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Memorandum |
| U.S. Department of Transportation | |
| Federal Highway Administration | |
| Subject: | ACTION:
7-64 (I) In-Street Pedestrian Crossing Signs (R1-6, R1-6a) and Yield Here for Pedestrians Signs (R1-5, R1-5a) Used at School Crossings |
Date: | July 23, 2004 |
| From: | Ernest Huckaby for ,/s/ Reginia McElroy, Office of Transportation Operations | Reply
to Attn. of: |
HOTO-1 |
| To: | Mr. Phil
Barnes Division Administrator (HDA-IA) Ames, Iowa |
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This is in response to the June 2 memorandum from Mr. James Brachtel, forwarding a letter from Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) requesting an official interpretation of the Manual on Traffic ContrcII Devices (MUTCD) regarding the use of In-Street Pedestrian Crossing Sign (R1-6) and the Yield Here To Pedestrian Signs (R1-5, R1-5a) at school crossings.
The city of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, originated the request and specifically asked: (1) whether the MUTCD allows the R1-6 in-street pedestrian sign to be installed on post mounted signs along the side of the roadway and (2) whether the R1-5 or R1-5a can be installed for school crosswalks located at uncontrolled intersection approaches.
The In-Street Pedestrian crossing R1-6 sign is intended for use in the street only, not on the side of the road because the size and shape of this sign are not designed for post-mounting with other warning or regulatory signs. In response to the second question, the R1-5 and R1-5a signs are not intended for use at intersection crosswalks. These signs are intended to be used in conjunction with yield lines at uncontrolled midblock crosswalks only.
We appreciate the opportllmity to provide the clarification. We have assigned the following official ruling number and title to the request: "7-64(1)- In-Street Pedestrian Crossing Signs_Cedar Rapids_IA." Please refer to this number in future correspondence. If you need further assistance, pJlease contact Ms. Guan Xu at 202-366-5892.
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Memorandum |
| U.S. Department of Transportation | |
| Federal Highway Administration | |
| Subject: | ACTION: In-Street Pedestrian Crossing Sign | Date: | June 2, 2004 |
| From: | Division
Administrator Ames, Iowa |
In Reply Refer to: | HOTO-1 |
| To: | Guan
Xu (HOTO) Office of Traffic Operations MUTCD Team Washington, D. C. |
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The Iowa Department of Transportation State Traffic Engineer, on behalf of the Cedar Rapids Traffic Engineer, has requested an official interpretation from the FHWA on the use of the In-Street Pedestrian Crossing (R1-6) sign. The request and supporting material are being forwarded to your office for that interpretation.
Thank you for your assistance.
James Brachtel, P.E.
ITS Engineer
Attachments
Iowa Department of Transportation
800 Lincoln Way, Ames, IA 50010
515-239-1513
515-239-1891 FAX
May 11, 2004
Ref. No. 451
Jim Brachtel
Federal Highway Administration -Iowa Division
105 6th Street
Ames, IA 50010-6337
Dear Jim:
Enclosed is a copy of a letter and attachments I received from Gary Peterson, Cedar Rapids City Traffic Engineer, requesting an official interpretation from the FHWA on the use of the In-Street Pedestrian Crossing (R1-6) sign. They have received a request to install the sign on the side of the road beneath the existing School Crosswalk (S1-1) sign.
In Gary's letter he presents several questions concerning the use of the
In-Street
Pedestrian Crossing sign. Please review the attached information and respond
to the City's questions. We would also like to request the FHWA's interpretation
of the MUTCD as it relates to the use of the In-Street Pedestrian Crossing
sign for side of the road installation.
The Iowa DOT's interpretation on the use of the In-Street Pedestrian Crossing sign is that it is intended for use in the street only, not on the side of the road. The sign is sized for use in the street and is too small for installation on the side of the road with other warning and regulatory signs. Also, there are other signing options included in the MUTCD for use on the side of the road, i.e., Yield Here to Pedestrians (R1-5 or R1-5a).
Thank you and if you have any questions, please give me a call.
Sincerely,
Timothy D. Crouch, PE, PTOE
State Traffic Engineer
CEDAR RAPIDS
City of Five Seasons
April 27, 2004
Mr. Tim Crouch, P.E.
State Traffic Engineer
Iowa Department of Transportation
700 Lincoln Way
Ames, IA 50010
Dear Tim:
Enclosed is a copy of the April 5, 2004 letter from Jennifer Herron, representing the Grant Wood PTA Safety Committee, requesting that the city install the new In-Street Pedestrian Crossing (R1-6) sign as provided in Section 7B.09 of the 2003 MUTCD and that the sign be installed as a side of the road sign beneath the existing School Crosswalk (S1-1) sign. We are requesting an interpretation by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) if this request is in compliance with the 2003 MUTCD and are submitting the request through you since we expect you will have other similar requests. The request from the PTA is generated because past recommendations by this Department have not approved an adult guard for the Forest Drive at Hillcrest Drive school crosswalk and has not, in the PTA Safety Committee's view, adequately addressed other student safety concerns for uncontrolled school crosswalks on Memorial Drive at Buchanan Drive and Bever Avenue at Forest Drive. Please forward this request to the FHWA for review and response to the following:
We are providing the following attachments to assist in understanding the request:
The City has approximately 53 school crosswalks that are unprotected by stop signs or traffic signals, as well a 36 pedestrian crossings at midblock locations and 8 trail crossings at midblock locations. The requested interpretations will certainly have policy, safety, and capital expenditure impacts to the City and School Systems. If you have any question concerning this request or need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact our office.
Sincerely yours,
Gary C. Petersen, P.E.
City Traffic Engineer
April 5, 2004
Gary Peterson
Traffic Engineering Department
City of Cedar Rapids
1201 Sixth Street SW
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
Dear Mr. Peterson:
This letter is a follow-up to multiple conversations and meetings regarding pedestrian safety at Grant Wood Elementary. The committee representing Grant Wood Elementary has repeatedly asked for either the posting of state law yield to pedestrian crosswalk signs (SLYTP) to be posted under the current florescent signage, or other safety measures to be recommended by your office that would increase compliance to this traffic law at our crosswalks. You were able to help us by placing stop signs at a few sites. Weare very thankful for the help. The requests for assistance at the other crosswalks still need to be addressed.
Parents who are at our crosswalks daily have described to you, your staff and police department representatives, the dangers they have witnessed and accidents they have kept from occurring due to the lack of compliance to the state crosswalk laws. Education of our own parents and staff has occurred, and that alone has increased compliance. I have seen city employees pass pedestrians at our crosswalks without yielding. Perhaps by educating the city star, another group of "role models" will be created. We need the city's support.
During several meetings and conversations between our safety committee and the representatives of the Traffic Engineering Department, we were asked that our requests be delayed until crosswalk studies at First Ave/Fourth St. NE, Penford Products, and on Ellis Blvd. by the Boys' and Girls' Club be completed. That project, led by the CTRE (Center for Transportation Research and Education) at the ISU, is posted as having been completed 12/31/2002, and presented in May 2003. The follow-up study currently being led by the CTRE pertains only to the flashing lights being tested at the First Avenue location, not signage.
You also stated that the city was waiting for the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) to approve the in-street YTP signs and/or street side SLYTP signs. These signs were approved for use in the 2003 edition of the MUTCD (see figures 2B-2 and 7B-4).
The in-street signage tested in Cedar Rapids and several other cities has increased compliance according to the CTRE's reports. CRTE Project Report #02-115 stated that the First Avenue site (in the first lane of traffic nearest the curb) saw almost a 15% increase in drivers who yielded to pedestrians after these signs were posted. It also stated that the staff at the Boys' and Girls' Clubs "praised the presence of the YTP (yield to pedestrian) signs, [and that the staff] indicated that drivers were responding more consistently to pedestrians outside the club." The conclusion of the report said, "The 'State Law- Yield to Pedestrian' sign has had a positive impact of driver behavior."
I understand that the in-street YTD signs are susceptible to damage and require maintenance. That is why our committee requested that the YTP signs be posted on existing warning signs at the side of the streets on existing posts. Such signs have been used in other communities as was shared multiple times with you and your staff. As stated in the MUTCD 2003 edition, Chapter 2B, "Regulatory signs shall be used to inform road users of select traffic laws or regulations and indicate the applicability of the legal requirements."
The CRTE reports on crosswalk safety also suggested that community education is a vital part of increasing compliance of this law as has been proven by the huge efforts on the west coast. I would be more than willing to work in conjunction with someone on the city's staff to encourage coverage of this safety issue by the local media.
We need to increase compliance at these crosswalks, Mr. Peterson. Not four weeks ago on Forest Avenue, I had to wave my arms, screaming at a driver to yield to a child whose attention was focused on a car already stopped at the intersection and did not see the oncoming traffic. Any increase in compliance with this law is better than doing nothing.
What can we at Grant Wood Elementary do to help encourage use of the SLYTP signs? Please contact me after you receive this letter to advise me and the committee of any action that we might take to see these signs posted and increase our students' safety.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Herron (362-1499)
On behalf of the Grant Wood PTA Safety Committee
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United States Department of Transportation - Federal Highway Administration |
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