Note: This is a 3-part series on what advocates can do to provide comment on the draft Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. Part I provides background on the document and why it’s important to comment. Parts II and III will focus on bicyclist- and pedestrian-specific elements of the draft MUTCD.
By Don Kostelec
January 17, 2021
The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. It’s a mouthful but it greatly influences how our streets are operated and managed. MUTCD is why a speed limit sign in Florida looks the same as a speed limit sign in Idaho (don’t mention Oregon’s speed limit signs). It’s what guides how a pedestrian signal is timed for people to cross the street.
A draft of the 11th edition is now published by the Federal Highway Administration for public comment. It is the first update to the manual since 2009. Comments are due March 15, 2021, but many agencies are requesting an extension.
A lot has changed in the realm of active transportation design in those 12 years. A lot has changed in the flow of information and impact of online technology, including social media. This means the 11th edition of MUTCD is going to be the most publicly-viewed and publicly-vetted version in the 85-year history of the manual.
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