threshold. 50 peak-hour trips triggers TIS — many small-to-midsize projects will need one.
• Frontage-based access point calculation. The 200-foot / 100-foot rule limits access point count in ways that can affect site circulation design.
• Entrance width restrictions. 35-foot two-way max is meaningful — doesn't always accommodate truck-heavy commercial without supplemental justification.
• Multi-agency coordination. County DPW often coordinates on the local-road portion; MD SHA handles the state portion. Interface management matters.

Interaction with MD local and state frameworks

• Local county permit processes — see our Baltimore County PAI essay.
• MBPS building code — see our MD MBPS essay.
• MDE stormwater (ESD-to-MEP) — see our MD ESD essay. Drainage on access permits must integrate with site-level stormwater.
• Forest Conservation Act — see our MD FCA essay. Access work disturbing vegetated area may trigger FCA.
• Prevailing wage if publicly-funded — see our MD PW framework essay.

Cross-state comparison — DOT access permit thresholds

State	TIS Threshold	Security
Delaware	500 vpd daily / 50 vph	150%
Pennsylvania	3,000 vpd / 150 vph enter or exit	Typical
New Jersey	500 daily or 200 peak-hour (Major+)	Typical
Maryland	50 peak-hour trips	150%
Virginia	VDOT discretion	Varies

MD has the lowest TIS threshold in the region.

What to do with this

If you're developing MD commercial fronting a state highway: local approval first, SHA second. Schedule accordingly.

If you may exceed 50 peak-hour trips: TIS is likely. Engage a qualified traffic engineer at schematic.

If your frontage is under 400 feet: expect single-access-point limit unless you can justify more.

If you need truck access: 35-foot entrance width may require design justification for larger vehicles.

For the broader MD regulatory stack, see our Baltimore County essay, MD MBPS essay, and MD ESD essay.

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