Iowa Department of Transportation officials hope raised awareness will make school zones safer for the estimated 540,000 students who attend private and public schools in Iowa. Last June, all school zone signs on the state-maintained highway system were replaced. The latest effort is making signs available for use by cities and counties on locally maintained streets and roadways. The project is a cooperative effort between the Iowa DOT and local governments, and is being promoted in part by the Iowa Department of Education. Local agencies are sharing in the project's costs by removing existing signs and installing the new ones.
Fluorescent colors are brighter, and research shows they are much more conspicuous to the human eye.
Studies have shown fluorescent colors can provide drivers as much as 40 percent earlier detection than ordinary colors. The DOT announced earlier this week that it will be using fluorescent orange signs in many construction work zones this year. Approved by the Federal Highway Administration, the Iowa DOT adopted the new fluorescent signs as a statewide standard. Signs currently being replaced include the school advance signs, school crossing signs, and the rectangular school sign.