ATSSA The Signal January February 2020

The Signal | January/February 2020 21 Innovation & Technical News New year. New MUTCD. ATSSA staff and members gear up to send recommendations for 2020 traffic control device manual TheManual onUniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) needs an update, and ATSSA isplayingamajor role intheprocess. The current editionof the roadway safety infrastructure industry’s guide tokeeping drivers and roadway workers safe was published in 2009. “This document sets the standard for uniformity throughout the nation,” said ATSSA Director of Innovation and Tech- nical Services Eric Perry. “We’re trying to help promote uniformity on roadways across theU.S. so thatwecan focusonour mission, which is to keep everyone safer and work toward zero deaths.” ATSSA is among the sponsoring organiza- tions that support the National Commit- tee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (NCUTCD). As a sponsoring organization since 1992, ATSSA has assisted in estab- lishinguniformity for trafficcontrol devices and practices that are used to keep road- way drivers, workers, and infrastructure safe. Perry is an advisor to the NCUTCD Temporary Traffic Control Committee. Perry, ATSSA Vice President of Member Services Donna Clark, ATSSA President and CEO Roger Wentz, and ATSSA Asso- ciate Directors of Member Engagement Courtney Neal and Angel Ramos attend each meeting as liaisons to the majority of the technical committees. Since 1980, the NCUTCD has presented recommendations to theFederalHighway Administration (FHWA) for its updates to the 1988, 1993, Part VI supplement, 2000, 2003, and2009manuals. TheNCUTCDhas developedmore than200 recommended changes to the 2009 MUTCD, which the FHWA is preparing to update by the end of this year. Thatwouldmake it the longest period without updates, Perry said. One of the Temporary Traffic Controls Committee’srecommendationsisinclusion of temporary traffic control near round- abouts and how to set up a work zone in or near a roundabout. Other changes may includea focusonadvancinghighway infrastructure in relation to Connected andAutomatedVehicles (CAVs), Perry said. Paul Carlson, chief technology officer at Road Infrastructure, is the NCUTCD ConnectedAutomatedVehicleTask Force Chair and a member of the ATSSA Pave- ment Marking Committee and ATSSA Operating Committee. “Byfar,themostcommoncommentfromthe AV industry is the need formore uniform pavement marking applications,” Carl- son said. “So, that’s what we focused on first. There are additional needs that still require more clarity before we can confi- dently make recommendations.” Michael Hare, regional sales manager at QWICK KURB, Inc., is a member of the NCUTCD Markings Committee and the ATSSA Pavement Marking Committee. Hare stressed the need for an updated MUTCD, stating, “ATSSA has taken a lead- ershippositionon this issue tomake sure thatourindustryaswellasourmembership are represented so as we move forward, we’re not left behind. Mike Schagrin, ATSSA Traffic Signals chair and CAV program manager for Califor- nia-based McCain Inc., said forthcom- ing updates to the manual were one of the reasons ATSSA formed its newest committee. Schagrin took over as chair pro temp of theTraffic SignalsCommittee inAugust of 2019. The committee holds its first meet- ing during the 50thAnnual Convention& Traffic Expo. “Asadvancements continue tobemadeon U.S. roadways, especially when it comes to connected and automated vehicles, traffic signals have the potential to play amajor role in roadway safety,” Schagrin said. “Our mission is roadway safety and having traffic control devices that operate consistently across our nation is critical to ensuringasafeoperatingenvironment.”