Category:900 TRAFFIC CONTROL: Difference between revisions

900.1 Incorporating the MUTCD into the EPG

History. The need for uniform standards was recognized long ago. The American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO), now known as the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), published a manual for rural highways in 1927, and the National Conference on Street and Highway Safety (NCSHS) published a manual for urban streets in 1930. In the early years, the necessity for unification of the standards applicable to the different classes of road and street systems was obvious. To meet this need, a joint committee of AASHTO and NCSHS developed and published the original edition of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) in 1935. That committee, now called the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (NCUTCD), though changed from time to time in name, organization, and personnel, has been in continuous existence and contributes to the revisions of the MUTCD. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has administered the MUTCD since the 1971 edition and is the sole authority over its content.

The U.S. Secretary of Transportation, under authority granted by the Highway Safety Act of 1966, decreed that traffic control devices on all streets and highways open to public travel in accordance with 23 U.S.C. 109(d) and 402(a) in each state shall be in substantial conformance with the Standards issued or endorsed by the FHWA. In 23 CFR 655.603, the MUTCD is adopted as the national standard for any street, highway, or bicycle trail open to public travel in accordance with 23 U.S.C. 109(d) and 402(a).

Support. Sections 226.010 and 227.220 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri authorize MoDOT to prescribe uniform traffic control devices on the state's highways. Pursuant to the provisions of the previously mentioned statutes, at the July 10, 2001, Commission meeting, the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission (MHTC) approved and adopted the most current version of the MUTCD as the basis for MoDOT traffic control policy into the future and authorized implementation of actions needed to bring future deviations into compliance.

Standard. The traffic control articles of the Engineering Policy Guide (EPG) serve as MoDOT’s Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. The EPG shall be used when applying traffic control devices to state-maintained routes. Any variations from the EPG for traffic control devices shall be approved by the State Highway Safety and Traffic Engineer.

Support. Starting with the 11th Edition of the MUTCD, MoDOT established a MoDOT MUTCD document. The MoDOT MUTCD is only intended to be a historical reference document and not a policy manual. The EPG remains the policy document for practitioners to use when applying traffic control devices to state-maintained routes. The MoDOT MUTCD is displayed in track change mode, indicating differences between MoDOT content and the 11th Edition MUTCD, denoting the content MoDOT did not adopt, changes to the manual where MoDOT exceeds MUTCD minimums, and notes indicating the justifications for these variations.

The EPG contains the relevant content from, and is in substantial conformance with, the National MUTCD. However, MoDOT only adopts those portions of the National MUTCD that are relevant to state-maintained highways, and in many cases MoDOT adopts provisions that exceed those in the National MUTCD. For this reason, the National MUTCD cannot be used as a standalone guide when applying traffic control devices to Missouri state-maintained routes.

Guidance. Like the National MUTCD, the EPG is a permissive manual, meaning the articles of the EPG outline what is permissible regarding the application of traffic control devices to state-maintained roadways. When specific criteria for traffic control devices is not found in the EPG to address a specific concern or application, the Highway Safety and Traffic Division should be contacted for assistance. The Highway Safety and Traffic Division has access to additional resources from which solutions can be sourced, such as other MoDOT districts, FHWA, research facilities, and other states. If these solutions have the possibility of being applicable to more than one site, consideration will be given to including the solution in the EPG.

The articles of the EPG are not a substitute for engineering judgment. It is the intent that the provisions of the EPG be criteria for traffic control devices installed, but not a legal requirement for their installation.

900.2 Material Inspection for Traffic Control

This article establishes procedures for reporting the inspection of traffic control devices typically inspected and accepted by the resident engineer’s staff. This encompasses lighting, signal and signing materials that do not have a corresponding Division 1000 Material Details specification or are not typically tested and inspected by Materials personnel.

Materials personnel inspects and accept materials specified in Division 1000 and some aspects of materials such as poles, posts and arms. See the Contract Sampling and Testing Requirements for the specific materials on particular projects that require a separate sample record. Generally, each material with a distinct AASHTOWARE Project (AWP) Material Code should have a separate sample record of inspection and acceptance.

900.2.1 Procedure

The material components for traffic control, including highway lighting, traffic signals and highway signing, that are not normally field inspected by Materials, will be inspected and documented. The construction inspector shall confirm that the material components presented by the contractor for use meet the applicable specifications. Any documentation required by the specifications will be obtained from the contractor or the contractor’s agent prior to use of the material. That documentation will be filed with other project documentation as maintained by the resident engineer’s staff.

900.2.2 Report

Using AWP, a sample record for Sec 901, 902 and 903 materials will be created by the resident engineer’s staff. Three material codes have been provided to allow the creation of the required sample records to acknowledge the inspection of Traffic Control materials. The codes are 0901LHXX for highway lighting, 0902TSXX for signals and 0903HSXX for highway signing. These respective sample records, when appropriate, are to be created in lieu of the District Engineer’s Certification (DEC).

Generally, each sample record is completed according to the instructions in Automation Guide. When the materials used for the particular Traffic Control measure come from several sources, the primary producer/supplier of the material may be selected. On the Tests Tab, the test designated as "Dist. Engr. Cert. Sig., Sign, Light" (SAA901AA) is selected and completed. The "Dist. Engr. Cert. Sig., Sign, Light" test states that “The materials and equipment listed by the contractor, including accessories and appurtenances, as required by the Specification and specifically approved by the construction inspector, were those which were incorporated into the work." Any exceptions should be listed on the Free Form Test. The Dist. Engr. Cert. Sig., Sign, Light test may be eliminated and the Free Form Test substituted if it includes, at a minimum, the statement “The materials and equipment listed by the contractor, including accessories and appurtenances, as required by Section [fill in the appropriate section for each sample record] and specifically approved by the construction inspector, were those which were incorporated into the work" [except as follows¹]. [List the exceptions and the exceptions’ reasons.]

A listing of the actual items used, their source and any supporting documentation should be included in the project files.

A cathodic protection material code, 3099SPBRCA (Cathodic Protection for Bridge), is provided to allow acceptance by the procedure described above.

¹ Optional, depending on circumstances.