[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 112 (Thursday, June 11, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 31957-31958]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-15598]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

23 CFR Part 655

[FHWA Docket No. FHWA-98-3643]


Revision of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices: 
Request for Comments on the MUTCD Outreach Effort

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Request for comments on the MUTCD Outreach Effort.

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SUMMARY: The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) is 
incorporated by reference in 23 CFR part 655, subpart F, approved by 
the Federal Highway Administrator, and recognized as the national 
standard for traffic control on all public roads. The FHWA announced 
its intent to rewrite and reformat the MUTCD on January 10, 1992, at 57 
FR 1134. The FHWA plans to publish and distribute a new edition of the 
MUTCD in the year 2000. The purpose of this request for comment is to: 
identify the role of the MUTCD in our customer and partner 
organizations and develop a comprehensive outreach strategy to ensure 
that information within the revised MUTCD reaches the appropriate 
audiences in the most efficient and cost-effective manner.

DATES: Submit comments on or before September 9, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Signed, written comments should refer to the docket number 
that appears at the top of this document and must be submitted to the 
Docket Clerk, U.S. DOT Dockets, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20590-0001. All comments received will be available for 
examination at the above address between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., e.t., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. Those desiring 
notification of receipt of comments must include a self-addressed, 
stamped postcard.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Linda Brown, Office of Highway 
Safety, Room 3414, (202) 366-2192, or Mr. Raymond Cuprill, Office of 
the Chief Counsel, Room 4217, (202) 366-0834, Department of 
Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, 400 Seventh Street, 
SW., Washington, DC 20590. Office hours are from 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. 
e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Access

    Internet users can access all comments received by the U.S. DOT 
Dockets, Room PL-401, by using the universal resource locator (URL): 
http://dms.dot.gov. It is available 24 hours each day, 365 days each 
year. Please follow the instructions online for more information and 
help.
    An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded using a modem 
and suitable communications software from the Federal Register 
Electronic Bulletin Board Service at (202) 512-1661. Internet users may 
reach the Federal Register's home page at: http://www.nara.gov/nara/
fedreg and the Government Printing Office's database at: http://
www.access.gpo.gov/su__docs.
    The proposed text for the MUTCD 2000 is available from the FHWA, 
Office of Highway Safety (HHS-10). It is also available on the FHWA 
home page at the following URL: http://www.ohs.fhwa.dot.gov/devices/
mutcd.html.

Background

    The current 1988 MUTCD is available for inspection and copying as 
prescribed in 49 CFR Part 7, appendix D. It may be purchased for $44 
(Domestic) or $55 (Foreign) from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. 
Government Printing Office, P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954, 
Stock No. 650-001-00001-0. This request for comment is being issued to 
provide an opportunity for public comment on the best manner in which 
to disseminate information contained in the next edition of the MUTCD.
    The Manual On Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) is approved 
by the Federal Highway Administrator as the standard for design, 
application, and placement of traffic control devices used on all roads 
open to public travel. The MUTCD contains principles for the design and 
installation of signs, signals, pavement markings and other traffic 
control devices. Roadway safety is one of FHWA's primary focus areas. 
Single-vehicle run-off-road crashes account for about one-third of all 
highway fatalities annually and motor vehicle crashes involving 
pedestrians and bicyclists account for another 15 percent of all 
highway fatalities annually. To make an impact on our strategic safety 
objective of reducing the number of highway-related fatalities and 
injuries, the FHWA is focusing resources in these areas that have the 
most significant impact in achieving roadway safety. Providing all 
users of the highway system with better guidance tools is a critical 
element in addressing run-off-road, pedestrian, and bicyclist traffic 
crashes. Traffic control devices (TCDs) are the roadway guidance tools 
that ensure safety by providing for the orderly and predictable 
movement of all traffic throughout the Nation's transportation system. 
TCDs such as pavement markings, signs, and signals are the language 
with which we communicate to the road users.
    With the Interstate highway system near completion and the growth 
in roadway traffic volumes and congestion increasing, our Nation is at 
the crossroads of its transportation development. The FHWA recognizes 
the need to infuse new ideas and technology into the highway program--
ideas that will help us solve our current and future highway safety 
challenges. We also recognize that the policies and technologies that 
we implement today will have a strong impact on our citizens and 
industries well into the 21st century. The FHWA is in the process of 
publishing a new MUTCD for the next millennium. The Agency's goal for 
the ``MUTCD 2000'' is to enhance the mobility of all road users, 
promote uniformity, improve traffic safety of pedestrians and 
bicyclists, reduce the potential for run-off-road incidents, and 
incorporate technology advances in traffic control device application.
    Marketing and public outreach are recognized as important elements 
in this effort. In this new era of transportation, we realize that 
marketing and public outreach are very necessary components of 
developing, promoting, and implementing effective programs. As the FHWA 
began to identify our outreach audience, it became apparent that: (1) 
the MUTCD affects a large and varied audience, and (2) many of our 
partners and customers are relatively uninformed about principles and 
techniques for the proper design and application of traffic control 
devices. Additionally, the general public has little understanding of 
the respective roles of the Federal, State, and local transportation 
agencies

[[Page 31958]]

in operating and maintaining transportation facilities and services. 
The daily interaction of the general public with the physical 
components of our transportation system, particularly the installation 
of proper and effective traffic control devices, provides an ideal 
opportunity for creating public awareness and understanding of the 
safety benefits inherent in our transportation system. Outreach and 
interaction have the following benefits:
    1. Encourages commitment to and compliance with the established 
goals and methods of managing and improving our transportation system;
    2. Provides a rich amount of information about ways to improve the 
transportation system and make it safer for travel; and
    3. Provides an opportunity to measure the quality of service we 
deliver.
    As part of the ``MUTCD 2000'', the FHWA envisions a comprehensive 
outreach effort to the widest possible audience. Our goal is to expand 
our traditional network of customers and partners and provide 
information contained in the MUTCD to other groups, such as State 
departments of motor vehicles, drivers' education classes, law 
enforcement personnel, governors' highway safety representatives, 
emergency response providers, state and local officials, and community 
civic leaders.
    Our Agency customers and partners are often in the best position to 
provide information to transportation users and providers because they 
routinely interact with city, county, and local officials. The Agency's 
commitment to marketing and outreach provides a unique opportunity to 
work cooperatively to identify methods of disseminating information to 
businesses, organizations, public agencies, and others that may be 
affected by the proposed changes to the MUTCD.
    The FHWA plans to provide the MUTCD 2000 in a variety of formats: a 
hard copy manual, a CD-ROM version, and a version available through the 
Internet. In addition, both internal and external customers have 
suggested that the Agency consider the following as part of the MUTCD 
2000 release: video presentations to highlight the changes; training 
course and materials; exhibit booth graphics and kiosks; brochures and 
other promotional materials.
    The purpose of this request for comments is to identify what role 
the MUTCD plays in your organization and specifically seek your ideas 
on ways to effectively disseminate the MUTCD 2000, as well as receive 
your comments on ways to expand the Agency's target audience. To 
stimulate an exchange of ideas, the following questions have been 
developed:
    1. What is your primary interest in the MUTCD?
    2. How do you currently use the MUTCD?
    3. How would you envision utilizing the information in the MUTCD in 
the future?
    4. How often do you receive inquiries regarding the MUTCD and what 
is the nature of these inquiries?
    5. Whom would you identify as the audience for the MUTCD?
    6. Are there missing pieces of information the MUTCD should cover?
    7. Does your organization have a knowledge gap the MUTCD can fill?
    8. Does your organization wish to partner with FHWA by publishing/
printing the MUTCD after the final text has been approved by the FHWA?
    (a) Do you wish to provide this service alone or with other 
organizations?
    (b) How much would your organization contribute to the initial 
printing setup cost?
    (c) Are there any conditions or requirements your organization has 
for this service?
    (d) Are there any conditions or requirements your organization has 
for its logo, title, credits, etc. to be placed in the MUTCD 2000?
    9. Does your organization wish to partner with FHWA by developing 
training videos for traffic engineers, technicians, drivers (drivers' 
education), pedestrians, bicyclists, elder citizens and/or children in 
the MUTCD 2000?
    10. Does your organization wish to partner with FHWA by developing 
public information press releases, printed articles, radio 
announcements, or videos on ``What's new in the MUTCD 2000''?
    11. Does your organization wish to partner with FHWA by developing 
other training courses and materials for the MUTCD?
    12. Do you have other suggestions to include in the MUTCD 2000 
outreach effort?
    13. Does your organization have access to the Internet and/or 
facilities for using a CD-ROM version of the MUTCD?
    14. What trade publications or journals do you commonly receive and 
what trade conferences do you attend?
    15. What are your professional and civic affiliations?
    The FHWA welcomes input and encourages responders to expand on 
these questions with other suggestions.

List of Subjects in 23 CFR Part 655

    Design standards, Grant programs--transportation, Highways and 
roads, Incorporation by reference, Signs, Traffic regulations.

    Authority: 23 U.S.C. 101(a), 104, 105, 109(d), 114(a), 135, 217, 
307, 315, and 402(a); 23 CFR 1.32; and 49 CFR 1.48(b).

    Issued on: June 5, 1998.
Kenneth R. Wykle,
Federal Highway Administrator.
[FR Doc. 98-15598 Filed 6-10-98; 8:45 am]
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