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CASE # 5 <br />POLICY REGARDING TRAFFIC SIGN RETRO REFLECTIVITY <br />By: Grant Riemer PW Street Supervisor <br />Background: <br />In February 2008, language adopted in the MNMUTCD (Minnesota Manual on Uniform Traffic <br />Control Devices) requires all agencies that maintain roadways open to public travel to adopt a <br />sign maintenance program designed to maintain traffic sign retro reflectivity at specific levels. <br />Compliance dates and requirements are as follows: <br />January 2012-Agencies must establish a traffic sign maintenance program <br />January 2015-All agencies must comply with the new retro reflectivity requirements for <br />most of their traffic signs. ALL regulatory signs, ALL warning signs and post mounted <br />guide signs. <br />January 2018-All agencies MUST comply with the new retro reflectivity requirements <br />for overhead guide signs and all street name signs. <br />The program is broken down into two separate parts the assessment method and the <br />management method. The assessment method is basically how we go about determining if a <br />sign meets standards or needs to be scheduled for replacement. All methods require night time <br />inspections. The method that staff is recommending is the Consistent Parameters Procedure. <br />This method consists of visual inspection by someone over 60 years old in a 2000 or newer SUV <br />or pickup. The inspector must have 20/20 vision (corrected). If the inspector has trouble reading <br />the sign, it will be scheduled for replacement. Other assessment methods consist of using test <br />signs or calibration panels to compare field signs against and make a determination after <br />comparing the two. <br />The management methods address how signs will be replaced in a somewhat uniform manner. <br />There are three methods: <br />Expected Sign Life -the City of Ramsey started using DG3 grade sheeting for its <br />regulatory, warning and street ID signs in about 2006. This sheeting has an expected life <br />of 12 years. So these signs would be scheduled for replacement starting in 2012. <br />Blanket Replacement -All signs in an area would be replaced at a specific interval. To <br />use the 12 year expected sign life, the City could be divided into 12 sections and all the <br />signs in a certain area would be replaced in a given year. <br />Control Signs -Test signs would be set up in a safe location and monitored to determine <br />when they have reached their useful life. When that point is reached all corresponding <br />