Citation

Covey FMJ. Neb. Law Rev. 1959; 38: 407.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1959, College of Law, University of Nebraska)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

State control of both public and private access is fast becoming a maxim of modern highway programming. Such control is not only an important feature of the Interstate Highway Program, but of other state highway construction programs as well. Under such programs, authorized by statute, it is no longer possible for the adjacent landowner to maintain highway access from any part of his property; no longer does every cross-road join the highway. This concept of control and limitation of access involves many legal problems of importance to the attorney. In the following article, the author does much to explain the origin and nature of access control, laying important stress upon the legal methods and problems involved.

On September 13, 1899, in New York City, the country's first motor vehicle fatality was recorded. On December 22, 1951, fifty-two years and three months later, the millionth motor vehicle traffic death occurred.' In 1955 alone, 38,300 persons were killed (318 in Nebraska); 1,350,000 were injured; and the economic loss ran to over $4,500,000,000.2 If the present death rate of 6.4 deaths per 100,000,000 miles of traffic continues, the two millionth traffic victim will die before 1976, twenty years after the one millionth. Many of these deaths can be prevented only through law enforcement, motor vehicle administration, and driver education. But many others can be prevented through the design and engineering of our highways.