02-13-2013 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

to be replaced. Staff will monitor the signs to the best of its ability to determine if a group needs to be replaced at 10, 11, or 12 years. While putting the sign maintenance program together, staff also evaluated which signs it was using and whether or not all of the signs in the system were necessary. Based on the MNMUTCD there are only four regulatory signs that are required: Speed Limits (in an established speed zone), One Way /Do Not Enter, Turn Prohibitions, and All Way Stop supplementary plaques. All other signs are considered optional. The manual provides guidance as to which additional signs should be used and which shouldn't. After evaluating the City's signs last summer staff eliminated 170 signs from the system. At an average cost of $50 per sign that is a savings of $8500 not including labor and equipment costs. Signs that were eliminated include Slow Children, Stop Ahead, extra chevrons, seine arrow sings, and various others. Some signs have been proven to be more of a detriment to safety than anything. Slow Children signs may give parents in the area a false sense of security and allow their children more freedom in and near the street when the signs have shown no evidence of alerting drivers or slowing their speeds. The proposed Sign Maintenance and Pavement Marking Policy also covers who is responsible for which signs within City limits, how the City will respond to sign maintenance needs, other miscellaneous practices, and pavement marking and striping methods. There will be little or no budget impact from this policy. Staff split the City into seven groups in 2002 with the idea that the signs would be replaced in groups so the budget should adequately cover the sign needs. There will be years where the budget will be lower due to no sign group replacement. There will still be needs for signs that are hit or vandalized. Staff is recommending the City Council adopt the Sign Maintenance and Pavement Marking Policy. 2