[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 189 (Wednesday, September 30, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 52314]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-26154]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration
[Docket No. FHWA-98-4489]


Notice of Request for Clearance of a New Information Collection: 
Food Service Highway Signs Study

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the 
intention of the FHWA to request the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) to approve a new information collection described in more detail 
under Supplementary Information. This information collection provides 
for a study to be conducted by the FHWA to determine the practices of 
the States regarding specific food service signs as described in the 
Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways 
(MUTCD).

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before November 30, 1998.

ADDRESSES: All signed, written comments should refer to the docket 
number that appears in the heading 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 10:00 
a.m. and 5:00 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays. Those desiring notification of receipt of comments must 
include a self-addressed, stamped envelope or postcard.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Ernest Huckaby, HHS-10, Room 3414, 
(202) 366-9064, Office of Highway Safety, Federal Highway 
Administration, Department of Transportation, 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:

    Title: Food Service Highway Signs Study.
    Background: The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century 
(TEA-21), Section 1213(g), directs the Secretary of the U.S. Department 
of Transportation to conduct a study of States' practices for specific 
food service signs described in sections 2G-5.7 and 2G-5.8 of the 
MUTCD. TEA-21 requires that the study shall examine, at a minimum: (a) 
the practices of all States for determining businesses eligible for 
inclusion on such signs; (b) whether States allow businesses to be 
removed from such signs and the circumstances for such removal; (c) the 
practices of all States for erecting and maintaining such signs, 
including the time required for erecting such signs; and (d) whether 
States contract out the erection and maintenance of such signs. A 
report to Congress is due not later than one year after the enactment 
of TEA-21 on the results of the study, including any recommendations 
and, if appropriate, modifications to the MUTCD.
    MUTCD criteria for specific service signing is described in 
sections 2G-5.7 and 2G-5.8 of the Manual. TEA-21 provided modified 
criteria in MUTCD, Section 1217, Eligibility, paragraph (f), 
Information Services, as follows:

    A food business that would otherwise be eligible to display a 
mainline business logo on a specific service food sign described in 
section 2G-5.7(4) of part IIG of the 1988 edition of the Manual on 
Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways under the 
requirements specified in that section, but for the fact that the 
business is open 6 days a week, cannot be prohibited from inclusion 
on such a food sign.

    Respondents: Departments of Transportation in 50 States and Puerto 
Rico and the District of Columbia.
    Estimated Average Burden Per Response: 2 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 104 hours.
    Frequency: This is a one-time collection.
    Public Comments Invited: Interested parties are invited to send 
comments regarding any aspect of this information collection, 
including, but not limited to: (1) the necessity and utility of the 
information collection for the proper performance of the functions of 
the FHWA; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden; (3) ways to enhance 
the quality, utility, and clarity of the collected information; and (4) 
ways to minimize the collection burden without reducing the quality of 
the collected information. Comments submitted in response to this 
notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB's 
clearance for this information collection.
    Electronic Availability: An electronic copy of this document may be 
downloaded using a modem and suitable communications software from the 
Federal Register electronic bulletin board service (telephone number: 
202-512-1661). Internet users may reach the Federal Register's WWW site 
at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su__docs.

    Authority: 49 CFR 1.48; P.L. 105-178.

    Issued on: September 22, 1998.
Frederick G. Wright,
Director, Office of Budget and Finance.
[FR Doc. 98-26154 Filed 9-29-98; 8:45 am]
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