What's in the 2012 California MUTCD

for Pedestrians, Bicyclists, and School Areas?

CA MUTCD 2012 edits by John Ciccarelli Member, California Traffic Control Devices Committee Member, NCUTCD Bicycle Technical Committee Original (US MUTCD 2009) by Richard Moeur, P.E. Chair, NCUTCD Bicycle Technical Committee CA MUTCD 2012 Part 7 (School) update by Johnny Bhullar, P.E. Caltrans MUTCD Group

MUTCD !  Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices

!  Traffic Control Devices (TCDs): !  Signs, Markings, Signals

!  Precise language to support legal requirements !  Standard (“Must” [no design exceptions], “Shall” [D.E. ok])

!  Guidance (“Should”)

!  Option (“May”)

!  Support (background and rationale)

!  US MUTCD owned by FHWA, advised by NCUTCD

!  CA MUTCD owned by Caltrans, advised by CTCDC

Role of MUTCD !  Official standards and guidance on which public

liability is based

!  Elements of roadway, path and intersection designs

!  Not a design manual, unlike these: !  Caltrans Highway Design Manual !  Caltrans Complete Intersections guide !  AASHTO Guide for the Development of

Bicycle Facilities !  AASHTO Guide for the Development of

Pedestrian Facilities

How the MUTCD changes !  MUTCD changes are initiated by

!  Requests by public agencies !  Items identified by FHWA !  Issues identified by NCUTCD Technical Committees

!  NCUTCD (National Committee on Uniform TCDs) !  283 volunteer experts; 20 Sponsoring Organizations !  8 Technical Committees

!  Reg./Warning Signs, Guide/Info signs, Markings, Signals, Temp TC, Railroad & Light Rail, Bicycles, Research

!  Meets twice a year !  Recommendations based on

!  Research & experimentation !  Expert review & analysis

2009 US MUTCD

!  Final Rule issued December 16, 2009

!  Effect at Federal level January 15, 2010

!  States had 2 years to adopt US MUTCD or state-adapted version(by January 2012)

New 2012 CA MUTCD

!  Issued January 2012

!  Includes all of US 2009 MUTCD with CA differences shown: deletions (strikethrough) additions (blue text)

Parts of MUTCD !  Introduction

!  Part 1 - General

!  Part 2 - Signs

!  Part 3 - Markings

!  Part 4 - Signals

!  Part 5 - Low Volume Roads

!  Part 6 - Temporary Traffic Control (work zones)

!  Part 7 - Schools

!  Part 8 - Railroad & Light Rail (Part 10 of 2003 US MUTCD / 2006 CA MUTCD moved into Part 8)

!  Part 9 - Bicycles

Significant Changes – General

!  2003 US MUTCD (2006 CA MUTCD): All devices must be compliant !  Agencies were required to update devices, both

new and existing

!  2009 US MUTCD (2012 CA MUTCD): Only new devices must be compliant !  Agencies are required to update devices as they

wear out !  Older devices can remain for "remaining service

life" unless there's a defined compliance date

Significant Changes – Part 2 (Signs)

!  Fluorescent Yellow-Green background for warning signs (alternative to standard yellow): !  Required for School Signs

!  Optional for Bicycle & Pedestrian Signs

Significant Changes – Part 4 (Signals)

!  New Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon (a.k.a. “Tucson HAWK”) !  New Signals Chapter 4F !  Less stringent

requirements (“warrants”) than full pedestrian signal

!  Can be used at path-roadway crossings

!  Can be set up as two half-crossings, to reduce roadway delay

Significant Changes – Part 9 (Bicycles)

!  Revised sign height & offset standards

!  Bike Lane signs no longer required (CA still requires them)

!  New "Bikes May Use Full Lane" regulatory sign

!  New signs for path users (skaters, equestrians)

!  New combo Bicycle/Pedestrian warning sign

!  New bicycle-focused guide signs

!  New bicycle-focused route markers , and mileposts

!  New Shared Lane Marking, usable with or w/o parking (CA MUTCD 2006 had it, but only for use with parking)

Bikes May Use Full Lane Sign

!  Optional for use in "narrow" lanes

!  Can be used independently, or with Shared Lane Marking (“sharrow”)

!  Supported by UVC and many states' laws

New Combo Bike/Ped Sign

!  Optional for use at path crossings

!  Shows 2 types of primary path users

!  Cannot "fix" problems at sidepath intersections:

New Bicycle-Focused Guide Signs

!  Provide detailed routing / destination / distance information

!  Greatly improved over old "BIKE ROUTE" signs

Shared Lane Marking (a.k.a. “Sharrow”)

!  Intended to show correct cyclist location where bike lanes shouldn’t or can’t be installed

!  May be used in locations with and without on-street parking

!  (2006 CA MUTCD added this but only allowed use with parallel parking)

!  Better placement guidance coming (ITE Traffic Control Devices Handbook 2012 update)

Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB)

!  Yellow LED “stutter flash” light bar enhances standard crossing sign assembly

!  Increases motorist yielding rates vs. other flashing beacons.

!  Especially useful at multi-lane crosswalks

!  FHWA approved after 2009 US MUTCD deadline; issued Interim Approval in 2008 (I.A. = “No further experimentation needed”)

!  California (CTCDC) accepted Interim Approval in 2011

Revisions(to((Part(7(

(Traffic(Control((for(School(Areas((

Use(of(minimum(size(of(school(signs(

•  Application of the minimum sizes only where traffic volumes are low and speeds are 30 mph or lower

FYG(color(required(for(all(school(warning(signs(

New(plaques(for(school(area(signing(

Existing school area

signs

New plaque designs

New(symbol(sign(to(replace(the(S3G1(word(message(sign((

S3-1

New(sign(to(warn(of(school(bus(turnaround(locaIons(

S3-2

Warning(of(school(zone(in(close(proximity(to(an(intersecIon(

S1-1

W16-6P

END(SCHOOL(SPEED(LIMIT(sign(required(at(end(of(reduced(school(speed(limit(zone(

School(children(symbol(may(be(used(on((inGstreet(signs(at(school(crossings((

R1-6c R1-6b

Overhead(pedestrian(crossing(signs(with(school(children(symbols(may(be(used(at(

unsignalized(school(crossings(

OperaIng(procedures(for(adult(crossing(guards(changed(from(recommended(to(required(

•  Shall%not%direct%traffic%in%the%usual%law%%enforcement%regulatory%sense%

•  Shall%pick%opportune%8mes%to%create%a%%sufficient%gap%in%traffic%flow%

•  Shall%stand%in%roadway%•  Shall%use%a%STOP%paddle%

Future MUTCD Items !  Several new devices & treatments under

experimentation & review

!  Treatments may consist of several new devices, or existing devices used in new ways

!  Cities & states are stepping up & implementing good experiments

“Innovative” Bicycle Treatments

! Buffered Bike Lanes !  Already allowed

!  Green Colored Bike Lanes !  FHWA issued Interim Approval in 2011 !  Caltrans accepted Interim Approval

!  Bike Boxes !  Offset stop lines already allowed (w/o color fill) !  Several experiments underway

NCUTCD-BTD Projects Underway

!  Standardized signs for bikes on freeways !  (Approved by NCUTCD)

!  Revised US Bicycle Route sign !  (Approved by NCUTCD)

!  "Except Bikes" plaque for regulatory signs

!  New figures for bikes in work zones

!  Bicycle traffic signals !  Studies recently completed !  Draft MUTCD content under development

When's the Next MUTCD? !  Rulemaking: Typically 2 years from NPA

(“Notice of Proposed Amendment”) to Final Rule

!  FHWA would like a 5-year cycle for new MUTCD editions; proposed content would need to be ready & submitted to FHWA in 2-3 years

!  US: 2015...? CA: 2017…? !  Items can be added earlier to US MUTCD via

FHWA Interim Approval

!  States and local agencies can apply to use FHWA Interim Approved devices

Questions? John Ciccarelli Bicycle Solutions (415) 912-6999 johnc@bicyclesolutions.com www.BicycleSolutions.com