USA Banner
  U.S. flag
              An official website of the United States government Here's how you knowOfficial US Government Icon
              **Official websites use .gov**A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
            Secure Site Icon
              **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                  A **lock** ( A locked padlock ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. 
 U.S. Department of Transportation Icon United States Department of Transportation
 Search DOT
            Search
                    About FHWAFHWA Organization
                Headquarters Offices
                Field Offices
                Strategic Plan
                Business Opportunities
                Staff Directories
                Careers
                Highway History
                Contact UsProgramsAcquisition Management
                Civil Rights
                Federal Lands Highway
                Infrastructure
                Innovative Program Delivery
                Operations
                Planning, Environment, and Realty
                Policy
                Research, Development, and Technology
                Safety
                Browse by TopicsResourcesCore Highway Topics
                Federal Aid Essentials
                Automation
                Complete Streets
                Laws and Regulations
                Policy & Guidance Center
                Section 508
                Publications and Statistics
                Professional Development
                National Highway Institute
                Resource Center
                Accessibility Resource Library
                FHWA Research LibraryNewsroomPress Releases
                Speeches & Testimony
                Photos
                Videos
                Media ContactsMenu FHWA Highway Safety Programs Home


            
            In This Section
        Other Safety Areas
                Road Diets
                Lighting and Visibility
                                Overview
                Sign Retroreflectivity
                Pavement Markings
                Roadway Lighting
                Focused Approach to Safety
                Motorcyclist Safety
                Older Road Users
                                Overview
                Crash Facts
                Engineering and Training
                Federal and State Programs
                Community Resources
                Articles
                Work Zone Safety
                Transportation Safety Planning (TSP)
                
                Workshops on Nighttime Visibility of Traffic Signs: Summary of Workshop Findings
Workshops on Nighttime Visibility of Traffic Signs:
Summary of Workshop Findings

February 2003
Publication No. FHWA-SA-03-002





Workshops on Nighttime Visibility of Traffic Signs:
Summary of Workshop Findings

Prepared by

H. Gene Hawkins, Jr., Ph.D., P.E.
Texas Transportation Institute
College Station, Texas

Paul J. Carlson, Ph.D., P.E.
Texas Transportation Institute
College Station, Texas

Greg F. Schertz, P.E.
Federal Highway Administration
Denver, Colorado

and

Kenneth S. Opiela, Ph.D., P.E.
Federal Highway Administration
McLean, Virginia

Prepared under contract to
Battelle
Transportation Market Sector
Columbus, Ohio

Prepared for
FHWA Safety Office
Washington, D.C.

Sponsored by the
U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration

February 2003





DISCLAIMER

The contents of this report reflect the views of the authors, who are responsible for the opinions, findings, and conclusions presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation, nor is it intended for construction, bidding, or permit purposes.



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

These workshops were conducted by the Texas Transportation Institute under a subcontract to Battelle. Carol Zimmerman was the Principal Investigator for Battelle.

There were a number of individuals who made significant contributions to the success of the workshops described in this report. These individuals include:

**Peter Hatzi**, Federal Highway Administration, who was the Contracting Office Technical Representative for this project.
	**Rosa Rodriguez,**Battelle, who coordinated invitations and travel arrangements for participants at all the workshops.
	**Dave Kopacz,** Federal Highway Administration, who coordinated the logistical arrangements for the workshop in Hudson, Wisconsin.
	**Elizabeth Perez,** Texas Transportation Institute, who coordinated the logistical arrangements for the workshop in College Station, Texas.
	**Julie Strain,** Maryland State Highway Administration, who coordinated the logistical arrangements for the workshop in Hanover, Maryland.
	**Matt Lupes,** Federal Highway Administration, who coordinated the set-up of the nighttime sign demonstration in Lakewood, Colorado.
	**Curtis Evans,**Federal Highway Administration, who assisted in creating most of the nighttime demonstration signs and assisted in their set-up in Lakewood, Colorado.
	**David Tody,** Minnesota Department of Transportation, who coordinated the set-up of the nighttime sign demonstration in Hudson, Wisconsin. The nighttime demonstration was actually conducted a few miles from Hudson in Minnesota.
	**Paul Stout,** Maryland State Highway Administration, who coordinated the set-up of the nighttime sign demonstration in Hanover, Maryland.The team would also like to acknowledge the contributions of the many individuals that participated in the four workshops. These individuals gave up two or more days of their time so that they could share their experiences, thoughts, and suggestions with FHWA.
      
  CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION
                CHAPTER 2 - NIGHT RETROREFLECTIVITY DEMONSTRATION
                CHAPTER 3 - SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
                CHAPTER 4 - RECOMMENDATIONS
                CHAPTER 5 - REFERENCES
                APPENDIX A - MUTCD RETROREFLECTIVITY HISTORY
                APPENDIX B - RETROREFLECTIVITY ADVANCE NOTICE
                APPENDIX C - SUMMARY OF 1995 WORKSHOPS
                APPENDIX D - 1993 AND 1998 MINIMUM RETROREFLECTIVITY RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS
                APPENDIX E - AASHTO POLICY RESOLUTION
                APPENDIX F - WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS
                APPENDIX G - ORGANIZATIONS' RETROREFLECTIVITY POLICIES
                APPENDIX H - WORKSHOP MUTCD LANGUAGE
                APPENDIX I - QUESTIONS TO BE CONSIDEREDBook traversal links for Workshops on Nighttime Visibility of Traffic Signs: Summary of Workshop Findings
      CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION ›
                
                Book:Workshops on Nighttime Visibility of Traffic Signs: Summary of Workshop Findings
              CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION
                CHAPTER 2 - NIGHT RETROREFLECTIVITY DEMONSTRATION
                CHAPTER 3 - SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
                CHAPTER 4 - RECOMMENDATIONS
                CHAPTER 5 - REFERENCES
                APPENDIX A - MUTCD RETROREFLECTIVITY HISTORY
                APPENDIX B - RETROREFLECTIVITY ADVANCE NOTICE
                APPENDIX C - SUMMARY OF 1995 WORKSHOPS
                APPENDIX D - 1993 AND 1998 MINIMUM RETROREFLECTIVITY RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS
                APPENDIX E - AASHTO POLICY RESOLUTION
                APPENDIX F - WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS
                APPENDIX G - ORGANIZATIONS' RETROREFLECTIVITY POLICIES
                APPENDIX H - WORKSHOP MUTCD LANGUAGE
                APPENDIX I - QUESTIONS TO BE CONSIDERED U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

**Federal Highway Administration**

1200 NEW JERSEY AVENUE, SE

WASHINGTON, DC 20590

202-366-4000Subscribe to email updates
                    About
  

        
              About FHWA
                Careers
                Org Chart
                Staff Directories
                Work with UsPrograms
  

        
              Acquisition Management
                Civil Rights
                Federal Lands Highway
                Infrastructure
                Innovative Program Delivery
                Operations
                Planning, Environment, and Realty
                Policy
                Research, Development, and Technology
                SafetyPolicies, Rights, Legal
  

        
              About DOT
                Accessibility
                Budget and Performance
                Civil Rights
                FOIA
                Information Quality
                No FEAR Act
                Office of Inspector General
                Privacy Policy
                USA.gov
                Web Policies and Notices
                Web StandardsNews & Events
  

        
              Newsroom
                Press Releases
                Speeches & Testimony
                Media Contacts
                Connect with Us