




	May 2008 Traffic Sign Changes: Be Informed and Prepared Wisconsin Waterfront Initiative Wetlands: More Than Just Cattails Current Issue www.AyresAssociates.com Subscribe		Traffic Sign Changes: Be Informed and Prepared (May 2008)
			Thursday, July 31, is the deadline for comments on proposed changes to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), the national standard for all traffic control devices installed on any street, highway, or bicycle trail open to the public. Some of the proposed changes will require local units of government to replace existing signs and modify traffic control devices. You can view the proposed changes on the website http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov. Comments can be submitted by mail or hand delivery to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Dockets Management Facility, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590, or submitted electronically at www.regulations.gov. Comments can also be sent via fax to 202.493.2251. The proposed changes could affect cities and villages, townships, counties, and the state: New pedestrian crossing signal guidelines Signage guidelines for roundabouts Overhead sign illumination requirements Sign text size increases to improve legibility New "Right Turn on Red YIELD to U Turn" sign design Minimum size for diamond-shaped warning signs for multilane conventional roadways Intersection "Stop" sign modifications Modified pedestrian regulatory and warning sign guidelines for crosswalks New guide signs for multi-lane roadways approaching freeway interchanges Crosswalk marking guidelines Railroad crossing signaling Guidelines for increased safety of workers, drivers, and pedestrians at road construction sites Some of the proposed changes are linked to other legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and may require advanced planning. New locations for pedestrian pushbuttons and curb ramps at intersections are one example. A recommendation for larger back-plates on overhead signs could affect vertical clearances, leading some agencies to have to install larger poles and mast-arms over the roadway. Larger pole diameters could challenge the ability to meet ADA guidelines: the larger pole could impede unrestricted access to a crossing. One proposed change would provide more time for pedestrians to cross roadways, increasing the amount of time motorists must wait at the intersection. This could affect traffic signal timing, leading to traffic delays at heavily used intersections. Many more changes are under consideration that could affect roadways at the local, county, and state levels.