DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

23 CFR Parts 634 and 655

\[FHWA Docket No. FHWA-2007-28977\]

RIN 2125-AF22

National Standards for Traffic Control Devices; the Manual on

Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways; Revision

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of proposed amendments.

**[Section 1A.11 Relation to Other Publications]{.underline}**

**Standard:**

**To the extent that they are incorporated by specific reference, the
latest editions of the following publications, or those editions
specifically noted, shall be a part of this Manual: "Standard Highway
Signs and Markings" book (FHWA); and "Color Specifications for
Retroreflective Sign and Pavement Marking Materials" (appendix to
subpart F of Part 655 of Title 23 of the Code of Federal Regulations).**

Support:

The "Standard Highway Signs and Markings" book includes standard
alphabets and symbols for ~~highway~~ signs and pavement markings. For
information about the above publications, visit the Federal Highway
Administration's MUTCD website at
[http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov](http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/), or write to the
FHWA, ~~400 Seventh Street, SW,~~ 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, HOTO,
Washington, DC 20590.

The 2000 FHWA publication entitled "Roundabouts-An Informational Guide"
(FHWA-RD-00-067) is available at
<http://www.tfhrc.gov/safety/00068.htm>, or write to the FHWA, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue, SE, HSA-1, Washington, DC 20590.

The 2001 FHWA publication entitled "Federal-Aid Highway Program Guidance
on High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lanes" is available at
<http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/operations/hovguide01.htm>, or write to the
FHWA, ~~400 Seventh Street, SW,~~ 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, HOTM,
Washington, DC 20590.

The 2001 FHWA publication entitled "Designing Sidewalks and Trails for
Access---Part 2---Best Practices Design Guide" (FHWA-EP-01-027) is
available by writing to the FHWA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, HEP,
Washington, DC 20590.

<http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/sidewalk2/>

The 2003 FHWA publication entitled "Travel Better, Travel Longer: A
Pocket Guide to Improving Traffic Control and Mobility for Our Older
Population" (FHWA-OP-03-098) is available at
<http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/pdfs/PocketGuide0404.pdf>, or write to the
FHWA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, HOTO, Washington, DC 20590.

The January 2006 FHWA publication entitled "Ramp Management and Control
Handbook" (FHWA- HOP-06-001) is available at
<http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/ramp_mgmt_handbook/manual/manual/default.htm>,
or write to the FHWA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, HOTM, Washington, DC
20590.

Other publications that are useful sources of information with respect
to the use of this Manual are listed below. See Page i of this Manual
for ordering information for the following publications (later editions
might also be available as useful sources of information):

1\. "AAA School Safety Patrol Operations Manual," 2006 Edition (AAA)

2\. "A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets," ~~2001~~
2004 Edition (American Association of State Highway and Transportation
Officials---AASHTO)

3\. "Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities," 1999 Edition
(AASHTO)

Guide for the Planning, Design and Operation of Pedestrian Facilities,
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials,
2004.

4\. "Guide to Metric Conversion," 1993 Edition (AASHTO)

5\. "Guidelines for the Selection of Supplemental Guide Signs for
Traffic Generators Adjacent to Freeways," 2001 Edition (AASHTO)

6\. "Guidelines for the Selection of Supplemental Guide Signs for
Traffic Generators Adjacent to Freeways, 4th Edition / Guide Signs, Part
II: Guidelines for Airport Guide Signing / Guide Signs, Part III: List
of Control Cities for Use in Guide Signs on Interstate Highways," Item
Code: GSGLC-4, 2001 Edition (AASHTO)

7\. "Roadside Design Guide," 2001 Edition (AASHTO)

8\. "Standard Specifications for Movable Highway Bridges," 1988 Edition
(AASHTO)

9\. "Traffic Engineering Metric Conversion Folders---Addendum to the
Guide to Metric Conversion," 1993 Edition (AASHTO)

10\. "2000 AREMA Communications & Signals Manual," American Railway
Engineering & Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA)

~~11. "Designing Sidewalks and Trails for Access---Part 2---Best
Practices Design Guide," 2001 Edition (FHWA) \[Publication No.
FHWA-EP-01-027\]~~

11\. "Practice for Roadway Lighting," RP-8, 2001, Illuminating
Engineering Society (IES)

12\. "Safety Guide for the Prevention of Radio Frequency Radiation
Hazards in the Use of Commercial Electric Detonators (Blasting Caps),"
Safety Library Publication No. 20, July 2001 Edition, Institute of
Makers of Explosives

13\. "American National Standard for High-Visibility Public Safety
Vests," (ANSI/ISEA 207-2006), 2006 Edition (International Safety
Equipment Association---ISEA)

14\. "American National Standard for High-Visibility Safety Apparel and
Headwear," (ANSI/ISEA ~~107-1999~~ 107-2004), ~~1999~~ 2004 Edition,
(ISEA) ~~- The Safety Equipment Association~~

15\. "Manual of Traffic Signal Design," 1998 Edition (Institute of
Transportation Engineers---ITE)

16\. "Manual of Transportation Engineering Studies," 1994 Edition (ITE)

17\. "Pedestrian Traffic Control Signal Indications," Part 1---1985
Edition; Part 2 (LED Pedestrian Traffic Signal Modules)---2004 Edition
(ITE)

18\. "Preemption of Traffic Signals ~~at or~~ Near Railroad ~~Grade~~
Crossings ~~with Active Warning Devices~~," 2006 Edition (ITE)

19\. "Purchase Specification for Flashing and Steady Burn Warning
Lights," 1981 Edition (ITE) 53

~~19. "School Trip Safety Program Guidelines," 1984 Edition (ITE)~~

20\. "Traffic Detector Handbook," 1991 Edition (ITE)

21\. "Traffic Engineering Handbook," 1999 Edition (ITE)

22\. "Traffic Signal Lamps," 1980 Edition (ITE)

23\. "Traffic Control Devices Handbook," 2001 Edition (ITE)

24\. "Vehicle Traffic Control Signal Heads," Part 1---1985 Edition; Part
2 (LED Circular Signal Supplement)---~~1998~~ 2005 Edition; Part 3 (LED
Vehicular Arrow Traffic Signal Supplement)---2004 Edition (ITE)

25\. "Uniform Vehicle Code (UVC) and Model Traffic Ordinance," 2000
Edition (National Committee on Uniform Traffic Laws and Ordinances)

26\. "Occupational Safety and Health Administration Regulations
(Standards - 29 CFR), General Safety and Health Provisions - 1926.20,"
amended June 30, 1993, Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA)

27\. "Highway Capacity Manual," 2000 Edition (Transportation Research
Board---TRB)

28\. "Recommended Procedures for the Safety Performance Evaluation of
Highway Features," (NCHRP Report 350), 1993 Edition (~~Transportation
Research Board -~~ TRB)

29\. "Accessible Pedestrian Signals," A-37, 1998 Edition, U.S.
Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (The U.S.
Access Board)

30\. "Building a True Community---Final Report---Public Rights-of-Way
Access Advisory Committee (PRWAAC)," 2001 Edition (The U.S. Access
Board)

31\. "The Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines for
Buildings and Facilities (ADAAG)," July 1998 Edition (The U.S. Access
Board)

~~32. "Highway-Rail Intersection Architecture," U.S. Department of
Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration (USDOT/FRA)~~

**CHAPTER 3C. ROUNDABOUT MARKINGS**

**Section ~~3B.24~~ 3C.01 ~~Markings for Roundabout Intersections~~
General**

~~Support:~~

~~Roundabout intersections are distinctive circular roadways that have
the following three critical characteristics:~~

> ~~A. A requirement to yield at entry which gives a vehicle on the
> circular roadway the right-of-way,~~
>
> ~~B. A deflection of the approaching vehicle around the central
> island, and~~
>
> ~~C. A flare or widening of the approach to allow for proper operation
> as needed.~~

**Standard:**

**Roundabouts shall be defined as circular intersections that meet the
following characteristics:**

> **A. Yield at entry to vehicles that are traveling on the circulatory
> roadway; and**
>
> **B. Deflection of the approaching vehicle in a counter-clockwise
> direction around the central island.**

**Pavement markings and signing at roundabouts shall present a
consistent message to the road user.**

Guidance:

Pavement markings and signing for a roundabout should be integrally
designed to correspond to the geometric design and intended lane use of
a roundabout.

Markings at roundabouts should facilitate the movement through the
roundabout without requiring vehicles to change lanes within the
circulatory roadway to exit the roundabout in a given direction.

Markings on roundabout approaches should be compatible with circulatory
roadway markings to provide a consistent message to road users at
roundabouts.

Option:

Traffic control signals (see Part 4) may be used at roundabouts to
facilitate the crossing of pedestrians in crosswalks or to allow
metering of traffic.

**Section 3C.02 White Lane Line Pavement Markings for Roundabouts**

**Standard:**

**Multi-lane approaches to roundabouts shall have lane lines.**

**Bicycle lane markings shall not be provided on the circular roadway of
a roundabout ~~intersection~~.**

Guidance:

Bicycle lane markings should stop at least 30 m (100 ft) before the
crosswalk, or if no crosswalk is provided, at least 30 m (100 ft) before
the yield line, or if no yield line is provided, then at least 30 m (100
ft) before the edge of the circulatory roadway (see Chapter 9C for
details.)

~~Lane lines may be used on the circular roadway if there is more than
one lane.~~ Multi-lane roundabouts should have lane line markings within
the circulatory roadway to channelize traffic to the appropriate exit
lane.

> **Excerpt from FHWA's "Roundabouts: An Information Guide." (June,
> 2000)**
>
> **6.3.12 Bicycle provisions**
>
> With regard to bicycle treatments, the designer should strive to
> provide bicyclists the choice of proceeding through the roundabout as
> either a vehicle or a pedestrian. In general, bicyclists are better
> served by treating them as vehicles. However, the best design provides
> both options to allow cyclists of varying degrees of skill to choose
> their more comfortable method of navigating the roundabout.
>
> To accommodate bicyclists traveling as vehicles, bike lanes should be
> terminated in advance of the roundabout to encourage cyclists to mix
> with vehicle traffic. Under this treatment, it is recommended that
> bike lanes end 30 m (100 ft) upstream of the yield line to allow for
> merging with vehicles (11). This method is most successful at smaller
> roundabouts with speeds below 30 km/h (20 mph), where bicycle speeds
> can more closely match vehicle speeds.
>
> To accommodate bicyclists who prefer not to use the circulatory
> roadway, a widened sidewalk or a shared bicycle/pedestrian path may be
> provided physically separated from the circulatory roadway (not as a
> bike lane within the circulatory roadway). Ramps or other suitable
> connections can then be provided between this sidewalk or path and the
> bike lanes, shoulders, or road surface on the approaching and
> departing roadways. The designer should exercise care in locating and
> designing the bicycle ramps so that they are not misconstrued by
> pedestrians as an unmarked pedestrian crossing. Nor should the exits
> from the roadway onto a shared path allow cyclists to enter the shared
> path at excessive speeds. Exhibit 6-39 illustrates a possible design
> of this treatment. The reader is encouraged to refer to the AASHTO
> Guide for Development of Bicycle Facilities (12) for a more detailed
> discussion of the design requirements for bicycle and shared-use path
> design.
>
> ![](media/image1.png){width="4.38125in" height="2.642361111111111in"}
>
> ![](media/image2.png){width="3.875in" height="1.86875in"}

**Standard:**

**Continuous concentric lane lines shall not be used within the
circulatory roadway of roundabouts.**

**Section 3C.03 Edge Line Pavement Markings for Roundabouts**

Guidance:

A white edge line should be used on the outer (right-hand) side of the
~~circular~~ circulatory roadway.

If a white edge line is used for the circulatory roadway, it should be
as follows (see Figure 3C-1):

> A. A solid line along adjacent to the splitter island, and
>
> B. A wide dotted line across the lane(s) entering the roundabout
> intersection.

**Standard:**

**Edge line extensions ~~should~~ shall not be placed across the exits
from the ~~circular~~ circulatory roadway at roundabouts.**

Option:

A yellow edge line may be placed around the inner (left-hand) edge of
the ~~circular~~ circulatory roadway (see Figure 3C-1) and may be used
to channelize traffic (see Figure 3C-7).

**Section 3C.04 Yield Lines for Roundabouts**

Option:

A yield line (see Section 3B.16) may be used to indicate the point
behind which vehicles are required to yield at the entrance to a
roundabout ~~intersection~~ (see Figure 3C-1).

**Section 3C.05 Crosswalk Markings at Roundabouts**

**Standard:**

**Pedestrian crosswalks shall not be marked to or from the central
island of roundabouts.**

Guidance:

If pedestrian facilities are provided, crosswalks (see Section 3B.18)
should be marked across roundabout entrances and exits to indicate where
pedestrians are intended to cross.

~~Where crosswalk markings are used, these markings should be located a
minimum of 7.6 m (25 ft) upstream from the yield line, or, if none, from
the dotted white line.~~

Crosswalks should be a minimum of 6.1 m (20 ft) from the edge of the
circulatory roadway.

Support:

Figure 3C-2 illustrates examples of layouts for crosswalk markings at
roundabouts.

**Section 3C.06 Pavement Word and Symbol Markings for Roundabouts**

Option:

Lane use arrows may be used on any approach to and within the
circulatory roadway of any roundabout. YIELD AHEAD (symbol or word) and
YIELD word pavement markings (see Figure 3C-1) may be used on approaches
to roundabouts. Word and/or route shield pavement markings may be used
on an approach to or within the circulatory roadway of a roundabout to
provide route and/or destination guidance information to road users (see
Figure 3C-18).

Guidance:

Within the circulatory roadway of multi-lane roundabouts, normal lane
use arrows (see Section 3B.20) should be used. On multi-lane approaches
with double left-turn and/or double right-turn lanes, lane use arrows as
shown in Figure 3C-3 should be used.

Option:

If used on approaches to a roundabout, lane-use arrows may be either
normal or fish-hook arrows, either with or without an oval symbolizing
the central island, as shown in Figure 3C-3.

**Section 3C.07 Example Markings for Roundabouts**

Support:

Figures 3C-4 through 3C-18 illustrate examples of markings for
roundabouts ~~intersections are shown in Figures 3B-27 and 3B-28~~ of
various geometric and lane-use configurations.

**Section ~~3B.25~~ 3C.08 Markings for Other Circular Intersections**

Support:

Other circular intersections include, but are not limited to, rotaries,
traffic circles, and residential traffic calming designs.

Option:

The markings shown in ~~Figures 3B-27 and 3B-28~~ this Chapter may be
used at other circular intersections ~~when~~ if engineering judgment
indicates that their presence will benefit drivers or pedestrians.

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