Researchers at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) recently completed a pooled fund study for several state transportation agencies interested in completing a field evaluation of current and potential fonts for use on guide signs. In this study, TTI evaluated E-Modified, Clearview 5W, and Enhanced E-Modified. Clearview 5W and other Clearview fonts were designed by Meeker & Associates and revised over several different research projects [1]. Clearview was created using a thinner letter stroke width overall and increased the height of the lowercase letters to provide longer legibility distance. (Read the report)
Overhead Guide Signs
TRB Webinar: Practices and Examples to Manage Sign Retroreflectivity in Compliance with the MUTCD
TRB will conduct a webinar on May 2, 2012, from 2:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m. ET that will explore the results of TRB’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Synthesis Report 431: Practices to Manage Traffic Signal Reflectivity, which will be released in April 2012. Dr. Paul Carlson, head of TTI Operations and Roadway Safety Division, will present for this webinar regarding MUTCD requirements related to minimum sign retroreflectivity standards and etc. (Read more and register here)
Guidelines for Nighttime Visibility of Overhead Guide Signs
A frequent dilemma facing highway agencies is deciding how to provide effective nighttime performance for overhead guide signs. While the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) provides minimum retroreflectivity standards for overhead guide signs, there are few guidelines that agencies can reference to decide how to provide sufficient nighttime performance of overhead guide signs in site-specific situations.
For instance, the common wisdom is that it is adequate to turn off overhead guide sign lighting in rural areas if highly reflective sheeting materials are used. However, there is little consensus about the use of lighting in suburban and urban areas where visual backgrounds and roadway geometries are more complex. Minimum sign retroreflectivity requirements are designed to provide conspicuity and legibility for all signs including overhead guide signs. In selected visual environments, such as urban areas with high visual complexity, higher levels of retroreflectivity or illumination or both may be needed to provide adequate conspicuity and legibility. (read more)