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Federal Highway Administration Revises Rules to Make Highways Safer
As part of his continuing effort to improve safety on the nation’s roads and bridges, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today released a comprehensive update to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). The manual, which has been administered by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) since 1971, sets the standards for road safety throughout the country.
“Safety is this Department’s top priority,” said Secretary LaHood. “These new and updated standards will help make our nation’s roads and bridges safer for drivers, construction workers and pedestrians alike.”
The MUTCD is the national standard for all traffic control devices, including traffic signs, pavement markings, signals and any other devices used to regulate, warn or guide traffic. Ensuring uniformity of traffic control devices across the nation – from their messages and placement to their sizes, shapes and colors – helps to...
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New MUTCD Minimum Maintained Retroreflectivity Levels
For more information, please visit the FHWA website at www.fhwa.dot.gov/retro
Please visit the Model 922 product page
| The minimum maintained retroreflectivity levels shown in this table are in units of cd/lx/m2 measured at an observation angle of 0.2° and an entrance angle of -4.0° |
| SIGN COLOR |
ADDITIONAL CRITERIA |
Sheeting Type (ASTM D4956-04) |
| Beaded Sheeting |
Prismatic Sheeting |
| I |
II |
III |
III, IV, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X |
White on Green
|
Overhead
|
White *
Green > 7 |
White *
Green > 15 |
White *
Green > 25 |
White > 250
Green > 25 |
White on Green
|
Ground-mounted
|
White *
Green > 7 |
White > 120
Green > 15 |
Black on Yellow or Black on Orange |
see note (1) below |
Yellow *
Orange * |
Yellow > 50
Orange > 50 |
| see note (2) below |
Yellow *
Orange * |
Yellow > 75
Orange > 75 |
| White on Red |
see note (3) below |
White > 35
Red > 7 |
| Black on White |
|
White > 50 |
| * |
This sheeting type should not be used for this color for this application. |
| (1) |
For text and fine symbol signs measuring at least 1200 mm (48 in) and for all sizes of bold symbol signs. |
| (2) |
For text and fine symbol signs measuring less than 1200 mm (48 in). |
| (3) |
Minimum Sign Contrast Ratio greater than or equal to 3 to 1 (white retroreflectivity divided by red retroreflectivity) |
Definition of Bold Symbol Signs
Fine Symbol signs are all those not listed as Bold Symbol Signs
| Bold Symbol Signs |
- W1-1,-2 Turn and Curve
- W1-3,-4 Reverse Turn and Curve
- W1-5 Winding Road
- W1-6,-7 Large Arrow
- W1-8 Chevron
- W1-10 Intersection in Curve
- W1-11 Hairpin Curve
- W1-15 270 Degree Loop
- W2-1 Cross Road
- W2-2,-3 Side Road
- W2-4,-5 T and Y Intersection
- W2-6 Circular Intersection
- W3-1 Stop Ahead
|
- W3-2 Yield Ahead
- W3-3 Signal Ahead
- W4-1 Merge
- W4-2 Lane Ends
- W4-3 Added Lane
- W4-5 Entering Roadway Merge
- W4-6 Entering Roadway Added Lane
- W6-1,-2 Divided Highway Begins and Ends
- W6-3 Two-Way Traffic
- W10-1,-2,-3,-4,-11,-12 Highway-Railroad Advance Warning
- W11-2 Pedestrian Crossing
|
- W11-3 Deer Crossing
- W11-4 Cattle Crossing
- W11-5 Farm Equipment
- W11-6 Snowmobile Crossing
- W11-7 Equestrian Crossing
- W11-8 Fire Station
- W11-10 Truck Crossing
- W12-1 Double Arrow
- W16-5p,-6p,-7p Pointing Arrow Plaques
- W20-7a Flagger
- W21-1a Worker
|
| Special Cases |
- W3-1 Stop Ahead: Red retroreflectivity > 7
- W3-2 Yield Ahead: Red retroreflectivity > 7; White retroreflectivity > 35
- W3-3 Signal Ahead: Red retroreflectivity > 7; Green retroreflectivity > 7
- W3-5 Speed Reduction: White retroreflectivity > 50
- For non-diamond shaped signs such as W14-3 (No Passing Zone), W4-4 (Cross Traffic Does Not Stop) or W13-1,-2,-3,-5 (Speed Advisory Plaques), use largest sign dimension to determine proper minimum retroreflectivity level.
|
