Last week, a group of seven VHB team members attended the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (NCUTCD) midyear meeting in Portland, ME. The volunteer-run committee assists in developing recommendations for changes to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) and submitting them to the Federal Highway Administration, which publishes the MUTCD.
The MUTCD is a comprehensive document containing over one thousand pages of standards, guidance, and options for the selection and design of traffic control devices. It delves into signs, signals, and markings to provide consistency and uniformity for their use nationwide, promoting safety, inclusion, and mobility for all road users. The 11th edition of the MUTCD was just released in 2023, replacing an edition that had been in place for 14 years.
VHB’s team members played a crucial role in spearheading several changes to the latest edition of the MUTCD. For example, the Bicycle Technical Committee of the NCUTCD, chaired by VHB Principal Bill DeSantis, led the effort to expand the MUTCD content for traffic control devices for bicycles. The latest MUTCD includes more comprehensive provisions related to bicycle facilities, including new warning, regulatory, and guide signs, as well as markings for various types of bicycle lanes and intersection treatments and for bicycle detour signage during construction. This development marks a significant step toward equitable treatment of bicyclists and their safety within the transportation industry.
“VHBers drafted text, details, and figures for provisions in the Manual. I don’t know how much more direct impact you can have than this,” said Bill, a 15-year NCUTCD committee member. “What we helped create is now a national standard. I think that’s a big deal.”
VHB’s active involvement in the NCUTCD gives the company a significant stake in developing the MUTCD and a deep understanding of the Manual’s standards, guidance, and nuances. This foundation enables our team to make highly informed recommendations to clients on implementing MUTCD standards on projects and creating designs aligned with the MUTCD from the start.
Beyond its contributions to the national MUTCD, VHB has played a key role in helping states develop state-specific supplements to the MUTCD. Currently, VHB is working with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) for the second time to update its manual to comply with the latest MUTCD standards. In close collaboration with VDOT, VHB is helping conduct a thorough review of the new MUTCD to analyze its state-specific fiscal, legal, and process impacts and guide VDOT through updating its supplemental documents,
Connect with Bill DeSantis, Principal, or Mike Tantillo, Senior Transportation Manager | LinkedIn to learn about VHB’s involvement with the NCUTCD and about VHB’s services to state departments of transportation for supplements to the manual.