Signs, Signs, Everywhere a Sign: Retroreflectivity Compliance APWA WA, Fall Conference October 5, 2016 Signs Five Man Electrical Jam 1
Introductions Lewis County WA Erik Martin Public Works Director / County Engineer Lewis County WA Mike Barr Traffic Control Supervisor Erik Martin Public Works Director / County Engineer Mike Barr Traffic Control Supervisor Let s get Retro Minimum Sign Retroreflectivity Requirements Updated August 2012 with compliance date revisions Information from: http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/roadway_dept/night_visib/policy_guide/sign_15mins/ 2
Why Do We Install Signs? Required by MUTCD? Most are not Engineering Decision? YES! Why? To help drivers (including older) Night Travel and Crashes 3
Signs Provide Critical Information to Drivers When Do We Replace Signs? But, Retroreflectivity Degrades Over Time Final Rule to Establish Mins Published on Dec 21, 2007 Vol 72, No. 245 Revision #2 of the 2003 Edition of the MUTCD Effective Jan 22, 2008 4
MUTCD Language Section 2A.08 Maintaining Minimum Retroreflectivity Standard: Public agencies or officials having jurisdiction shall use an assessment or management method that is designed to maintain sign retroreflectivity at or above the minimum levels in Table 2A-3 MUTCD Table 2A.3 Minimum Maintained Retroreflectivity Levels Sign Color White on Green Black on Yellow or Black on Orange Sheeting Type (ASTM D4956-04) Beaded Sheeting Prismatic Sheeting I II III III, IV, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X W* G 7 W* G 7 W* G 15 W* G 25 W 120; G 15 W 250; G 25 Additional Criteria Overhead Ground-mounted Y*; O* Y 50; O 50 Y*; O* Y 75; O 75 White on Red W 35; R 7 Black on White W 50 The minimum maintained retroreflectivity levels shown in this table are in units of cd/lx/m 2 measured at an observation angle of 0.2 and an entrance angle of -4.0. For text and fine symbol signs measuring at least 1200 mm (48 in) and for all sizes of bold symbol signs For text and fine symbol signs measuring less than 1200 mm (48 in) Minimum Sign Contrast Ratio 3:1 (white retroreflectivity red retroreflectivity) * This sheeting type shall not be used for this color for this application. 5
cd / lx / m2 How does this translate? cd : candela The intensity of the light source lx : lux Illumination, or light falling on a unit area m2 : Distance in meters squared Methods to Maintain Retro 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 6
MUTCD Language Section 2A.08 Maintaining Minimum Retroreflectivity Support: Compliance is achieved by having a method in place and using the method to maintain the minimum levels established in Table 2A-3. Provided that a method is being used, an agency would be in compliance even if there are some individual signs that do not meet the levels at a particular point in time. Exempt Signs Parking/Standing/Stopping Walking/Hitchhiking Adopt-A-Highway Blue or Brown Backgrounds Exclusive Use of Bikes or Peds Note: Must still meet other requirements in MUTCD (inspections, retroreflective, etc,) 7
Compliance Date Final Rule May 14, 2012 Eliminated 46 items Revised 4 others items Safety related compliance dates maintained (8) Revision #2 of the 2009 MUTCD Updated Sign Retroreflectivity Compliance Dates January 2012 June 2014 Implementation and continued use of an assessment or management method that is designed to maintain traffic regulatory and warning sign retroreflectivity at or above the established minimum levels January 2015 - Replace identified regulatory, warning, ground-mounted guide signs (except street-name) January 2018 - Replace identified street name & overhead guide signs 8
Why were guide signs removed from compliance dates? Regulatory and warning signs constitute the highest priority for assessing retro of existing signs Including guide signs would increase the economic burden When do I have to replace my worn out signs? Agencies are expected to prioritize replacement of these signs based on engineering considerations, similar to other traffic control devices. It is expected that the use of the assessment or management method would serve to identify and program the replacement of signs that are found to or expected to be below the minimum retroreflectivity levels. As resources allow 9
Do guide signs and street name signs still have to meet the minimums? Yes. The standards for minimum retroreflectivity requirements still apply to guide signs. The compliance date for guide signs (including street name signs) have been eliminated. However, agencies are expected to add these signs to their method as resources allow. More Information MUTCD Website: http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov Nighttime Visibility Website: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/retro Regulations/Standards Technical Guidance Implementation Tools Frequently Asked Questions Research 10
Nighttime Testing started in 2006 Why this method? Geography Costs Efficiency (3 nights) KISS Produces low replacement based on real world human-sign interactions Procedures: Usually start on a Sunday night in Feb (Watch out for Superbowl Sunday) Seahawks! Yikes! All crew does visuals w/ flashlight 4 sign colors 2 of each (one dead, one live) Use 4WD pickups with lamps on low beam 2 person crews (one driver/inspector, one recorder 11
Procedures (Cont.) NO STOPPING for maintenance Used 60+ age drivers for first 6 years Used various ages last 2 years Try to avoid rain/fog (but hey, this is WA) If it snows, we are postponed 3 crews, 3 nights, 10,764 signs inspected! 600 Lewis County Nighttime Retroreflectivity Testing Results 2009-2016 537 500 500 400 300 200 100 0 182 86 103 77 52 171 128 25 110 25 0 0 0 36 9 1 14 2 0 40 9 1 0 MISC. 58 8 55 11 52 20 44 3 20 8 24 0 64 5 WHITE 11 10 17 3 9 10 2 2 RED 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Totals RED YELLOW WHITE GREEN MISC. TOTALS 12
LEWIS COUNTY NIGHTTIME RR INSPECTION RESULTS 2009-2016 RED YELLOW WHITE GREEN MISC. TOTALS 2009 11 58 8 9 86 2010 10 55 11 1 77 2011 17 52 20 14 103 2012 3 44 3 2 52 2013 9 128 20 25 182 2014 10 171 40 9 230 2015 2 24 8 1 35 2016 2 5 7 Totals 50 337 62 26 25 500 LEWIS COUNTY NIGHTTIME RR INSPECTION RESULTS 2009-2013 Results: Cyclical as signs wear out Low in 2012 and again in 2015 and 2016 Yellows outweigh all others Due to having greatest percentage of total LC signs Overall very minor: Only 1-2% of all signs are replaced yearly due to retroreflectivity issues. 13
Other lessons: Nighttime work may require adherence to union contract Lesson learned (if someone gets carsick, they are a driver) Rotate staff or get volunteers yearly Plan ahead, have everything ready to go the week before (pens, highlighters, sign logs, fuel, pen lights/reading lights, etc.) Have fun with it! Bring food or go out to breakfast as a team when finished to celebrate Enjoy the rest of the week off Most of our staff will take vacation for the 8-10 remaining hours in their week 14
Questions? Discussion on other agency methods. What works, what doesn t Experiences with a retroreflectometer Budget problems (replacements) Other sign issues? 15