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38 Appendix B Telephone Survey My name is _________ and I work for the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI). We are currently investigating different methods for maintaining traffic sign retroreflectivity at or above the new MUTCD minimum requirements for the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP). The goal of this questionnaire is to learn more about your agencyâs traffic sign retro maintenance program. We will be developing a report that documents successful practices so that other agencies can learn and quickly adopt techniques that fit their specific situation. The questionnaire consists of questions designed to spark discussion and identify common information for reporting purposes; however, we can deviate from the questions as needed. The questionnaire should take about a half an hour to complete. Your participation is voluntary and you have the option to pass on any question. Along with writing down your responses, we would also like to audio record this telephone survey so that we can verify the accu- racy of the written notes. Your audio recorded responses will be deleted immediately after we have completed verification and/ or prior to the completion of this project. As your participation is voluntary, it is also your option to decline the audio recording. We appreciate your time and any assistance may help other agencies. Do you have any questions or comments at this time? Please let us know if we have your verbal consent to continue with the survey. (If yes, continue.) Do you disallow the use of audio recording equipment so that your responses to this telephone questionnaire are only docu- mented through written notes and not audio recorded? (If yes, then do not activate the audio recording equipment and document the response in the General Information section.) (If no, then activate the audio recording equipment and document the audio recording information in the General Information section.) General Information: Name Agency Name Position Telephone E-mail Audio Recording Info Survey Questions ⢠Can you provide information on the size and scale of your agencyâs traffic sign activities? a. Do you know how many signs are in your jurisdiction? b. Do you know how many centerline miles are in your jurisdiction? ⢠Based on experience and not warranties, what would you say is the expected service life for signs in your area? a. Does this depend on the type of sheeting material or direction the sign is facing? b. Are there other factors you consider? ⢠Please provide some background on the major causes and reasons for traffic sign replacement at your agency. a. Inadequate retroreflectivity, b. Vandalism (stolen, graffiti, bullet holes, paintballs), c. Damage/knockdowns (traffic crashes, mowing), d. Change in standards (size, legend, material), and e. Other.
39 ⢠Just to confirm, please indicate that you are familiar with the minimum retroreflectivity requirements for traffic signs in the 2009 MUTCD? And the pending January 2012, 2015, and 2018 dates? ⢠What concerns or apprehensions do you have with the upcoming MUTCD retroreflectivity requirements? a. Increased tort claim lawsuits, b. Personnel training, c. Acquiring additional resources and funding, d. Sign compliance documentation, e. Managing a sign inventory system, or f. Other. ⢠What traffic sign replacement method is your agency utilizing to comply with the MUTCD retroreflectivity requirements? Please provide detail. Is the method described in an internal memo or policy? Can you send us a copy? ⢠How did your agency choose to use this method? a. What factors were at play and what factors were most important? b. Did you consider other methods? c. What information sources did you use or review in helping make your decision? ⢠How are you documenting the continuous use of your method and sign replacement? ⢠If an inventory is being built, how was that decision made? a. What other benefits do you expect to get out of the inventory? b. How do you plan to develop the inventory? c. How do you plan to maintain the inventory? d. What platform is the inventory (Excel, vendor, in-house, etc)? ⢠Is your agency employing any special equipment or innovative technologies or applications to meet MUTCD compliance? ⢠Were there any funding issues with meeting the MUTCD minimum retroreflectivity requirements? a. How did you secure additional funding for your maintenance method? b. How did you get approval from administrators or decision makers? c. Did you complete a life cycle cost analysis of your sign replacement method? d. Do you have an expected cost associated with bringing your sign inventory into compliance? ⢠Can you describe your personnel training requirements and how did your agency establish them? ⢠Are there any other major sign assessment or management challenges that your agency has dealt with or is currently encountering? ⢠What advice or suggestions would you have for other agencies just starting to determine the best method to manage their sign retroreflectivity? Is there anything they must do or must avoid? Finally, would it be OK if we were to follow up with a few additional questions?
