Texas Sign Retroreflectivity Requirements Issued. How Will They Affect Texas Cities and Counties?

After over a decade of discussion and research, on October 16, 2008, the Texas Department of Transportation issued Revision 1 to the 2006 Texas Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. This will implement the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) requirements for all public roadway agencies to maintain minimum retroreflectivity levels for roadway signs. The FHWA reports that although about one quarter of all travel occurs at night, one half of all fatalities occur during those hours. In order to preserve the safety of roadways, it is necessary to implement and maintain an adequate retroreflectivity level on all roadway signs.