FHWA_SignRetroreflectivityGuidebook

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FHWA-CFL/TD-09-005

September 2009

FOR SMALL AGENCIES,

FEDERAL LAND MANAGEMENT AGENCIES, ANDTRIBAL GOVERNMENTS

U.S. Departmentof Transportation

Federal HighwayAdministration

RETROREFLECTIVITYRETROREFLECTIVITYGUIDEBOOKGUIDEBOOK

SIGNSIGN

HOW TO MEET THE NEW NATIONAL STANDARD



Frwrd

The Federal Lands Highway (FLH) promotes development and

deployment o applied research and technology applicable tosolving transportation-related issues on Federal lands. The FLH

provides technology delivery, innovative solutions, recommended

best practices, and related inormation and knowledge sharing to

Federal agencies, Tribal governments, and other oces within the

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

This document was developed to assist small-sized agencies

without trac engineering sta in meeting the new Federal

requirements or maintaining trac sign retroreectivity on roads

open to public travel. By considering the needs and capabilities

o small agencies, this document provides the necessary

inormation needed to be in compliance with the new trac sign

retroreectivity requirements.

Two products were produced. One is a stand-alone computer-

based package (known as the Trac Sign Retroreectivity Toolkit)

that includes the new retroreectivity requirements as well as

the necessary inormation needed to implement a program that

will be in compliance with the new requirements. The second

product is a hard copy o the computer-based package, without

many o the eatures included in the computer-based package.

These documents will help small agencies meet the new trac

sign retroreectivity requirements while considering their limited

resources.

F. David Zanetell, P.E., Director o Project Delivery

Federal Highway Administration

Central Federal Lands Highway Division

Spnsred by:



Authors:

Paul Carlson

Dale Picha

Program Coordinators:

Greg Schertz

Matt Lupes

Advisory Panel:

Roger Surdahl

Mark Coppock

Debbie Murillo

Chris Pourteau

FHWA Contract Number:

FHWA-CFL/TD-09-005 July 2009

Title:

Sign Retroreectivity Manual: How to Meet

the New National Standard or Small Agencies,

Federal Land Management Agencies, and

Tribal Governments

Sponsoring Agencies:

•Federal Highway Administration—Federal

Lands Highway CTIP Council

•Federal Highway Administration—Oce o

Saety

Tab Cntnts

Chapter 1: Introduction 3

Chapter 2: The Sign Retroreectivity Toolkit on CD-ROM 11

Chapter 3: Local Maintenance 17

Chapter 4: Budgeting 23

Appendices 37

Appendix A: Other Considerations orSign Retroreectivity Maintenance 39

Appendix B: Other Inspection Methods toConsider or Retroreectivity Maintenance 42

Appendix C: New MUTCD MinimumRetroreectivity Maintenance Requirements 46

Appendix D: Sample Forms and Letters 48

Appendix E: Frequently Asked Questions 52



Wat Is Rtrrctivity?

“Retroreectivity” reers to the property o a trac sign to

reect light back to the driver. Retroreective trac signs are

used to increase sign visibility at night. Maintaining trac

sign retroreectivity is important since nighttime atal crashes

occur approximately three times as oten as daytime atal

crashes.

Wy D I Nd t Wrry abut It?

This toolkit will teach you about retroreectivity and your

responsibilities under new Federal Highway Administration

(FHWA) requirements to maintain signs in your area. To

promote saety and eciency, FHWA maintains basic

standards or trac signs as ound in the Manual on Uniorm

Trafc Control Devices (MUTCD). All agencies that maintain

roadways open to public travel must comply with these new

requirements.

Retroreectivity degrades over time. Upgrading poorly

maintained trac signs may reduce trac injuries and

atalities. Maintaining the retroreectivity o your local tracsigns might save a neighbor’s lie—or your child’s.

Wat D I Nd t D?

Use this toolkit to learn about the new requirements and how

to be in compliance. The MUTCD standards were recently

updated, and bringing your local signs up to code is your

responsibility. In act, your job is the most important part

o making the new standards successul—and your ellow

citizens are depending on you.

The toolkit is intended or small cities, counties, townships,

ederal land management agencies, and tribal governmentsthat don’t have a trac engineer on sta. In short,

retroreectivity maintenance procedures are explained in

la man’s terms



Chapter 1: Introduction

11INTRODUCTION

I N T R O D

U C T I O N



Wat Is Rtrrctivity?

“Retroreectivity” describes how light is reected

rom a surace and returned to its original source

(“retro”-reector). Trac signs are made with

retroreective sheeting materials to increase their

visibility at night. Maintaining trac sign retroreectivity

is important to promoting nighttime trac saety.

Trac signs use technology with small glass beads

or prismatic reectors that reect light rom vehicleheadlamps back to the vehicle and the driver’s eyes,

thus making the sign appear more bright and visible to

the driver.

The fgure below shows how retroreectivity works

to assist nighttime driving. There needs to be a light

source (vehicle headlamps), a target (trac sign), and areceptor (driver’s eyes).

1Intrductin

Denes retroreectivity and its

importance to trac saety

Introduces the MUTCD

Identies new MUTCD

retroreectivity requirements orsign maintenance

Outlines your agency’s

responsibilities under the new

requirements

Discusses how proper sign

maintenance can help protect

your agency legally



U .S . D e p a r t me nt o f T r a ns p o r ta t i o nF e d e r a l H i g hw a y �Ad mi ni s t r a t io n

M a n u a l o n U n i f o r m T r a f f i c C o n t r o l D e v i c e s f o r S t r e e t s a n d H i g h w a y s

M a n u a l o n U n i f o r m T r a f f i c C o n t r o l D e v i c e s f o r S t r e e t s a n d H i g h w a y s

I n c l u d i n g R e v i s i o n 1 d a t e d N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 4 a n d R e v i s i o n 2 d a t e d D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 7

T Manual on Uniorm Trafc Control Devices

The Manual on Uniorm Trafc Control Devices, published by

the U.S. Department o Transportation—Federal Highway

Administration, sets orth basic principles o trac signs:

namely to promote saety and eciency on our public

roads. Trac signs inorm motorists o regulations, warn o

potential hazards on or near the roadway, and help ensure

that motorists reach their destinations as saely and eciently

as possible.

The MUTCD establishes uniorm

standards or trac signs. Recentlyadopted language in the MUTCD

now requires all agencies that

maintain roadways open to

public travel to adopt a sign

maintenance program designed

to maintain trac signretroreectivity at or above

specifc levels.

Recently adopted

language in the

MUTCD now requires

all agencies that

maintain roadways

open to public

travel to adopt a

sign maintenance

program designed to

maintain trac sign

retroreectivity at

specic levels.



Once an agency implements one o the methods described

in this guidebook, it will be in compliance with the MUTCD

requirements even i some individual signs do not meet

the minimum retroreectivity levels at a given point in time

(within the restrictions o the compliance dates outlined

earlier). For example, a sign might be covered with gratithe week ater the inspection. I that sign was compliant at

the time o the inspection, the responsible agency would

still be considered in compliance with MUTCD requirements.

The minimum levels o retroreectivity (see Appendix C on

page 46) do not imply that an agency needs to measure

the retroreectivity o every sign in its jurisdiction. Instead,agencies must implement one o the methods designed

to maintain the minimum retroreectivity levels, using the

criteria in Table 1 on page 47.

IN TheNexT ChApTeR

The next chapter describes

the toolkit on CD-ROM that is

included with this guidebook.

The CD-ROM is an interactive

version o the guidebook

that includes an electronic

worksheet or budgeting

retrorefectivity maintenance

costs or signs in your area.

It also contains electronic

resources (such as sample

documents, website links, and

PowerPoint® presentations)

or your use. I you have a

computer, we strongly advise

working with the CD-ROM

rom this point orward.



Wat Is t Sin Rtrrctivity Tit n CDRom?

The Sign Retroreectivity Toolkit on CD-ROM is an

interactive version o this guidebook. I you have a

computer that meets the minimum required specifcations

or running this program (see page 14), we recommend

you use the CD-ROM rather than the paper guidebook.

Not only does the CD-ROM have eatures not available in

this guidebook, but it also describes other maintenance

methods not presented in detail here. The advantage o using the CD-ROM over the guidebook

is that interactive eatures—such as the interactive budget

estimation tool—can save you time and eort as you

plan your maintenance activities. In addition, the CD-ROM

contains letter and memo templates you can adapt to your

needs.

2T Sin RtrrctivityTit n CDRom

Describes the Sign

Retroreectivity Toolkiton CD-ROM

Species system requirements

or using the Toolkit on CD-ROM

Provides an overview o the

Toolkit on CD-ROM’s sections

Describes the Interactive Budget

Estimation Tool

Describes the alternative to the

Toolkit on CD-ROM



Sctins t Tit n CDRom

The Toolkit on CD-ROM contains the ollowing sections.

New Trafc Sign Maintenance Requirements. This

section provides the context or why retroreectivity

is important and details the purpose or the Manual

on Uniorm Trafc Control Devices. It also provides the

precise language o the new MUTCD retroreectivity

requirements (see Appendix C on page 46).

Steps t Implementatin. This section includes a

series o questions that will help you decide which

maintenance method best fts your agency’s needs

and resources. While the guidebook includes detailed

inormation on only one recommended maintenance

method, the CD-ROM draws rom our dierentmaintenance methods to provide guidance best suited

or your agency. Perhaps most importantly, you can use

the Interactive Budget Estimation Tool rom this section

to determine the best maintenance method given your

expertise and resources, as well as create and print a

sample budget or maintenance.

WhAT Do I NeeD To

Be ABle To USeThe CD-Rom?

All you need is a personal computer

with a CD-ROM drive and a web

browser. Your browser should be

at least comparable with Internet

Explorer version 6 (2001 or later). To

use the interactive walkthrough, you’ll

needversion7oftheFlashPlayeror

later. Support sites to acquire these

applications ollow:

Internet Explorer:

http://www.microsot.com

Flash Player:

http://www.adobe.com/products/

ashplayer/



The next chapter explains

in detail the Consistent

Parameters Procedure o theVisual Inspection Method,

which is the most practical

maintenance method or

the vast majority o small

agencies.

IN TheNexT ChApTeR

I Yu Cannt Us t CDRom

I you do not have a computer or your computer

doesn’t match the required specifcations, much o thecontent rom the Toolkit on CD-ROM is replicated in this

guidebook. This guidebook contains detailed inormation

on one o the approved maintenance methods,

specifcally the Consistent Parameters Procedure o the

Visual Inspection Method. Like the Interactive Budget

Estimation Tool, Chapter 4 o this guidebook shows you

how to create a preliminary budget or bringing the

retroreectivity level o your signs into compliance.



Chapter 3: Maintaining Sign Retroreectivity in Your Community

33 LOCAL MAINTENANCE

L O C A L

M A I N T E N A N C E



This guidebook presents in detail what may be the most

practical inspection method or smaller agencies: the

Consistent Parameters Procedure o the Visual InspectionMethod. Other methods are described in Appendix B

beginning on page 42. For more inormation on these

alternative methods, please reerence the accompanying Sign

Retroreectivity Toolkit on CD-ROM.

Dscritin t Visua Insctin mtd—

Cnsistnt paratrs prcdur

As implied by its name, the Visual Inspection Method

relies on a visual inspection o signs at night to assess their

compliance with the MUTCD’s retroreectivity requirements.

O all the maintenance methods listed in the MUTCD, the

Visual Inspection Method is probably the most practical or

a small agency with limited resources because it requires

practically no additional equipment and no sign inventories.

The Visual Inspection Method includes

three dierent procedures. Your agency

must select one o the three procedures.

The most practical procedure or small

agencies is the Consistent ParametersProcedure. The other two procedures

included in the Visual Inspection Method

are the Calibrated Signs Procedure and

the Comparison Panel Procedure. Both

o these procedures require special

signs or panels that must be purchasedor abricated. The signs and panels also

require special handling and storing. For these reasons,

3lca maintnanc

Describes the Consistent

Parameters Procedure or theVisual Inspection Method

Lists the Consistent Parameter

procedure requirements

Suggests guidelines or

establishing your inspection

program

T Visua Insctin

mtd is stractica r sar

ancis tat av

iitd rsurcs.



the Consistent Parameters Procedure o the Visual Inspection

Method is probably the most practical way or small agencies to

meet the MUTCD minimum sign retroreectivity requirements.

Simply stated, inspectors using this procedure assess the

visibility and retroreectivity o trac signs as they approach

the signs on the roadway during nighttime conditions. I the

signs are bright enough to be detected and read, then they

are ok as is. I the signs are deemed marginal, they should

be scheduled or replacement. I some signs are not bright

enough, they should be replaced as soon as possible.

Cnsistnt paratr prcdur Rquirnts

The ollowing conditions must be met to properly assess

the retroreectivity o signs using the Consistent Parameters

Procedure option o the Visual Inspection Method:

Inspections must be conducted at night.

Inspectors must be 60 years or older.

Inspectors must conduct inspections rom a sports utility

vehicle (SUV) or pickup truck, model year 2000 or later.

Inspectors must go through training. Training courses are

available at many Local Technology Assistance Program(LTAP) centers. http://www.ltapt2.org.

guidins r estabisin an Insctin prtc

Your agency should develop specifc guidelines or

conducting nighttime inspections. The content o these

guidelines is up to you and your agency. However, in general,the ollowing considerations should be taken into account.

Cnsistency testing cnditins. Conduct inspections

during consistent nighttime conditions whenever possible

(e.g., always conduct inspections on clear nights, when

there is no rain or og). Keep the interior light o the

inspection vehicle o. Use a pen light or recording

the results o the inspection. Use at least three ratings:

adequate marginal and ail

CheCklIST FoR

eSTABlIShINg ANINSpeCTIoN pRoCeDURe

■Consistency o testing conditions

■Vehicle speed

■Vehicle position

■Headlamp type

■Procedural saety issues

■Recordkeeping

■Replacement

■Frequency

■Compliance Dates



BY JANUARY

2018

BY JANUARY

2012

BY JANUARY

2015

All agencies mustestablish andimplement a sign

maintenanceprogram addressingthe minimum signretroreectivityrequirements.

All agencies mustcomply with thenew retroreectivity

requirements oroverhead guide signsand all street namesigns.

All agencies mustcomply with thenew retroreectivity

requirements or mosto their trac signsthey have installed,including all red or white“regulatory” signs (suchas STOP and Speed Limitsigns), yellow “warning”

signs, and green/white“guide” signs.



Speed vehicle apprpriate t the radway. Conduct

inspections at normal roadway operating speeds. I you

have to slow or stop the vehicle to read the sign, this

usually means the sign should be replaced.

Vehicle psitin. Signs should be inspected rom the

travel lane. Also, evaluate signs at a typical viewing

distance (i.e., at a distance that provides the driver

adequate time or an appropriate response).

Type headlamp and alignment. Use low-beamheadlamps to conduct inspections. Take your inspection

vehicle to your local mechanic to veriy that the head

lamps are aimed properly.

Saety issues related t cnducting the inspectins

while in a mving vehicle. I possible, designate a driver

or the vehicle. This serves the dual purpose o ocusing

the inspector on sign evaluation, which promotes

consistency and accuracy o results, as well as improving

saety or all on the roadway.

Recrdkeeping. Use a standardized orm or tracking

inspection results and, i possible, keep these results in afle cabinet or computer database or ease o reerence

and comparison purposes later. Sample orms are

provided in Appendix D (see page 48).

Replacement. Any sign not legible to the inspector at

a typical viewing distance and typical speed should be

replaced as soon as possible. Signs rated as marginalshould be scheduled or replacement.

Frequency. There is no specifc requirement or how

oten you should conduct the inspections. Generally,

most agencies perorm inspections on an annual basis.

Other considerations or sign retroreectivity maintenanceare provided in Appendix A on page 39.

IN The

NexT ChApTeRThe next chapter explains in

detail how to create a basic

budget or maintaining

signs in your area.



Chapter 4: Preparing a Budget

44 BUDGETING

B U D G E T I N G



Chapter 2 recommends you use the Sign

Retroreectivity Toolkit on CD-ROM rather than this

paper guidebook, especially or constructing a sample

budget. The interactive eatures o that CD-ROM make

constructing a sample budget easier. However, i you

don’t have access to a computer or your computer

doesn’t meet the specifcations required to run the

CD-ROM, we’ll walk you through constructing a sample

budget here.

gatrin Basic Inratin

Beore you can implement a sign maintenance

program or your area, the frst step is to see how much

it will cost to bring the retroreectivity o your signs up

to MUTCD standards. To that end, this chapter will help

you gather the basic inormation you need to prepare a

sample budget.

This guidebook presents two methods or estimating

sign replacement costs. The frst method requires you

to know the total number o signs you have in your

community. I you don’t know this number, the second

method can help you calculate costs i you know thetotal number o centerline miles o roadway in your

community.

4Budtin

Describes the budgeting process

Presents a budgeting method

based on knowing the total

number o signs in your

community

Presents a budgeting method

based on knowing the total

number o centerline miles in

your community

Suggests the next step beyond

budgeting



meThoD 1

estiatin Csts Basd n Tta Nubr Sins

I you know the total number o signs in your community,

estimate their replacement costs with the ollowing

ormulas. In Step 1, you must estimate the number o

each type o sign in your community. Step 2 helps you

calculate the cost (by sign type) o updating the signs inyour community.

T use this methd, llw this prcedure:

1. Pick the kind o community you represent (town, city,

county, Federal land, or tribal government).

2. Plug in the total number o signs to determine howmany o each sign type you have.

3. Plug in the total number o each sign type into Step 2

to calculate maintenance costs.

4. I you know the sign replacement cost or your area,

use it rather than the deault value o $150.



ToWNS

Step 1. Calculating the Number o Each Sign Type in Your Town

In all the calculations below, T = the total number o signs in your town. The percentage

shown in the calculations (e.g., 75% in the case o regulatory signs) represents the

estimated number o signs o that type in an average town. This percentage comes rom

previous research.

Regulatory Signs: T × 0.75 = (R, or the estimated # of regulatory signs)

Warning Signs: T × 0.20 = (W, or the estimated # of warning signs)

Guide Signs: T × 0.05 = (g, or the estimated # of guide signs)

Step 2. Calculating Sign Replacement Costs (by Sign Type)

Using the total or each sign type estimated in Step 1, you can approximate the costs

or updating the signs in your town. The percentage shown in the calculations below

(e.g., 10% in the case o regulatory signs) is the estimated number o signs probably

needing maintenance. The $150 estimated cost includes materials and labor. This

percentage comes rom previous research.

Regulatory Signs: R × 0.10 × $150 =

Warning Signs: W × 0.83 × $150 =

Guide Signs: g × 0.50 × $150 =

Sum o Total Sign Replacement Costs:



CITIeS

Step 1. Calculating the Number o Each Sign Type in Your City

In all the calculations below, T = the total number o signs in your city. The percentage


estimated number o signs o that type in an average city. This percentage comes rom

previous research.





Using the total or each sign type estimated in Step 1, you can approximate the costs or

updating the signs in your city. The percentage shown in the calculations below (e.g., 10%

in the case o regulatory signs) is the estimated number o signs probably needing

maintenance. The $150 estimated cost includes materials and labor. This percentage

comes rom previous research.



Guide Signs: g × 0.50 × $150 =




CoUNTIeS

Step 1. Calculating the Number o Each Sign Type in Your County

In all the calculations below, T = the total number o signs in your county. The percentage


estimated number o signs o that type in an average county. This percentage comes

rom previous research.






or updating the signs in your county. The percentage shown in the calculations below






Guide Signs: g × 0.75 × $150 =




FeDeRAl lANDS AND TRIBAl goVeRNmeNTS

Step 1. Calculating the Number o Each Sign Type in Your Area

In all the calculations below, T = the total number o signs in your area. The percentage


estimated number o signs o that type in an average Federal land area. This percentage







or updating the signs in your area. The percentage shown in the calculations below






Guide Signs: g × 0.75 × $150 =




meThoD 2

estiatin Csts Basd n Cntrin mis

I you know the total number o centerline miles in your

community, estimate your sign replacement costs with

the ollowing ormulas. First, you must estimate the

number o each type o sign in your community in Step 1.

Step 2 helps you calculate the cost (by sign type) o

updating the signs in your community.

T use this methd, llw this prcedure:

1. Pick the kind o community you represent (town, city,

county, Federal land, or tribal government).

2. Plug in the total number o centerline miles todetermine how many o each sign type you have.

3. Plug in the total number o each sign type into Step 2

to calculate maintenance costs.

4. I you know the sign replacement cost or your area,

use it rather than the deault value o $150.



ToWNS

Step 1. Calculating the Number o Each Sign Type in Your Town

In all the calculations below,

•C = total number o centerline miles in your town,

•the number “24” represents the number o signs per centerline mile in an average

town (based on previous research), and

•

the percentage shown in the calculations (e.g., 75% in the case o regulatory signs)represents the estimated number o signs o that type in an average town (based on

previous research).

Total Signs: C × 24 = (T, or the estimated total # of signs)

Regulatory Signs: C × 0.75 × 24 = (R, or the estimated # of regulatory signs)

Warning Signs: C × 0.20 × 24 = (W, or the estimated # of warning signs)

Guide Signs: C × 0.05 × 24 = (g, or the estimated # of guide signs)


Using the total or each sign type estimated in Step 1, you can approximate the costsor updating the signs in your town. The percentage shown in the calculations below






Guide Signs: g × 0.50 × $150 =




CITIeS

Step 1. Calculating the Number o Each Sign Type in Your City


•C = total number o centerline miles in your city,


city (based on previous research), and

•the percentage shown in the calculations (e.g., 80% in the case o regulatory signs)

represents the estimated number o signs o that type in an average city (based on

previous research).






Using the total or each sign type estimated in Step 1, you can approximate the costs orupdating the signs in your city. The percentage shown in the calculations below (e.g., 10%

in the case o regulatory signs) is the estimated number o signs probably needing

maintenance. The $150 estimated cost includes materials and labor. This percentage




Guide Signs: g × 0.50 × $150 =




CoUNTIeS

Step 1. Calculating the Number o Each Sign Type in Your County


•C = total number o centerline miles in your county,


county (based on previous research), and

•the percentage shown in the calculations (e.g., 65% in the case o regulatory signs)

represents the estimated number o signs o that type in an average county (based

on previous research).






Using the total or each sign type estimated in Step 1, you can approximate the costsor updating the signs in your county. The percentage shown in the calculations below






Guide Signs: g × 0.75 × $150 =




SWhAT’S NexT?



Suary

Now that you have gone through this Guidebook, you

might want to use the ollowing list o action items to help

implement a sign retroreectivity maintenance program.

Decide on a MUTCD Method and Procedure or1.

evaluating your signs (Recommendation: Visual Nighttime

Inspection—Consistent Parameters)

Beore January 2012, document your agencies’ adoption o 2.

an approved method and procedure by fling an internalmemo that includes language such as: “In accordance with

the Second Edition o the 2003 MUTCD—Section 2A.09,

our agency adopts the Visual Nighttime Inspection Method

and the Consistent Parameters Procedure as our technique

or maintaining sign retroreectivity levels. Our guidelines

or inspection are attached (see pages 20 and 22 o thisGuidebook). The ______ oce is responsible or carrying

out this method and procedure.”

Request appropriate unding rom your management or3.

inspection and replacement o signs.

Begin inspecting your signs on an interval appropriate4.

or your agency (usually once per year or once every two

years).

By January 2015, have regulatory signs, warning signs, and5.

ground mounted guide signs ailing the sign inspections

replaced.

By January 2018, have street name signs and overhead6.guide signs ailing the sign inspections replaced.

WhAT’S NexT?

Now that you know the approximatecosts or bringing sign retroreectivity

up to code in your community, you can

begin to plan a maintenance schedule.

You might consider taking the total

sign replacement costs and dividing

that by the number o years you want

to spread out the costs. Remember

the sign replacement deadlines

provided on page 21. Ater you decide

how much unding you will need per

year, you can ll out a budget request

to your management. See

the budget

request

templates

included as

part o the Sign

Retroreectivity Toolkit

on CD-ROM.

R E T R O R E F L E C T I V I T Y

R E T R O R E F L E C T I V I T Y T O O L K I T T O O L K I T

S I G N S I G N

H O W T O M E E T T H E N E W N AT I O N AL S T AN D AR D F O R S M ALL AG E N C I E S ,F E D E R AL LAN D M AN AG E M E N T AG E N C I E S ,AN D T R I B AL G O V E R N M E N T S

F H W A

- C F L / T D

- 0 9 -

0 0 5 •

J u l y

2 0 0 9

U .S .D e p a r t m e n t o f T r a n s p o r t a t i o n F e d e r a l H i g h w a y Ad m i n i s t r a t i o n

Appendicies



APPENDICES

A P P E N D I C E S



Appendix A: Other Considerations or Sign Retroreectivity Maintenance

APPENDIX A



otr Cnsidratins r SinRtrrctivity maintnanc

Dnin Cnranc wit t mUTCD

Agencies can achieve substantial conormance with the

MUTCD Section 2A.09 (see Appendix C on page 46) by simplyhaving a method in place and using that method to maintain

minimum sign retroreectivity levels. Conormance does

not require that every individual sign meet or exceed the

minimum retroreectivity levels at all times.

For example, once signs are rated as marginal or ailing, it is

expected that there will be a reasonable time period where

those signs are in noncompliance until they are upgraded.

Having a method in place to assess minimum retroreectivity

levels helps agencies prioritize how

to spend limited resources on sign

maintenance, ultimately contributing to

improved saety or the motoring public.

Furthermore, the more complete youragency’s inspection records and the

greater eort you have made to comply

with the MUTCD, the better prepared you

are to deend your maintenance practices

against potential lawsuits.

Signs do not last

forever and should be periodically

inspected.



muntin Rquirnts

In general, trac signs should be mounted on the right

side o the road and not be obscured by such things as trees,parked vehicles, or other physical objects.

Mount signs need to meet the ollowing requirements.

Craswrtinss Rquirnts

Section 2A-19 o the MUTCD states that “ground-mounted

sign supports shall be breakaway, yielding, or shielded with alongitudinal barrier or crash cushion i within the clear zone.”

Rigid objects close to a roadway can be deadly when struck

by a vehicle that strays o the pavement. Supports or road

signs, requently placed close to the roadway, are hazards i

they do not break away upon impact.

BUSINESS OR

RESIDENCE DISTRICT

N o t l e s s t h a n

2 . 1

m

( 7 f t )

Not

less

than0.6 m

(2 ft)

RURAL DISTRICT

(6 ft) N o t l e s s

t h a n

1 . 5

m

( 5 f t )



“Breakaway signs” include supports that, when struck by a

vehicle, separate rom the base and are knocked ahead o or up

and over the errant vehicle, as well as supports that “yield” or

allow the vehicle to run over them. Note that compliance with

this standard is required by January 2013 or all nonbreakaway

sign supports within the clear zone o roads posted at 50 mph

or greater.

otr Cnditins t Cnsidr

While research has shown that the Visual Inspection Method

is a reasonable method or identiying signs that need

replacement, the Visual Inspection Method is not 100 percent

reliable.

There are conditions where signs might be rated as being

satisactory while temporarily alling below the minimum

retroreectivity levels. For example, dew and rost on signs have

been shown to signifcantly reduce retroreectivity.

When sign inventories are not available or use during visual

inspections, it is possible to miss a small percentage o signs

along a densely signed corridor, especially i a sign was knocked

down or missing during the inspection. Or, signs might meet

retroreectivity minimums or a time, but due to actors suchas manuacturing deects or inadvertent mishandling during

installation, a certain percentage might all below the minimum

retroreectivity levels sooner than expected.

These photos show

a breakaway sign in

action. Breakaway signs

make collisions with

signs safe for the vehicle

occupants.

CleAR ZoNeoF RoADS

A driver o a vehicle that leaves

the roadway might be able to

regain control o the vehicle

and return to the roadway

i the open space adjacent

to the roadway is clear,

unobstructed, and relatively

fat. This area is known as

the “clear zone.” The width

o the clear zone is a unction

o the speed o trac, trac

volume, steepness o the side

slopes, and curvature o the

road. State highway agencies

have accepted procedures or

determining the required clear

zones or roadways.

APPENDIX B



Appendix B: Other Inspection Methods to Consider or Retroreectivity Maintenance

otr Insctin mtds t Cnsidrr Rtrrctivity maintnanc

MUTCD sign retroreectivity maintenance methods

other than the Consistent Parameters Procedure o the

Visual Inspection Method are described on the ollowing

pages. Agencies can adapt these methods or maintainingsign retroreectivity into their existing sign management

processes.

Note that the Calibration Signs and Comparison Panels

Procedures or the Visual Inspection Method both require the

agency to have signs or panels or implementation. There are

currently no turnkey operations oering these signs or panels.While they could be made by an agency’s sign shop, it would

require retroreectivity measurements with equipment

costing over $10,000 and not likely owned by small agencies.

The Expected Sign Lie, Blanket Replacement, and

Control Sign maintenance methods require some level

o management in order to be implemented. The

Retroreectivity Measurement Method requires equipment

purchases over $10,000.

For each o the last

25 years, approximately

50 percent o the atal

crashes have occurred

at night despite the

lower volumes o trac

at night.



T Visua Insctin mtd—Atrnativ prcdurs The Consistent Parameters Procedure or this method

has already been described in detail in Chapter 3 o this

guidebook. Here are two alternative procedures or this

method:

Calibratin Signs Prcedure. In this procedure, an

inspector views a “calibration sign” prior to conducting

the nighttime inspection described above. Calibration

signs have known retroreectivity levels at or above

minimum levels. These signs are set up where the

inspector can view the calibration signs in a manner

similar to nighttime feld inspections. The inspector uses

the visual appearance o the calibration sign to establish

the evaluation threshold or that night’s inspection

activities. It is unlikely that small agencies will have theunds or equipment to make the calibration signs required

or this procedure.

Cmparisn Panels Prcedure. Comparison

panels are used to assess signs that have marginal

retroreectivity. The comparison panels are abricated

at retroreectivity levels at or above the minimumlevels. When the visual inspection identifes the

retroreectivity o a sign as marginal, a comparison

panel is attached to the sign, and the sign/panel

combination is viewed

and compared by the

inspector. It is unlikelythat small agencies

will have the unds

or equipment to

make the comparison

panels required or

this procedure.



Rtrrctivity masurntsRetroreectivity is measured using a retroreectometer.

Signs with retroreectivity below the minimum levels should

be replaced. The Retroreectivity Measurement Method

requires equipment purchases over $10,000.

ectd Sin liWhen signs are installed, the installation date is labeled or

recorded so that the age o a sign is known. The age o the

sign is compared to the expected sign lie. The expected

sign lie is based on the experience o sign retroreectivity

degradation in a geographic area compared to the minimum

levels. Signs older than the expected lie should be replaced.



Bant RacntAll signs in an area/corridor or o a given type should be

replaced at specifed intervals. This eliminates the need to

assess retroreectivity or track the lie o individual signs.

The replacement interval is based on the expected sign lie,

compared to the minimum levels, or the shortest-lie material

used on the aected signs.

Cntr SinsReplacement o signs in the feld is based on the

perormance o a sample o control signs. The control signs

might be a small sample located in a maintenance yard or a

sample o signs in the feld. The control signs are monitored

to determine the end o their retroreective lie. All feld signs

represented by the control sample should be replaced beore

the retroreectivity levels o the control sample reach the

minimum levels.

Appendix C: New MUTCD Section 2A.09 Maintaining Minimum Retroreectivity

APPENDIX C



The specifc language or the new minimum requirements is as ollows.

Nw mUTCD miniu Rtrrctivity maintnanc Rquirntsexperience o sign retroreectivity degradation in a geographic

area compared to the minimum levels. Signs older than the

expected lie should be replaced.

Bant RacntD. – All signs in an area/corridor, or o

a given type, should be replaced at specied intervals. This

eliminates the need to assess retroreectivity or track the lie

o individual signs. The replacement interval is based on the

expected sign lie, compared to the minimum levels, or the

shortest-lie material used on the afected signs.

Cntr SinsE. – Replacement o signs in the eld is based on the

perormance o a sample o control signs. The control signs might

be a small sample located in a maintenance yard or a sample o

signs in the eld. The control signs are monitored to determinethe end o retroreective lie or the associated signs. All eld

signs represented by the control sample should be replaced

beore the retroreectivity levels o the control sample reach the

minimum levels.

otr mtdsF. – Other methods developed based on

engineering studies can be used.

SUppoRT:

Additional inormation about these methods is contained in the

2007EditionofFHWA’s“MaintainingTracSignRetroreectivity”

(see Sec tion 1A.11) at http://mutcd.hwa.dot.gov/htm/2003r1r2/

part2/part2a.htm.

opTIoN:

Highway agencies may exclude the ollowing signs rom the

retroreectivity maintenance guidelines described in this Section:

Parking, Standing, and Stopping signs (R7 and R8 series)A.

Walking/Hitchhiking/Crossingsigns(R9series,R10-1throughB.

R10-4b)

Adopt-A-Highway signsC.

All signs with blue or brown backgroundsD.

Bikeway signs that are intended or exclusive use by bicyclists orE.

pedestrians

SUppoRT:

Retroreectivity is one o several actors associated with

maintaining nighttime sign visibility (see Section 2A.22).

STANDARD:

Public agencies or ocials having jurisdiction shall use anassessment or management method that is designed to maintain

sign retroreectivity at or above the minimum levels in Table 1.

SUppoRT:

Compliance with the above Standard is achieved by having a

method in place and using the method to maintain the minimum

levels established in Table 1. Provided that an assessment or

management method is being used, an agency or ocial having jurisdiction would be in compliance with the above Standard even

i there are some individual signs that do not meet the minimum

retroreectivity levels at a particular point in time.

gUIDANCe:

Except or those signs specically identied in the Option

portion o this Section, one or more o the ollowing assessment

or management methods should be used to maintain signretroreectivity:

Visua Nitti InsctinA. – The retroreectivity

o an existing sign is assessed by a trained sign inspector

conducting a visual inspection rom a moving vehicle during

nighttime conditions. Signs that are visually identied by the

inspector to have retroreectivity below the minimum levels

should be replaced.masurd Sin RtrrctivityB. – Retroreectivity

is measured using a retroreectometer. Signs with

retroreectivity below the minimum levels should be

replaced.

ectd Sin liC. –Whensignsareinstalled,the

installation date is labeled or recorded so that the age o

a sign is known. The age o the sign is compared to the

expected sign lie. The expected sign lie is based on the



Table 1. Minimum Maintained Retroreectivity Levels

Sin Cr

Stin Ty (ASTm D495604)

Additina CritriaBadd Stin prisatic Stin

I II III III, IV, VI, VII, VIII, Ix, x

WhiteonGreenW*;G≥7 W*;G≥15 W*;G≥25 W≥250;G≥25 Overhead

W*;G≥7 W≥120;G≥15 Groundmounted

Black on Yellow

or

Black on Orange

Y*;O* Y≥50;O≥50

Y*;O* Y≥75;O≥75

WhiteonRed W≥35;R≥7

BlackonWhite W≥50

The minimum Minimum Retroreectivity levels shown in this table are in units o cd/lx/m2 measured at an observation angle o 0.2° and anentrance angle o –4.0°.

Fortextandnesymbolsignsmeasuringatleast1,200mm(48inches)andforal lsizesofboldsymbolsigns.

Fortextandnesymbolsignsmeasuringlessthan1,200mm(48inches). Minimumsigncontrastratio≥3:1(whiteretroreectivity÷redretroreectivity).

* Thissheetingtypeshouldnotbeusedforthiscolorforthisapplication.

Bd Syb Sins

W1-1,-2—TurnandCurve•

W1-3,-4—ReverseTurnandCurve•

W1-5—WindingRoad•

W1-6,-7—LargeArrow•

W1-8—Chevron•

W1-10—IntersectioninCurve•

W1-11—HairpinCurve•

W1-15—270DegreeLoop•

W2-1—CrossRoad•

W2-2,-3—SideRoad•

W2-4,-5—TandYIntersection•

W2-6—CircularIntersection•

W3-1—StopAhead•

W3-2—YieldAhead•

W3-3—SignalAhead•

W4-1—Merge•

W4-2—LaneEnds•

W4-3—AddedLane•

W4-5—EnteringRoadwayMerge•

W4-6—EnteringRoadwayAddedLane•

W6-1,-2—DividedHighwayBeginsandEnds•

W6-3—Two-WayTrac•

W10-1,-2,-3,-4,-11,-12—Highway-Railroad•

AdvanceWarning

W11-2—PedestrianCrossing•

W11-3—DeerCrossing•

W11-4—CattleCrossing•

W11-5—FarmEquipment•

W11-6—SnowmobileCrossing•

W11-7—EquestrianCrossing•

W11-8—FireStation•

W11-10—TruckCrossing•

W12-1—DoubleArrow•

W16-5p,-6p,-7p—PointingArrowPlaques•

W20-7a—Flagger•

W21-1a—Worker•

Fin Syb Sins—Symbol Signs Not Listed as Bold Symbol Signs

Scia Cass

W3-1—StopAhead:redretroreectivity≥7•

W3-2—YieldAhead:redretroreectivity≥7;whiteretroreectivity≥35•

W3-3—SignalAhead:redretroreectivity≥7;greenretroreectivity≥7•

W3-5—SpeedReduction:whiteretroreectivity≥50•

Fornon–diamond-shapedsignssuchasW14-3(NoPassingZone),W4-4p(CrossTracDoesNotStop),orW13-1,-2,-3,or-5(SpeedAdvisory• Plaques), use largest sign dimension to determine proper minimum retroreectivity level.

Appendix D: Sample

Forms and Letters

APPENDIX DSa lttrs and Frs



M

i l e p o i n t

D

i r e c t i o n

S

i g n T y p e

M

U T C D N u m b e r

S

i g n S i z e

Sign Message R

e t r o r e f e c t i v i t y O K

R

e m o v e S i g n

R

e p l a c e S i g n

A

d j u s t H e i g h t

S

t e e l P o s t

W

o o d P o s t

N

e w P o s t

L

e v e l P o s t

Remarks

INSPECToR

✓= okay

Agency __________________________________ Sheet ________ o ________

Trafc Sign Inspection Sheet

Date Surveyed ________________

Zone ______________ Roadway ______________________________Location/Direction _____________

From _____________________________________To __________________________________________



Odometer

Reading

Side o

Road

Sign

No. Sign I.D. Sign Type

Sign Inspection

Date Action Taken Date Action Taken

Approved ______________________________________

Title Page o

Trafc Control Device Inspection SheetAgency _________________Road Identifcation ________________________Direction _________________

Beginning Point ________________________________Ending Point ________________________________

Date _______________________________ Inspector _____________________________________________

S F di R t l tt t St t D t t T t ti (DoT)



Date

State DOT Contact

Title

Address

City, State, Zip Code

Dear (State Contact Person)

Te (Your Agency ) hereby requests urther inormation on nancial assistance that may beavailable rom the (Your State Department of Transportation) regarding the State’s Suraceransportation and Highway Saety programs. (Your Agency ) is interested in continuing toimprove saety on our local roads by reducing the severity and number o highway crashes.

New Federal rule making related to trac sign retroreectivity now published in the Manual on Uniorm Trafc Control Devices (MUCD) requires all government agencies to implementa trac sign maintenance program and to begin meeting new minimum sign retroreectivity requirements. (Your Agency ) is interested in learning more about this program but, moreimportantly, applying or any unding opportunities that may be available or local agencies.

(Your Agency ) anticipates needing an additional ($ XX,XXX ) in annual operating expenses to

implement a sign management program and to begin the purchase and installation o new tracsigns. Te requested improvements include the ollowing:

1. (Itemize)2.3.

(Your Agency ) will budget available necessary unds or a local share o any unding opportunities

and can provide additional inormation related to this request.

Please let me know i you have any questions or need additional inormation.

Sincerely,

Mayor, County Executive, City Administrator, or Tribal Government Representative

Sa Fundin Rqust lttr t Stat Dartnt Transrtatin (DoT)

Sa Fundin Rqust m t ectd ofcias



MEMORANDUM

O: Board, Council, Commission

FROM: City or County Administrator

DAE:

SUBJEC: FY 20 XX Budget Service Level Increase

New Federal trac sign standards require (Your Agency ) to implement a trac signmaintenance program and to begin meeting new minimum sign retroreectivity requirements or many o our trac signs. Tis will require (Your Agency ) to:

1. establish a sign maintenance program by January 2012,2. meet new minimum retroreectivity requirements or most o our trac signs by

January 2015 (regulatory, warning, and guide signs), and3. meet new minimum retroreectivity requirements or our street name signs by January 2018.

o meet these new Federal requirements, the (Your Agency ) will need an additional($ XX,XXX ) in annual operating expenses to implement this sign maintenance programand to begin the purchase and installation o new trac signs. Te requested improvementsinclude the ollowing:

1. (Itemize)2.3.

Tere may be opportunities to apply or and receive State or Federal grant unds to helpofset our anticipated increase in annual expenses, and our staf is investigating theseopportunities.

Please let me know i you have any questions or need additional inormation.

Sa Fundin Rqust m t ectd ofcias

Appendix E: Frequently Asked Questions

APPENDIX E



Frqunty Asd Qustins

Wat is rtrrctivity?

“Retroreectivity” describes how light is reected rom a

surace and returned to its original source (“retro”-reector).

Trac signs are covered by retroreective sheeting materials

to increase their visibility at night. Since nighttime crashes

occur approximately three times as oten as daytime crashes,maintaining trac sign retroreectivity is important to

promoting trac saety.

Wat as t trafc sins visib at nit?

Trac signs use technology with small glass beads or

prismatic reectors that reect light rom vehicle headlampsback to the vehicle and the driver’s eyes, thus making the sign

appear more bright and visible to the driver. For retroreectivity

to work properly, there needs to be a light source (vehicle

headlamps), a target (trac sign), and a receptor (driver’s eyes).

Wat is t mUTCD?Published by the Federal Highway Administration, the

Manual on Uniorm Trafc Control Devices defnes the standards

used by road managers nationwide to install and maintain

trac control devices on all streets and highways. The MUTCD

is available at http://mutcd.hwa.dot.gov.



Can I us any ty sin stin as n as its

rtrrctivity ts t iniu scid vs? The new Table 1 (seeon page 47) indicates that any type o

sheeting including the Type I (commonly called Engineering

Grade), Type II (commonly called Super Engineering Grade), or

Type III beaded (commonly called High Intensity Beaded) sheeting

and the Type III, IV, VI, VII, VIII, IX, or X prismatic sheeting may be

used on any sign with the ollowing exceptions: Types I, II, and III beaded sheeting cannot be used or the

white legends on overhead guide signs,

Type I beaded sheeting cannot be used or the white legends

on ground-mounted guide signs, and

Type I beaded sheeting cannot be used or the yellow or

orange backgrounds on warning and temporary trac controlsigns.

Can I sti us Ty I eninrin grad sin stin?

Type I Engineering Grade sign sheeting may still be used or

white, green, and red backgrounds. Type I Engineering Grade

sign sheeting also may still be used or the white legend on asign with a red background. Thus, STOP signs and black-on-white

regulatory signs may still be made rom Type I Engineering Grade

sign sheeting.

However, when agencies review their signing practices and

choice o sign materials, consider the annualized costs o the signs

using actors like expected sign lie. Even though a particular type

o sheeting might initially meet the minimum retroreectivity

levels when it is new, it might quickly degrade below minimum

levels, thus losing its eectiveness at night and requiring

replacement the next time its retroreectivity is assessed. The use

o higher-perormance sheeting, although more expensive initially,

might provide a better lie-cycle cost or the agency.



RETROREFLECTIVITYRETROREFLECTIVITYTOOLKITTOOLKIT

SIGNSIGN

HOW TO MEET THE

NEW NATIONAL

STANDARD

FOR SMALL AGENCIES,

FEDERAL LAND

MANAGEMENT AGENCIES,

AND TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS

F H W A - C F L / T D

- 0 9 -

0 0 5

• J u l y

2 0 0 9

U.S. Departmentof Transportation

Federal HighwayAdministration

SYSTem ReQUIRemeNTS

Internet Explorer® version 6 (2001 or later) or comparable

Fortheinteractivewalkthrough:

FlashPlayerversion7orlater

Support sites to acquire these applications:Internet Explorer:

http://www.microsot.com

FlashPlayer:

http://www.adobe.com/products/ashplayer/



TTI.FHWA0901.0709.XXM

FHWA_SignRetroreflectivityGuidebook

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