Ryan Hill

After careful review of the original passed rules for standardizing road signs (the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices of 2009) and other measures of traffic control and the new proposed updates to the rules to allow states and localities more flexibility, it is my opinion that the new rules strike the right balance between ensuring safety on the road and burden placed on local budgets. The most important rules for Standard Highway Signs and Markings (SHSM) passed in the MUTCD in 2009 are retained in the proposed rules. The new regulations for high-visibility clothing for all road workers by the end of this year is a simple way to ensure that drivers workers will be more visible to drivers and it won’t strain local budgets since the policy had to originally implemented by the end of this year, so most of the money has already been allocated to this project. Another important aspect of the SHSM that is preserved in these new rules are the maintaining the minimum standards for retro reflectivity for all street signs. The positive change to this rule is not requiring all signs to be updated by a certain date, because it allows a local government to have the flexibility to divert some money to updating the least important of the non-compliant signs and utilize that money in more critical areas due to the rough economic times. Of the delayed requirements in this new proposed rule, there are not any vital safety programs that are being delayed or cancelled due to monetary concerns. An example of this is section 8B.03-.04 of the MUTCD, which delays the implementation of new sign standards at railroad crossing. This is not as big of a concern as the implementation of one way street signs or retro reflectivity that affect more drivers in more areas.