Development of Sign Management Plan & System for UDOT

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is concerned with maintaining a minimum level of retro-reflectivity on traffic signs under both federal and state jurisdictions. New retro-reflectivity standards have been enacted by the FHWA that mandate all transportation agencies “must establish and implement a sign management or management method to maintain minimum levels of sign retroreflectivity”. In addition, full compliance with the new retro-reflectivity standards is mandated by January 2015. Non-compliance with these new retro-reflectivity requirements will leave transportation agencies vulnerable to lawsuits. Many agencies are now realizing the challenges of establishing and maintaining a sign management program. The purpose of this research was to assess the current performance of traffic signs under the jurisdiction of the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) and develop an assessment or management method that is tailored to UDOT’s specific traffic sign needs. From 2011-12 1,716 traffic signs were measured across all four of UDOT’s maintenance regions in order to develop a snapshot of current retroreflectivity compliance. At the conclusion of the collection effort it was determined that UDOT’s sign population was 93 percent compliant with the minimum maintained retroreflectivity levels. Additional issues specific to UDOT’s sign population were identified and documented. From the collection effort it was determined that 28 percent of UDOT’s traffic signs had severe enough damage that it detracted from the legibility of the traffic signs' intended message. Analysis was conducted to determine factors that contributed to areas of high damage rates. By determining that UDOT signs had a damage issue it is recommended that a visual nighttime assessment method be utilized since it can simultaneously assess the legibility and visibility of a traffic sign. By implementing a visual nighttime inspection procedure UDOT will maintain compliance with the minimum levels and ensure the legibility of the traffic signs' message, thereby increasing motorist safety.

• Record URL:
  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cWgWFIVQ38966qIlh_2DNK0IZoAjRUt5/view?usp=sharing
• 
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Cover title: Plan Recommendation for Traffic Sign Management.
• Corporate Authors:

  Utah State University, Logan

  Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 4110 Old Main Hill
  Logan, UT  United States  84322-4110

  Utah Department of Transportation

  4501 South 2700 West
  Salt Lake City, UT  United States  84114-8410

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Heaslip, Kevin
  • Boggs, Wesley
  • Squire, Devin
  • Evans, Travis
  • Lindheimer, Tomas
  • Gardiner, Kevin
  • Langford, Mike
• Publication Date: 2012-12

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 106p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Compliance; Legibility; Maintenance management; Night visibility; Retroreflectivity; Traffic signs; Visibility
• Geographic Terms: Montana
• Subject Areas: Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Operations and Traffic Management; I60: Maintenance; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01482299
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: UT- 12.14
• Contract Numbers: 119123
• Files: TRIS, ATRI, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: May 24 2013 9:00AM