For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions of the terms shall apply unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

(1) "Average daily traffic (ADT)" means the volume of traffic passing a point or segment of a highway, in both directions, during a period of time, divided by the number of days in the period and factored to represent an estimate of traffic volume for an average day of the year.

(2) "Conforming connection" means a connection that meets current department location, spacing, and design criteria.

(3) "Connection" means approaches, driveways, turnouts, or other means of providing for the right of access to or from controlled access facilities on the state highway system.

(4) "Connection permit" means a written authorization given by the department for a specifically designed connection to the state highway system at a specific location for a specific type and intensity of property use and specific volume of traffic for the proposed connection, based on the final stage of proposed development of the applicant’s property. The actual form used for this authorization will be determined by the department.

(5) "Contiguous parcels" means two or more pieces of real property under the same ownership with one or more boundaries that touch and have similarity of use.

(6) "Controlled access facility" means a transportation facility (excluding limited access facilities as defined in chapter 47.52 RCW) to which access is regulated by the governmental entity having jurisdiction over the facility. Owners or occupants of abutting lands and other persons have a right of access to and from such facility at such points only and in such manner as may be determined by the governmental entity.

(7) "Corner clearance" means the distance from an intersection of a public or private road to the nearest connection along a controlled access facility. This distance is measured from the closest edge of the traveled way of the intersecting road to the closest edge of the traveled way of the connection measured along the traveled way (through lanes).

(8) "Department" means the Washington state department of transportation.

(9) "Governmental entity" means, for the purpose of this chapter, a unit of local government or officially designated transportation authority that has the responsibility for planning, construction, operation, maintenance, or jurisdiction over transportation facilities.

(10) "Intersection" means an at grade connection on a state highway with a road or street duly established as a public road or public street by the local governmental entity.

(11) "Joint use connection" means a single connection point that serves as a connection to more than one property or development, including those in different ownerships or in which access rights are provided in the legal descriptions.

(12) "Limited access facility" means a highway or street especially designed or designated for through traffic, and over, from, or to which owners or occupants of abutting land, or other persons have no right or easement, or only a limited right or easement of access, light, view, or air by reason of the fact that their property abuts upon such limited access facility, or for any other reason to accomplish the purpose of a limited access facility.

(13) "Nonconforming connection" means a connection not meeting current department location, spacing, or design criteria.

(14) "Permit" means written approval issued by the department, subject to conditions stated therein, authorizing construction, reconstruction, maintenance, or reclassification of a state highway connection and associated traffic control devices on or to the department’s right of way.

(15) "Permitting authority" means the department or any county, municipality, or transportation authority authorized to regulate access to their respective transportation systems.

(16) "State highway system" means all roads, streets, and highways designated as state routes in compliance with chapter 47.17 RCW.

(17) "Reasonable access" means an access connection that is suitable for the existing and/or proposed property use and does not adversely affect the safety, operations or maintenance of the state highway system.

(18) "Variance permit" means a special nonconforming or additional connection permit, issued for a location not normally permitted by current department standards, after an engineering study demonstrates, to the satisfaction of the department, that the connection will not adversely affect the safety, maintenance or operation of the highway in accordance with its assigned classification. This permit will remain valid until modified or revoked by the permitting authority.