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
                        Safety
                        Other Safety Areas


            
            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)
                
                APPENDIX E - AASHTO POLICY RESOLUTION
The following retroreflectivity resolution was passed by the AASHTO Board of Directors at its Annual Meeting in December 2000.

**AASHTO POLICY RESOLUTION**

**MINIMUM LEVELS OF RETROREFLECTIVITY FOR SIGNS AND PAVEMENT MARKINGS**

**Passed at the AASHTO Annual Meeting, December 2000**

WHEREAS, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) is aware of the congressional mandate for the Secretary of Transportation to revise the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices to include a standard for the minimum level of retroreflectivity that must be maintained for pavement markings and signs, which shall apply to all roads open to public travel, and

WHEREAS, AASHTO concurs that it is desirable to maintain an adequate level of retroreflectivity for both traffic signs and pavement markings to enhance safety for motorists during hours of darkness and during adverse weather conditions, and

WHEREAS, AASHTO is concerned about additional liability for transportation agencies if the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) establishes the proposed minimum levels of retroreflectivity, and

WHEREAS, AASHTO greatly appreciates the opportunity afforded by FHWA to consider recommendations from AASHTO prior to publishing proposed rulemaking for minimum retroreflectivity for both signs and pavement markings;

THEREFORE, AASHTO established a "Task Force on Retroreflectivity Guidelines" composed of members from federal, state, and local transportation agencies, and from several transportation and industry associations, and has studied the various issues and produced a report with recommendations; and

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that based upon the findings and recommendations of the Task Force, AASHTO agrees that:

It is desirable to assure adequate night visibility of traffic signs.
	Regular assessments of the adequacy of retroreflectivity or the planned replacements of signs to assure adequate night visibility is necessary.BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that efforts to assure adequate night visibility should not impose undue burdens on highway agencies, and to that end, AASHTO recommends that FHWA consider the following:

The minimum requirements need to be presented in a simple and unambiguous format to assure that they can be easily and properly applied.
	Tables defining minimum retroreflectivity requirements should not appear in the MUTCD to help protect agencies from unnecessary tort liability.
	Alternative methods to assess night visibility need to be fully developed.
	Agencies should have the option to select the methods or combination of methods best suited to their needs and resources.
	Agencies should have a 6-year period to implement methods.FURTHER, it should be noted that the AASHTO Task Force on Retroreflectivity Guides will evaluate forthcoming FHWA findings and recommendations relative to minimum retroreflectivity values for additional types of signs and for pavement markings as they become available, and will provide comments at that time.

*FHWA editorial note:*

*The four methods in No. 4 in the resolution are for evaluation processes and are briefly described as follows:*

*Measure sign retroreflectivity with instruments and compare to numeric values in tables.*
	*Conduct nighttime sign inspections and compare sign legibility distances to distance values in a table.*
	*Conduct nighttime sign inspections by trained observers that would know how to subjectively evaluate signs.*
	*Knowing how long certain retroreflective materials last in a certain geographic area, replace signs on a schedule to insure replacement prior to the sign reaching the end of it's service life.*
      
  Book traversal links for APPENDIX E - AASHTO POLICY RESOLUTION
      ‹ APPENDIX D - 1993 AND 1998 MINIMUM RETROREFLECTIVITY RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS
                    Up
                    APPENDIX F - WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS ›
                
                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