Work Zone Sign Detail Tailgate Safety Talk
Work Zone signs, as well as all traffic control devices along highways, must meet the requirements of the National Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (National MUTCD). New York State Legislature adopted the National MUTCD and provided for the Department to promulgate a supplement, which became effective as of September 13, 2007 within Vehicle and Traffic Law. The law provides that the manual and its specifications are adopted as the state standard for traffic control devices on any street, highway, or bicycle path open to public travel. The law further maintains “No person shall install or maintain in any area of private property used by the public any sign, signal, marking or other device intended to regulate, warn or guide traffic unless it conforms with the manual and specifications maintained under this section.” Standard Specification Section 619-2.02(H) requires signs to be fabricated as shown in the National MUTCD. The National MUTCD requires signs to be unmistakably similar to or mirror images of the adopted signs, which are shown in the "Standard Highway Signs" book (http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/ser-shs_millennium.htm). The Standard Highway Signs book provides specific sign face layout details including border and symbol dimensions, character sizes, and character fonts. Standard Sheets M619-12 and M619-13 depict typical work zone sign sizes for different defined roadways. The NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law requires compliance with the National MUTCD, NYS Supplement and Standard Highway Signs.
The National MUTCD standards present guidance for design and use of applicable devices, which meet five basic requirements: fulfill a need; command attention; convey a clear, simple meaning; command respect from road users; and give adequate time for proper response. It is therefore essential that work zone signs and traffic control devices conform to the National MUTCD. Signs that do not appear to meet the aforementioned basic requirements when conducting quality control work zone reviews probably are not complying with specification and should be checked for applicable location, size and fabrication details.
References:
Standard Specification Section 619-2.02 (H)
H. Construction Signs. Fabrication of all components shall produce a finished sign panel. Holes may be punched or drilled. Edges shall be smooth and true and free from burrs or ragged breaks. Sign panels, including face shape, color, dimensions, and characters shall be fabricated using colors, character series and sizes, symbols, route shields and borders as shown in the MUTCD or in the contract documents. Nominal dimensions are based on a conversion factor of 25 mm per inch.
NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law, Article 44 – Traffic Control Devices, Section 1680 Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices
§ 1680. Department of Transportation to maintain a manual of uniform traffic-control devices
(a) The department of transportation shall maintain a manual and specifications for a uniform system of traffic-control devices consistent with the provisions of this chapter for use upon highways within this state. Such uniform system shall correlate with and so far as practicable conform to nationally accepted standards. To the extent that the National Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (hereinafter referred to in this section as MUTCD), promulgated by the Federal Highway Administration pursuant to subpart F of part 655 of Title 23 of the Code of Federal Regulations and subject to a public comment period under federal law, does not conflict with the provisions of this chapter and the provisions of other laws of the state, the National MUTCD shall constitute such state manual and specifications; provided, however, such manual and specifications may be modified by the commissioner of transportation by the adoption of a supplement or supplements as such commissioner of transportation determines warranted and in compliance with the applicable provisions of the state administrative procedure act. The manual and its specifications is adopted as the state standard for traffic control devices on any street, highway, or bicycle path open to public travel. No person shall install or maintain in any area of private property used by the public any sign, signal, marking or other device intended to regulate, warn or guide traffic unless it conforms with the state manual and specifications maintained under this section. Unless otherwise provided for by the adoption of a supplement by the commissioner of transportation, the operational practices related to emergency incident responses provided in the manual shall apply to police officers and other emergency responders responding to an emergency only in so far as such officers or emergency responders deem compliance with the manual practicable.
(b) No provision of this chapter shall be deemed to require that such manual contain authority for the future installation of any specific kind or type of traffic-control device or combination of traffic-control devices which in the judgment of the department of transportation does not conform to such nationally accepted standards.
(c) No state or local authority shall hereafter fabricate or purchase any traffic-control device that does not conform to the current manual and specifications as amended from time to time. No state or local authority shall hereafter install any traffic-control device that does not conform to the current manual and specifications as amended from time to time, except that devices that are on order or on hand and serviceable or operable may be installed and used until the phase-in compliance date specified in the MUTCD. No state or local authority shall continue to use any traffic-control device that does not conform to the current manual and specifications as amended from time to time beyond the phase-in compliance date specified in the MUTCD, except that a city having a population in excess of one million shall conform to the state manual and specifications only insofar as such local authority in its discretion deems practicable.
(d) No person, firm, association or corporation shall sell, lease, or offer for sale or hire for use in this state any traffic control device that does not conform to the current manual and specifications as amended from time to time, or unless a certificate of approval has been issued by the commissioner of transportation pursuant to the provisions of section five hundred ninety-nine-b of the general business law. The provisions of this subdivision shall not apply to the sale, lease or offer for sale or hire to a city having a population in excess of one million.
National Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices
Section 1A.03 Design of Traffic Control Devices
Standard:
All symbols shall be unmistakably similar to or mirror images of the adopted symbol signs, all of which are shown in the "Standard Highway Signs" book (see Section 1A-11). Symbols and colors shall not be modified unless otherwise stated herein. All symbols and colors for signs not shown in the "Standard Highway Signs" book shall follow the procedures for experimentation and change described in Section 1A.10.
Guidance:
To be effective, a traffic control device should meet five basic requirements:
- Fulfill a need;
- Command attention;
- Convey a clear, simple meaning;
- Command respect from road users; and
- Give adequate time for proper response.
Standard Highway Signs
The Standard Highway Signs Book 2004 Edition is a companion document to the 2003 Edition of the MUTCD, including Revision 1.
http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/ser-shs_millennium.htm
Standard Highway Signs – W20-5a sign detail
http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/ser-shs_millennium.htm
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