Technical Information

Choose traffic signs in three durable finishes.

RA Type I Engineer Grade Prismatic Reflective Sheeting

This material will reflect at night when light hits this road sign. These signs are .080″ thick with an engineer grade reflective sheeting applied over the surface and will never rust, with an average lifespan of 7 years or more.

HIA Type III Prismatic High Intensity Reflective Sheeting

This prismatic lens material will reflect at night when light hits this road sign. These street signs are ten times more reflective than engineer grade. They are .080″ thick with high intensity sheeting applied over the surface, and will never rust and have an average life span of 7 years or more. These street signs meet most state and federal DOT specification.

DG Type XI Diamond Grade Prismatic Reflective Sheeting

This material will highly reflect at night when light hits this road sign. These street signs are .080″ thick with prismatic reflective or fluorescent sheeting applied over surface. These street signs will never rust and have an average life span of 10 years or more. These signs meet most state and federal DOT specifications.

Required Reflectivity Levels

The Federal Government Now Requires Traffic Signs To Meet Minimum Reflectivity Standards. The FHWA expects that the reflectivity levels and maintenance methods will help to promote safety and mobility on the nation’s streets and highways.

In January 2008, the Federal Government ruled that Type 1 (Engineer Grade) sheeting is not to be used on many standard MUTCD traffic signs. The ruling is slightly confusing in that Type 1 will meet the standards on some signs and on hundreds of other signs it will not. Below are two examples of this.

• Type 1 DOES NOT meet the standards for a black on yellow curve sign.
• Type 1 DOES meet the standards for a black on white sign

Street name signs are also required to be more reflective and larger in size in order to meet the new standards. For street signs you would need HIA Type III Prismatic High Intensity.

Because of the complexity of these new specifications, CheapStreetSigns.com suggests the following guidelines in order to simplify the new rule.

-If it is a parking control sign (No Parking, Disabled, Parking, etc) we suggest using Type 1 reflective

-If the sign directs traffic (One Way, Dead End, etc) we suggest moving up to a Prismatic High Intensity Type III or higher reflective sign.

G 47 private property no trespassing sign

Sign on Private Property

This ruling also impacts traffic signs on private property.

All roads and parking areas open to public traffic are also subject to these new standards. Included are shopping areas, apartment complexes, office buildings, sports facilities, etc. All signs in these areas need to be mounted to the proper height (typically 7 ft to the bottom of the sign) and meet appropriate MUTCD reflective standards.

Visit the FHWA website for complete details and minimum road sign reflectivity tables:

Nighttime Visibility | FHWA (dot.gov)

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Limit Exposure to Tort Liability

Now that this regulation has been passed, if someone is injured or loses their life in an area where the traffic signs do not meet Federal standards, there will be a huge exposure to tort liability.

Type I, II and III white sheeting should not be used on overhead guide signs (white on green).
Type I sheeting should not be used on warning signs (black on yellow/orange). Replacement of regulatory, warning, and ground-mounted guide (except street name) within seven years of effective date.
Replacement of street name signs and overhead guide within ten years of effective date.
Implementation and continued use of an assessment or management method that is designed to maintain traffic sign retroflectivity at or above the established minimum levels within four years of effective date.