Stippich, Karen

English

Purdue E-Pubs

U.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration Traffic Sign Retroreflectivity Rule Requirements Sign Maintenance MethodsU.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration MUTCD RequirementSection 2A.07 Retroreflectivity and IlluminationStandard:Regulatory, warning, and guide signs and object markers shall be retroreflective (see Section 2A.08) or illuminated to show the same shape and similar color by both day and night, unless otherwise provided in the text discussion in this Manual for a particular sign or group of signs.The requirements for sign illumination shall not be considered to be satisfied by street or highway lighting.U.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration Nighttime DrivingDaytimeMany cues availableDriver task relatively easyNighttimeFew cues remainTask more difficultRetroreflectivity provides nighttime guidanceU.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration Night Travel and CrashesSource: National Safety CouncilU.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration Why Create Minimums?DaytimeNighttimeU.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration RetroreflectivityWhen do we replace the sign?Retroreflectivity Degrades Over TimeU.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration Typical Outdoor Durability Testing45 degree south facing0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80Age (months)RetroreflectivityType IType IIType IIIU.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration New MUTCD LanguageSection 2A.09 Maintaining Minimum Retroreflectivity “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” “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.U.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration Retroreflectivity Minimum Values Table 2A-3 Minimum Maintained Retroreflectivity LevelsU.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration Exempt Signs Parking/Standing/Stopping Walking/Hitchhiking Adopt-A-Highway Blue or Brown Backgrounds Exclusive Use of Bikesor PedsNote: Must still meet otherrequirements in MUTCD(inspections, retroreflective,etc,)U.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration Sheeting Types that meet MinimumsNONONO NONOU.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration U.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration Inventory U.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration New MUTCD Language“…One or more of the following assessment or management methods should be used…” Visual Nighttime Inspection Calibration Signs Comparison Panels Consistent Parameters  Measured Sign Retro Expected Sign Life Blanket Replacement Control Signs Future Method Based On Engr. Study Combination Of AnyAssessment Methods Management MethodsU.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration  “Calibrate” eyes with calibration signsCalibration signs are near minimum retro Evaluate signs compared to calibration signsMethod 1: Visual AssessmentU.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration Method 2: Measure Sign RetroUse a portable instrument Receive proper trainingHave a protocol for consistencyCompare readings to minimum valuesU.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration Method 3: Expected Sign Life Find the life of the sheeting type in your area Replacement based on expected life for individual signsU.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration Method 4: Blanket Replacement Divide agency into areas/corridors or zones to replaced at the same time Interval set based on expected sign life Replace all signs in an area/ corridor each replacement cycle 10 yr life,  10 areas Annual replacement in each areaReplace all signs in this area during 1st year3rd year5thyear7thyearExampleU.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration Method 5: Control Signs Sign life is estimated using a subset of control signs representing an agency’s inventory. Control signs can be in-service signs or signs in a maintenance yard. Agency monitors control signs to estimate condition & measure retroreflectivity of the of control signs.Example of Control SignsU.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration Method 6: Other Options Flexibility is provided for  future advancements in technology and methods that have not been fully developedMust be based on an engineering study DocumentedU.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration Compliance DatesJan 22, 2012identify and begin using method(s)Jan 22, 2015replace identified regulatory, warning, and ground-mounted guide signs (except street-name)Jan 22, 2018replace identified street name and overhead guide signsU.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration What Should I Do Next? Select maintenance method(s) Budget to implement method Train inspectors (ask LTAP for slides) Implement maintenance method(s) Decide on sheeting typesConsider initial and life cycle costs Budget for future sign replacementU.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration Sign Sheeting Material CostsWhat are reasonable costs you can expect for these materials: Assume per sq. ft Engineering Grade ____ Super Engineer Grade ____ High Intensity Beaded ____ High Intensity Prismatic ____ Other Prismatic (Avery, NCI, or DG3) ____U.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration Sign Sheeting Material Costs Cost of new 36x36 inch warning sign with engineer sheeting (ASTM1) = $65(includes substrate, materials and installation) Assume per sq. ft Engineering Grade = $.80 Super Engineer Grade = $1.00 High Intensity Beaded  = $1.15 High Intensity Prismatic = $1.5 Other Prismatic (Avery, NCI, or DG3) = $3.25U.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration Sign Sheeting Material Costs Cost of new 36x36 inch warning sign with engineer sheeting (ASTM1) = $65(includes substrate, materials and installation) Initial cost of a 36x36 inch warning sign  Engineering Grade = $65 Super Engineer Grade = $67 High Intensity Beaded = $68 High Intensity Prismatic = $71 Other Prismatic (Avery, NCI, or DG3) = $87U.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration Life Costs of Warning Signs with Different SheetingsWarning sign (36x36 inch)  Engineering Grade = 65 ÷ 7 = $9.29/yr Super Engineer Grade = 67 ÷ 10 = $6.68/yr High Intensity Beaded = 68 ÷ 12 = $5.68/yr  High Intensity Prismatic = 71 ÷ 12 = $5.94/yr Other Prismatic = 87 ÷ 16 = $5.80/yrExpected sign life (in years)Now what if you have2000 warning signs?U.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration Life Costs of Warning Signs with Different SheetingsWarning sign Engineering Grade = $18571 Super Engineer Grade = $13360 High Intensity Beaded = $11358 High Intensity Prismatic = $11883 Other Prismatic = $11607Now what if you have 2000 warning signs?U.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration Impact on Your Agency?What is your sign maintenance system now? Do you have a system that addresses nighttime visibility of signs?What is the nighttime visibility condition of your signs?What types of sheeting do you use now?U.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration Guidebook Small Agencies Sample Inventories Sample BudgetsU.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration Indiana LPA Sign ReviewVisited 10 local agencies Counties Towns Talked with agency representative Driving tour observing signs U.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration ObservationsNo one is done yet! Inventory Card file to Think Map database Method Most plan visual night time Many updating older signs prior to               initial baseline reviewU.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration Observations Sign Sheeting Everything type of sheeting is being used Many are upgrading to HIP - Others using EG  Many using stickers U.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration MUTCDNot all are using the correct MUTCDCurrent MUTCD is the 2008 Indiana MUTCD INDOT website http://www.in.gov/dot/div/contracts/design/mutcd/mutcd.html Based on 2003 MUTCDNext IMUTCD will be based on the      2009 MUTCDU.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration Sign Upgrades Once you touch the sign  you should update it to MUTCD/IMUTCD standards Height Lateral Offset BreakawayU.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration What Should Be Done Next?Act casual, say (do) nothingand hope no one notices… ?U.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration Karen StippichITS & Traffic Operations Engineer575 N. Pennsylvania Street, Room 254Indianapolis, IN  46204317-226-7122Karen.Stippich@dot.gov

Overview of the Federal Regulation and Findings of Sign Review

https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1676&amp;context=roadschool

Overview of the Federal Regulation and Findings of Sign Review

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Purdue E-Pubs