Wayfinding and Signing Guidelines for Airport Terminals and Landside (2011) / Chapter Skim
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Pages 29-52
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From page 29... ...
In a 2004 interpretation, subsequently incorporated into the 2009 MUTCD, airport roadways are clearly included as "private roads open to public travel" and thus are subject to the MUTCD provisions. Due to the ambiguity in the past concerning the need to comply with the MUTCD and the difficulty in designing systems that comply fully with the Manual's standards and guidance, many existing airport signing systems do not conform with the Manual.
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30 Wayfinding and Signing Guidelines for Airport Terminals and Landside
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Operation (for signals and changeable message signs)
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32 Wayfinding and Signing Guidelines for Airport Terminals and Landside
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. With respect to traffic control devices, the positive guidance approach emphasizes the following: • Primacy -- Determine the placement of signs according to the importance of their information (e.g., stop signs are more important than parking payment signs, or in an airport environment, terminals are more important than cargo areas)
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From page 34... ...
In those cases, the sign designer should consider use of the principles and guidance in the "Freeways and Expressways" section of the Manual to address the likely higher speeds, volumes and entrance/exit ramp conditions. The MUTCD refers to signs by their function or class, such as regulatory, warning and guide signs.
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From page 35... ...
3.3 Airport Roadway Decision Points Airport roadways present a unique challenge for motorists, especially for infrequent travelers or those making their first trip to the airport. Motorists are faced with several decision points in close proximity to one another as they transition from adjacent freeways to the airport.
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From page 36... ...
. On a national level, control 36 Wayfinding and Signing Guidelines for Airport Terminals and Landside Figure 3.2.
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A basic premise for guide sign messaging is to use as few words as possible. The reason is reader comprehension that is dependent on rate of travel, viewing distance, and length of message.
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From page 38... ...
According to the MUTCD a "symbol" is defined as, "the approved design of a pictorial representation of a specific traffic control message for signs, pavement markings, traffic control signals, or other traffic control devices, as shown in the MUTCD." Designs of pictorial representations that have not been approved are not appropriately termed "symbols." Based on the airport surveys, the majority of airports currently use the following pictorial representations on roadway guide signs that are not adopted in the MUTCD: • Arrivals -- plane descending • Departures -- plane ascending • Parking -- "P" • Rental cars -- RC symbol Terminal identifiers, i.e., A B C or 1 2 3 as noted in Figure 3.6 are approved by the MUTCD and serve as important symbols at airport facilities with multiple terminals and/or parking products. The 2009 Airport sign survey indicated that 22% of the airports surveyed included parking, arrivals (plane descending)
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From page 39... ...
A related font that has narrower, more condensed letterforms called Series D is used for guide signs on conventional roads. Legibility research has shown that drivers can read high performance retroreflective sheeting signs with the Clearview™ typeface 10–12% further away than FHWA Standard Alphabet E-modified for nonilluminated signs at night.
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From page 40... ...
Letter sizes for changeable message signs are addressed later in this guide. Typefaces selected for use on interior signing should not be used on roadway signs unless a legibility study of roadway signs has been conducted and a request for experimentation has been filed with FHWA.
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From page 41... ...
– Where a roadway is leaving the through lanes, a directional arrow shall point upward at an angle that approximates the alignment of the exit roadway. • Arrows used on guide signs to indicate the directions toward designated routes or destinations should be pointed at the appropriate angle to clearly convey the direction to be taken.
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From page 42... ...
Examples of valuable uses of color coding include guide signs for roadways approaching or inside an airport property with multiple terminals serving multiple airlines, and wayfinding signs for various traffic generator destinations within a community or area. • Standard -- Different color sign backgrounds shall not be used to provide color coding of destinations.
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From page 43... ...
The provision to use colored boxes on wayfinding signs allows for the use of the assigned colors in a wayfinding system. This means that terminal or parking color coding used for interior signing can be carried through to roadway signing through the use of these colored panels on standard green guide signs.
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Regulatory signs, as defined by the MUTCD, give notice to road users of traffic laws or regulations. Speed mph ft sec Separation seconds = = = 30 44 3 4 4 132ft ftsec = 44 Wayfinding and Signing Guidelines for Airport Terminals and Landside Figure 3.8.
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From page 45... ...
may be considered in an engineering study to determine if overhead signs would be beneficial: • Traffic volume at or near capacity; • Complex interchange design; • Three or more lanes in each direction; • Restricted sight distance; • Closely spaced interchanges; • Multi-lane exits; • Large percentage of trucks; • Street lighting background; • High-speed traffic; • Consistency of sign message location through a series of interchanges; • Insufficient space for ground-mounted signs; • Junction of two freeways; and • Left exit ramps. For airport applications, it is recommended that overhead signs be used for lane assignment on approach to terminal buildings, particularly for multi-lane facilities, and at any other locations where lane assignment is considered critical for safe and efficient roadway operations.
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Sign 46 Wayfinding and Signing Guidelines for Airport Terminals and Landside
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From page 47... ...
3.6.1 Appropriate Use of Changeable Message Signs The primary function of a CMS is to alert and inform motorists of changing or temporary conditions along their travel path. Changeable signs on major roads should be used only to convey messages that change on an hourly, daily, or weekly basis, such as: • Traffic conditions and roadway delays, • Construction or maintenance lane closures or speed reductions, and • Homeland Security threat level.
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From page 48... ...
Some of these challenges are addressed in The Dynamic Message Sign Message Design and Display Manual25 and The Portable Changeable Message Sign Handbook26. These documents provide comprehensive information on the use of changeable message signs in the typical roadway environment and will be helpful in assessing the use of these signs for an airport.
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From page 49... ...
's Guidelines on the Use and Operation of Changeable Message Signs27. Control of the sign display can be accomplished via direct connection with a laptop or any number of other methods via a remote computer communicating through an Ethernet modem connection over copper cables, fiber optic cable, radio frequency (RF)
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From page 50... ...
The MUTCD provides further guidance regarding letter height in Section 2L.04: Word messages on changeable message signs should be composed of all upper-case letters. The minimum letter height should be 18-inches (450 mm)
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From page 51... ...
The more specific and imminent the threat, the higher the threat level is set. The threat level changes periodically, so changeable message signs can offer an avenue for communicating these changes in the airport environment.
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From page 52... ...
Manufacturer's recommendations should be followed to check for rust, loose bolts, etc. 52 Wayfinding and Signing Guidelines for Airport Terminals and Landside
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