I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3536 
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to delay certain target compliance 
dates for minimum retroreflectivity level standards applicable to traffic 
signs, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 1, 2011 
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia (for himself, Mr. BARLETTA, Mr. FILNER, Mr. 
HOLT, Mr. CARNAHAN, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. STARK, Mr. ALT-
MIRE, Mr. RANGEL, Ms. PINGREE of Maine, and Mr. BISHOP of New 
York) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Transportation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to delay certain 
target compliance dates for minimum retroreflectivity 
level standards applicable to traffic signs, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Safe Roads for Amer-
ica Act of 2011’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
03:59 Dec 02, 2011
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3536.IH
H3536
rfrederick on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(1) An individual who is 65 years of age needs 
4 times the amount of light to see at night as com-
pared to an individual who is 25 years of age. 
(2) The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety 
projects that by 2030 1 in every 4 drivers will be 65 
years of age or older. 
(3) Increasing the retroreflectivity and size of 
traffic signs provides added decision time for older 
drivers. 
(4) Increasing the retroreflectivity and size of 
traffic signs also provides for faster response time by 
emergency medical technicians and police and fire 
personnel by increasing their ability to read and un-
derstand signs and reduce travel time to a site. 
(5) More than 50 percent of traffic accidents 
resulting in fatalities occur at night, and increased 
retroreflectivity of traffic signs addresses this issue. 
(6) In 2007, the following deadlines were estab-
lished in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control 
Devices in response to a statutory requirement from 
Congress: 
(A) By January 22, 2012, roadway owners 
must adopt a plan to ensure that their signs 
meet minimum levels of retroreflectivity. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
03:59 Dec 02, 2011
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3536.IH
H3536
rfrederick on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(B) By January 22, 2015, regulatory and 
warning signs and post-mounted signs must 
meet minimum levels of retroreflectivity. 
(C) By January 22, 2018, overhead and 
street name signs must meet minimum levels of 
retroreflectivity. 
(7) The Federal Highway Administration has 
estimated 
that 
the 
cost 
for 
making 
these 
retroreflectivity improvements for signage through-
out the United States is $37,000,000 over a 10-year 
period. 
(8) At no point must a roadway owner replace 
a 
sign 
that 
meets 
the 
minimum 
levels 
of 
retroreflectivity. 
(9) The United States is currently experiencing 
the worst economic conditions since the Great De-
pression. 
(10) As a result, local governments across the 
United States are experiencing one of the most eco-
nomically challenging times in history, with available 
revenues unable to match the costs of services de-
manded by the public. 
(11) To compensate for depressed revenue col-
lections during the economic downturn, counties and 
cities are adopting severe cost-cutting measures, 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
03:59 Dec 02, 2011
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3536.IH
H3536
rfrederick on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with BILLS