A SIGN INVENTORY STUDY TO ASSESS AND CONTROL LIABILITY AND COST

Abstract

The main objective of this project was to determine, quantify, and present to the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) alternative approaches for meeting the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) proposed minimum level of retroreflectivity for signs. This study used knowledge of the current NCDOT sign maintenance practices to synthesize a list of components and alternatives to comply with the standard. The fundamental contribution of the work lies in creating alternative methods to evaluating sign retroreflectivity to ensure compliance with a standard while minimizing the cost and labor required to do so. The four alternatives formulated were: (1) continue with current inspection method; (2) make improvements to current inspection method; (3) implement a sign inventory management system in addition to the current inspection method; and (4) a combination of the second and third alternatives. This report recommends that the fourth alternative be adopted by NCDOT, although it is the most costly alternative. It was also recommended that an evaluation be made periodically to determine what benefits and improvement in sign condition, if any, have resulted from the alternative's implementation.