The Federal Highway Administration’s Minimum Levels of Retroreflectivity Ruling went into effect on January 22, 2008, adding new provisions regarding sign retroreflectivity to Section 2A.09 of the 2003 MUTCD, as well as a new Table 2A-3, Minimum Maintained Retroreflectivity Levels. For more information, log on to http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov

From January 22, 2008 agencies will have:

• Four years to implement and continue using an assessment or management method to maintain traffic sign retroreflectivity at or above the established minimum levels.
• Seven years for replacement of regulatory, warning and ground-mounted signs (except street name signs) that fail to meet the established minimum levels.
• Ten years for replacement of street name signs and overhead guide signs that fail to meet the established minimum levels.

The required minimum levels of retroreflectivity means that agencies currently using engineer grade material need to upgrade to a prismatic material for many types of traffic signs in order to meet the new standard. In addition, agencies need to have a sign assessment and management method in place by 2012 to ensure their signs conform to the FHWA ruling. The National Association of County Engineers (NACE) is launching an education and companion grant program to aid its members in replacing traffic signs to meet new federal retroreflectivity standards recently released by the Federal Highway Administration.The NACE grant program, in partnership with 3M, is designed to assist agencies by:

• Providing financial incentive to replace non-compliant signs
• Building awareness of the new federal minimum retroreflectivity ruling
• Educating NACE members on compliance requirements
• Providing training on sign assessment and management methods
• Sharing best practices among NACE member agencies

Each NACE member agency is eligible for one grant to purchase 3M™ prismatic reflective sign sheeting to replace signs made with engineer grade or super engineer grade beaded sheeting. Grants may be used to purchase both fabricated signs and/or roll goods from TAPCO, an Authorized Distributor of 3M™ Traffic Safety products.

For additional information or to join visit:
www.countyengineers.org

The Deadline for submission of grants is June 30, 2009 and awarded grants need to be used within six months of the issue date.