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14-027CITY OF SHOREWOOD RESOLUTION NO. 14 -027 A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING POLICY FOR SIGN RETROREFLECTIVITY ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT WHEREAS, the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), published by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), establishes uniform standards for traffic signs; and WHEREAS, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MN /DOT) has adopted the MUTCD as the Minnesota Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MN MUTCD) and requires the city to establish an assessment or management policy that is designed to maintain sign retrorefleetivity at or above minimum levels specified in MN MUTCD; NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Shorewood that the following Sign Retroreflectivity Policy is hereby established: SIGN RETROREFLECTIVITY POLICY Article I. Purpose and Goal. The purpose of this policy is to establish how the city will implement an assessment or management method, or combination of methods, to meet the minimum sign retroreflectivity requirements in the Minnesota Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MN MUTCD). Substantial conformance with the MN MUTCD is achieved by having a method in place to maintain minimum retroreflectivity levels. Conformance does not require or guarantee that every individual sign in the city will meet or exceed the minimum retroreflective levels at every point in time. The goal of this policy is to improve public safety on the city's streets and roads and prioritize the city's limited resources to replace signs. Article II. Applicable Signs. This policy applies to all regulatory, warning, and guide signs as set forth in the MINT MUTCD. Pursuant to Section 2A.8 of the MN MUTCD the city excludes the following signs from the retroreflectivity maintenance guidelines: A. Parking, Standing, and Stopping signs (R7 and R8 series) B. Walking /Hitchhiking /Crossing signs (R9 series, R10 -1 through R10 -4b) C. Acknowledgment signs, including Memorial signs D. All signs with blue or brown backgrounds E. Bikeway signs that are intended for exclusive use by bicyclists or pedestrians Article III. Resource Materials The city has reviewed and relied on numerous resources in adopting this policy. These resource materials include, but are not limited to the following: • Methods for Maintaining Traffic Sign Retroreflectivity, Publication No. FHWA- HRT -08- 026, U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration (November 2007). • Sign Retroreflectivity Guidebook, Publication No. FHWA- CFLlTD -09 -005, U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration (September 2009). • Sign Retroreflectivity: A Minnesota Toolkit, Minnesota Department of Transportation, Local Road Research Board (June 2010). • Traffic Sign Maintenance /Management Handbook, Report No. 2010RIC10, Version 1.1, Minnesota Department of Transportation (October 2010). • LMCIT Sign Retroreflectivity Memo and Model Policy, League of Minnesota Cities (Final Edition, March 2014). Article IV. Sign Inventory To meet the city's goal of maintaining sign retroreflectivity above certain levels, the city will maintain a sign inventory of all new or replacement signs installed after the effective date of this policy. The inventory shall indicate the type of sign, the location of the sign, the date of installation or replacement, the type of sheeting material used on the sign face, the expected life of the sign, and any maintenance performed on the sign. As to existing signs, the city will perform an inventory of all signs covered by this policy. The city recognizes this process will occur over time subject to the city's monetary and human resources. The city has completed its sign inventory. The city shall record the above information related to new signs to the extent that such information is known and shall also include a statement on the general condition of the sign. Article V. Removal of Signs In recognition of the fact that excess road signs have been shown to reduce the effectiveness of signage, as well as impose an unnecessary financial burden on road authorities, it is the city's policy to remove signs determined to be unnecessary for safety purposes and which are not required to comply with an applicable state or federal statute or regulation. The removal of signs shall be based on an engineering study and the MN MUTCD. Article VI. Approved Sign Evaluation Method. After reviewing the various methods proposed for sign maintenance, the City adopts the following methods to meet the minimum sign retroreflectivity requirements in the MN MUTCD: Nighttime Visual Inspection. The retroreflectivity of the City's signs is assessed by a trained sign inspector following a formal visual inspection procedure from a moving vehicle during nighttime conditions. Signs that are visually identified by the inspector to have retroreflectivity below the minimum levels will be replaced. The City will visually inspect its signs based on the following: The initial sign inventory and retroreflectivity assessment will be performed using the Nighttime Visual Inspection (NVI) method. Signs in the inventory will be rated as "Good ", `Fair" or "Poor ". Signs rated "poor will be replaced as a first priority as budget allows, with the goal of replacing 25% or more of these signs annually. Signs rated "Fair" will be reviewed once every two years by NVI method until replaced with a new sign. If the date of sign installation is known, the Expected Sign Left method of replacement will be implemented Signs rated "Good" will be reviewed once every two years by the NVI method until replaced with a new sign. If the date of sign installation is known, the Expected Sign Left method of replacement will be implemented Expected Sign Life. The installation date is labeled or recorded when a sign is installed, so that the age of any given sign is known. The age of the sign is compared to the expected sign life. The expected sign life is based on the experience of sign retroreflectivity degradation in the City. Signs older than the expected life will be replaced. Article VII. Sign Replacement. The City hereby establishes the following priority order in which road signs will be replaced: • First priority shall be given to replacing all signs determined not to meet applicable retroreflectivity standards. Top priority shall also be given to replacing missing or damaged signs determined to be of a priority for safety purposes. • Second priority shall be given to signs determined to be marginal in their retroreflectivity evaluation. • Third priority shall be given to all remaining signs as they come to the end of their anticipated service life, become damaged, etc. In addition, within each category above, further priority shall be given to warning and regulatory signs on roads with higher vehicle usage. After the initial replacement of signs as provided for in this Article or the installation of new signs, the City shall, for the purpose of complying with the requirements of the MN MUTCD, maintain minimum retroreflectivity standards, as budgetary factors allow, by replacing signs as they reach the end of the latter of their (a) warranty period; (b) expected life expectancy for the sheeting material used on the sign; or (c) expected life as determined by an authorized engineering study. Damaged, stolen, or missing signs may be replaced as needed. Article VIII. Modification and Deviation from Policy. The City reserves the right to modify this Sign Retroreflectivity Policy at any time if deemed to be in the best interests of the City based on safety, social, political and economic considerations. The Director of Public Works, or his or her designee, may authorize a deviation from the implementation of this policy in regard to a particular sign when deemed to be in the best interests of the City based on safety, social, political and economic considerations. Such deviation shall be documented including the reason for the deviation and other information supporting the deviation. ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SHOREWOOD on this 28th day of April, 2014. ATTEST: Jean Panchyshyn, Oty Clerk Sqo Zerby, �T'