Baker wins 2009 Engineering Excellence Award in Construction Inspection (December 31, 2009)
CHARLESTON,
FHWA revises rules to make highways safer (December 28, 2009)
WASHINGTON, D.C., — As part of continuing efforts to improve safety on the nation’s roads and bridges, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today released a comprehensive update to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). The manual, which sets standards for road safety, has been administered by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) since 1971.
Secretary LaHood indicated that “Safety is this Department’s top priority,” and “these new and updated standards will help make our nation’s roads and bridges safer for drivers, construction workers and pedestrians alike.”
The MUTCD is the national standard for all traffic control devices, including traffic signs, pavement markings, signals and any other devices used to regulate, warn or guide traffic. Ensuring uniformity of traffic control devices across the nation – from their messages and placement to their sizes, shapes and colors – helps to reduce crashes and traffic congestion. This is the first comprehensive update to the manual since 2003.
The MUTCD’s 2009 edition features many new and updated requirements, ranging from changes in highway signs and bike lanes to the color of high-visibility garments worn by road workers. Most changes are a result of extensive research; however, seven changes stem from recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board.
Among the other new provisions in the MUTCD:
•Replacing highway signs with brighter, larger and more legible ones that are easier to understand at freeway speeds;
•Adding different lane markings for lanes that do not continue beyond an intersection or interchange to give drivers more warning that they need to move out of the lane if they don’t intend to turn;
•Expanding the use of flashing yellow arrow signals at some intersections to give a clearer indication that drivers can turn left after yielding to any opposing traffic;
•Changing the formula used to calculate crosswalk times to give walkers more time;
•Identifying electronic toll collection lanes with purple signs – the first time purple has been sanctioned for use on highway signs;
•Adding overhead lane-use control signs to reduce confusion among drivers in unfamiliar multi-lane roadways.
Secretary LaHood indicated that “Safety is this Department’s top priority,” and “these new and updated standards will help make our nation’s roads and bridges safer for drivers, construction workers and pedestrians alike.”
The MUTCD is the national standard for all traffic control devices, including traffic signs, pavement markings, signals and any other devices used to regulate, warn or guide traffic. Ensuring uniformity of traffic control devices across the nation – from their messages and placement to their sizes, shapes and colors – helps to reduce crashes and traffic congestion. This is the first comprehensive update to the manual since 2003.
The MUTCD’s 2009 edition features many new and updated requirements, ranging from changes in highway signs and bike lanes to the color of high-visibility garments worn by road workers. Most changes are a result of extensive research; however, seven changes stem from recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board.
Among the other new provisions in the MUTCD:
•Replacing highway signs with brighter, larger and more legible ones that are easier to understand at freeway speeds;
•Adding different lane markings for lanes that do not continue beyond an intersection or interchange to give drivers more warning that they need to move out of the lane if they don’t intend to turn;
•Expanding the use of flashing yellow arrow signals at some intersections to give a clearer indication that drivers can turn left after yielding to any opposing traffic;
•Changing the formula used to calculate crosswalk times to give walkers more time;
•Identifying electronic toll collection lanes with purple signs – the first time purple has been sanctioned for use on highway signs;
•Adding overhead lane-use control signs to reduce confusion among drivers in unfamiliar multi-lane roadways.
Civil Construction and Engineering
Civil engineering is a concept that deals with the design, construction and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment. The act of civil construction and engineering includes bridges, roads, canals, airports, dams and buildings. These are merely just a few examples of what civil construction and engineering is about.
Civil engineering is one of the oldest engineering disciplines after military engineering. It has been an aspect of life since the beginning of human existence. Until modern times there was no clear distinction between civil engineering and architecture.
One of the main aspects of civil construction and engineering is structural engineering. With structural engineering a structure needs to be able to successfully support itself as well as being able to resist loads. It is the job of a structural engineer to ensure that the design and construction of aspects such as bridges, roads and airports etc are safe and successful for their function. Some of the design considerations that need to be kept in mind are the strength, stiffness and stability of the civil construction. All of these need to commit to safety checks so that the structure can hold itself. Other considerations that need to be kept in mind when it comes to the civil construction and engineering includes the cost, constructability, safety, aesthetics and sustainability of the proposed structure.
In the society that we live in today it is safe to say that society wouldn't work without civil construction and engineering. This is because the infrastructures that we use in our daily lives, the infrastructures that support our daily lives wouldn't be in existence if it wasn't for civil construction and engineering. We use aspects such as roads and harbours, railways and airports, hospitals, sports stadiums and schools, access to drinking water and shelter from the weather in our daily lives without a second thought to the construction and engineering that is behind them. We rely more than ever on building contractor teams and inventive people who design and build as well as maintain the sophisticated environment that surrounds our everyday life.
The job of a civil construction team/engineer is more than merely the building side of these infrastructures. They have many activities that they must do every day, including drafting, decision making, computer interaction, communication, documentation, creative thinking, organising, information collecting, estimating and analysing. It is the job of a construction engineer to draft and design structures and show others how to build them. A construction engineer has to analyse information and make the right decision to solve the problems.
If you are a business owner or the owner of property who wishes to expend and build civil structures such as a road to provide easier access or an extension is needed at an airport, it is essential that you enlist the help of a building contractor team who are highly skilled and experienced in undertaking all aspects of civil building and construction. The building contractor team should have structural engineers who are able to undertake the planning and safety aspects of the design to ensure that the finished product is up to standards.
Civil engineering is one of the oldest engineering disciplines after military engineering. It has been an aspect of life since the beginning of human existence. Until modern times there was no clear distinction between civil engineering and architecture.
One of the main aspects of civil construction and engineering is structural engineering. With structural engineering a structure needs to be able to successfully support itself as well as being able to resist loads. It is the job of a structural engineer to ensure that the design and construction of aspects such as bridges, roads and airports etc are safe and successful for their function. Some of the design considerations that need to be kept in mind are the strength, stiffness and stability of the civil construction. All of these need to commit to safety checks so that the structure can hold itself. Other considerations that need to be kept in mind when it comes to the civil construction and engineering includes the cost, constructability, safety, aesthetics and sustainability of the proposed structure.
In the society that we live in today it is safe to say that society wouldn't work without civil construction and engineering. This is because the infrastructures that we use in our daily lives, the infrastructures that support our daily lives wouldn't be in existence if it wasn't for civil construction and engineering. We use aspects such as roads and harbours, railways and airports, hospitals, sports stadiums and schools, access to drinking water and shelter from the weather in our daily lives without a second thought to the construction and engineering that is behind them. We rely more than ever on building contractor teams and inventive people who design and build as well as maintain the sophisticated environment that surrounds our everyday life.
The job of a civil construction team/engineer is more than merely the building side of these infrastructures. They have many activities that they must do every day, including drafting, decision making, computer interaction, communication, documentation, creative thinking, organising, information collecting, estimating and analysing. It is the job of a construction engineer to draft and design structures and show others how to build them. A construction engineer has to analyse information and make the right decision to solve the problems.
If you are a business owner or the owner of property who wishes to expend and build civil structures such as a road to provide easier access or an extension is needed at an airport, it is essential that you enlist the help of a building contractor team who are highly skilled and experienced in undertaking all aspects of civil building and construction. The building contractor team should have structural engineers who are able to undertake the planning and safety aspects of the design to ensure that the finished product is up to standards.
