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

Refer to: HOTO-1
September 21, 2000

Mr. Toby Rickman
State Traffic Engineer
Washington State Department of Transportation
Transportation Building
P.O. Box 47300
Olympia, WA 98504-7300

Dear Mr. Rickman:

Thank you for your letter of July 21 to the Office of Transportation Operations (HOTO-1). In your letter, you requested approval to experiment with two traffic control devices:

1. "Advanced YIELD Pavement Markings;" and
2. "Animated LED Eyes for Unsignalized Crosswalks."

For ease of processing, we have separated your request into two responses. This response addresses "Advanced YIELD Pavement Markings."

As you are aware, Requests to Experiment must be in accordance with Section 1A-6 of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. We have reviewed your July 2000 proposal and will approve your Request to Experiment provided it is changed as per comment B.

1. Your statement indicating the nature of the problem to be solved by the new traffic control device is acceptable.
2. Your description of the proposed change is acceptable and is in accordance with Section 3B-9 Stop and Yield Lines contained in FHWA Docket No. FHWA-1999-6575. The experimentation with the sign is not approved. We will be agreeable to a separate experimentation with this sign.
3. The 3 months time period of the experimentation is approved.
4. Indicate when you plan to install the devices and when you plan to complete the project. We will begin the experimental schedule on the dates you specify.

For reference purposes, we have assigned your request the following official experimentation number and title: "III-101(E)-Advanced YIELD Pavement Markings." Please refer to this number in future correspondence. If you have any question while preparing your revised request to experiment, please call Mr. Harold Lunenfeld at 202-366-6598.

Sincerely yours,

Shelley J. Row, P.E.
Director, Office of Transportation
Operations