U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
400 Seventh St., S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20590

March 17, 2005
Refer to: HOTO-I

Mr. Richard Moeur
Arizona Department of Transportation
Mail Drop lOOA
Phoenix, AZ 85007

Dear Mr. Mouer (Richard):

Thank you for your email of February 18 forwarding four alternative designs for existing signs in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) and the Standard Highway Signs (SHS) Book. For recordkeeping purposes, we have assigned the following official ruling number and title to your request for change: "2-56 I (C)-Alternative Designs for the Bicycle Lane Sign (RJ-17), Metric Advisory Speed Sign (W13-I), Pedestrian and Bicycle DETOUR Sign (M4-9), and Metric Speed Limit Sign (R2-I)."

Your proposed change to the Bicycle Lane Sign (R3-17) is accepted as an editorial change because it does not materially alter the illustrated design as depicted in Part 9 of the 2003 MUTCD. Based upon our careful review of your proposal, we are increasing the size of the standard highway sign dimension for the letter size from 4 inches to 5 inches. This change will make the R3-17 sign consistent with the related R3-17a and R3-17b plaques that both have 5-inch letter sizes. This editorial change will be made to the 2004 SHS book shown on the MUTCD website.

Your proposed alternate designs for the WI3-1, M4-9, and R2-1 signs are materially different than the existing illustrated designs for these three signs shown in Part 2B, 2C, and 6F of the 2003 MUTCD. In order for Federal Highway Administration (FHW A) to consider these alternate designs, we need to know more about how your proposed changes will affect the operation and safety of highway users.

The process for a change to the design of a standard sign or other traffic control device, can be found in Section IA.lO of the MUTCD (http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov). Your requested change in the designs of the above 3 signs are of interest to FHW A. Any supporting research data that you can provide that shows the safety and operational benefits of this new design would really be helpful. We would urge you to work with a public highway or transportation agency in your area to test and evaluate these new designs and then submit your findings to us. Some examples of the type of quantitative data that should be included in your findings are motorist comprehension studies, sign legibility studies, and speed studies to determine recognition time in relation to sign size and placement.

We appreciate you sharing your ideas with us. It is through concerned persons like you that we are able to improve traffic operations and mobility on our Nation's streets and highways. We are glad that you share our concern for the vital role that traffic signs serve in supporting safe driving. If you need additional information, please feel free to contact Mr. Fred Ranck of the MUTCD team at fred.ranck@fhwa.dot.gov or by telephone at 708-283-3545.

Sincerely yours,

Regina S. McElroy
Director, Office of Transportation
Operations