10-13-05 Planning Comm. Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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animated signage, which mimic movement or have hisJt- intensity flashing lights in order to Gain the viewer's artention. The 1958 Federal-Aid Highway Act established federal controls for signs illuminated by flashing, moving or intermittent light. The 1965 Federal-Aid Highway Act did not contain any reference to lighting controls. Federal/State agreements were entered into with all States, however, referencing lighting restrictions on signs in commercial or industrial areas, based on customary usage. Initially, federal rules and regulations restricted the use of electronic message centers on the primary and interstate highway system to displays of time, temperature, and "public service messages." The restriction no longer stands, as it is an obvious instance of content control. Over time, as the technology advanced, the federal government began to reseazch the signs and their impacts on traffic safety. The newer signs allowed for changing messages, and some of these newer signs had been constructed along the highway in certain areas exetnpt from federal controls. The research showed that neither flashing, animafion, nor co c an~e ad im acted traffic sa ery. -. Lt 1978; the Surface Transportation Assistance Act amended the hiehway beautification law to allow on- premise electronic message centers along the Interstate and Federal Aid Primary road systems, subject to individual state law, so lone as the messages were sequenced on and offin a manner that did not constitute "flashing." Congress refrained from settingatimelimit on the sequencing of the messages, instead opting for a "reasonable interval"standard. While the definition of"reasonable interval" is not clear it is evident that any control of copy change time interval must be exercised with caution to avoid those time limits becoming de facto content control. This is a tikely risk as the copy change time interval necessary for effective communications is dependent in par[ on the physical characteristicsofeachmessagecenter. Amultipleline, text only message center is normally likely to display a complete message. In that case, the time interval between copy changes can be several seconds. A short, single line message center operated by a small business may only be able to display a single word at a time. The copy must, therefore, change at a faster rate that enables comfortable reading of the message or ttte business is unable to communicate. The necessary sequence for a message is also dependant on the content of the message, the speed of the traffic, sgnline 40.pmE 6 3H3/2003, 12 d5 PM -~ 1 3 - State highway departments have realized the va/ue of electronic message centers, and are increasingly using them to inform and direct traffic in large metroplitan areas, where government studies have demonstrated their value in easing traffic congestion and increasing traffic safety.