Regional Sign Training and Flood Damage Discussion

By Tim Baxter, Road Safety and Loss Prevention Specialist

We are entering the best time of year for road department employee training. Hopefully most of you have completed or are nearing completion of the massive amount of flood damage to roads and bridges from this past year. Some of you may not be able to repair or replace your flood damaged bridges for years.

From past sign audits, it has been noted that an average of 55 percent improvements have been made since the last audit in each county was conducted, and that includes 11 counties with perfect scores. Unfortunately, however, two-thirds of our member counties did not achieve a passing grade. This is far from where our member counties need to be. Good sign programs reduce county liability and improve motorist safety. Lack of sign improvements, especially sign deficiencies noted on sign audits, should be relatively easy to improve since those deficiencies have been noted and suggested improvements sent to the member county.

Some of our member county road departments have made very few signing improvements over the last 20 years, which places those counties in difficult defensible positions.

All county employees need to be trained as to the proper sign installation requirements. Due to the demonstrated need for meaningful sign improvements, NIRMA will present 15 regional sign workshops across the state during the months of January, February and March to provide sign training to County Board members, highway superintendents, foremen, sign technicians and other road department employees.

Training will include the proper installation of warning and regulatory signs, as well as how to conduct proper curve speed studies.

The last hour will be dedicated to addressing flood damage-related questions, emergency flood damage repair contracts, private party road repairs, initial flood reaction, flood damage liability, etc. If more time is required, the training will continue after lunch.

Training information will be sent to all member county highway superintendents over the next month or two with dates, times, locations, and any additional details.

Please contact me with any questions on the sign training, flooding or to request other training at tim@nirma.info or by calling 402-310-4417. Be Safe.