Risk-Based Method for Development and Management of a Traffic Sign Inventory for Local Agencies

Abstract

A risk-based approach to manage traffic sign inventories was developed for application in local public agencies (LPAs). The method incorporates key aspects of safety such as accident history and hot spot ranking and allows agencies to develop sign inventories strategically for a variety of staffing resources and budget levels. This method would enable LPAs to more easily comply with Federal Highway Administration Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) retroreflectivity guidelines and to prioritize the signs to be included in the inventory. A procedure has been developed that puts priority on reducing the risk of liability for sign-related accidents. The inventory developed as part of this research also supports the broader focus of better management of LPA roadway assets. Consistent and strategic updates of the inventory would provide the LPAs with a sustainable asset management system to utilize in the future.