Safety Solutions for the FHWA Minimum Levels of Retroreflectivity

1. Safety Solutions for the FHWA Minimum Levels of Retroreflectivity Visibility&Safety for the Life of the Road

2. Congressional Legislation 1993 DOT Appropriations Act – “The Secretary of Transportation shall revise the MUTCD to include a standard for a minimum level of retroreflectivity that must be maintained for traffic signs and pavement markings which apply to all roads open to public travel.”

3. Why The Ruling? • Night Safety • Older Drivers • Visual Cues

4. Fatal Crashes By Light Condition (FARS) Daylight Dark Dark/Lighted Dawn & Dusk

5. Crash Data: Non-Daylight

6. FHWA Older Driver Recommendations: • Older Driver Handbook (2001) • FHWA-RD-01-103 • Recommendations (2001) • FHWA-RD-01-051 • Larger Signs • Larger Letters on Signs • Brighter Signs • Incorporate Signs with Larger Observation Angle Performance • Use of Florescent Orange in Work Zone • Use of Fluorescent Yellow for “NO PASSING ZONE” Pennants (and chevrons)

7. 20 Year-Old 60 Year-Old 40 Year-Old The Needs of The Older Driver

8. USA Today October 5th, 2000 But the study suggests that older drivers have trouble navigating the roads, which were not designed with them in mind. For many aging motorists, signs are hard to read, lanes are too narrow and left-hand turns are very difficult. Intersections are a particular problem. According to the study... Half of all fatal accidents involving older drivers occur at intersections, compared with about 25% for other drivers.

9. Retroreflectivity Degrades Over Time Retroreflectivity

10. The Final Ruling • Section 1A.11 ‘Minimum Level of Retroreflectivity’ guidance document and reflectivity table. • Section 2A.09 Assessment or Management Method • Section 2A.22 Sign Maintenance Additional Info. -http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov

11. Table: Minimum Reflectivity Levels * This Sheeting Type should NOT be used for this color for this application

12. Summary – Major Impacts • Overhead Guide Signs (white)must be Prismatic • Ground Mounted Street Name Signs (white) can not be EG (Type I) • Warning Signs (Yellow &/or Orange)can not be EG (Type I) • Regulatory Signs (Black on White), white ≥ 50 cd/lx/m2 (EG initial values are 70 cd/lx/m2,life of EG signs will be short) • Minimum Sign Contrast Ratio ≥ 3:1 for Stop Signs (white refl. ÷ red refl.)(A lot ofolder stop signs will be noncompliant due to ink fading – especially if those signs are south facing) How will you determine which of your signs fail these criteria?

13. Ruling Section 2A.09 Standard: Public agencies or officials having jurisdiction shall use an assessment or management method that is designed to maintain sign retroreflectivity at or above the minimum levels in Table 2A-3. FHWA uses the verb ‘shall’ in STANDARD statements which means ‘required’ or ‘mandatory’

14. Assessment/Management Methods Assessment Methods: Determine what you have • Visual Nighttime Inspections • Measured retroreflectivity Management Methods: Manage what you have • Expected Life • Blanket Replacement • Control Signs

15. Ruling Section 2A.22 Guidance: Maintenance activities should consider proper position, cleanliness, legibility and daytime and nighttime visibility (see section 2A.09) Damaged or deteriorated signs should be replaced… a schedule for inspecting (both day and night), cleaning and replacing sign should be established.

16. Compliance Datefrom January 22, 2008 4 years - (1/22/12) Select and begin implementing Assessment/Management Method to maintain traffic sign retroreflectivity at or above the established minimum levels 7 years - (1/22/15) Replace regulatory, warning, and post mounted guide signs that are identified using the assessment or management method as failing to meet the established minimum levels 10 years - (1/22/18) Replace overhead guide signs and street name signs that are identified using the assessment or management method as failing to meet the established minimum levels. Exclusions: (1) Parking, Standing and Stopping Signs – R7 & R8 Series, (2) Walking/ Hitchhiking/ Crossing signs - R9 Series, R10-1 through R10-4b, (3) Adopt-a-Highway Signs, (4) All signs with blue or brown backgrounds, (5) Bikeway signs that are intended for bicyclists

17. Retroreflective Sheeting Visibility&Safety for the Life of the Road

18. Minimums & Reflective Materials CPL Based on -.4 / 2.0

19. Total Light Return Efficiency Truncated Cube 10% to larger observation angles Cone of Retroreflection 30% Total Retroreflective Efficiency 20% to smaller observation angles 15% to larger observation angles Cone of Retroreflection 30% Total Retroreflective Efficiency 15% to smaller observation angles

20. Total Light Return Efficiency Full Cube 30% to larger observation angles Cone of Retroreflection 60% Total Retroreflective Efficiency 30% to smaller observation angles Increasing the overall total retroreflective efficiency ensures serving the greatest segment of nighttime driver population without the need of sign illumination.

21. Higher Performance Sheeting

22. FHWA Report - Maintaining Traffic Sign Retroreflectivity: Impact on State and Local Agencies (HRT-07-042) • Using durable prismatic sheeting may be the more economic option for agencies in the long run, although initial costs may be higher. • Using higher retroreflectivity materials only increases total sign cost by 3% to 14% • Engineer Grade Sheeting can be more costly than prismatic sheeting with a longer life cycle when sign installation costs are considered (labor, hardware, administrative). • Although older drivers will particularly benefit from higher retroflectivity, all drivers will be better served by the improved nighttime performance. The study can be accessed online at: http://www.tfhrc.gov/safety/pubs/07042/07042.pdf

23. Life Cycle Cost Comparison

24. Reduced Crash Rates (More visible signs resulted in crash reductions…) Source: Quantifying the Safety Benefits of Traffic Control Devices – Benefit-Cost Analysis of Traffic Sign Upgrades, Douglas A. Ripley

25. 3M Grant Program The Purpose: To provide funding that assists local government agencies in upgrading their sign standards to meet their safety goals. • 3M Grant • Material Upgrade Only (EG to Prismatic) • 3M Sheeting Materials Required • Type IV,X (High Intensity Prismatic) • Type XI (Proposed) (DG3) • Grant Applies To In-house or Fabricator Supplied Signs • One Grant Per Agency (Redeem within 3 months) • Offered During 2009 • 3M Grant Application Site: WWW.3Msigngrants.com

26. Roadway Maintenance Services (RMS)A new approach to supporting agency maintenance needs Visibility&Safety for the Life of the Road

27. Roadway Maintenance Services (RMS)A new approach to supporting agency maintenance needs“Traditional Approach” to Sign Inventory & Replacement” • General Payment Requirements • Pay for Design/Sign Inventory/GIS • Pay for Plans/Specs/Reports • Administration Costs to Implement Contracts • Pay for Materials (3M) • Pay for Fabrication (Fabricator) • Pay for Installation (Sign Installer) • Pay to Update Final Inventory Multiple Channels for Payment results in inefficiencies and greater overall cost to the agency 3M “Turnkey” approach = Single Source = $ Savings

28. 3M RMS Signing Total Solution RMS can do the following to support you: • Sign Assessments • Develop Replacement Plan • Engineering Services • Manage the Project to Deliver New Signs • Materials, Fabrication, & Installation • Provide the Agency with a Sign Inventory • Web-based, no Software • Deliver the updated data to the Agency’s existing system (if one exists) • Provide ongoing support for future Sign Upgrade or Replacement Needs “Extension of your Staff”

29. 3M RMS Signing Total Solution Sign Assessments - The 3M Sign Assessments are broken out into differing levels of service to accommodate a wider variety of needs: Deliverables: • Web based Inventory System (minimal attributes) • Complies with Minimum Reflectivity Requirements of visual nighttime inspection • Can generate replacements based on nighttime inspection • Provides a track log for agencies Silver Package Location Attributes: • GPS Location • Sign Position • Sign Location by Route/Street • Sign Orientation • Sign Property Attributes: • MUTCD Sign Type • Sign Dimensions using Specs • Video Still (low resolution) • Night Viewing (Pass/Fail) • Other Info: • Date of Inspection • Name of Inspector Advantages: • Less expensive option ($2 - $4 / Sign) • If 3M RMS does replacements, system can be updated w/ attributes that will transition agency to an ‘Expected Life’ Program. Disadvantages: • Does not generate enough information about the sign for an immediate transition to the ‘Expected Life’ Method

30. 3M RMS Signing Total Solution Sign Assessments - The 3M Sign Assessments are broken out into differing levels of service to accommodate a wider variety of needs: Gold Package Location Attributes: • GPS Location – ↑ Accuracy • Sign Position • Sign Location by Route/Street • Sign Orientation • Sign Offset from Road Edge • Mounting Height • Sign Property Attributes: • MUTCD Sign Type • Sign Dimensions using Specs • Digital Photo (high resolution) • Sign Legend • Sign Substrate • Sheeting Type • Sign Condition • Sign Structure (post type) • Post Structure Condition • Sign Age (if available) • Other Info: • Date of Inspection • Name of Inspector Deliverables: • Web based Inventory System (many attributes) • Complies with Minimum Reflectivity Requirements – will have all of the information to us the ‘Expected Life’ Mgmt • Can generate replacements based on Sheeting Life • Provides a track log for agencies Advantages: • Easy development of Replacement Plans (have all sign info) • Smooth transition to a “Management Method” of minimum reflectivity maintenance. Eliminates the need for annual assessments. Disadvantages: • More Expensive Option($4 - $10 / Sign)

31. 3M RMS Signing Total Solution Development of Replacement Plans – Using the information captured from the 3M Sign Assessment, RMS utilizes the web-based inventory system to develop a comprehensive replacement plan for years to come… With the information captured, we can utilize the ‘Expected Life’ management method for each sign to know when to replace… And the inventory information to know what sign goes where for an efficient installation…

32. 3M RMS Signing Total Solution Delivery of New Signs – Typical Contracts • Corridor/Project Sign Contract • 3M RMS responsible for all signs or signs defined by series/type/style in specific area/region/corridor • Contract defined by upgrade activity Contract ends when upgrade activity is complete • Warranty provisions on materials apply • Could be financed or pay up front • Typically a “blanket” replacement or new construction installation of signs

33. 3M RMS Signing Total Solution Delivery of New Signs – Typical Contracts • Work Order/Sign Maintenance Contract • 3M RMS under contract as extension of Agency staff • Complete “Turnkey” sign replacement service • Work orders issued for individual or groups of sign replacement activity • Bid Schedule, with variety of sign types/styles • Pay “per each” installed • Annual contract, with option to renew (similar to supply contract) • Typically two phases of each Work Order: Phase One – Assessment Phase Phase Two – Delivery Phase Example Contracts:

34. 3M RMS Signing Total Solution 3M Inventory/Data Management System – a 3M hosted web-based system that allows agencies to track progress of projects, as well as have a final inventory of signs when project completed. • Added Benefit • Interactive Web Site • “real-time” update of project status • Agency Officials will track progress of sign replacement • Data used to develop final inventory • No special software required • No IT support required, 3M RMS manages the system • http://www.3mtrafficsafetynow.com/

35. Benefits Customers Value • “Brand Name” Reliability • Industry Leading Products with the highest quality installation • Commitment to Service and Quality • Level Maintenance Costs – Project Financing • Extension of Agency Staff – find the right fit for RMS • Opportunity for cost reductions/efficiencies 3M Roadway Maintenance Services