THE ROAD TO BETTER HIGHWAY SIGNING

This article discusses the need for road agencies to maintain a traffic control device (TCD) inventory. The Highway Safety Program Standard 13 (HSPS 13), Traffic Engineering Services, established under the 1966 Highway Safety Act, necessitated a number of important management tools, including such an inventory. The program manual prepared by the FHWA for the implementation of HSPS 13 addressed the importance of properly maintaining traffic control devices and the keeping of maintenance records. The Standard was changed to make a guideline in 1988. An FHWA review in 1988 revealed that the states had not complied with HSPS 13. Only a small number of states maintained statewide inventories of their traffic signs. Subsequently, the Acting Executive Director of FHWA, discussed a new program, "The Road to Better Highway Signing," and its importance to safety. On November 10, 1989, the Acting Associate Administrator for Safety and Operations sent a Memorandum to the FHWA Regional Administrators itemizing the essential elements of the new program. It is now 24 years since the 1966 Highway Safety Act and HSPS 13 were signed into law. Had the 1966 Highway Safety Act received the support and compliance it deserved, many lives could have been saved and many injuries prevented. The one item that is of great importance and seems to be missing from the recent FHWA program is an inventory of roadway elements that need to be analyzed to determine if TCDs are needed. The program appears to be directed at TCDs that already exist on the roadway. While that should be the first priority in any inventory and evaluation program, it is very important to evaluate the locations where TCDs should be installed, particularly if such installation is not optional but mandatory.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/0884612X
• Corporate Authors:

  TranSafety, Incorporated

  5811 Oak Leather Drive
  Burke, VA  United States  22015
• Authors:
  • Anderson, R W G
• Publication Date: 1990-1

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 4-6
• Serial:
  • TRANSAFETY REPORTER
  • Volume: 8
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: TranSafety, Incorporated
  • ISSN: 0884-612X

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Compliance; Inventory; Regulations; Traffic control devices
• Identifier Terms: Highway Safety act; U.S. Federal Highway Administration
• Subject Areas: Freight Transportation; Highways; Law; Operations and Traffic Management; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00491284
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 28 1990 12:00AM