(a) The IAJR shall be a standalone report. Relevant information from other documents (such as feasibility studies, NEPA documents or preliminary engineering reports) must be included in the appropriate section of the IAJR.

(b) At a minimum, an IAJR submitted to FHWA shall include all of the following, except as provided under paragraph (d) of this section.

(1) A description and overview of the proposed change in access including a project location map and distances to adjacent interchanges.

(2) Preliminary design documents sufficient to demonstrate the geometric viability of the proposal. The design documents shall include the design criteria, existing geometry overlaid with clearly labeled proposed geometric plan views, lane configuration schematics, typical sections, control-of-access lines, interchange spacing, ramp spacing, and other design features necessary to evaluate the proposed design.

(3) Operational and safety analyses that evaluate the impact of the proposed change in access on the Interstate System and local road network extending to the following area of influence limits at a minimum:

(i) Along the Interstate System, and interchanging freeway if applicable, to the adjacent existing or proposed interchange on either side of the proposed change in access, extending further as needed to ensure the limits of the analysis are appropriate to fully understand the impact of the proposed change in access on the Interstate System.

(ii) Along each crossroad to the first major intersection on either side of the proposed change in access, extending further as needed to demonstrate the safety and operational impacts that the proposed change in access and other transportation improvements may have on the local road network.

(4) A conceptual plan showing the type and location of the signs proposed to support the proposed design.

(c) The IAJR for a proposed partial interchange shall meet the following additional requirements.

(1) The IAJR shall include a full-interchange option with a comparison of the operational and safety analyses to the partial interchange option. The IAJR shall justify the necessity for a partial interchange alternative.

(2) The IAJR shall describe why a partial interchange is proposed and include the mitigation proposed to compensate for the missing basic movements, including wayfinding signage, local intersection improvements, mitigation of driver expectation leading to wrong-way movements on ramps, and other proposed strategies as necessary.

(3) The IAJR shall describe whether future provision of a full interchange is precluded by the proposed design.

(d) FHWA will consider the complexity of a change in access when determining the extent of the safety and operational analysis and the format of the IAJR.