To update rules on highway guide signs.

 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

RULE NOS.:RULE TITLES:

14-51.020Supplemental Guide Signs

14-51.030Destination Guide Signs

14-51.052Design

PURPOSE AND EFFECT: To update rules on highway guide signs.

SUMMARY: Population guideline categories condensed to urban and rural areas. Allows signage for veteran memorials, museums, clinics and cemeteries meeting rule criteria.

SUMMARY OF STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REGULATORY COSTS AND LEGISLATIVE RATIFICATION:

The Agency has determined that this will not have an adverse impact on small business or likely increase directly or indirectly regulatory costs in excess of $200,000 in the aggregate within one year after the implementation of the rule. A SERC has not been prepared by the Agency.

The Agency has determined that the proposed rule is not expected to require legislative ratification based on the statement of estimated regulatory costs or if no SERC is required, the information expressly relied upon and described herein: No new fees or costs imposed by rule.

Any person who wishes to provide information regarding a statement of estimated regulatory costs, or provide a proposal for a lower cost regulatory alternative must do so in writing within 21 days of this notice.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY: 316.0745, FS.

LAW IMPLEMENTED: 316.0745, FS.

IF REQUESTED WITHIN 21 DAYS OF THE DATE OF THIS NOTICE, A HEARING WILL BE SCHEDULED AND ANNOUNCED IN THE FAR.

THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Susan Schwartz, Assistant General Counsel, 605 Suwannee Street, Tallahassee, Fl 32399, [e-mail]

 

THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:

 

14-51.020 Supplemental Guide Signs.

(1) General. The criteria referenced for destinations listed in Table 2 are used to determine which supplemental destinations are eligible for signage will be signed for on limited access facilities.

Table 2 – Criteria for Signing Destinations on Limited Access Facilities
Type of Destination	Criteria	Guidelines
		Urban Major Metro Areas1	Urban Areas2	Rural Areas 2 3
State and National Parks, and State Forest Recreational Areas	Miles from Interchange (maximum)	15	15	15
Private Colleges and Universities	Number of Trips Generated Annuallyc (minimum)	550,000a	550,000a	300,000a
		1,200,000b	750,000b	450,000b
	Miles from Interchange (maximum)	15	15	15
Military Bases	Number of Trips Generated Annuallyc (minimum)	5,000,000	4,000,000	3,000,000
	Miles from Interchange (maximum)	10	10	10
Medical Facility (excluding those referenced in Table 3)	Miles from Interchange (maximum)	10	10	10
	Number of Hospital Beds (minimum)	500	500	any
Veteran’s Administration (VA) Hospitals	Miles from Interchange (maximum)	10	10	10
Veteran Historical Museums and Memorials	Number of Trips Generated Annuallyd (minimum)	50,000		50,000
	Miles from Interchange 34 (maximum)	15		15
Historical, Cultural, or Recreational Attractions, Historic Districts	Number of Trips Generated Annuallyd (minimum)	100,000	100,000	100,000
	Miles from Interchange 34 (maximum)	15	15	15
1. Over 50,000 population.
2. 50,000 and under 5,000 to 49,999 population.
3. Under 5,000 population.
34. The distance may be increased 1/2 mile for each 10 percent over the minimum number of trips trip generated annually to a maximum of 2 times the maximum distance listed.
a. Annual Trips = Number of Enrolled Students (who physically attend classes on campus) x 1.5 (college or university without dormitories, each student equals 1.5 trips) x Number of semesters per year x Number of weeks per semester x 5 days per week. Figures based on AASHTO’S 2001 Selection of Supplemental Guide Signs for Traffic Generators.
b. Annual Trips = Number of Enrolled Students (who physically attend classes on campus) x 2.0 (college or university with dormitories, each student equals 2 trips) x Number of semesters per year x Number of weeks per semester x 5 days per week. Figures based on AASHTO’S 2001 Selection of Supplemental Guide Signs for Traffic Generators.
c. One employee or military personnel equals 0.9 trips. Figures based on AASHTO’S 2001 Selection of Supplemental Guide Signs for Traffic Generators.
d. Trip: a single or one-direction vehicle movement either to or away from the traffic generator. Any conversion of attendance to trip generation figures will be evaluated by the Department, based on general engineering practice.

(2) No change.

(3) Guidelines.

(a) Cultural, historical, and recreational attractions or historical districts must be on the National Register of Historic Places, provide easy access for motorists, and all-weather (surface treated) parking to be eligible for signing. These attractions or districts can be publicly or privately owned, but shall be operated on a non-profit basis and open to the general public year-round for sign eligibility. Historical attractions or historical districts must be on the National Register of Historic Places. Examples of cultural, historical, and recreational attractions include forts, battlegrounds, plantations, archeological or geological sites, art galleries, and museums.

(b) through (o) No change.

(p) Veteran’s Hospitals designated as the regional treatment centers for veterans are eligible for signing on limited access facilities. VA community service and community based outpatient clinics, centers, and benefits offices, and national veterans cemeteries are not eligible to be signed on limited access facilities.

(q) VA outpatient clinics and VA community based outpatient clinics that perform outpatient surgery or provide specialty services that are not available at other VA clinics within the county where the clinic is located, are in a stand-alone facility, provide continuous service for a minimum of 55 hours, 6 days a week, and average at least 400 visitors a day are eligible for signing on limited access facilities when located on a direct road from the limited access facility and a maximum of 10 miles from the interchange.

(r) National Veterans Cemeteries are eligible to be signed on limited access facilities when located a maximum of 10 miles from the interchange.

(s) Veteran Historical Museums and Memorials must provide easy access for motorists, and all-weather (surface treated) parking to be eligible for signing. These facilities can be publicly or privately owned, but shall be operated on a non-profit basis and open to the general public year-round for sign eligibility. Veteran Historical Museums and Memorials are eligible for signing when commemorating one of the following conflicts involving the United States Armed Forces:

1. World War I

2. World War II

3. The Korean War

4. The Vietnam War

5. Operation Desert Shield

6. Operation Desert Storm

7. Operation Enduring Freedom

8. Operation Iraqi Freedom

(q) through (s) renumbered as (t) through (v). No change.

(4) No change.

Rulemaking Authority 316.0745 FS. Law Implemented 316.0745 FS. History–New 3-27-05, Amended 11-24-11, 3-20-16, 6-19-17,             .

 

14-51.030 Destination Guide Signs.

(1) through (2) No change.

(3) Guidelines.

(a) Any state or national park or state forest; open to the public and offering multiple recreational activities with restrooms and paved handicapped parking, shall be eligible. Advance signs shall not be located more than 10 miles from the park entrance.

Table 4  Criteria for Signing Destinations on Non-limited Access Facilities
Type of Destination	Criteria	Guidelines
		Urban Major Metro Areas1	Urban Areas2	Rural Areas 23
State Colleges and Universities	Nearest intersection to the state highway system.
Private Colleges and Universities	Number of Trips Generated Annuallyc (minimum)	550,000ad	550,000ad	300,000ad
		1,200,000bd	750,000bd	450,000bd
Vocational/Technical Schools	Number of Trips Generated Annually (minimum)	675,000d	550,000d	300,000d
Military Bases	Number of Trips Generated Annuallyc (minimum)	5,000,000c	4,000,000c	3,000,000c
Arenas, Auditoriums, Amphitheaters, Civic Centers, Convention Halls, Stadiums, Sports Complexes, Major Tourist Attractions (Fairgrounds, Amusement Parks, Zoos, etc.)	Number of Tripsd Generated Annually (minimum)	37,500 trips plus 3,750 per mile of distance from intersection
State and National Parks, and State Forest Recreational Areas	Nearest intersection to the state highway system.
Youth Camps (YMCA, Scouts, etc.)	Signing only in rural areas, with facilities for a minimum of 50 persons on an overnight basis and in operation for at least 6 months of the year.
Medical Facilities (excluding those references in Table 5)	Minimum of 500 beds in urban and suburban areas. Nearest state highway system Exit. Bed minimum can be lowered for hospitals with access off the state highway system serving isolated, rural county populations.
Downtown	There must be a clear central core commonly considered the downtown area that is located on an intersecting road a maximum of 3 miles off the state road. This excludes requests for signing new development or re-development zones as “downtown” that were not historically the “downtown” prior to new construction or rehabilitation.
Drivers License	Nearest intersection only.
State Agency Buildings	Number of Tripsd Generated Annually (minimum)	260,000	100,000	1,500
1. Over 50,000 population.
2. 50,000 and under 5,000 to 49,999 population.
3. Under 5,000 population.
a. Annual Trips = Number of Enrolled Students (who physically attend classes on campus) x 1.5 (college or university without dormitories, each student equals 1.5 trips) x Number of semesters per year x Number of weeks per semester x 5 days per week. Figures based on AASHTO’S 2001 Selection of Supplemental Guide Signs for Traffic Generators.
b. Annual Trips = Number of Enrolled Students (who physically attend classes on campus) x 2.0 (college or university with dormitories, each student equals 2 trips) x Number of semesters per year x Number of weeks per semester x 5 days per week. Figures based on AASHTO’S 2001 Selection of Supplemental Guide Signs for Traffic Generators.
c. One employee or military personnel equals 0.9 trips. Figures based on AASHTO’S 2001 Selection of Supplemental Guide Signs for Traffic Generators.
d. Trip: a single or one-direction vehicle movement either to or away from the traffic generator. Any conversion of attendance to trip generation figures will be evaluated by the Department, based on general engineering practice.

(b) through (s) No change.

(4) No change.

Rulemaking Authority 316.0745 FS. Law Implemented 316.0745 FS. History–New 3-27-05, Amended 11-24-11, 3-20-16, 6-19-17,                 .

 

14-51.052 Design.

(1) through (12) No change.

(13) The arrows location and priority order of destinations shall follow the provisions described in Section 2D.08 and Section 2D.37 2D.34 of the MUTCD. The positioning of arrows relative to the destinations shown shall be in accordance with Section 2D.37 2D.34 of the MUTCD.

(14) through (15) No Change.

Rulemaking Authority 316.0745 FS. Law Implemented 316.0745 FS. History–New 5-8-06, Amended 11-24-11,                   .

 

NAME OF PERSON ORIGINATING PROPOSED RULE: Dana Knox, Highway Signing Program Manager

NAME OF AGENCY HEAD WHO APPROVED THE PROPOSED RULE: Secretary Kevin Thibault, P.E.

DATE PROPOSED RULE APPROVED BY AGENCY HEAD: October 30, 2019

DATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED IN FAR: April 24, 2019