Signs

Signs

Road Sign

Signs are important fixtures that help advance roadway safety every day throughout the United States. Today, a variety of symbols, shapes and colors are used to convey messages to users on and around the roadways. Signs types include traffic, roadway, warning, railroad, guide, recreational, temporary, regulatory, pedestrian and bicycle.


There are many benefits to using symbols, which include immediate communication with all roadway users and their ability to break language barriers. Colors can communicate approaching scenarios such as using orange to indicate an upcoming work zone or red for an upcoming stop or yielding point. A number of shapes are also used to indicate oncoming situations or to provide roadway users with information such as octagons for stop and long horizontal, rectangular signs displaying guidance information.


Today, traffic signs are being looped into the world of autonomous driving technology. Research efforts are being made to equip traffic signs with technology, like embedded machine-readable codes, to allow them to communicate with Connected Automated Vehicles (CAVs) and other mapping devices.


ATSSA has dedicated group of members on its Sign Committee (member login required), who work to:

  • Enhance members’ businesses by increasing their understanding of traffic control devices on private property,
  • Influence the present and future direction of Minimum Retroreflectivity Standards,
  • Inform and educate roadway safety industry members on sign industry-related matters,
  • Provide knowledge and education about signing retroreflectivity,
  • Work to have dedicated funds identified and available for sign management systems and the implementation of upgraded programs to conform with MRS,
  • Monitor and influence the development of a new MUTCD chapter on changeable message signs, and
  • Improve upon and solicit greater committee member participation in Sign Committee meetings and on task forces, including recruitment of new committee members.

Resources

Pam

ATSSA submits 120 comments for feedback to proposed MUTCD

ATSSA today submitted 120 comments to the Federal Register on the Proposed Rule for the National Standards for the Traffic Control Devices: Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) for Streets and Highways revision. 

The 23 pages of comments were compiled over the past few months and are the product of input received from ATSSA’s technical committees, MUTCD Chat Lounges during February’s Annual Convention & Traffic Expo, National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Device (NCUTCD) committee meetings and other conferences attended by ATSSA. The input was produced after sorting through nearly 2,000 comments to the 700-page MUTCD. 

“A huge thank you goes out to our members for leading the charge as this was a herculean effort,” ATSSA Director of Innovation & Technical Services Eric Perry said. “I want to thank our members for their feedback and contributions.”

Comments were due to the Federal Register by Friday.

This is the first comprehensive update to the MUTCD in more than a decade.  The document opened for public comment on Dec. 14 as originally reported here and was originally to allow comments through March 15. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) extended the time for public comment as a result of feedback from stakeholders.

The Notice of Proposed Amendments for the 11th edition of the MUTCD contains more than 600 proposed changes, according to a statement from the FHWA.

 

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