We would like to welcome the Kittson County, Minnesota townships of St. Vincent, Clow, Thompson, Hazeltine, Granville, Tegner, and Svea to our ever expanding network!
Information on the new regulation can be found at the website link below:
http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/roadway_dept/night_visib/retrotoolkit/
The background from the site states;
The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, or MUTCD, establishes uniformity and standards for traffic signs on public roads. Recently adopted language in the MUTCD now requires all agencies to adopt a sign maintenance program, which in turn will help agencies meet new minimum retroreflectivity requirements for the traffic signs they have installed.
All agencies, large and small, that own and maintain traffic signs, are required to adhere to these new requirements for their traffic signs. Implementing these requirements may also involve beginning a new sign maintenance program.
From the fhwa.dot.gov website. About half of traffic fatalities occur at night, although only about one quarter of travel occurs after dark. Although intoxication and fatigue contribute to the high rate of nighttime crashes, nighttime driving is inherently hazardous because of decreased driver visibility.
Adequately maintained retroreflective signs and pavement markings improve highway safety and prevent roadway departure crashes by bouncing light from vehicle headlights back toward the vehicle and the driver’s eyes, making the signs and markings appear brighter and easier to see and read.
Because the retroreflective properties of traffic control devices deteriorate over time, highway agencies need to actively manage the maintenance of signs and pavement markings in order to ensure that they are clearly visible at night.
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has implemented a federal mandate requiring jurisdictions to identify, document, and maintain assets (road signs) for the purpose of enhancing public safety.
In addition to the most complete and effective method of do-it-yourself asset data collection on the market today, AcquiSign has designed, developed, and implemented a core set of web based sign management solutions. These solutions allow jurisdictions and consultants enhanced capabilities in managing and maintaining asset inventory.
The AcquiSign process captures physical asset data via pre-developed applications and remotely stores the information for the purpose of identification, replacement planning, reporting and regulatory adherence. By providing full end-to-end process, our solutions create immediate operational efficiencies, extract cost, and increase the return on assets.