July/August
2001
The
Millennium Manual Matters
by David Smith
One of
the missions of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is to increase
the uniformity, safety, and efficiency of traffic operations on our
nation's highways and streets.
Can you
imagine what the American driving experience would be like without
uniform traffic control devices? A red light in Peoria might mean
go, while a red octagonal sign in Dallas might mean yield. A solid
blue line in the center of the road in West Virginia may allow drivers
to pass other vehicles. Picture a car pool lane in your state signified
by a triangular sign with horizontal stripes. A leisurely weekend
trip across county or state lines would become a nightmare of confusion
and anxiety. Traffic accidents resulting from driver error would skyrocket.
Thousands more Americans would be injured in crashes, and the drain
on insurance companies would be incredible.
By adopting
standards for traffic control devices, FHWA ensures that all signs,
signals, pavement markings, and other traffic control devices follow
the same basic rules no matter where you travel in the United States.
Not only
do highway engineers use the Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices
(MUTCD) in their daily operations, so do many businesses, industries,
and others that focus on the needs of the highway community. For example,
land developers who fail to follow the standards could be held liable
if crashes occur that could have been prevented by the correct traffic
control devices. Attorneys involved in traffic disputes often rely
on the manual to give them guidance. Manufacturers of traffic control
devices need the manual to design and refine their products, ensuring
that these devices comply with the federal guidelines and requirements.
In a
landmark event, FHWA released the 2000 Millennium Edition of MUTCD,
a significantly updated version of the classic manual. Results of
recent highway research and cutting-edge technological advancements
are covered in this new edition.
Although
FHWA is responsible for approving and publishing MUTCD, the National
Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (NCUTCD) voluntarily
took on the arduous task of developing the MUTCD text.
"Over
the last 10 years, our members have devoted more than 2,000 man-hours
to determining the necessary changes," said Ken Kobetsky, chair of
NCUTCD. "The Millennium Edition represents a lot of hard work by a
lot of dedicated people."
MUTCD
is the only official source of standard information on the critical
subject of traffic control device design and application that is applicable
to the entire national highway-user community, including pedestrians,
bicyclists, and drivers of automobiles, motorcycles, trucks, and buses.
In fact,
one of the most important new revisions in the manual is the redefinition
of the road user. Previous editions of MUTCD dealt exclusively with
motorized vehicles. This approach is not adequate today because it
does not fully address the reality of modern road use. The management
of control devices on America's roadways requires recognition that
the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists must also be considered in
the design and implementation of signs, markings, and signals.
MUTCD
- A Short History
Since 1927, MUTCD has been a fundamental part of roadway traffic guidance.
Even in the early stages of widespread automobile use, the American
Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO), an organization of
all the state departments of transportation, saw the necessity for
organized standards of rural traffic markers. A few years later, the
National Conference on Street and Highway Safety (NCSHS) took the
initiative to publish its own manual of specifications for urban streets.
The idea
was simple - publish a listing of traffic devices that would give
road engineers an established set of standards. These guidelines would
be both broad in scope and specific in direction, allowing for a federally
mandated standard of guiding traffic through the countryside and the
urban and suburban areas of the United States.
America
was quickly being paved over with new roads. Without these standards,
driver safety and confidence were significantly compromised, as traffic
signposts often changed when an early motorist crossed a border into
another state or sometimes even into another county or town.
As our
nation's roads changed, as our vehicles became faster, as our cities
gradually changed shape, MUTCD has changed with them. AASHO and NCSHS
have become AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation
Officials) and NCUTCD, but their missions are still the same. They
still play an active role in developing changes to MUTCD.
The
Importance of Standards
Standards are a fundamental ingredient of any meaningful public operation,
including transportation. If traffic signals and markings change between
jurisdictions, even a small difference can mean countless problems
for roadway users. Because most Americans frequently travel in multiple
states and in many local jurisdictions, universal standards of traffic
control markings are essential to maintain roadway safety. This is
possible only if every participant in the important business of highway
control markings is working from the same rule book.
"Probably
the best thing about the Millennium Edition is the clearer language
of the definitions," said Bill Bremer of the Wisconsin Division of
FHWA. "It makes the new requirements and guidelines even easier to
follow."
Lee Billingsley,
director of the Office of Transportation for Broward County, Fla.,
agreed. "In doing this reformatting, we needed to rethink all of the
text. It was a kind of intellectual exercise, where we could reconfirm
the best thinking from the previous editions, and make it easier for
users to quickly determine what rules they need to follow," said Billingsley.
The manual's
new user-friendly wording is extremely helpful in day-to-day traffic
control operations. The text is written with category headings that
clearly define the appropriate intent of the MUTCD provision. For
example:
The Millennium
Edition became effective on Jan. 17, 2001, and the states are directed
to adopt these changes by Jan. 17, 2003. Some of the changes in the
new manual have compliance dates that give states more than two years
to comply. FHWA is well aware of the potential economic difficulties
in the immediate adoption of some new traffic control standards, and
longer transition periods help minimize problems.
However,
it is important to standardize the transition to the new requirements.
As Karen Brunelle of FHWA's Tennessee Division said, "Because every
state must adopt the manual within two years, the consistent application
of traffic control systems throughout the country is assured."
Some
states, including California and Minnesota, have developed and adopted
their own version of the Millennium Edition of MUTCD to cover special
situations that are unique to their locations. In accordance with
Title 23, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 655.605, "States or other
Federal agency MUTCDs shall be in substantial conformance with the
national MUTCD."
Signs
of Change
Traffic signs remain the chief means of controlling traffic movement.
These ubiquitous and inexpensive devices can communicate complicated
instructions to a driver with simple, recognizable symbols. The key
is consistency in order to provide universal recognition of their
clear meaning. Standard signs have been in operation for decades and
have little need for update. For example, throughout the country,
a stop sign is red in color and octagonal. Any change to a classic
traffic control device like this would be very dangerous as well as
confusing.
However,
the dynamic nature of changing traffic trends and roadway expansion
demands the occasional revision of the old signs and the addition
of new ones. For instance, an entirely new class of signs has emerged
called reversible lane control signs. Also, many signs related to
high-occupancy-vehicle lanes have been added.
"The
new sections in the manual on low-volume roads and the inclusion of
the reversible lane markings are very important," said Brunelle. There
are many more examples for which the Millennium Edition is the only
authorized source on new traffic control devices.
For example,
the Millennium Edition contains a new section on Light Rail (Part
10). FHWA research has shown that light-rail systems, including metropolitan
transit systems such as trolleys and people movers, interact differently
with road traffic than their heavier railroad counterparts.The essential
principles of Part 10 are the same as in Part 8, which discusses the
traditional highway-rail crossing. However, Part 10 specifically takes
into account the reality of light-rail vehicles, which often operate
in mixed traffic with automobiles and pedestrians.
Not only
are light-rail systems becoming more common, but so are construction
zones. The title to Part 6 has changed to "Temporary Traffic Control,"
which replaces "Standards and Guides for Street and Highway Construction,
Maintenance, Utility, and Incident Management Operations." This new
definition refers to areas of a highway in which traffic conditions
are changed because of a work zone or other incident involving the
use of temporary traffic control devices. Potential "other incidents"
include accidents, natural disasters, or special events; all of which
are specific instances in which temporary changes are made to the
standard control procedures for that specific road.
The standardization
of traffic control devices within work zones and areas of temporary
change is important because it facilitates better traffic management
and alleviates driver and road-user frustration.
Worker
safety is another important component of these new rules. As a result,
the Millennium Edition includes important information on shadow vehicles
(a new term that replaces "protection vehicle," a vehicle that shields
workers from being hit by errant automobiles), crash cushions, and
other devices to protect workers.
The
Millennium Edition of MUTCD and You
"The Millennium Manual is very, very useful," said Cathy Satterfield
from FHWA's Midwestern Resource Center. "The last edition was out
of date and needed an update because so much important new research
simply wasn't in the old MUTCD."
Satterfield
is referring to research that has been conducted by experts all across
the country and is reflected in thousands of studies and reports that
FHWA has produced, funded, collected, or compiled. The significant,
new findings have vastly improved the ways in which traffic is guided
on our nation's highways, and they demanded massive revisions and,
in some cases, entirely new chapters in the updated manual. The new
additions include sizable, new sections on rural roads and light rail.
FHWA
is staying ahead of the curve in information-age technology by publishing
the Millennium Edition of MUTCD exclusively in an electronic format.
It is available on the official MUTCD Web site (http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov)
where it can be easily updated as often as necessary without concern
about printing costs.
"FHWA
wants the MUTCD to be a living document, a place where users can find
the most up-to-date information," said Linda Brown in FHWA's Office
of Traffic Operations. Online publication also eliminates the need
and the expense of distributing updated reprints every few years.
"Instead of investing a lot of resources in printing and distributing
the MUTCD, FHWA is devoting more resources to outreach and public
awareness of the MUTCD principles. It is much simpler for the manual
users to print out the newest version at their leisure, rather than
wait for the fresh copy to arrive in their mailboxes."
For users
who prefer a printed edition, FHWA's printing partners, including
the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA), Institute
of Transportation Engineers, AASHTO, and the U.S. Government Printing
Office, will provide hard copies of MUTCD for a fee. ATSSA also has
a CD-ROM available.
There
are many good reasons to adhere to the specifications of the Millennium
Edition, and chief among these is that the manual carries the force
of law. In one specific example, a Tennessee contractor was held liable
for flagging procedures that violated standards set in MUTCD. Also,
Title 23, CFR, Part 655, Subpart F requires that traffic control devices
in all local jurisdictions follow the standards specified in MUTCD.
This provision implies that the newest edition of MUTCD is the definitive
source of traffic control device requirements. Therefore, everyone
involved in the application of traffic control systems should use
the most recent edition of the manual. Failure to do so can be very
costly in terms of safety and expense.
The Millennium
Edition is a tool that is as real and palpable as a shovel, bulldozer,
or hammer. It allows those involved in the design and administration
of roads to align their efforts in establishing reliable, up-to-date
traffic controls with the rest of the nation. The ultimate source
for the newest methodology in nationwide traffic guidance is all in
one place. Now it is the goal of FHWA to get the Millennium Edition
of MUTCD into widespread, exclusive use by highway engineers, insurance
companies, departments of motor vehicles, law enforcement, engineering
consultants, and countless other groups and individuals that have
a use for the information contained within it. We cannot afford to
leave anyone behind in these efforts. The safety of all Americans
relies on it.
David
Smith is a frequent writer on transportation policy, issues, and
technologies. A graduate of Cambridge University, he is the principal
of AMANUENSIS Creative Group, a professional writing and consulting
group located in Vienna, Va.
For
the most current information, constantly updated electronically, visit
the official MUTCD Web site at http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov.
This Web site also has information on the amendment process, tutorials
and other educational materials, the latest news on revisions, answers
to frequently asked questions, discussion groups, links, and much
more.
Other
Articles in this Issue:
HELP
WANTED - Meeting the Need for Tomorrow's Transportation Work Force
The
Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program: Preparing
for the Future of Transportation
The Millennium
Manual Matters
QuickZone
Iowa's
Approach to Environmental Stewardship
Moveable
Barrier Solves Work-Zone Dilemma
Learning
From the Big Dig
A
Light at the End of the Tunnel
International
Cooperation to Prevent Collisions at Intersections
Pay
Attention - Buckle Up: Safe Driving Is a Full-Time Job