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Donald E. Howe, P.E. Division of Traffic Operations California Department of Transportation

Donald E. Howe, P.E. Division of Traffic Operations California Department of Transportation. Minimum Sign Retroreflectivity Requirements N ew federal Regulatory Standard in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) Rev. # 2. Why Do We Install Signs?.

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Donald E. Howe, P.E. Division of Traffic Operations California Department of Transportation

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  1. Donald E. Howe, P.E.Division of Traffic OperationsCalifornia Department of Transportation Minimum Sign Retroreflectivity RequirementsNew federalRegulatory Standard in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) Rev. # 2

  2. Why Do We Install Signs? Required by MUTCD? NO Engineering Judgment? YES! Why? To assist road users (including older road users)

  3. Why Retroreflectivity for Signs? It is the difference between night and day: Nighttime Daytime

  4. Night Travel and Crashes Source: National Safety Council

  5. Signs Provide Critical Information to Drivers but, retroreflectivity degrades over time When Do We Replace Signs? Retroreflectivity

  6. Final Rule • Published on Dec 21, 2007 • Vol. 72, No. 245 • Revision #2 of the 2003 Edition of the MUTCD • Effective Jan 22, 2008

  7. “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” New MUTCD LanguageSection 2A.09 Maintaining Minimum Retroreflectivity

  8. New MUTCD Table 2A-3 Minimum Maintained Retroreflectivity Levels

  9. Methods to Maintain Retro Assessment Method Management Methods Assessment Methods • Expected Sign Life • Blanket Replacement • Control Signs • Future Method Based On Engineering Study • Combination Of Any of these • Visual Nighttime Inspection • Calibration Signs • Comparison Panels • Consistent Parameters • Measured Sign Retro

  10. “Support: Compliance… is achieved by having a method in place and using the method to maintain the minimum levels established in Table 2A-3. Provided that… a method is being used, an agency would be in compliance… even if there are some individual signs that do not meet the… levels at a particular point in time. New MUTCD LanguageSection 2A.09 Maintaining Minimum Retroreflectivity

  11. Exempt Signs • Parking/Standing/Stopping • Walking/Hitchhiking • Adopt-A-Highway • Blue or Brown Backgrounds • Exclusive Use of Bikes or Pedestrians Note: Must still meet other requirements in MUTCD (inspections, retroreflective, etc,)

  12. Compliance Period:From “Effective” Date of Final Rule MUTCD Revision #2 (January 22, 2008): • 4 yrs (January, 2012) Establish and implement method(s) • 7 yrs (January, 2015) Replace identified regulatory, warning, ground-mounted guide signs (except street-name) • 10 yrs (January, 2018) Replace identified street name & overhead guide signs [ The State of California has 24 months to adopt Revision # 2 as part of CA MUTCD ]

  13. What do the numbers mean for selecting sheeting type?

  14. Types that meet Minimums NO NO NO NO NO

  15. Required Minimum Maintained Level Prismatic Average E G Super EG High Inten

  16. Average of Some Prismatics High Intensity Super EG Required Minimum Maintained Level EG

  17. EXAMPLE of Life/Cycle Costs(using invented numbers) • Assume $160 to replace a sign with EG sheeting (substrate, sheeting, labor) • If so, then • SEG might be $164 • HI might be $168 • Pris might be $192 • Cost per year might look like: EG: $160 / 0 = Can not calculate SEG: $164 / 7? = $23 / yr ?? HI: $168 / 12? = $14 / yr ?? Pris: $192 / 16? = $12 / yr ?? • Add in potential cost of traffic hazard (risk mgmt)

  18. Need More Information? • FHWA fhwa.dot.gov/retro • Summary Brochure • Final Rule • Power Point Presentations • Newsletter Articles • Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) tcd.tamu.edu • Research Reports • ATSSA www.retroreflectivity.net • Q & A

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