1988 MUTCD and Revisions

Amendment, interpretation, correction, revision, update. Any of these words describe the dynamic nature of the MUTCD, underscoring how it changes and adapts to enhance traffic safety and incorporate technical advances. The 1988 MUTCD edition has been revised or amended seven times. Use the information below to review the Federal Register final rules and text changes.

Revision 1. (Part 6, Section D.3) Temporary Pavement Markings in Construction and Maintenance Areas

Final Rule Docket No. 87-21, RIN 2125-AC40. January 17, 1990. FHWA policy allows for short-term pavement markings to be used until the earliest time when it is practical and possible to install markings that meet MUTCD standards. Normally, it should not be necessary to leave short-term pavement markings in place for more than 2 weeks.

Revision:

PDF | Text

Text Changes:

PDF | Text

Revision 2. (Part 8, Section B.9) Stop or Yield Signs at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings

Final Rule Docket No. 92-11, RIN 2125-AC89. March 17, 1992. Section 1077 of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) gives State and local governments discretionary authority to install STOP or YIELD signs at any highway-rail grade crossings with two or more trains but without automatic traffic control devices.

Revision:

PDF | Text

Text Changes:

PDF | Text

Revisions 3 and 3a. New Part 6, Standards and Guides for Traffic Controls for Street and Highway Construction, Maintenance, Utility, and Incident Management Operations

Revision 3 - Final Rule Docket No. 89-1, Notice No. 7, RIN 2125-AC83. December 10, 1993. This amendment adopts a total revision of all of Part 6.

Revision:

PDF | Text

Text Changes:

Text

Revision 3a - Final Rule Docket No. 89-1, RIN 2125-AD50. April 11, 1995. Errata No.1 to Part 6 dated November 1994. Revision 3a lists editorial changes issued to help improve readability of Part 6, provide text clarification, enhance consistency, and correct grammatical, typographical, and pictorial errors. Text also presents new signs added to Section 6F.

Revision:

PDF | Text

Text Changes:

PDF | Text

Revision 4a. Quartz-Timed Traffic Signals

Final Rule Docket No. 97-2314, RIN 2125-AD45. February 19, 1998. This amendment revises Part 6, Section 6F to allow new traffic signal technology, to require traffic signals to guard against conflicting GREEN indications, and to use conflict monitors or other similar technology to guard against signal malfunctions whenever the distance between traffic signals is long or restricted. The language allows the use of new innovative technology to coordinate signal displays, without endorsing any particular product.

Revision:

PDF | Text

Text Changes:

PDF | Text

Revision 5. Revisions to MUTCD Parts 1 through 9

Final Rule Docket No. 95-8, RIN 2125-AD57. December 24, 1996. Revision enumerates 42 changes to various Parts of the 1988 MUTCD.

Revision:

PDF | Text

Text Changes:

Text (includes figures)

PowerPoint briefing (284KB) of Revision 5

Revision 6. Optional Use of Fluorescent Yellow-Green for Pedestrian, Bicycle and School Warning Signs

Final Rule Docket No. 96-9, RIN 2125-AD89. June 18, 1998. Revision adopts the optional use of fluorescent yellow-green (FYG) for warning signs related to pedestrian, bicycle, and school applications.

School Advance Warning Sign (S1-1)

On February 26, 1999, the FHWA published an editorial change about the use of fluorescent yellow green warning signs. The change noted that the Final Rule inadvertently omitted some signs from those approved for FYG application. Following "request for interpretation" procedures, the FHWA approved the use of the S4-3 SCHOOL plaque, the S5-1 "School Limit Sign," and the W11a-1 "Advance Bicycle Crossing" sign. The FHWA now considers these three signs to be included in the "systematic use" guidance.

Revision:

PDF | Text

Text Changes:

Text

Revision 7. Centerline / Edgeline Markings

Final Docket Nos. 97-2295, 97-2335, and 97-3032, RIN 2125-AD68. January 3, 2000. Revision further defines the use of centerlines and edgelines on specific types of freeways, expressways, and rural arterials and collector roads, and other paved roads. Use is based on ADT and lane width. For example, centerline markings must be used on 2-way rural arterials and collectors with a traveled way 5.4 m (20 ft) or more in width with an ADT of at least 3,000 ADT. The Final Rule also specifies using engineering studies to establish the need or the justification for excluding centerline markings on some roads and streets.

PDF file (136K)

PowerPoint briefing (188K)

Final Rule for Metric Conversion

Final Rule, Docket No. 96-20, RIN 2125-AD63. June 24, 1996. The MUTCD Millennium Edition was intended to include only metric measurements; however, the passage of TEA-21 removed the target date of September 30, 2000, for metric conversion, thereby allowing the States the option of converting to metric or to continuing to use English Units. The FHWA adopted a policy to include both measurements in the Millennium Edition. Thus, all measures will be presented in metric, followed by English equivalents in parentheses.

PDF | Text