Transcript Slide 1
Matheu J. Carter, P.E.
T2 Engineer
Delaware T2 Center
October 15, 2009
T2 Centers or LTAPs located in all 50 states
Funded by FHWA and state DOTs
Mission – promote training, tech transfer,
research implementation at local level
Delaware T2 hosted by University of Delaware,
part of Delaware Center for Transportation
Currently, Delaware T2 Engineer, Municipal
Engineering Circuit Rider, Safety Circuit Rider
Professional Engineer, licensed in six states
20+ year career, civil & env engineering
Bridge, road, utility construction
Design consulting
Public sector (Director, DPW, Cecil County, MD)
What is retroreflectivity?
What is the MUTCD and to whom does it apply?
What is the origin of the retroreflectivity
standards?
What are the standards?
What do you need to do and when?
What are your options for compliance?
What should you be doing now?
Why should you take it seriously?
This is a big topic
While a good start, this 2-hour webinar alone
won’t prepare you
So where else can you turn?
The November 5 APWA CLL will be a big help also
FHWA, APWA, ATSSA, NACE, and others have great web
content
LTAP or T2 Centers in each state and tribal region – many
are conducting local training in your area
It is the ability of a material to return light back
towards its source
It is not mirror-reflectivity, which bounces light off
in the opposite direction
It is definitely not diffuse reflection, which scatters
the light source – think of a painted wall
These signs have varying retroreflective levels –
notice how brightly one returns the light versus the
others
Which of the stop signs below do you want at the
intersections as your teenage child or grandparent
comes home on a rainy night?
The MUTCD is the national standard for all traffic
control devices installed on all roads that are open
to public travel
Applies to TCDs on “any street, highway, or
bicycle trail open to public travel” – 23 CFR Part
655 Subpart F
Many states have their own MUTCD that meets
or exceeds the federal manual
General retroreflectivity standards have existed in
the MUTCD for some time – Section 2A.08
1993 DOT appropriations act required standards
Minimum retroreflective requirements established
in Revision 2 of the 2003 Edition – Section 2A.09
Minimum requirements resulted from research
targeted at the reduced reaction times and vision of
some older drivers – this becomes important with
some of the compliance methods
Sheeting types
Beaded (Engineer Grade, Super Engineer Grade, High
Intensity)
Prismatic (High Intensity Prismatic, Diamond Grade, etc.)
Examples
End Detour (black on orange) – orange ≥ 50
Do Not Enter sign (white on red) – white ≥ 35; red ≥ 7 and
contrast of white to red ≥ 3:1 (wash out concern)
Parking/Standing/Stopping
Walking/Hitchhiking
Adopt-A-Highway
Blue or Brown Backgrounds
Exclusive Use of Bikes
or Pedestrians
Note:
Must still meet other
requirements in MUTCD
(inspections, retroreflective,
etc.)
12
Develop and implement a method or methods
“Compliance with the…Standard is achieved by having a method in place and using the method to maintain the
minimum levels established in Table 2A-3. Provided that an assessment or management method is being used,
an agency or official having jurisdiction would be in compliance…even if there are some individual signs that do
not meet the minimum retroreflectivity levels at a particular point in time.” Section 2A.09
Effective date of Final Rule – January 22, 2008
1st compliance deadline– January 2012 (4 yrs)
2nd compliance deadline – January 2015 (7 yrs)
3rd compliance deadline – January 2018 (10 yrs)
January 2012
Implementation & continued use of an assessment or
management method designed to maintain retroreflectivity at
or above established minimum retro levels (Table 2A-3)
January 2015
replacement of regulatory, warning, and ground-mounted
guide (except street name) signs identified as failing to meet
the minimum retro levels
January 2018
replacement of street name signs and overhead guide signs
identified as failing to meet the established minimum levels.
Visual Nighttime
Inspection
Calibration Signs
Comparison Panels
Consistent
Parameters
Measured Sign Retro
Expected Sign Life
Blanket Replacement
Control Signs
Future Method Based
On Engineering Study
Combination Of Any
15
Trained inspector
Visual inspection/assessment at night
Need to tie to minimum values by using
Calibration signs procedure, or
Comparison panels procedure, or
Consistent parameter procedure
16
Common elements of all visual assessment
techniques
Properly aim inspection vehicle headlamps
http://www.automedia.com/Aiming_Headlights/ccr20010801ha/1
http://www.coolbulbs.com/HID-VISUAL-HEADLIGHT-AIMING-PROCEDURE.pdf
Two-person crew works best
Having an inventory in advance is ideal
Have evaluation form and criteria
Conduct evaluations at roadway speed
Use low-beam headlamps
17
You “calibrate” your eyes with calibration
signs
Calibration signs
are near minimum
retro
You then evaluate
signs as
compared to
calibration signs
18
Tie
to minimum values with comparison
panels
Panels are near desired retro
Clipped to sign - viewed from distance
Evaluate signs compared to panels
19
Uses
parameters consistent with those
used to develop the minimum levels
Inspector – older driver (60+)
SUV type vehicle
Cutoff headlamps
(properly aimed)
20
Method advantages:
Low administrative and fiscal burden
Signs are viewed in their natural surroundings
Low level of sign replacement and sign waste
Method disadvantages:
Subjective … but research has shown that trained
observers can reasonably and repeatedly detect signs
with marginal retroreflectivity.
Exposure/risk of conducting nighttime inspections
Paying overtime
21
Visual Nighttime
Inspection
Calibration Signs
Comparison Panels
Consistent
Parameters
Measured Sign Retro
Expected Sign Life
Blanket Replacement
Control Signs
Future Method Based
On Engineering Study
Combination Of Any
22
Use a portable instrument
Receive proper training
Have a protocol for consistency
Compare readings to minimum values
23
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Provides the most direct means of monitoring the
maintained retroreflectivity levels
Removes subjectivity
Cost of instruments (approx $10,000 to $12,000)
Measuring all signs in a jurisdiction can be time
consuming
Using retroreflectivity as the only indicator of whether or
not a sign should be replaced may end up neglecting
other attributes of the sign's overall appearance.
24
Visual Nighttime
Inspection
Calibration Signs
Comparison Panels
Consistent
Parameters
Measured Sign Retro
Expected Sign Life
Blanket Replacement
Control Signs
Future Method Based
On Engineering Study
Combination Of Any
25
Find the life of the sheeting type in your area
Replacement based on expected life for
individual signs
26
• Build and use a weathering rack like the one shown
• AASHTO-NTPEP data
• Sheeting company warranty information
• Specify sign life
• Measure existing signs with known install date and
compare to min level
• Use weathering data or nearby jurisdiction’s
weathering data
27
All signs in an area/corridor
are replaced at the same time
at specified intervals
Specified intervals could be
set based on expected sign life
Some existing blanket sign
replacement policies exist using
10-12 years for Beaded HighIntensity sheeting signs
City of Tempe, AZ
Maintenance Zones
28
Sign life is estimated using a subset of signs
representing an agency’s inventory.
Subset of signs constitutes the “control signs”
Control signs can be in-service signs or signs in a
maintenance yard.
Agency monitors control
Example of Control Signs
signs to estimate condition
of all their signs.
Periodically measure
retroreflectivity of control
signs.
29
Flexibility is provided for
future advancements in
technology and methods
that have not been fully
developed (must be based
on an engineering study)
Combination of methods,
also
30
Visual Nighttime
Inspection
Calibration Signs
Comparison Panels
Consistent
Parameters
Measured Sign Retro
Expected Sign Life
Blanket Replacement
Control Signs
Future Method Based
On Engineering Study
Combination Of Any
31
Begin/update sign inventory
Consider which maintenance/management
method(s) best for your agency (at least for now)
Develop an SOP, policy memo, ordinance, etc. to
establish the method(s) you will use
Training for you and staff/colleagues
Begin preparing budget authorities
Will there be a federal or state Sign Inspector
coming around? Don’t believe so.
Must federally funded projects comply? Yep.
Can this make a big difference in traffic safety for
your residents and visitors? You bet.
Will this be fodder for plaintiff’s lawyers, both
legitimately and illegitimately? Most likely.
Because it
matters
Because it
matters
Because it
matters
Because it
matters
Because it
matters
Contact your local LTAP or T2 Center
and/or your local FHWA division office
Typical workshop training available
Overview Workshop
Inspector Workshop
Delaware T2 Center
Matt Carter, T2 Engineer
[email protected]; (302) 831-7236
39