SECTION 730:10-1-14. Selection of industrial access projects

(a)   The purpose of the Industrial Access Road Program is to encourage and assist local efforts toward industrial development by providing funds for the construction or improvement of direct access facilities to specific industrial operations or to officially designated industrial areas wherein industrial operations are underway or have been committed on a specific time schedule.

(b)   The definition of direct access is based on generally accepted functional classification criteria defining the limits of responsibility of the various governmental jurisdictions for the provision of road systems adequate to respond to their constituents' needs.

(c)   The responsibility of the state highway system is to provide for the interstate and intrastate traffic movement between population centers and other major traffic generators throughout the state. The local road system has the responsibility for the movement of traffic between the state highway system and localized areas of attraction. This local responsibility includes providing adequate roads to serve workers living in the area where the industry is located.

(d)   The "Industrial Access Road Program" is designed to provide assistance to local industrial development efforts by funding, within practical limitations, access facilities connecting a specific industry or industrial area directly to the state highway system or local road system. Existing general purpose roads serving areas where industry is located do not qualify as industrial access roads.

(e)   In general, an industrial access road is one where the only justification for its construction or improvement is the existence of a viable industrial operation at either of its termini. Criteria to be considered are as follows:

(1)   The project provides primary, immediate access between the local or state road systems and existing or committed industrial operations and/or areas.

(2)   The project will provide circulation within an existing or committed industrial area or park, connecting several specific features or operations within the boundaries of the industrial area or industrial park.

(3)   State participation requested in relation to other available funding sources (federal programs, other state agencies, local sources, etc.).

(4)   Magnitude of the industrial operation, present and potential.

(5)   Existing access serving the industrial area.

(6)   Availability of local participation to match state highway funds (either money or services).

(7)   The project must be exclusively on public right-of-way.

(8)   Right-of-way and utility relocations to be furnished at no cost to Department (including necessary utility adjustments).

(9)   The project will not be used to enhance speculative development opportunities.

(10)   Project is to be sponsored by trust, foundation or other public or corporate entity having legal authority to enter into a satisfactory agreement with the Department on such items as cost sharing, design of the proposed project, and to accept responsibility for satisfactory maintenance of the facility upon completion.

(11)   If facility is not adequately maintained, no future industrial projects will be approved for the county, city or authority.

(12)   The project will not be designated as a part of the state highway system.

(13)   Minimum cost single project to maximize geographic distribution.

(14)   Projects to be programmed on a statewide basis.

(15)   Formal minimum design standards to be approved by Commission setting forth minimum right-of-way widths and other relevant geometric features.

(16)   No project will be approved for any county or city that is in arrears in their payments to the Department for right-of-way or other underwriter responsibility unless satisfactory arrangements have been made for the discharge of the delinquency.

(17)   Previously approved projects can be removed from construction program by approval of the Transportation Commission for reasons including county, city or authority having failed to execute a formal agreement to provide right-of-way and utility relocations, failure to maintain previous projects, or failure to provide agreed local assistance.

[Source: Amended at 17 Ok Reg 1368, eff 5-11-00]