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Official MUTCD Interpretations Issued by FHWA

What is an Official MUTCD Interpretation? Section 1A.10 of the 2003 edition of the MUTCD provides for official interpretations of the MUTCD to be issued by FHWA when unique situations arise for device applications that might require interpretation or clarification of the Manual. An interpretation includes a consideration of the application and operation of standard traffic control devices, official meanings of standard traffic control devices, or the variations from standard device designs.

Requesting an Official Interpretation: Any jurisdiction, company, or individual that wishes to obtain an Official Interpretation of an MUTCD provision from FHWA should submit a written request to the FHWA, Director of the Office of Transportation Operations. The request should contain the following information:

  1. A concise statement of the interpretation being sought;
  2. A description of the condition that provoked the need for an interpretation;
  3. Any illustration that would be helpful to understand the request; and
  4. Any supporting research data that is pertinent to the item to be interpreted.

The request should be sent electronically as an attachment (PDF or Word Document) to an e-mail to: MUTCDofficialrequest@dot.gov. [Note: if e-mail is not possible, the letter may be sent via postal mail or delivery service to the Federal Highway Administration at 1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E., HOTO-1, Washington, DC 20590.

FHWA responds to each request for an interpretation with a formal written reply. Interpretations and other FHWA MUTCD related correspondence for the past two years may be viewed online via the Web site of the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA) at http://www.atssa.com/page.ww?section=Resources&name=Interpretation+Letters. The Official Rulings Database on the MUTCD Web site also contains information on older interpretations.

What Happens After an Official Interpretation is Issued? After an Official Interpretation is issued, FHWA develops proposed text modifications for inclusion in a future rulemaking action to revise the MUTCD. The proposed revised MUTCD text revisions, if adopted via rulemaking, would reflect the interpretation and would make the applicable MUTCD text or figures more clear, thus avoiding further doubts about the issue.

What Legal Status Do Interpretations Have? FHWA is often asked about the legal status of Official Interpretations. For example, do the interpretations officially modify what is in the current edition of the MUTCD? Must all agencies change their design policies and/or existing devices in the field to comply with provisions of an Official Interpretation that was requested by one particular agency or individual?

Until a formal rulemaking is completed (by Final Rule after public comment) and the MUTCD is officially revised to reflect the content of the interpretation, an Official Interpretation should be considered as FHWA policy guidance or FHWA's recommendation of appropriate or best practice. Thus, agencies are encouraged to follow guidance given in an interpretation for any new designs or projects, but there is no legal requirement to do so. Interpretations create no requirement to modify or replace existing devices in the field. Compliance dates for such revisions or replacements are established in conjunction with rulemakings on MUTCD revisions.

Some interpretations clarify that a particular device design or application meets the intent of the MUTCD or is in compliance with the MUTCD, even though the MUTCD text does not specifically say so. An Official Interpretation of this type provides agencies the ability to use or continue using that particular device or application, at their option, but only in the manner specified in the interpretation.

Most Recent Official Interpretations: As a convenience to MUTCD users, the several most recent Official Interpretations issued by FHWA for each Part of the MUTCD are listed below, with links for each to the FHWA interpretation document and the request that generated the interpretation.

Part 1 - General

  • August 17, 2004 — 1-44(I) - Applicability of MUTCD to Private Property (HTML, DOC 24KB)
  • April 9, 2004 — 1-41(I) - Clarification of Conformance with the MUTCD (HTML, PDF 559KB)
  • October 16, 2003 — 1-40(I) - Status of Reference Documents in the MUTCD (HTML, DOC 30KB, HTML Incoming, PDF Incoming 1.3MB)

Part 2 - Signs

  • August 22, 2008 — 2-646(I) - Pictograph Use on Guide Signs (HTML, PDF 197KB)
  • January 31, 2008 — 2-638(I) - Color of Light Emitting Diodes (HTML, PDF 48KB)
  • November 14, 2007 — 2-635(I) - When Pedestrians Are Present (HTML, PDF 64KB)
  • June 13, 2007 — 2-621(Intr.) - Fasten Seat Belt Sign Located Beneath a STOP Sign (HTML, PDF 47KB)
  • November 30, 2006 — 2-603(I) - Letter Size and Design of Street Name Signs (HTML, DOC 206KB)
  • October 2, 2006 — 2-599(I) - Commemorative Signs on Multi-Routes (HTML, DOC 134KB)
  • September 15, 2005 — 2-569(I) - Political Jurisdiction Logos on Guide Signs (HTML, PDF 500KB)
  • July 27, 2005 — 2-566(I) - Combination Use of the W11-2 Pedestrian Sign with the R1-5 and R1-6 Pedestrian Signs (HTML, PDF 478KB)
  • July 27, 2005 — 2-565(I) - Use of Pictographs on Interstate Guide Signs (HTML, PDF 241KB)
  • May 25, 2005 — 2-564(I) - Orientation of Airport Symbol (HTML, PDF 314KB)
  • April 27, 2005 — 2-563(I) - Pedestrian Flags for Crosswalks (Not a TCD) (HTML, PDF 3MB)
  • February 9, 2005 — 2-558(I) - Move Over Sign (HTML, PDF 425KB)
  • September 15, 2004 — 2-554(I) - No Parking-Limited Area or Zone (HTML)
  • May 17, 2004 — 2-551(I) - CMS Display of Travel Time (HTML, PDF 1.3MB
  • April 2, 2004 — 2-547(I) - Relationship Between Breakaway & Crashworthy (HTML, DOC 186KB)
  • April 9, 2004 — 2-545(I) - Use of Folding Stop Signs for Traffic Signal Outages (HTML, PDF 294KB)
  • March 1, 2004 — 2-540(I) - Use of Military Decals on Guide Signs (HTML)

Part 3 - Markings

  • August 25, 2008 — 3-223(I) - Channelizing Lines (HTML, PDF 128KB)
  • February 22, 2008 — 3-218(I) - Color of Delineators vs. Object Markers (HTML, PDF 49KB)
  • January 26, 2007 — 3-200(I) - Dilemma Zone Pavement Markings (HTML, PDF 51KB))
  • January 10, 2007 — 3-201(I) - Stop Lines for Yield Conditions (HTML, DOC 200KB)
  • July 19, 2006 — 3-196(I) - Splatter Markings (HTML, DOC 194KB)
  • June 2, 2005 — 3-179(I) - Pavement Markings Alphabets (HTML, PDF 543KB)
  • April 27, 2005 — 3-178(I) - Retroreflective Colored Pavement - Additional Clarification (HTML, PDF 2.6MB)
  • January 21, 2005 — 3-176(I) - Use of LED Devices as Raised Pavement Markers (HTML)
  • January 12, 2005 — 3-175(I) - Section 3B.17 Warning Signs for Nonintersection Crosswalks (HTML, PDF 4.2MB)
  • December 23, 2004 — 3-174(I) - Continuous Line Segment Determination (HTML, PDF 299KB)

Part 4 - Highway Traffic Signals

  • August 18, 2008 — 4-346(I) - 70 Percent Factor for Warrants (HTML, PDF 94KB)
  • January 26, 2007 — 4-320(I) - Steady Yellow Arrow After Flashing Yellow Arrow (HTML, PDF 44KB)
  • August 23, 2006 — 4-311(I) - Strobe Lights for Flashing Beacons (HTML)
  • February 3, 2006 — 4-303(I) - Overlaid Pedestrian Signal Symbols (HTML, PDF 126KB)
  • October 19, 2005 — 4-297(I) - Number of Signal Faces for Through Movements (HTML, DOC 46KB)
  • September 30, 2005 — 4-294(I) - Ramp Metering Signals for Staggered Release (HTML, PDF 588KB)
  • September 29, 2005 — 4-293(I) - APS Pushbutton Locations (HTML, PDF 3.7MB)
  • April 27, 2005 — 4-288(I) - Temporary Signal versus Seasonal Shutdown (HTML, PDF 878KB)
  • November 4, 2004 — 4-285(I) - Pedestrian Activation of Signal Operation (HTML, PDF 769KB)
  • June 3, 2004 — 4-269(I) - Pedestrian Activation of Warning Beacons (HTML, PDF 592KB)

Part 5 - Low Volume Rural Roads

Part 6 - Temporary Traffic Control

  • August 30, 2007 — 6-219(I) - Interim Approval List of Three Automated Flagger Assistance Devices (HTML, PDF 45KB)
  • February 3, 2005 — 6-203(I) - Use and Design of Merging Tapers for Lane Closures on Multi-Lane Non-Access Highways (HTML, PDF 30KB)
  • September 22, 2004 — 6-200(I) - Flagger Sign (W20-7, W20-7a) (HTML, PDF 436KB)
  • April 2, 2004 — 6-198(I) - Application of Downstream Tapers and Termination Areas in TTC Zones (HTML, PDF 936KB)

Part 7 - School Areas

  • April 4, 2005 — 7-67(I) - Safety Apparel for Student Patrols (HTML, PDF 670KB)
  • September 6, 2004 — 7-65(I) - In-Street Pedestrian Sign Color & Symbol (HTML, PDF 624KB)
  • July 3, 2004 — 7-64(I) - In-Street Pedestrian Crossing Signs (R1-6, R1-6a) and Yield Here for Pedestrians Signs (R1-5, R1-5a) Used at School Crossings (HTML, PDF 2.2MB)

Part 8 - Highway-Rail Grade Crossings

  • October 27, 2004 — 8-69(I) - Traffic Gates for Busway Crossing (HTML, PDF 357KB)
  • August 29, 2003 — 8-66(I) - Traffic Gates on Public Streets (HTML, DOC 24KB, PDF Incoming Letter 10.9MB)

Part 9 - Bicycle Facilities

  • May 25, 2004 — 9-75(I) - Bike Path Use Regulations (HTML, PDF 1.2MB)

Part 10 - Highway-Light Rail Transit Grade Crossings

  • October 6, 2006 — 10-66(I) - Light Rail Transit (LRT) Signals for Bus Queue Jumper Lane (HTML, DOC 201KB)
  • October 6, 2004 — 10-61(I) - Crossbuck at LRT Grade Crossings (HTML, PDF 1.3MB)
  • April 16, 2003 — 10-59(I) - Light Rail Transit Signals for Bus Rapid Transit System Lanes (HTML, DOC 23KB)

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