Is clear zone a controlling criterion?
No. Controlling criteria are 13 items or elements in the NHS design standards that require a formal design exception when the adopted minimum value is not met on a project. The list of controlling criteria was developed to insure that deviations below the adopted value for a critical element were adequately considered in design of a project. When the original list was developed in 1985, clear zone was considered to be synonymous with horizontal clearance. Subsequently, in 1990, following adoption of the Roadside Design Guide, it was decided that clear zone width would no longer be considered as an element requiring a formal design exception. In the rulemaking to adopt the Roadside Design Guide, it was determined that clear zone width should not be defined by a fixed, nationally applicable value. The various numbers in the guide associated with clear zone are not considered as exact but as ranges of values within which judgment should be exercised in making design decisions. Objects or
