Florida Department of Transportation

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Traffic Engineering and Operations Office

TEO / Divisions / Operations / Safe Mobility for Life / Roadway Improvements /

Roadway Improvements

	Vision	Provide leadership and serve as a catalyst in becoming the national leader in senior mobility.
	Mission	Improve the safety, access, and mobility of Florida's growing aging population.

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The Department began implementing roadway improvements in 1991 through routine maintenance activities responding to revised design standards based on the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA's) Highway Design Handbook For Older Drivers and Pedestrians. These roadway improvements were installed on our State Highway System within two years of implementation and are now standards on our system. These improvements fall under the following areas to:

Increase Visibility

6-inch wide lane and edge line pavement
40-foot spacing for Reflective Pavement Markers
Larger lettering on guide signs
Overhead street name signs
Larger size Stop, Yield, and Warning Signs
Work zone improvements
Back plates on traffic signals

Improve Pedestrian Features

Refuge islands
Pedestrian educational plaque
Countdown pedestrian signals
Countdown pedestrian educational plaque

Provide Advance Notification

Advance street name signs at signalized locations
Advance street name signs at non-signalized locations
Advance street name plaques on intersection warning and advance traffic control signs
Advance warning signs

In June 2009, the Department completed a series of eight human factors studies with Florida State University's Department of Psychology. This research was conducted using lab and field experiments (day and night) to assess sign perception and pedestrian awareness for younger, middle-aged and older drivers and to assess older and younger pedestrian intersection crossing behavior.
Click on Intersection and Pedestrian Safety Research Project to view the final report.

To Increase Visibility
	Increased Lane and Edge Line Pavement Marking Widths from 4-inch to 6-inch
	Increased Reflective Pavement Markers (RPMs) from 80-foot Spacing to 40-foot Spacing
	Use of Larger Lettering on Guide Signs
	Use of Overhead Street Name Signs See Section 2.2 of the Traffic Engineering Manual.
	Stop, Yield, and Warning Signs Designed to 20/70 Visual Acuity See Section 2.39 of the Traffic Engineering Manual
	Work Zone Improvements Pavement marking and RPM standards. Better maintenance of devices.
	Back plates on Traffic Signals Back plates required on all new traffic signals every approach. Retro-reflective border (shown in picture) required for all back plates where the posted speed is 45 mph or greater. Retro-reflective border encouraged on all back plates where the posted speed is less than 45 mph. See Chapter 7.4.17 of the Plans Preparation Manual
To Improve Pedestrian Features at Intersections
	Use of Refuge Islands Use of Special Emphasis Crosswalks (Revised to Ladder Crosswalk 2/09) See Design Standards Index Number 17346B. Slower Walk Speeds
	Use of Pedestrian Signal Educational Plaque See Page 1-131 of the FHWA's Standard Highway Signs Manual.
	Use of Countdown Pedestrian Signals See Section 3.9 of the Traffic Engineering Manual.
	Countdown Pedestrian Signal Educational Plaque (R10-3e) See Page 1-132 of the FHWA's Standard Highway Signs Manual.
To Provide Advance Notification
	Use of Advance Street Name Signs at Signalized Intersection See Section 2.37.5 of the Traffic Engineering Manual.
	Use of Advance Street Name Signs at Non-signalized Intersection See Section 2.37.6 of the Traffic Engineering Manual.
	Use of Advance Street Name Plaques on Intersection Warning and Advance Traffic Control Signs See Section 2.37.7 of the Traffic Engineering Manual.
	Use of Advance Warning Signs (Stop, Yield, and Signal Ahead)