The long-awaited changes include road design elements and signage aimed at improving safety for pedestrians and cyclists while planning for autonomous vehicles.
The Federal Highway Administration announced an important update to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways, known as the MUTCD. The update marks a victory for safe streets advocates who have long called for changes aimed at reducing risks to all road users.
According to an article by Dan Zukowski in Smart Cities Dive, “The new regulations include improvements for vulnerable road users — including pedestrians and bicyclists — such as rapid-flashing beacons that pedestrians can activate at marked crosswalks and green-colored pavement for bicycle lanes.” Other measures include bike turn boxes at intersections and specialized traffic signals for bikes, as well as elements that prepare for autonomous vehicles
The FHWA acknowledged a need to update the manual more frequently than in the past as technology and transportation change more rapidly. “The new standards also include signage for electric vehicle charging stations and ways to prepare roadways for autonomous vehicles.”
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