Caroline County maintains a network of public roads and rights-of-way. The access permit process allows the County to manage private roadway, driveway, use-in-common drive and/or parking lot access onto County roads. This includes ensuring that new or altered connections to County roads are designed and constructed to proper engineering standards; adequate intersection lines-of-sight are maintained; and interests of public health, safety and welfare are safeguarded.
The construction, relocation, widening or other alteration of any private road, use-in-common drive, driveway or parking lot which creates a new vehicular connection or alters in any way any existing vehicular connection to a County road or street shall require a permit.
Before work is started or connection made, the necessary access permit shall be obtained from the Caroline County Director of Public Works. The fee for such permit shall be $50 or as hereinafter amended by resolution of the County Commissioners.
The County may require a new private road or use-in-common driveway to be named. The Planning Commission shall review and approve private road names. The permit holder shall be responsible for the cost of any required street signs or traffic control devices. All signs or other traffic control devices shall conform to the requirements set forth by the County.
The person or entity receiving the permit is responsible for all work performed in the County right-of-way, including but not limited to structural tie-ins to County roads and all related drainage improvements. The County will hold the permit holder responsible for any required adjustments or corrections regardless of whether the permit holder performed the work or subcontracted and assigned the work.
The permit holder shall notify the County when the work will commence so, if necessary, arrangements can be made to have an inspector present while the work is in progress. The permit holder may be billed for the necessary expense of the inspector.
The permit holder or his or her subcontractors shall have a copy of the permit on the job site at all times. The permit holder shall be responsible for the condition of any right-of-way repairs. Pavement repairs, if made, shall be warranted for three years.
A. 
All work shall be done to standards established by the County. In the absence of a County standard, all work shall be done to the standards promulgated by the Maryland State Highway Administration for such work.
B. 
Whenever a part of a roadway is broken or damaged by the person doing work related to an access permit, the damaged section shall be removed and replaced or reconstructed to the original thickness.
C. 
In granting an access permit, the Director may establish terms and conditions thereto as may be reasonably necessary to 1) ensure safe vehicular movement between the point(s) of access and County roads; 2) prevent damage to public or private property; 3) ensure the construction is conducted in a safe and workmanlike manner; and 4) ensure the cost of any necessary repairs during the warranty period are bonded. This includes but is not limited to the width of the access, the width of the private road, the configuration of the access, installation of acceleration and/or deceleration lanes, installation of traffic control devices, installation of other roadway markings, installation of street signs, and other improvements the Director deems necessary to ensure public health and safety and to preserve the safe movement of vehicles to and from the County road system.
D. 
Report and analysis of traffic engineer.
(1) 
Where a new or altered access onto a County road will generate significant traffic or where there are concerns such as vehicular line-of-sight, drainage, proximity to other roadways, or other issues, the Director of Public Works may require the analysis and report of a traffic engineer. The permit holder shall be responsible for any costs related to the review and approval of a permit, including but not limited to engineering studies.
(2) 
Where improvements are recommended based on the report of a traffic engineer and/or the report of the Public Works Director or his or her designee, the matter shall be referred to the Planning Commission where the Commission shall have the authority to impose such requirements as deemed necessary for safe vehicular ingress and egress and where the permit applicant shall be responsible for any costs. Such recommendations may include but are not limited to the width of the private road, the configuration of the access, removal of vegetation to ensure adequate line of sight, method and/materials of construction, signage or other markings.
E. 
The permit holder shall notify the Director of Public Works or his or her designee upon completion of all work accomplished under the provisions of the permit within 30 days of the completion of such work.