An “access permit” (also known as a “curb cut” permit) is a permit granted by a transportation oversight agency (usually a state level agency) that allows access on to a roadway (usually a road designated as a “state highway”). Since Wal-Mart projects are usually built on major roads, they usually need such a permit to allow for ingress to and egress from the project site.

So, for example, if a Wal-Mart project needs to put a driveway into its site from a state road, the developer would apply to the state highway agency or transportation department, which would then assess the impact of that driveway based on such factors as estimated number of trips the development will cause, traffic flow, traffic/pedestrian safety, appropriate street signs or streetlights, and so forth, before granting the permit. Although the access permit process is usually an in-house, administrative process, there is still an opportunity for citizen advocacy.

For example, you can send a letter outlining the concerns about the project to the head of the permitting department. In addition, a phone call or meeting with your state senator or representative may help get your concerns entered into the permitting process, and may result in additional mitigation, roadway improvements, traffic lights, drainage, crosswalks, and add other measures which the developer will need to design and pay for as a condition of receiving the permit. Again, although this type of advocacy may not stop a Wal-Mart development in its tracks, it is another useful avenue available to citizens to get their concerns about a project included in the oversight process.