Q & A Following the Overview of Part VI of the Recently Revised MUTCD Webinar
This page includes the questions that were submitted following the Overview of Part VI of the Recently Revised MUTCD Webinar and the answers provided by Ken Wood and Hari Kalla of FHWA.
Q. Any changes to mobile operations? Examp. Traffic signal Tech. changing blown LED at intersection, less than 15 min. What is the standard?
A. There were not any revisions to mobile operations. The type of traffc control has to be determined based upon the location of the work and the duration of the activity. Guidance is contained in Chapters 6G & 6H.
Q. Although MUTCD does not state explicitly, how do you feel about using the shoulder drop-off (symbol) sign for an uneven lane condition?
A. The new symbol should only be used for the Shoulder Drop Off condition. The UNEVEN LANES (W8-11) word message sign should be used. This is spelled out in Sections 6F.44 & 6F.45.
Q. What was the FHWA website?
A. http://www.mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/
Q. Is it recommended against making job-made signs (home-made) for temporary traffic control?
A. As long as the signs are produced with the sign design in accordance with the Highway Signs and Markings Book and with the correct materials, it does not matter where the signs are made. Hand lettered signs or electrical tape messages do not meet the standard designs.
Q. What is an ITS?
A. Intelligent Transportation Systems.
Q. 45mph or greater is considered high speed, yet some urban city streets have a 45 mph speed posting. Some city officials have considered this a low speed roadway. It has been mentioned, that 45 mph can be a low speed for an urban roadway, but high speed for a city street. Does FHWA define 45 mph or greater (regardless of location) as a high speed road? At 45 mph significant changes to the length of the taper (change in formula) would suggest that 45 mph or greater is indeed a high speed road, even on a city street. The old definition of 50 mph rural does not define a high speed urban road adequately.
A. The FHWA does not define low or high speed, but leaves that determination to the agency that has jurisdiction over the roadway.
Q. I thought I heard the presenters refer to members of the media being subject to the high viz requirements. Is this the case?
A. Yes, when they are within the right of way.
Q. Training requirements for workers (flaggers)
A. The MUTCD requires that flaggers be trained, but the method of training is left up to the agency that has jurisdiction over the road where the activity is taking place.
Q. Has there been any significant changes in the naming convention of signs?
A. No.
Q. Is there a planned revision in the making?
A. No.
Q. Are object markers subject to the retroreflectivity standards, now that they have been moved to Chapter 2?
A. Yes, the minimum retroreflectivity requirements apply to object markers.
Q. Are Class II vests required of volunteer personnel working along the roadway collecting trash, etc?
A. Yes, they are considered “workers”.
Q. The Stop-Slow flag was allowed until 2007 in New York State as an alternative. It was nice because it allowed a rolled up device that could fit in any vehicle and put a stop-slow device on site immediately.
A. This device would not comply with the provisions in the 2009 MUTCD.
Q. In Florida, Lane Closure ahead signs are used for turn lane closures. I feel this is confusing. What is your take on this?
A. Guidance on closing lanes in urban situations is included in Typical Application 25. However, these are examples and a Traffic Control Plan needs to be developed for each location and activity.
Q. Is a side-by-side comparison of 2003-2009 changes document going to become available soon?
A. It is available now. It can be obtained by requesting it via e-mail to any of the MUTCD team members.
Q. US Border patrol has been stopping traffic on the Interstate in the region to conduct their enforcement activity. Must they wear high vis clothing since they are controlling traffic to do their enforecment activity?
A. The interpretation of the regulation is to the various police agencies. If they feel the risk to the officers is higher by making increasing their visibility during enforcement activities, then they are exempt from the regulation.
Q. So you are only required to wear a class II?
A. The MUTCD allows either the Class 2 or 3 garment. Agencies may have adopted stricter policies and may require a Class 3 garment. You should check the requirements of the agency where you are working to verify.
Q. Does the MUTCD have providions for overhead 300 mm Purple Light Signals for EZ Pass Toll Booth Lanes?
A. No – previous experiments with this concept were not successful.
Q. In regard to the previously addressed question concerning the school speed limit signs, the 2009 MUTCD also deleted the "whichever is encountered first" language in the figures. It is not found anywhere in the 2009 manual. Does it leave it up to engineering judgement?
A. Speed limit signs shall be placed at or as near as practical to the point where the reduced speed zone begins. The next Guidance statement provides additional information concerning where the speed zone should be established.
Q. Cal-MUTCD vs. MUTCD which takes precedence? When will Cal-MUTCD update to include these changes.
A. Agencies, such as CALTRANS, are allowed to develop and use their own version of the MUTCD as long as it is in substantial conformance to the Federal MUTCD.
Q. Have we developed a standard for pre signing detour routes for interstates?
A. There is not a standard for pre-signing detour routes in the 2009 MUTCD.
Q. Are class 3 vests required to be worn under certain conditions?
A. There is Guidance in the MUTCD for flaggers to wear Class 3 garment when flagging at night. Agencies may have adopted stricter policies and may require a Class 3 garment. You should check the requirements of the agency where you are working to verify.
Q. When should 2009 MUTCD be adopted or what is the compliant date for 2009 MUTCD?
A. Agencies are allowed up to 2 years to adopt the provisions contained in the 2009 Federal MUTCD. That would make the compliance date Jan. 15, 2012.
Q. If some projects have already being awarded to the contractor for construction, when do they have to follow the MUTCD 2009 guidelines for construction and when do design consultants have to follow the new guidelines in the design phase?
A. Agencies are allowed up to 2 years to adopt the provisions contained in the 2009 Federal MUTCD. That would make the compliance date Jan. 15, 2012. However, agencies can adopt the MUTCD sooner, so you will need to check with the state where you work for their date of adoption.
Q. How do the MUTCD changes mesh with the upcoming retroreflectivity requirements?
A. Revision 2 of the 2003 MUTCD contained the minimum values for the sign retoreflectivity. Those have been incorporated into the 2009 MUTCD. The pavement marking minimum values will be addressed after the rulemaking is complete.
Q. We would like to distribute the presentation to others at our municipality. Will this presentation be available for download?
A. Yes –this presentation can be downloaded from the following website: http://www.workzonesafety.org/. Additional information is available on the MUTCD website: http://www.mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/.
Q. Are these changes available online?
A. Yes –this presentation can be downloaded from the following website: http://www.workzonesafety.org/. Additional information is available on the MUTCD website: http://www.mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/.
Q. What is the reason for changing the orange vest to green? Also is it going to be a requirement to stay with one specific color?
A. The ANSI 107-2004 standard allows 3 colors of background material: fluorescent yellow-green, fluorescent orange-red, or fluorescent red. All three colors are therefore allowed in the MUTCD.
Q. Repeat web site to access copy of new MUTCD.
A. http://www.mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/
Q. Could a removable bollard ever be considered an acceptable roadway traffic control device when used to close a street for an event?
A. All devices used in Temporary Traffic Control zones shall be crashworthy – meaning they have been crash tested and approved as meeting the NCHRP 350 standard. I am not aware of removable bollard meeting this requirement.
Q. When partially closing highway on and off ramps, what pattern should be used, 4 corner lights, solid bar, or arrow pushing traffic left or right? Bear in mind arrowboard may be placed in advance of ramp.
A. The arrow pattern on an arrow board shall only be used for a lane closure where traffic has to completely merge into an adjacent lane. In the case you have described, one of the “Caution” patterns should be used.
Q. When will the new manual come out?
A. It is available online for you to download and print.
http://www.mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/
Printed copies will be available soon from AASHTO, ITE, IMSA, or ATSSA.
Q. What about the ped-cross walks in shopping centers, do they need to be in compliance with MUTCD and their signs as well?
A. The provisions of the MUTCD apply to roadways into parking areas and circulation roads within the parking lots. So it might apply to the pedestrian crossings, depending on where they are located within the shopping center parking lot.
Q. When will the design details for the new arrow per lane guide signs be available? And details for other new signs in the MUTCD?
A. The new edition of the Standard Highway Signs and Marking will be available late in 2010. However, a phased release of individual sign details is planned throughout the year. Check the SHSM webpage on the MUTCD website for the latest information.
Q. Is the Shoulder Drop Off sign appropriate for the drop off between main lane and paved shoulder as well as the drop off at the pavement edge with the dirt?
A. It would be appropriate to use the SHOULDER DROP OFF sign regardless of the type of material that is on the shoulder. You are alerting the road user to a condition where there is an elevation difference between the travel lane and the shoulder. If there is an elevation difference between lanes, then the UNEVEN LANES (word message) sign would be used.
Q. Is there a new sign specification manual coming out? When and how do you get it?
A. The new edition of the Standard Highway Signs and Marking will be available late in 2010. However, a phased release of individual sign details is planned throughout the year. Check the SHSM webpage on the MUTCD website for the latest information.
Q. Any changes to the flags that sit atop signs (usually two flags are used). Are there situations where these are mandatory?
A. There were not any revisions concerning flags used in this manner. Their use is optional, not mandatory.
Q. Is the powerpoint presentation available/printable?
A. Yes – it can be downloaded from the following website: http://www.workzonesafety.org/
Q. Is the manual available?
A. It is available online for you to download and print.
http://www.mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/
Printed copies will be available soon from AASHTO, ITE, IMSA, or ATSSA.
Q. For a detour road application, you eliminated the road closed sign. Is there a recommended sign to replace it with?
A. The condition where this sign was removed is not in a detour situation. Through traffic is maintained on a temporary diversion around the work area. (see TA-7)
Q. What are some examples of situations when you would shift a lane without a lane closure?
A. One example would be where the shoulder is used as a travel lane temporarily during work activities and all lanes are shifted accordingly. Figure 6H-36 is a Typical Application showing this condition.
Posted: 2/22/2010
Categories: Standards | Temporary Traffic Control
