One of the ways local governments can save money on signage is with portable traffic signs that can be moved around and reused when necessary. This sustainable category covers a wide array of solutions designed for easy setup. Here are key reasons for cities and construction firms to invest in these cost-effective safety devices.
Portable traffic signs come in handy for various applications, such as safety tests, public events, detours and work crew areas. There’s a need for cities to have both permanent and portable signs in their storage. Construction crews certainly have a need for mobile versions wherever they do road work. Sometimes road work is completed in a day while other projects may take months.
Roll-up vinyl signs that look like banners placed on portable stands are often used in work zones. These easy-to-install setups may include stop and emergency management signs. Roll-up stop signs are useful for severe weather or utility power outages. Emergency signs help keep traffic separated from accidents, in which first responders must be as close to the crash scene as possible.
Many of the movable signs display stick figures doing specific work, such as digging with a shovel. For road crews, there may be a series of roll-up signs that identify where construction begins and ends. All portable signs should be designed to withstand any type of weather, since they are often used during the winter.
By having the option to set up portable traffic signs, a city can save money. Mobile electronic signs are gaining more widespread use, particularly those that draw from solar power. Driver feedback signs are often used to monitor traffic speeds of current areas and warn drivers to slow down.
Just like permanent traffic signs, portable signs must follow the guidelines of the Federal Highway Administration’s Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). These regulatory, warning and guide signs must convey both general and specific messages that drivers clearly understand. The signs must also conform with the sizes, shapes and color schemes mandated by the MUTCD.
Road crew signs are usually standard orange but can also be fluorescent red-orange or fluorescent yellow-orange due to brightness. Fluorescent signs are more visible at night and during twilight periods than regular orange signs. All signs used at night, whether portable or stationary, must be either retroreflective or illuminated. Velcro is widely used on portable roll-up signs for easy storage and transport.
Federal regulations allow for flexiblity in placement of portable signs. They can be placed on either side of the street or mounted on portable supports within the roadway. They can also be placed above barricades as long as they are at least one foot above the roadway. Another option is to install a portable sign on a maintenance or protection vehicle that moves alongside the work zone.
Protecting road workers and the public in general are key reasons to invest in portable traffic signs. Contact Zumar at our Arizona, California or Washington location to learn more about portable traffic signs and other signage to help your community or organization.