Report on Highway Guide Sign Fonts

1.0 Introduction

This report was directed by the Joint Explanatory Statement accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (P.L. 115-141), which was enacted on March 23, 2018. That direction was in response to the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) termination of Interim Approval IA-5 of the Clearview font on highway guide signs. The termination rescinded the allowance of the use of letter styles other than FHWA Standard Alphabets on traffic control devices except as provided otherwise in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways (MUTCD). The FHWA noted in its termination that the presence and availability of two separate letter styles with differing criteria had resulted in significant confusion and inconsistency in highway sign design, fabrication processes, and application with no practical improvement in sign legibility. After the publication of the termination, FHWA received comments from stakeholders suggesting that FHWA should have solicited public comment prior to the termination. Other comments suggested that FHWA did not consider all relevant research that was available in making its decision. In response, FHWA published a Request for Information (RFI) in the Federal Register (81 FR 89889) to gather any information or research that FHWA may not have been aware of when the termination was prepared.

The purpose of the report is to:

• Document the results of FHWA's comprehensive review of the research on the Clearview alternative font, including reports identified after the termination
• Document the safety and cost implications of the decision to terminate Interim Approval IA-5 of the Clearview font on highway guide signs
• Address the comments submitted by affected States during the related December 13, 2016, request for information (FHWA Docket No. FHWA-2016-0036)

The contents are organized as follows:

• Background
• Review of the research on the Clearview alternative font
• Safety and cost implications of the decision to terminate Interim Approval IA-5 of the Clearview font on highway guide signs
• Comments submitted by affected States during the related December 13, 2016, request for information
• FHWA's actions based on House Report 115-237
• Conclusion