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

February 3, 2005 Refer to: HOTO-l

Mr. Robert Greer
Director
Office of Design
Florida Department of Transportation
605 Suwanee Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0450

Dear Mr. Greer:

Thank you for your letter of September 17, 2004, requesting an interpretation on the use and design of merging tapers for lane closures on multi-lane non-access highways. First let me apologize for the lengthy delay in our response. Mr. Pete Rusch of our MUTCD Team felt that his e-mail of September 15,2004, to Mr. Christopher Richter of the Federal Highway Administration Florida Division Office had addressed the matter.

It is our understanding from your letter and conversations with the Florida Division Office, that you are interested only in a specific temporary traffic control situation that involves short duration utility operations and a lane closure on a multi-lane, non-access highway.

The following interpretation is provided:

Section 6G.12 of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices is very specific on this matter. A merging taper is required when work takes place within the traveled way of multi-lane, non-access controlled highways. The only exception noted is for mobile operations.

Section 6C.O8 provides 2 tables for determining taper lengths: Table 6C-3 "Taper Length Criteria for Temporary Traffic Control Zones and Table 6C-4 "Formulas for Determining Taper Lengths." Both of these tables are appropriate for use when making decisions concerning taper lengths for temporary traffic. Keep in mind that the length of the merging taper may vary depending on the speed of the facility on which the closure takes place.

We have numbered and titled this official ruling request, "6-203(I)-Interpretation on the Use and Design of Merging Tapers for Lane Closures on Multi-Lane Non-Access Highways." Please refer to this request should you have future questions. We appreciate the opportunity to provide this information.

cc:
Sincerely yours,

Regina S. McElroy
Director, Office of Transportation Operations
cc: Mr. Roger Wentz,