RESEARCH PAYS OFF: MICHIGAN DOT REFLECTS ON SIGNS

The nighttime effectiveness of most highway signs depends on their retroreflective sheeting, which reflects vehicle headlights, allowing the text of the signs to be read. As the sheeting ages, however, it becomes less effective at reflecting light, and the legibility of the sign gradually decreases. At some point the sign should be replaced, but at what point? To date, transportation agencies have no standards to guide them in making this determination. This situation is about to be rectified. In 1993 Congress directed the Secretary of Transportation to develop retroreflectivity standards for signs. The Michigan Department of Transportation has developed a new method to assess retroreflectivity, thereby aiding compliance with the new standards. Further details are provided in this article, which discusses the problem, its solution, application of the solution, and the benefits of the solution.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/trnews/rpo/rpo.trn192.pdf
• 
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/07386826
• 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:
  • Long, D
• Publication Date: 1997-9

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures;
• Pagination: p. 24-25
• Serial:
  • TR News
  • Issue Number: 192
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0738-6826

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Applications; Benefits; Compliance; Cost effectiveness; Equipment replacement; Measuring instruments; Portable equipment; Retroreflectivity; Safety; Standards; Traffic signs
• Uncontrolled Terms: Mobile equipment
• Old TRIS Terms: Replacements
• Subject Areas: Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Operations and Traffic Management; Research; Safety and Human Factors; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00743234
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Dec 1 1997 12:00AM