Project to review and replace the 'Manual of traffic signs and markings'

1   Background

The Land Transport Rule: Traffic Control Devices 2004 (TCD Rule) replaced provisions in the Traffic Regulations 1976 (regulations) detailing signs, markings and other traffic control devices.  Those consulted during the TCD Rule's progress expressed a desire for less prescriptive rules as they considered the regulations were not as flexible nor as responsive to technological or operational change as needed.

At the consultative stages it was proposed the Manual of Traffic Signs and Markings (MOTSAM) be incorporated by reference into the TCD Rule.  This would have removed much of the specific requirements from the TCD Rule, particularly those described in the schedules.  There was a good level of support for the general concept but there was concern about MOTSAM not being perceived as an industry-wide document.  During the later stages of the TCD Rule it became apparent Parliament would not accept incorporating MOTSAM by reference particularly in its current form.

The comments received during this process suggested there was a need to review the status of MOTSAM and a desire to ensure any subsequent document reflected the requirements for specification and guidance of all road controlling authorities and traffic practitioners.  If such a review were to proceed the status of other associated documents would also have to be considered.  Examples would include the RTS series published by Land Transport Safety Authority (now Land Transport New Zealand).

Options for such a review were presented in a discussion document in 2005.  As a result of the input received Land Transport NZ has agreed to manage a project which will see a replacement to MOTSAM developed.

This report describes the review process and the proposed structure of the new documents.

2   Specifications for traffic control devices

When the Fourth Schedule of the regulations was first promulgated in 1976 there was a very close match between its descriptions of signs and the then existing National Roads Board's Signs Manual. Over time this match has been difficult to maintain; confusion has arisen with a different numbering system and a trend for road controlling authorities (RCAs) to develop their own form of signs has developed. The latter has become more of an issue as MOTSAM, a joint publication of the Land Transport Safety Authority (now Land Transport New Zealand) and Transit New Zealand (Transit NZ), has been increasingly perceived as a document being driven primarily by the needs of Transit NZ. The limitations of change through the regulatory process have also frustrated those wishing to meet perceived gaps between permitted signs and their operational needs. Similar comments apply to marking and other traffic control devices.

There are occasions where signs and other devices have been legally approved but this has not been adequately publicised among practitioners, not defined with sufficient specificity or, because of the process involved in establishing policy or guidance in its use, not been timely. In some cases this has arisen due to the lack of a defined process, inadequate resource or low priority amongst competing tasks. In some cases this has led to the erection of illegal or non-complying signs with impacts on enforcement and costs arising from subsequent replacement. These further support the need for an alternative process.

To address these issues a document, titled Traffic Control Devices Specifications (TCD Specifications) is being produced. TCD Specifications will contain the precise details of approved or mandated signs, signals, markings and certain other traffic control devices. This will include, for example, the specifications of size, letters, symbols, colours, etc.

What the document will not contain is guidelines or policy on how the devices are used. It is proposed these policies will be included in another document or series of documents (see Section 3).

Models for TCD Specifications include:

• Australian Standard AS1743 - 2001 Road Signs - Specifications; and
• US Dept of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Standard Highway Signs 2002.
  [See http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/ser-shs_millennium_met.htm]

It appears unlikely TCD Specifications will be incorporated in the TCD Rule in the short term. However, if the document is developed using a sufficiently open, collaborative and consultative process there would be an increased likelihood of industry acceptance, greater consistency and a much improved chance for future incorporation within the standards and legislative framework.

Appendix A contains a proposed structure and content for TCD Specifications.

3   Manual for traffic control devices

MOTSAM contains a considerable amount of good practice guidance and, in many cases, specific Transit NZ policy for state highways couched in terms of mandated practice. While it is appropriate for an individual RCA to clearly describe its accepted practice, this practice is not always necessary or applicable for all authorities. This point was made in many submissions on the TCD Rule.

There is an ongoing need for a document, or documents, which give good practice guidelines for RCAs on how traffic control devices are used. The structure of MOTSAM does not always provide practitioners with information in the best way. Each device is described along with the policy for its use. This leads to much duplication, particularly in the area of regulatory and warning signs, and does not assist a practitioner in deciding which particular device should be used.

A preferred option to meet the need can be seen modelled by the companion volumes of the Australian and United States documents described above respectively:

• AS1742 Manual of uniform traffic control devices (Parts 1-13); and
• FHWA Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices - Ninth Edition 2003
  [see http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/kno-2003r1.htm ]

A suite of guidelines are proposed to replace MOTSAM and is tentatively described as the Manual for Traffic Control Devices (Manual for TCD) to distinguish it from MOTSAM and the MUTCD of both Australia and United States. The proposed Manual for TCD is strongly influenced by the AS1742 series.  Appendix B contains the suggested structure and content.

4   Traffic control devices steering group

Industry has often been concerned no one body appears to take ownership of the standards and guidelines used in New Zealand for road and traffic issues. Problems have arisen when an individual authority or group of authorities develop a 'standard' or guideline with an assumption this will be acceptable at a national level. Efforts in this area have been more successful where a good level of consultation has occurred, but the status of the resulting document often remains uncertain.

To develop and maintain TCD Specifications and Manual for TCD and ensure they meet the desired objective as industry accepted documents a Traffic Control Devices Steering Group (TCD Steering Group), representative of the industry, will be established. The TCD Steering Group will be tasked with ensuring the development and maintenance of each document is compliant with the agreed methods.

There will be a need for close co-operation and reporting to a wide range of entities and groups, for example, RCA Forum, Trafinz, professional and industry associations, IPENZ Transportation Conferences and other meetings of industry organisations. These parties would contribute expertise for the TCD Steering Group and any working groups set up to progress specific tasks within the project and be expected to facilitate implementation. In essence, with a clear definition of responsibilities and industry acceptance of the process and their part in it, industry becomes the 'owner'.

In undertaking this task the TCD Steering Group will be required to ensure traffic control devices used or available for use are appropriate and contribute to the safe, economic and effective control of traffic. They will also be required to ensure a consultative approach is taken in the development of the documents to ensure they meet industry needs in defining those elements which are:

• standards and are mandated by law or are accepted as an industry required or prohibited practice; or
• guidance and are recommended practice which may be varied based on professional judgement or might be adopted by a road controlling authority as a standard for its jurisdiction.

Appendix C1 contains a proposed terms of reference for the Traffic Control Devices Steering Group. The terms of reference includes:

• details of representation;
• guidance of working groups established to develop specific components of the documents;
• provision of advice to government and other agencies;
• establishment and oversight of the programme of work; and
• final approval of documents prior to their publication.

The terms of reference for a typical working group, in this case a Parking Working Group, is detailed in Appendix C2.

5   Project management and administration of the process

Ongoing management and administration of the process and each document, requires a single, responsible entity.  A number of options were presented for consultation.  There was general support for Land Transport NZ adopting this role.

There are strong links between the documents and the TCD Rule and the rules process, standards and guidelines and implications of cost and this suggested Land Transport NZ be responsible for project managing and administering the project. From a regulatory and funding view Land Transport NZ has a clear need and a statutory obligation to ensure road controlling authorities apply traffic control devices efficiently and effectively.

6   Consultation

It is essential industry is actively involved in the process. Consultation with the industry is a key component in the development of any one of the documents.

Once the process is commenced, the deliberations of the TCD Steering Group and each working group will be as open to public scrutiny as possible. This could mean, for example, agenda of meetings, minutes and reports prepared for their consideration might be published on the project website. The same site could have a mechanism to allow input from interested parties.  There will not be the resources to provide the same level of debate and formal responses to that debate as sometimes occurs in FHWA deliberations on MUTCD and other documents but open involvement must be provided.

A concern often expressed about consultation is timing and resource implications. It is the industry which should be driving the process and they need to be able to provide the resources to ensure appropriate levels of input are available and given. Input will be improved if the consultation is scheduled well in advance so potential contributors can programme input.  It is therefore intended a timetable will be available on the project website.

Another issue experienced in consultation occurs when input from technical personnel appear to need formal approval of Councils or other governing bodies. The documents are meant to be establishing good technical guidance and standards. While the issue of their adoption or extent of adoption is a matter of individual road controlling authority's policy it is often difficult to separate the two. Mechanisms for ensuring technical input from professionals will be essential. Opportunities for professional input will be encouraged by technical bodies such as IPENZ. In addition it will be essential the TCD Steering Group, and any working group, has good technical representation and support.

7   Publication of documents

MOTSAM currently has a mix of hard and electronic copy. The hard copy version amounts to over 700 pages in three loose-leaf, volumes. While the structure of the proposed document should reduce duplication of information it will incorporate significant parts of other existing documents. While this, in turn, will reduce the number of separate publications the proposed TCD Specifications and Manual for TCD are expected to comprise more pages than MOTSAM.

The current electronic component of MOTSAM is solely in PDF format and while this may not be fully compliant with e-Government policies (which require HTML versions) it also does not provide for high quality, scaleable images which sign manufacturers and traffic designers would prefer.

A number of potential users have indicated website access to the complete documents would be preferred. This would reduce publishing costs but more importantly better ensure the documents can be kept up-to-date and be readily accessible. If required by a user, hard copies could be produced on demand. Additionally, designed with a website in mind, it would be possible for links to be imbedded within the documents which would readily allow cross-referencing to other sections and to other relevant 'external' documents, for example, the development by Austroads of a new suite of guidelines envisages such linkages.

The official version of the US Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices is currently the PDF version on the FHWA website.  It is proposed the project website will contain the official version of the documents.

A critical element for these documents will be version control and file management particularly for TCD Specifications which, it is envisaged, will be more regularly updated than any of the other documents. It will be imperative users are fully aware of the currency of any of the documents being used and effective methods for advising them of updates will be essential.

8   Web site hosting

There was support for the view that given the size of the documents it would be better if the documents were held on an existing large website.  Given the role of Land Transport NZ in project managing the project, the Land Transport NZ website has been chosen to host the documents.

Some of the component documents may be managed by different entities (for example the Code of Practice for Temporary Traffic Management is currently managed by Transit NZ and hosted on their website).  Other documents, referenced in either TCD Specifications or Manual for TCD, will be hosted on other websites. The links would need to be carefully monitored to ensure they are accurately maintained and the documents remain applicable.

9   Timing

The draft programme assumes TCD Specifications will proceed independently and needs to be substantially complete before any component of Manual for TCD can be finalised. The concept of TCD Specifications was consulted on when the TCD Rule was proceeding through its ‘yellow' phase and there appeared to be general support for the proposal.

The following indicative targets have been suggested:

• Establishment of TCD Steering Group and first meeting before 30 September 2006;
• TCD Specifications published March 2007; and
• parts of the Manual for TCD produced over a period of two years.

10   Transitional management of MOTSAM

As MOTSAM contains Transit NZ's operational policy they, and indeed RCAs and other users, will have a need for MOTSAM to remain useable while TCD Specifications and Manual for TCD develop. This requires the transition from MOTSAM to the new documents to be managed effectively to ensure users have clear and non-contradictory guidance and, where appropriate, policy.

This would be more difficult with MOTSAM being a mix of electronic and hard copy. It has been decided to publish MOTSAM at least as image files on Transit NZ's website. While links between sections of MOTSAM would be limited it will be possible to establish links to the new documents as they are developed.  This should provide more flexibility in the timing of the overall project. Otherwise the project would need to be completed as quickly as possible to reduce potential transitional problems.

Page created: 25 August 2005
Last updated: 2 August 2006