Austin subdivision access streets: when one way in is enough

Last verified August 13, 2026 against the Austin Land Development Code · Kimbrough Gray · KiliGray Homes

A new subdivision must have two access streets, each connecting to a different external street. One is allowed if the director finds the subdivision has additional pedestrian access, the street clears the wildfire and flood tests and has a 36-foot paved entry, and it serves 30 homes or fewer over no more than 2,000 feet.

Applies to: New subdivisions. Section 25-4-157 defines an access street as one that provides access to a subdivision by connecting to an external street, and an external street as a publicly maintained street, a street offered for dedication with a construction performance bond posted, or a private street complying with the Code and each applicable criteria manual. Both routes to a single access street require a determination by the director.

Two streets, to two different places

The default is not merely "two ways in". It is two access streets that each connect to a different external street — two connections onto the same road do not satisfy it, because the point is redundancy if one route is blocked.

"External street" is defined narrowly: publicly maintained, or offered for dedication with a construction performance bond posted, or a private street that complies with the Code and every applicable criteria manual. A neighbouring driveway is not an external street.

Route to a single access street	What it turns on
(C) — the measured route	Hard tests: not in a high-risk Wildland Urban Interface area, not inundated by more than 9 inches in a 100-year flood, 36 ft paved entry, and either ≤2,000 ft serving ≤30 homes, or an arterial/collector at level of service C or better.
(D) — the judgement route	The director finds a second street undesirable, unnecessary or impractical, weighing traffic circulation, traffic safety, flood and fire safety, topography, density, and whether adjacent land is expected to provide access later.

Both routes also require additional pedestrian access, except as provided in Subsection (E).

Thirty homes and 2,000 feet, together

The measured route caps the street at 2,000 feet and the homes it serves at 30 single-family dwellings. Both apply — a short street serving 40 homes fails, and so does a 2,500-foot street serving 20.

The alternative in the same subsection is for real roads: an arterial or collector whose intersection with the external street operates at level of service C or better, both during construction and after build-out. Above 1,000 vehicle trips a day that analysis must come from a registered professional engineer.

The pedestrian path has its own geometry

Additional pedestrian access is not a token footpath. It must meet City standards for a sidewalk or trail, connect a new street in the subdivision to an existing street on adjoining property, and sit at least 300 feet from an access street.

That 300-foot separation is the substance of it: a path running beside the single entrance adds nothing if the entrance is what fails.

The 36-foot paved width is measured from the intersection. It runs 100 feet in from where the access street meets the external street — or 50 feet where the access street has curb and gutter. It is an entry throat requirement, not a standard for the whole street.

Common questions

How many entrances does a new Austin subdivision need?

Two access streets, each connecting to a different external street. One is allowed only where the director makes a determination under §25-4-157(C) or (D).

Can a subdivision have only one way in?

Yes, by two routes. Either it meets the measured tests in (C) — wildfire, flood, a 36-foot paved entry, and 2,000 feet serving 30 homes or fewer — or the director finds under (D) that a second street is undesirable, unnecessary or impractical.

How many homes can one access street serve?

Not more than 30 single-family dwellings, and the street must also be no longer than 2,000 feet. Both limits apply together.

What counts as an external street?

A street outside the subdivision that is publicly maintained, offered for dedication with a construction performance bond posted, or a private street complying with the Code and each applicable criteria manual.

What is additional pedestrian access?

A path meeting City sidewalk or trail standards, connecting a new subdivision street to an existing street on adjoining property, and located at least 300 feet from an access street.

When do I need a traffic engineer for this?

Where the single access street is an arterial or collector and the subdivision generates more than 1,000 vehicle trips a day, the intersection analysis must be prepared by a registered professional engineer.

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We are homebuilders, not the City of Austin. This page explains how we read the code in practice — it is not legal advice and it is not an official determination. Always confirm with Austin Development Services before you rely on it for a project. The authoritative text is the Austin Land Development Code; permitting questions go to Austin Development Services Department.