It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 24-8-34 of the General Laws in Chapter 24-8 entitled "Construction and Maintenance of State Roads" is hereby amended to read as follows:

{ADD 24-8-34. Regulation of access. -- ADD} (a) The legislature recognizes the need for the director of the department of transportation to establish and maintain the safe condition and integrity of state roads. Accordingly, the director is authorized to regulate direct vehicle access to state roads in situations whereby access may reasonably tend to affect the safe condition and integrity of state roads. This includes the authority to regulate the type, location and width of roadways and driveways at their intersection with state highways and the authority to regulate construction within state highway right-of-ways.

(b) Requests for access must be made in writing in a manner prescribed by the director. The director shall promulgate rules and regulations which prescribe the conditions under which requests will be granted. These rules and regulations shall apply prospectively and shall be based on accepted engineering and construction standards.

{ADD (c) The director shall provide written notice to the planning board of the city or town in which the state highway is located for all commercial physical alteration permit applications filed with the department and shall afford the planning board the ability to provide written comments on the request. ADD}

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.