[Image not shown - FHWA letterhead, contains date: August 17, 2001 (See PDF version to view images.)]

Mr. Richard D. Jones

President

Right of Way, Inc.

P.O. Box 817

Palm Harbor, FL 34683

Dear Mr. Jones:

We have received your July 27 letter, which requested information on material that was not included in the rewrite of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. Specifically the Notice of Proposed Amendments for Section 4F-I through 4F-4 did not include the "emergency beacon." We have previously entitled your request IV-161(C) "R.O.W. Red Emergency Signal."

The RIO -14 emergency beacon sign in the rewrite of the Manual Notice of Proposed Amendments can be used with any "emergency beacon." Although the Notice of Proposed Amendments for Sections 4F-I through 4F-4 did not include text for the "emergency beacon" signal, we do intend to place a text change concerning "emergency beacon" in our next Notice of Proposed Amendments for Sections 4F- I through 4F-4 of the Manual. We anticipate placing a Federal Register Notice of Proposed Amendments for the Manual sometime this late fall. There will be a comment period of approximately 90 calendar days. Please be aware that the Manual does not, and cannot, contain any patented or copyrighted traffic control device. Therefore, the text will be generic for any "emergency beacon" signal. The Federal Register notice is for public comment and, based upon the comments we receive, the Federal Highway Administration will make a decision whether to include this text in the Manual.

We empathize with your concern that some departments of transportation around the country anticipated this issue would have been published in the Federal Register earlier this year. We trust this letter will address your concerns.

If you have questions, please contact Mr. Ernest Huckaby at 202-366-9064.

Sincerely yours,

Shelley J. Row, P.E.

Director, Office of Transportation

Operations

cc: Mr. Roger Wentz, ATSSA