Methods of Conducting and Benefits of a Comprehensive Sign Inventory

IN TR O D U CTIO N Traffic signing is one of the most effective means of transmitting messages to the motorist. If the operating traffic engineer is to take advantage of this tool, he must have some way of evaluating the total signing function and the basic requirement in this evaluation process as data relative to the number of signs, their type, condition and location. Unfortunately, traffic signing in most urban areas is done on a situa­ tional basis. For the most part, the only records kept are work orders and these are normally filed according to the date of sign installation. This system results in substandard or irrelevant signs remaining on the streets. Sign replacement is a hit and miss proposition which results in high cost and duplication. And costly on-the-street investigations are necessary in any study of traffic sign conditions. Because of the voluminous quantities of data and the time and expense of processing this data manually, comprehensive sign inventories were rarely conducted in the past. However, the recent developments in photologging and the greater emphasis placed on automatic data processing by local governmental units has made data collection and processing easier and faster and has led to a greater interest in traffic control device inventories. A scientific inventory process in an urban environment not only minimizes the cost of searching data files for desired information, but also provides the foundation for the development of an orderly signreplacement program and a better sign system for traffic control which in the long run will result in a smoother, safer and more efficient flow of street traffic. There are three basic ingredients of a sign inventory: (a) data collection, (b) data processing, and (c) updating.