IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES FOR SIGN RETROREFLECTIVITY STANDARDS

This report documents and presents the results of a study which investigated the economic consequences of establishing minimum retroreflectivity standards for highway signs. A national data collection effort was undertaken to assess the current condition of the nation's traffic signs. Approximately 8,000 measurements of retroreflectivity were taken from a random sample of regulatory, warning, and guide signs. Using the range of minimum retroreflectivity standards provided by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), an estimate of traffic signs requiring immediate and future replacement was made. A survey of State, county and city agencies was conducted to obtain sign replacement and maintenance costs. Minimum retroreflectivity standards could cost nationally approximately $156 million per year for a ten year implementation schedule under the higher standards evaluated here. At the lower retroreflectivity standards the national cost would be no more than the cost for regular sign maintenance activities today assuming a 5 or 10 year implementation schedule. If a quicker implementation schedule of one year was adopted, then a one time economic cost of between $400 million and $2 billion would be expected depending on the retroreflectivity standards selected.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/nchrp/nchrp_rpt_346.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309048699
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Black, K L
  • McGee, H W
  • Hussain, S F
• Publication Date: 1992-4

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; References;
• Pagination: 50 p.
• Serial:
  • NCHRP Report
  • Issue Number: 346
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0077-5614

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Data collection; Implementation; Retroreflectivity; Standards; Surveys; Traffic signs
• Uncontrolled Terms: Replacement costs
• Old TRIS Terms: Strategy
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Research; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00622197
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0-309-04869-9
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: May 31 1992 12:00AM