MUTCD – Interim Approval for Use of Clearview Font for Positive Contrast Legends on Guide Signs (IA-5)—REINSTATEMENT

PDF Version, 57KB
PDF files can be viewed with the Acrobat® Reader®

Memorandum

---

Subject:	INFORMATION: MUTCD – Interim Approval for Use of Clearview Font for Positive Contrast Legends on Guide Signs (IA-5)—REINSTATEMENT	Date: March 28, 2018
From:	Martin C. Knopp Associate Administrator for Operations	In Reply Refer To: HOTO-1
To:	Federal Lands Highway Division Engineers Division Administrators

Purpose: Through this memorandum, the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Office of Transportation Operations reinstates the subject Interim Approval, issued September 2, 2004, providing for the provisional use of the alternative letter style known as Clearview on certain highway guide signs as it existed before its termination on January 25, 2016. This reinstatement applies to those agencies that were approved prior to the termination and is issued to comply with Division L. Section 125 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2018.

Background: Provisional use of an alternative letter style was discontinued in a January 25, 2016, Federal Register notice that took effect 30 days thereafter. The notice summarized the considerations that led to the termination of the Interim Approval. Additional, detailed information regarding the synthesis of research studies and resulting practices that supported this action were provided in a separate Technical Brief. The FHWA followed with clarifications in a March 14, 2016, memorandum to respond to comments received on the January 25, 2016, notice. Finally, as a result of feedback suggesting that FHWA might not have had all the available information when it issued the termination, FHWA published a Federal Register notice on December 16, 2016, to provide the public additional opportunity to comment. Research evaluations that were not available at the time of the termination were submitted to the public docket.

Conclusion: Notwithstanding the reinstatement of this Interim Approval, FHWA makes no recommendation or endorsement of the Clearview letter style. This conclusion is based on the findings detailed in the FHWA's January 28, 2016, Technical Brief, as well as the additional research studies submitted in response to the December 16, 2016, Federal Register notice. A report detailing the findings of the additional research studies is forthcoming.

cc:
Associate Administrators
Chief Counsel
Chief Financial Officer
Directors of Field Services
Director of Technical Services