How often do MUTCD standards change, and how are the changes made?
The MUTCD is a dynamic document because standards change to address travel patterns and road conditions, and to incorporate technology and materials advancements. FHWA has stated its intention to issue a new edition of the MUTCD approximately every 5 years, and to keep revisions to an absolute minimum between new editions. The FHWA previously relied on periodic updates, usually every 2 to 3 years, to revise existing manuals. The 1988 edition was updated with many revised pages seven separate times over a period of 12 years, until a new edition was produced in 2000. The practice of keeping field personnel abreast of amendments to the MUTCD by mailing updates proved unsatisfactory because traffic planners and engineers had difficulty identifying whether or not they were applying the most recent “updated” version. This is one reason why the official version of the manual is now published by FHWA on the Internet only. All MUTCD revisions and new editions must be adopted via the Federal Reg
The MUTCD is a dynamic document because standards change to address travel patterns and road conditions, and to incorporate technology and materials advancements. FHWA has stated its intention to issue a new edition of the MUTCD approximately every 5 years, and to keep revisions to an absolute minimum between new editions. The FHWA previously relied on periodic updates, usually every 2 to 3 years, to revise existing manuals. The 1988 edition was updated with many revised pages seven separate times over a period of 12 years, until a new edition was produced in 2000. The practice of keeping field personnel abreast of amendments to the MUTCD by mailing updates proved unsatisfactory because traffic planners and engineers had difficulty identifying whether or not they were applying the most recent “updated” version. This is one reason why the official version of the manual is now published by FHWA on the Internet only. All MUTCD revisions and new editions must be adopted via the Federal Reg
