903.23 Signing Maintence Guidelines

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903.23.1 Sign ID Labels

History. The display of the MoDOT ID label on the front of the sign was standard practice on all signs produced by the MoDOT Sign Production Center (SPC) up to its closing mid-2012 when MoDOT first began outsourcing the production of signs for maintenance operations. MoDOT’s sign fabrication vendors were also required to apply the traditional MoDOT ID on the front of the sign identifying it as Commission Property and listing the penalty for tampering and/or theft. The requirement to add the MoDOT ID label to signs fabricated and installed for construction projects was added to the standard plans in July of 2018.

Beginning mid-2012 with the first sign outsourcing contract, MoDOT’s sign fabrication vendors were also required to add a manufacture ID label on the back of every sign to indicate who fabricated the sign and the date the sign was produced for warranty issues. The warranty of a sign begins the day it was fabricated, not the day it is installed as sign sheeting has a limited life span (10-15 years) so this date is critical to address warranty issues. The manufacturing date can also be used by the department to help manage inventory and assure the oldest sign on the shelf are used first. July 2018 the requirement to add the manufacture ID was added to the standard plans so all signs manufactured and installed on construction projects would include this ID label as well.

Digital printing has been an option with our sign outsourcing contract since 2012. Digital printing is not currently part of our standard plans for contract/warranty issues, it was added to the sign outsourcing contract as a controlled way for the department to gain experience with the technology before adopting it as fabrication technology in our standards. With the renewal of the outsourcing contract in 2018, an additional ID label was added as a requirement for our vendor to make the identification of digitally printed signs easier. A black diamond is required to be applied to the back side of any sign the vendor chooses to fabricate using digital printing technology. While there are ways to identify digitally printed signs, the clues are very subtle, and you must be up close to the sign face to see them. The black diamond on the back side of the sign allows the department to quickly identify these signs from a distance.

The design and location of the vendor ID/fabrication date label and the MoDOT ID label can be found in Standard Plans 903 and the detail for the digital print ID label are found in the sign outsourcing contract.

Standard. Every MoDOT sign, regardless of the type or style, shall have two Identification Labels on the sign. This applies to signs manufactured for maintenance operations as well as those manufactured for construction installations. The first label is the MoDOT ID label placed on the front of the sign which identifies the sign as belonging to MoDOT and defining the penalty for tampering with the sign. The second label is the Vendor ID label placed on the back of the sign and identifies who fabricated the sign, their contact information and the date the sign was manufactured.

Support. The MoDOT ID label on the front of the sign is used to identify the sign as belonging to MoDOT. MoDOT does not sell or give away its signs, only disposing old signs as scrap (see EPG 903.23.4.1). If a person is found in possession of a sign(s) with the MoDOT ID label the sign is considered stolen and the label is utilized by law enforcement to take the necessary actions.

The Vendor ID label placed on the back of the sign is used to identify who manufactured the sign and when it was fabricated. This information is used if there is a warranty issue identified with the sign. The warranty for sign sheeting is based on the fabrication date. The fabrication date also permits MoDOT warehouse managers to identify and utilize the oldest stock signs first to assure stock is rotated.

Identification Label design and placement details are shown in Standard Plan 903.02, see Figure 903.23.1 for ID label general appearance.

Figure 903.23.1, MoDOT ID and Vendor ID Labels for Signs

903.23.2 Sign and Post Inventory and Storage

Support. MoDOT allocates millions of dollars each year to maintain almost 700,000 signs installed along its highways. To maintain these signs in an efficient and timely manner, appropriate sign and post inventories need to be maintained. Sign inventories need to include Priority 1 and Priority 2 signs and may include other high use signs to make ordering and request fulfilment more efficient.

To maintain the appropriate inventory level of priority and high usage signs, the inventory levels need to be based on the historical usage of each sign by the district, a level which will allow timely repairs to signs in the field, yet not represent a waste of resources with an overabundance of inventory or signs that exceed their shelf-life.

Maintaining appropriate inventory levels for each sign post is also critical for timely sign maintenance. Each post type has different lead times which must be accounted for when determining appropriate inventory levels. Pipe and Wide Flange posts are MoDOT specific designs and must be fabricated when ordered which results in very long lead times for delivery. Other post types tend to be more readily available and in stock with our vendors resulting in a shorter delivery time, such as PSST and U-channel posts.

Guidance. Given the importance of maintaining an inventory of signs and posts and the value of this resource, districts should consider assigning the duties of warehouse management to an individual, or individuals. Typical duties of an individual(s) who manages these inventories can include ordering signs and posts, receiving and inspecting signs from vendors, maintaining the district warehouse inventory of signs and posts and processing sign and post needs from field crews. This may also include delivering these materials to some or all remote locations within a district. Without proper management, inventories can easily grow out of control or be insufficient to meet the needs of the field crews.

Standard. Districts shall determine their maximum inventory levels by using the sign and post usage reports, running each report at the beginning of each fiscal year. The reports will identify the maximum and minimum recommended levels for each sign and post commodity. These reports will calculate the values based on the average usage over the previous 36 months from the date the reports are run. The average of the past 36 months will flatten spikes in any given year which will result in maximum levels being too high or low.

903.23.2.1 Supply Items (Non-Inventory Items)

Support. There are many components used to install and maintain signs, these can be broken down into two categories; inventory items and supplies, see Table 903.23.2.1. Supplies are those items that are not individually inventoried and are generally smaller items purchased in larger quantities. These items will not have commodity codes associated with them as Inventory Items typically do. Guidance for inventory items can be found in subsequent sections of this article.

Table 903.23.2.1
Inventory Items Supply Items
Wide Flange Post / Stub Base Bolts / Washers / Nuts / Concrete Anchors
Pipe Post / Stub Bolt Retainer Plates
PSST Post / Anchor (7 gauge & 12 gauge) Brass Shims
Channel Post / Stub Dent Breakaway Bolts
Wood Post Wide Flange Breakaway Bolts / Washers / Nuts
PSST 2.25" Insert (72" X 2.25") PSST Post Splice (12" X 1.75" and 2.25" PSST)
PSST Surface Mount Bases (for 2" and 2.5") Aluminum Backer Bar
PSST Redi-Torque Assembly (for 2.5") Slip Base Parts (top only, wedge, replacement bolt)
PSST Kleen Break Assemblies (for 2") Wood Post Clamps
PSST Snap n Safe Couplers (for 2" and 2.5") Pipe Post Clamps
Pipe Post Caps
PSST Bolts / Washers / Nuts
Nylon Sign Washers
Ready-Mix Concrete
Bags of Concrete
Pole Setting Foam

Guidance. While supplies are not tracked and counted as inventory, these items should still be managed in an efficient manner. Like inventoried items, the quantity of any given supply should be based on the district’s average 36-month usage. The maximum inventory level for each supply item should not exceed the average 3-month usage rate and the minimum inventory level should be based on the time it takes to order and receive the supply item.

903.23.2.2 Sign Inventory

Support. Signs have a shelf-life and a warranty; the warranty begins the day the sign is fabricated. All signs have a manufacturer’s ID decal on the back of the sign which includes the date of manufacturing that can be used to determine the age of signs in inventory.

The need for inventory of signs is based on the priorities assigned to sign replacement and maintenance and is focused on Priority 1 and Priority 2 signs. These are signs which are critical to the safety of the roadway and need to be readily available to repair or replace damaged or missing signs in a short period of time, see EPG 903.23.6 Emergency Response for lists of priority signs and the required repair time. Priority 1 and Priority 2 sign repairs cannot wait for a sign to be ordered, manufactured and shipped resulting in the need to keep a reasonable number of each type of sign on hand to fulfill these work orders.

Standard. Priority 1 and Priority 2 signs shall be maintained in inventory to facilitate timely repairs. For Priority 2 signs with usage less than 1 per year, a single sign shall be inventoried, or a 7-day accelerated order shall be used to acquire the sign when needed.

Inventory levels for signs shall be based on the district’s average 36-month usage report for all sign commodities. The maximum inventory level for each sign commodity shall not exceed the average 3-month usage rate. The minimum inventory should be no less than your average usage in one month.

The maximum inventory levels for signs are maintained at the district warehouse. Local maintenance buildings shall keep small inventories of Priority 1 signs and may keep a small inventory of select Priority 2 signs (see Figures 903.23.2.2.1 through 903.23.2.2.5).

As signs are pulled from MoDOT inventories, the oldest signs shall be used first to ensure the department gets the maximum life from any given sign and to ensure inventory doesn’t exceed its shelf-life. The age of the sign is determined by the manufacturing date found on the manufacture’s ID on the back of the sign.

Option. Maximum inventory levels of signs may exceed the 3-month usage when signs are ordered to fulfill the needs of specific work orders generated by annual sign log inspections. To avoid an overabundance of signs at a building and to avoid overloading our vendors, orders need to be submitted at a rate that closely matches the crew’s ability to install the signs once they are delivered. These temporary inventory levels must be installed for the locations they were ordered for in less than a year.

Guidance. Minimum inventory levels for each sign should be equal to the average 1-month usage rate. This would be the quantity of signs expected to be used during the time it takes the vendor to resupply the inventory with a new order.

Table 903.23.2.2, Sign Priority Levels
Sign Priority Inventory Levels* Kept in Stock
Max Min
Priority 1 3 months 1 month Required
Priority 2 3 months 1 month Required
Priority 3 high usage 3 months 1 month Optional
Priority 3 low usage 0 0 Not Recommended
* Inventory levels of each sign number are based on the 36-month average usage for the district

Figure 903.23.2.2.1

Figure 903.23.2.2.2

Figure 903.23.2.2.3

Figure 903.23.2.2.4

Figure 903.23.2.2.5

903.23.2.3 Sign Storage and Handling

Support. Proper storage and handling of highway signs before and during installation is critical to achieve the maximum sign life and effectiveness. Sign sheeting is easily damaged by impacts, abrasions, weight, heat and moisture before installation. Sign sheeting has a minimum of a 10-year warranty from the date of fabrication, however, this warranty is void if the sheeting is damaged due to improper storage or handling.

Standard. Flat sheet signs shall be stored indoors in a cool and dry environment with the signs being placed in the racks on their edge. If for some reason signs are wet in storage or shipping, they shall be removed from any packaging immediately, separated and placed on their vertical edge so they can air dry.

Support. Extruded panel signs should be stored indoors in a cool and dry location, however, given the size of these signs this is not always possible. If extruded panel must be stored outdoors, they need to be kept dry. Ideally, signs would be removed from their packaging, assembled (in whole or in pieces) and temporarily mounted to posts or an A-frame trailer so water can shed off of the sign face and air dry as if they were installed permanently.

During transport, flat sheet signs should be carried on their vertical edge and both flat sheet and extruded signs (and pieces of signs) should be secured so the sign sheeting side of the signs do not rub on one another or against the vehicles causing damage.

903.23.2.4 Post Inventory

Support. Unlike signs, sign posts do not have a shelf-life. While they can be stored indefinitely without loss of integrity, it is still critical to properly manage inventory levels to ensure the best use of MoDOT resources.

Table 903.23.2.4, Post Inventory Levels
Post Type Post Size Inventory Levels Kept in Stock
Max Min*
Wood 4x4 3 months 0 Optional
4x6 3 months 0 Optional
U-Channel 3 lb/ft 3 months 2 months Required
PSST 2x2 3 months 1.5 months Required
2.5x2.5 3 months 1.5 months Required
Pipe*** 2.5" ID 6 months 3 months or 2 posts Recommended**
3" ID 6 months 3 months or 2 posts Recommended**
4" ID 6 months 3 months or 2 posts Recommended**
Wide Flange*** #1 6 months 3 months or 3 posts Recommended**
#2 6 months 3 months or 3 posts Recommended**
#3 6 months 3 months or 3 posts Recommended**
#4 6 months 3 months or 3 posts Recommended**
#5 6 months 3 months or 3 posts Recommended**
#6 6 months 3 months or 3 posts Recommended**
* Minimum inventory levels based on contract delivery period of each post type
** Given the long lead times for acquiring these types of posts, it is recommended districts keep the minimum levels indicated unless a size is extremely rarely used in a district. If one set of posts are retained as a minimum, the longest length that may be needed should be what is retained.
*** If a district has inventory greater than the maximum listed, the posts shall be retained, and their availability made known to the rest of the state. They shall not be scrapped unless they no longer meet MoDOT specifications.

903.23.2.4.1 Wood, U-Channel and PSST Posts

Standard. Inventory levels for these posts shall be based on the district’s average 36-month usage report for all post commodities. The maximum inventory level for each U-Channel and PSST post commodity shall not exceed the average 3-month usage rate. Minimum inventory levels for these posts should typically equal the average number of posts used during the length of time it takes to order and receive new posts.

Wood posts shall be purchased on an as needed basis from local sources not only to minimize inventory levels, but to minimize the chances of waste due to the tendency of a wood post to warp and twist over time.

Option. Maximum inventory levels of sign posts may exceed 3-month usage when posts are ordered to fulfill the needs of specific work orders generated by annual sign log inspections. To avoid an overabundance of sign posts at a building and to avoid overloading our vendors, orders need to be submitted at a rate that closely matches the crew’s ability to install signs and posts once they are delivered. These temporary inventory levels must be installed for the locations they were ordered for in less than a year.

903.23.2.4.2 Pipe and Wide Flange (I-Beam) Posts

Support. Pipe and Wide Flange posts are unique in that they are far more expensive to purchase compared to other MoDOT standard posts. These designs are specific to MoDOT so a vendor must fabricate these post types as the orders are received resulting in long lead times for delivery. The usage rates for these posts, especially for certain sizes of posts, are not as regular as other types of posts. As a result, an inventory based on the 36-month average usage may not result in the proper number of posts in inventory.

Each post type comes in a variety of different lengths and each length is individually inventoried. This variety of inventoried lengths was established to provide posts in inventory that would be as close to the length needed to reduce the amount of waste as posts were trimmed to the proper length. This method was established when post usage on all posts was much higher and inventory level management was not as critical.

Standard. Inventory levels for these posts shall be based on the district’s average 36-month usage report for all post commodities. The maximum inventory level for each Pipe and Wide Flange post commodity shall not exceed the average 6-month usage rate.

Guidance. Minimum inventory levels for these posts should typically equal the average number of posts used during the length of time it takes to order and receive new posts. However, due to the long delivery lead times for Pipe and Wide Flange posts, the minimum quantity for these posts typically should not be zero unless a size of post is very rarely used in the district. In these cases, a minimum quantity of 2-3 should be kept on hand to repair or install one sign for emergency situations.

For low usage post types, such as structural #6 Wide Flange posts, it is important to have posts on hand for unexpected needs; however, maintaining a minimum inventory of all available sizes is not recommended. For these low usage posts, the longest post length that may be needed in the district is what should be inventoried, and any actual length needed can be cut from this length. While this will likely generate greater waste as more posts may be cut off to size the post for the need, this waste is preferred over excessive numbers of posts of various lengths on inventory.

903.23.2.4.3 Post Storage and Handling

Support. Unlike signs, posts do not have a shelf life and can be stored indefinitely without loss of integrity if stored properly.

Standard. Sign posts shall be stored up off the ground to avoid corrosion that would result from ground contact.

Guidance. If the galvanized coating of the posts is damaged, it should be patched using a zinc-based product to prevent corrosion.

903.23.3 Sign and Post Ordering

Support. Ordering practices have a direct impact on pricing and vendor participation in our contracts. The primary factor is the quantity of materials ordered at one time and more specifically placing small orders for items which are expensive to ship like sign posts and signs. Shipping costs per item for large items tends to decrease as quantities increase. As an example, the shipping costs for 20 posts on a flatbed truck is the same as it is for a shipment of 200 posts, but if posts are ordered in quantities of 20, the cost of each post is higher as the shipping costs are associated to a smaller number of posts.

903.23.3.1 Sign Ordering

Support. MoDOT began outsourcing the fabrication of signs for maintenance operations and closed its Sign Production Center in 2012. This change also incorporated many modifications to the way MoDOT did business. MoDOT eliminated many department specific sign designs and adopted federal sign standards. The funding for the acquisition of signs was transferred from central office to the districts and the sign ordering practices were structured to better accommodate acquiring signs through a 3rd party vendor.

MoDOT’s sign outsourcing contract is set up on a weekly cycle format. Orders are submitted to the vendor on Wednesday of each week with normal delivery time being 21 calendar days starting on the next day (Thursday). There are accelerated delivery timelines for special needs, 7-day and 14-day deliveries, that can be submitted any day of the week. There is also a 36-hour rush order; however, this is only utilized for critical needs and its use must be approved by Highway Safety and Traffic. Pricing for signs in this contract is by square foot and the contract is separated into three categories of flat sheet signs, extruded panel signs and a unique category that contains items such as stop/slow paddles and delineators. The way sign orders are assembled has a dramatic impact on the amount of time it takes to process them once submitted. The following guidance was developed to help stream-line the process and control the overall cost of the signs MoDOT purchases.

Guidance. A district sign warehouse inventory should fill a large portion of sign requests for Priority 1 and Priority 2 signs as well as high usage signs. Requests for signs not kept in inventory should be consolidated and added to a weekly sign order. Replenishment of inventory should also be added to the weekly sign order. Weekly orders should be submitted as a normal 21-day order with 7-day and 14-day accelerated orders being reserved for special cases where a sign (or small number of signs) must be received more quickly. These accelerated orders need to be used sparingly as it places an extra burden on our vendor that can affect their ability to fulfill orders for the rest of the state if overused.

Sign orders are established to match the contract format so like sign types are contained on a given order resulting in one order per week for:

  • Flat sheet signs
o Adopt-a-Highway (as its own flat sheet order)
  • Structural signs
  • Unique signs.

If the number of sign requests per sign order exceeds the maximum limit of 99 lines, more than one weekly sign order shall be submitted for that sign type.

Individual sign requests for like sign numbers and sizes should be pulled from stock, and a consolidated sign request should be submitted to replenish stock. This minimizes the time it takes for Highway Safety and Traffic Division to review and process sign orders, but more importantly, makes it more efficient for our vendor to determine what signs need to be fabricated for the state each week.

The weekly sign ordering process takes place as follows:

  • Thursday through Tuesday – District warehouses receive and process sign requests from the field, filling requests from stock when possible and adding others to the list of signs to add to the weekly vendor order in the Sign Management System (SMS).
  • Tuesday – All vendor orders for the week need to be submitted Tuesday afternoon and no later than 5:00 pm so they will interface with SAM II for the creation of purchase orders that night. The vendor orders may be submitted earlier if employees are out of the office on Tuesday, but this will count toward the districts one purchase order per sign type for the week.
  • Wednesday – All purchase orders should be submitted to Central Office Highway Safety and Traffic Division by 10 am.
  • Expedited purchase orders – 36-hour rush, 7 day, and 14-day orders may be sent to Central Office Highway Safety and Traffic Division any weekday. A district should give additional notice by phone or email of these orders, preferably in advance when the sign is first requested.
  • Receiving Signs – The district has five (5) business days after receipt of order (ARO) to notify the contractor of any visible damage or specification compliance issues. After the five (5) working days the contractor will still be responsible for correcting any issues relating to specifications, quantity and quality, but liquidated damages will no longer be applicable. The contractor will not be responsible to correct any damages not identified within the first five (5) business after receipt of the signs. The contractor shall replace any sign(s) that fails inspection within the original delivery timeframe. The contractor shall understand and agree any replacement sign(s) that is shipped beyond the original delivery timeframe shall be subject to liquidated damages.
  • Liquidated Damages – While it is not MoDOT’s intent to negatively impact our vendors by imposing liquidated damages, this contractual condition does ensure MoDOT’s orders receive priority.
  • Shipping Locations – To keep sign costs as low as possible, the MoDOT shipping locations have been limited to the sign warehouses in NW, NE, KC, CD and SL only. Due to the geographical size of SW and SE districts, each has a secondary delivery location at their regional offices in Joplin and Willow Springs. While it would be more efficient for MoDOT to have signs shipped directly to each maintenance building, the shipping costs would be so extreme it would drive the cost of signs beyond acceptable limits.

903.23.3.2 Post Ordering

Guidance. Post orders should incorporate quantities to replenish inventories at the district warehouse location as well as any additional needs at the various maintenance buildings to make these orders as cost effective as possible.

Standard. Due to the higher cost, long lead times for acquisition and sometimes erratic usage of Pipe and Wide Flange posts, districts shall first determine if the posts they need are available in any other district before ordering. At the time this guidance was drafted, there was excess inventory in the state for Pipe and Wide Flange posts which needed to be utilized.

Option. Once the state-wide inventory levels of Pipe and Wide Flange posts are normalized and the excess inventory is used, the practice of looking at state-wide inventories of Pipe and Wide Flange posts may be used to fulfill the need for these posts if the posts are needed more quickly than the vendor can supply them.

903.23.4 Sign and Post Disposal

Support. Signs and Posts are state property and as such when no longer needed due to being obsolete, damaged or reaching the end of their service life need to be disposed of through the competitive bid process like any other MoDOT property.

903.23.4.1 Sign Disposal

History. During the operations of MoDOT’s Sign Production Center (SPC), old signs were shipped to the Moberly Correctional Center where they were sorted and stored until the SPC submitted a request. Once the request was received, the prison would clean and straighten the appropriate sign blanks from the reclaimed inventory and ship to the SPC for production. At the peak, 75% of the sign the SPC produced were on these reclaimed sign blanks. When sign production was first outsourced, the use of reclaimed sign blanks was investigated; however, the shipping cost to the prison and then to the vendor was cost prohibitive, making the use of reclaimed sign blanks more expensive than the use of new aluminum. As a result, old signs are now sold for scrap at the end of their service life.

Support. All signs, including those that have reached the end of their service life or signs in warehouses which have become obsolete, are state property and must be disposed of as scrap. MoDOT’s policy does not permit the transfer ownership of its signs, other than selling signs as scrap, to other entities. This makes prosecution for sign theft easy as anyone who is in the possession of one of these signs could not have legally acquired it.

Standard. When signs are removed from the field or warehouse inventory, they shall be collected and sold as scrap following General Services policies for the disposal of state materials. The disposal of signs that are traffic control devices, whose use is regulated by state and federal law, includes an additional step. Any traffic control devices which are taken out of service and scrapped (signs, signal heads, changeable message signs, etc.) must be sold using the GS-23 Bill of Sale of Traffic Control Devices. The GS-23 contains a legal statement the purchaser of these materials is prohibited from reselling them in the form of traffic control devices, and reads:

(3) TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES TO BE USED AS SCRAP ONLY: The Buyer shall use traffic control devices purchased under this Bill of Sale for purposes other than traffic control unless the buyer is a political subdivision of the State of Missouri or authorized contractor. These materials shall not be sold or distributed in their current forms as traffic control devices. In the event the Buyer chooses to sell said traffic control devices, the Buyer shall, prior to any sale, permanently deface or otherwise disable the traffic control devices to impede their use in current form as traffic control devices. Buyer also acknowledges that the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, 23 CFR 655, 23 USC 109(d) and 23 USC 402(a) apply to the use of traffic control devices and do not allow the presentation of advertising messages or other messages unrelated to traffic control on a traffic control device. Buyer also acknowledges that Buyer has read and understands Missouri Statute 304.321, attached.

When sign inventory levels are managed correctly, there is typically no need to dispose of new/unused signs unless they are damaged. However, if guidance from Highway Safety and Traffic Division is given to purge certain signs from inventory before use, these signs shall be disposed of in the same manner as used signs.

903.23.4.2 Post Disposal

Support. Unlike signs, posts do not have a shelf-life so they can be stored indefinitely until needed.

Standard. The only time unused sign posts, stubs, hardware, etc. shall be sold as scrap is if those materials have been identified as no longer meeting state specifications. These materials shall remain in inventory until the district, or another district, is able to utilize them. Used and damaged sign posts, stubs and hardware shall be disposed of as scrap following standard GS procedures.

903.23.5 Sign Inspection

Support. Sign inspection is critical to the maintenance of MoDOT’s highway signs. The process assures we identify deficient signs, establishes the sign maintenance program for the year and is the department’s means to complying with federal sign maintenance standards.

Night time visual sign inspections are used to evaluate MoDOT’s signs as sign visibility is the most critical and difficult to achieve during dark conditions. Signs become more critical at night as other visual cues a driver needs are going to fade away in the dark (trees, ditches, etc.). Night time crashes are also typically higher compared to daytime crashes making highly visible signs a key tool to help reduce crashes.

Training Document
Sign Log Inspection Guidance

Inspectors need to view the signs during the inspection from the perspective of the motorist, from the driver seat, traveling in the lane and looking at the signs from the distances a driver needs to see the sign from to make appropriate decisions. In addition to the guidance which follows, the Sign Log Inspection Guidance Training PowerPoint walks an inspector through the process and provides photographic examples of what to look for during an inspection.

Standard. All MoDOT signs shall be inspected every other year based on the county they are located in. Figure 903.23.5.1, and Table 903.23.5 for the county inspection schedule, indicates which counties shall be inspected in the even and odd year cycles.

Options. There are sign deficiencies which can be easily identified during normal day time operations outside the annual night time inspection period. Typical deficiencies that are easy to identify during the day can include:

  • Vegetation growing in front of signs
  • Signs which are leaning and out of plumb or twisted away from traffic
  • Signs mounted on the incorrect post or have the incorrect number of posts
  • Missing breakaway devices or the breakaway device is incorrectly assembled
o These are deficiencies which cannot be identified at night but can represent serious safety issues for the public.
  • Sign faces which have faded colors, pealing sign legend or sign sheeting
  • Signs which have been physically damaged by impacts, gun shots, etc.

Correcting deficiencies such as these outside the annual night time inspection will result in fewer deficiencies identified during the inspection and will result in the inspection taking less time to complete.

Table 903.23.5, Sign Inspection Schedule by District

Figure 903.23.5.1, Sign Inspection Schedule Map


Standard. Annual night sign log inspections shall follow these basic criteria:

  • Signs shall be inspected 1 hour after sunset and at least 1 hour prior to sunrise to ensure complete darkness
  • Signs shall be inspected with low beam headlights
  • Keep interior lights off so eyes are acclimated to darkness (dim lights are OK to illuminate computer keyboard)
  • Once frost and/or dew begin to settle on the signs (thus affecting retroreflectivity), discontinue inspections
  • Signs on side streets shall be inspected by driving the side street approaching the sign
  • The sign legend and background colors should be recognizable both day and night (for example, a guide sign's white legend should be clearly visible and the background should be recognizable as green). If not, replace the sign.
  • If inspection takes place after leaves have dropped and tree limbs fall within the view of the sign, but do not obscure sign: trim limbs to account for the time when leaves will regrow
  • Inspection vehicles should be typical cars, SUVs or pickups, 2002 or newer
  • Two-person inspection crews for safety
  • Inspection conducted from travel lane (not shoulder) and conducted at normal travel speed
  • Headlights should be cleaned before inspection begins. Clouded or hazed lenses should be polished
  • Headlights should be checked to ensure they are properly aimed.

Signs shall be visible from the following distances:

  • Flat Sheet Signs must be visible from approximately 300 ft to provide drivers enough time to see and react to the sign. Any deficiencies which prohibit a sign from being seen at this minimum distance shall be identified in the inspection and corrected.
  • Structural Signs (Extruded Panel Substrate) must be visible and legible from a minimum of approximately 300 ft. on two-lane roadways and 600 ft. on multilane highways (based on 30 ft. visibility for every 1 in. of legend height, per EPG 903.1.8).

Issues that can affect sign visibility and shall be corrected are, but are not limited to:

  • Sign sheeting which has fallen below acceptable performance levels
  • Vegetation or other obstructions blocking the view of the sign
  • Sign installation location, requiring sign to be moved to a better more visible location
  • Damage to the sign face, such as gun shots, paint ball or other vandalism activities

Sign posts shall be within acceptable tolerances of being vertically plumb (see Figure 903.23.5.2, below) and must hold the sign perpendicular to the travel way unless the sign type and installation intentionally requires the sign to be parallel to the roadway. Sign posts out of plumb and not supporting the sign in the proper orientation to the roadway shall be repaired or replaced as necessary.

Signs shall be inspected to assure they are at the proper mounting height above the roadway and above the ground. Any deficiencies shall be corrected as mounting heights affect not only visibility of the sign, but also the breakaway characteristics / safety of the sign (see EPG 903.1.13 for details):

  • Non-Wide Flange sign installations shall have a mounting height of 5 ft. above the roadway on two-lane roadways and 7 ft. above the roadway inside city limits or on freeways or expressways (does not include object markers, chevrons, supplemental plaques or any other special sign mounting criteria).
o The length of any post of a non-Wide Flange sign installation shall be a minimum of 5 ft measured from the ground to the bottom of the sign
  • Wide Flange sign installations shall have a mounting height of 7 ft 6 in above the roadway.
o The length of the shortest post of an Wide Flange sign installation shall be a minimum of 7 ft 9 in measured from the breakaway to the hinge point for breakaway performance.
o Post spacing for #3 through #6 Wide Flange posts shall be spaced a minimum of 7 ft apart from one another in order to meet federal breakaway standards.

Figure 903.23.5.2, Sign Post Plumb Tolerances

Deficiencies in the number or spacing of posts shall also be identified and corrected. The number and spacing of posts are based on the guidance found in the post selection tools in EPG 903.16.4. Having the proper number, size and spacing of posts not only assures a long-lasting sign assembly, but incorrect installations can dramatically affect the breakaway characteristics of the sign assembly.

903.23.6 Emergency Response

Support. Risk Management has established guidelines concerning the response to replacing signs that have been knocked down or otherwise lost, see Table 903.23.6 for the response plan as it pertains to highway signing.

Guidance. MoDOT’s Incident Response Plan should be consulted for further details.

Support. Priority ranking are defined as follows:

Priority 1 – Urgent, respond as soon as possible (day or night, weekends or holidays) suspending other lower priority work if necessary. May represent immediate hazard to the public.
Priority 2 – Repair should be accomplished as soon as practical during normal working hours, but only after Priority 1 repairs are completed.
Priority 3 – Repair should be accomplished with higher urgency than routine maintenance.
Routine – Not urgent, normally considered routine maintenance.

Table 903.23.6, Incident Response Signing Plan
Signs Priority
1 2 3 Routine
Barricades (permanent) - X - -
Delineators - - - X
Guide1 - - X -
Information1 - - X -
Route Assemblies - See Figure 903.23.2.2.3 - -
Regulatory1 Stop, Yield, Do Not Enter, Wrong Way, One Way See Figure 903.23.2.2.1 & Figure 903.23.2.2.2 Signs not on the priority 1 or 2 list -
Warning1 - See Figure 903.23.2.2.5 Signs not on the priority 1 or 2 list -
School1 - See Figure 903.23.2.2.4 Signs not on the priority 1 or 2 list -
Visibility (weeds, trees, etc.) For Priority 1 Signs For Priority 2 signs - For Priority 3 signs
Sign Truss Structure Damage Creating a Traffic Hazard - Not A Traffic Hazard -
Lane Closure Notification/ Approval Required2 No No Yes Yes
1 Damage that makes the sign ineffective.
2 NHS routes and all other routes with AADT of 1,700 or greater.

903.23.7 Guidelines for the use of the Sign Management System (SMS)

History. MoDOT has a long history of maintaining an inventory of signs located along its roadways and inspecting signs utilizing this database. MoDOT’s original database was housed on a mainframe computer and sign logs were done on paper. The first computer-based system was implemented in the early 2000s and was utilized until 2012 when it was replaced with Sign Management System (SMS), our current system. SMS was developed as a cradle-to-grave sign management system to manage field inventories, but also to manage sign ordering, work orders and warehouse management. MoDOT Management System (MMS) is expected, at later phases of development, to incorporate and possibly replace portions of SMS.

Support. SMS has six major components. Details on each component and their specific use can be found in a wiki link and user manuals located on the SMS home page. While the sign catalog is accessible by any MoDOT employee, all other components require a STARTS request to gain access. The STARTS request is granted based on the level of access needed for the user’s role in signing and is approved by Highway Safety and Traffic. The following are the six major components of SMS:

  • Sign catalog
  • Sign ordering
  • Field inventory
  • Sign inspection
  • Work orders
  • Warehouse management

Sign Catalog is the heart of the SMS. It contains the signs and sizes of signs from the MUTCD, and any MoDOT-specific signs used on MoDOT roadways. The information in the catalog is used to populate the sign field inventory for each sign assembly record. The data in the catalog is also used by the sign ordering system to populate the critical fields needed to generate a purchase order.

Sign Ordering must be used to acquire signs for maintenance operations. This system is made up of a requisition component where sign requests are generated by field crews. These requisitions are sent to the district’s parent sign warehouse where it is either filled from the warehouse inventory, or the request is added to a vendor order. The vendor order component compiles sign requests and then interfaces with the state Financial Management System (FMS) to generate a purchase order. This component is required to be used in order to acquire signs from MoDOT’s sign manufacturer.

Field Inventory is the component of SMS which contains records for locations of all signs located on MoDOT right of way, including signs MoDOT does not maintain. This component of SMS must be used to inventory all signs on MoDOT right of way. These records are in terms of "sign assemblies" or a record of a sign support and all of the signs that are mounted on that support. Sign supports can be one of MoDOT’s typical ground-mounted sign posts or the variety of overhead sign mounting structures. Details for each sign assembly can be recorded in this system, including, but not limited to the number of posts, type of post, type of overhead sign structure, sign location (left, overhead, right) and mounting height. The history of each assembly and each sign on each assembly can also be recorded in this system, including but not limited to sign installation date, repair date and inspection date. The only piece of data which is automatically recorded for an assembly record is the inspection history from the inspection component of the system. As with any database, the quality and accuracy of the data available is directly related to the accuracy and management of the data entered into the system. There are many fields for data available for each assembly record, some fields are required and others are optional.

At a minimum an assembly record must include:

  • District
  • County
  • Travelway ID
  • Maintained by and Org Code
  • GPS sign location (recorded from the travel lane)
  • Sign number/code
  • Support type (post or structure)
  • Post / Structure Type
  • Orientation of sign to the roadway.

Optional fields, but recommended as bests practices include:

  • Sign legend, for variable message signs
  • Number of posts
  • Post type and size
  • Post offset from the roadway
  • Footing type
  • Breakaway.

Sign Inspection must be conducted utilizing the sign inspection tool of SMS. This component is referenced as the "client tool" as it is one of the few components of SMS that is not web-based. The inspection tool is a software component of SMS loaded on individual laptops allowing field inventory data and TMS data to be loaded on the machine. Once on the laptop, the system can be operated independent of a network connection to inspect and update field inventories. Once an inspection is completed and/or inventory is updated, the data must be uploaded back to the web-based system to update the primary database. Work Orders are used in SMS to process the work generated by sign inspections. Work orders are auto-generated when a deficiency is identified during an inspection. Once generated, a work order must be approved and assigned to the appropriate crew. Once the work is completed, the work order must be closed. The identification of the deficiencies and the completion of the work order create the history of the correction in each record. The work order system can be used for any sign work conducted outside of inspections, but it is not a required use for this application.

Warehouse Management is a component of SMS whose use is optional. This system was created as a user interface for FMS to offer more options in viewing and managing sign inventories. The system was designed to permit warehouse managers to establish minimum inventory levels / order points as well as maximum inventory levels. To help promote the use of excess inventory statewide, the system was designed to show the inventory for any sign with an inventory greater than the maximum set by the manager as "excess" so other districts could see availability. The tool is also designed to give managers the ability to reserve part of their inventory for special projects so these would not appear as excess.

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