Yellow-Green Crosswalk Markings

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400 Seventh St., S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20590

December 21, 2006

In Reply Refer To: HOTO-1

Mr. Manny Ojeda
Director
Department of Public Works
800 Broadway

Paterson, NJ 07505

Dear Mr. Ojeda:

Your agency previously wrote to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) requesting permission to experiment with yellow-green crosswalk markings, which do not comply with the national standards contained in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices MUTCD). Your agency's experimentation request was numbered 7-43(Ex). At this time, we are writing to all agencies that have previously corresponded with FHWA regarding these markings to notify them that the experimentations are being terminated.

Most experimenting jurisdictions have used the yellow-green markings at only a relatively few crosswalks and none have submitted any follow-up evaluations or data. However, the city of Chicago, Illinois, implemented these markings at well over 100 school crosswalks over a period of several years and completed a comprehensive scientific evaluation of the effects of the markings. Chicago's study found that the yellow-green crosswalk markings did not improve any quantifiable measures of effectiveness such as crashes or measured speeds. The study also found through surveys and interviews that the vast majority of school crossing guards, school principals, and parents believe that the yellow-green markings did not help to increase driver awareness, reduce speeds, improve yielding behaviors, or make the crosswalks feel safer to pedestrians. A copy of the Chicago study is enclosed for your reference.

The FHWA has concluded from the Chicago study that yellow-green crosswalk markings do not improve crosswalk safety. Therefore, we are hereby terminating all previously approved experimentations with these markings and no further requests will be approved. It is not necessary that existing yellow-green markings be removed immediately. They may be allowed to wear out and not be replaced in kind. At the next scheduled maintenance refurbishment of the crosswalks, the crosswalks should be marked with standard white markings only.

We appreciate your agency's interest in these markings as well as your interest in traffic safety and operations. If there are any questions about this matter, please feel free to contact Mr. Scott Wainwright of our staff by e-mail at scott.wainwright@dot.gov or by telephone at 202-366-0857.

Sincerely yours,

/s/ Anthony T. Furst

Anthony T. Furst
Acting Director, Office of Transportation Operations

Enclosure: Chicago Study

21 INDIVIDUAL LETTERS TO:

[7-43(ex)]
Mr. Manny Ojeda
Director
Department of Public Works
800 Broadway
Paterson, NJ 07505

[7-45(Ex)]
Mr. Mark Lewis
City Engineer
Department of Public Works
10200 Slater Avenue
Fountain Valley, CA 92708

[7-46(Ex)]
Mr. Bill Nighbert
Acting Transportation Secretary
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet
200 Mero Street
Frankfort, KY 40622

[7-47(Ex)]
Mr. Jed Al-Imari
Manager
Street Department
City of Logan
950 West 600 North
Logan, UT 84321

[7-48(Ex)]
Mr. Max V. Phares
Traffic Engineering Manager
Public Works Department
City of Battle Creek
150 South Kendall Street
Battle Creek, MI 49015

[7-49(ex)]
Ms. Janet Stewart
Director, Field Operations Department
City of Avondale
395 East Lower Buckeye Road
Avondale, AZ 85323

[7-51(Ex)]
Mr. Devin O. Rigby
District Engineer
Idaho Transportation Department
District 4
P.O. Box 2-A
Shoshone, ID 83352-0820

[7-52(Ex)]
Mr. Stephen D. Nickels
Superintendent of Public Works
City of Vandalia
333 James E. Bohanan Memorial Drive
Vandalia, OH 45377

[7-53(Ex)]
Mr. Mario R. Flores, Jr.
Street Superintendent
Town of Gilbert Public Works
525 North Lindsay Road
Gilbert, AZ 85234

[7-54(Ex)]
Mr. Christopher S. Cash
Public Works Manager
City of Paramount
16400 Colorado Avenue
Paramount, CA 90723-5012

[7-55(Ex)]
Mr. David C. Krauth
Principal Traffic Engineer
City of Colorado Springs
P.O. Box 1575, Mail Code 450
Colorado Springs, CO 80901-1575

[7-56(Ex)]
Ms. Paul Porell
Traffic Engineering Director
City of Scottsdale
Transportation Department
7447 East Indian School Road, Suite 205
Scottsdale, AZ 85251

[7-59(Ex)]
Mr. David Barber
Director of Public Works
Village of Downers Grove
5101 Walnut Avenue
Downers Grove, IL 60515-4074

[7-60(Ex)]
Mr. Marco Schiappa
Director
Department of Public Works
City of Cranston
869 Park Avenue
Cranston, RI 02910

[7-62(Ex)]
Mr. Robert L. Moylan, Jr.
Commissioner of Public Works
City of Worcester
Department of Public Works
20 East Worcester Street
Worcester, MA 01604-3695

[7-63(Ex)]
Mr. Vydas Juskelis
Public Works Director
Village of Villa Park
20 South Ardmore Avenue
Villa Park, IL 60181-2696

[7-66(Ex)]
Mr. Tom O'Neill
Director
Public Works Department
City of New Port Richey
6420 Pine Hill Road
Port Richey, FL 34668

[7-69(Ex)]
Mr. Gerard Soffian
Office of the Director
Signs & Markings
New York City Department of Transportation
28-11 Queens Plaza North, 7th Floor
Long Island City, NY 11101

[7-70(Ex)]
Mr. Charles A. Ramdatt
Transportation Engineering Division
City of Orlando
P.O. Box 4990
Orlando, FL 32802-4990

[3-157(Ex)]
Mr. Chuck Hydeman
Streets Division Supervisor
City of Goodyear
P.O. Box 5100
Goodyear, AZ 85338

[3-160(Ex)]
Mr. Bob Pierce
Public Works Director
City of Central Point
140 South Third Street
Central Point, OR 97502