Chapter IX SIGN MAINTENANCE A. Maintenance: A sign maintenance schedule should be developed annually by each operating office. A backlog of signing needs should be noted, and an annual work plan should be prepared to detail the funding needs for achieving the goals of Reclamation's sign program. The maintenance schedule should address, but not be limited to, the following points: 1. Damage.-Damaged signs shall be repaired or replaced, as required. 2. 3. 4. 5. Visibility.-Signs that have become obscured by brush or grass shall have the Legibility and Appearance.-Signs that have become faded or illegible shall be restrained/restored to their original condition. The appearance of sign parts should also be considered. "Scotchcal" signs can best be maintained by referring to the 3M Company's “Sign Maintenance Manual for Freeways and Toll Roads" and supplements thereto. Maintenance Objective.-Plan, schedule, and perform maintenance to keep signs, posters, and other traffic control devices clean, legible, functional, and properly positioned. Effective sign maintenance will facilitate safe use of Reclamation lands and facilities and foster a favorable image of the agency's professionalism in the visitors' eyes. Condition Survey.-Condition surveys should be performed on a periodic basis to determine condition and effectiveness of all traffic control devices, signs, and posters. Reflective devices should be inspected at night as well as during the day. Evaluation items should include legibility, reflectivity, overall condition of both the sign and its supports, placement, visibility, encroachment of vegetation, and continued need of the sign at that location. Managers should promote a high level of awareness among field personnel to recognize missing, improper, incorrectly placed, damaged, or deteriorated signs. They should be encouraged to report these findings to the sign coordinator or the resource specialist whose program is supported by that sign. a. Field inspectors should use locally generated checklists to capture information during the inventory/review. The checklists should also be used as a reference in developing the annual maintenance plan. b. As a minimum, the checklist should document the sign location (facility or road number), date and time of inspection, inspection findings, recommended C. actions, name of inspector, maintenance accomplished, and name of person performing maintenance. Condition Ratings: (1) Excellent. Sign is new or in a like-new condition. Needs no attention. All lettering and symbols are legible. No vegetation or other objects obscure the sign. (2) (3) Good. Sign has experienced some weathering, but its lettering and symbols Fair. Sign has been extensively impacted by weathering, requiring extensive cleaning and painting to restore it to its original condition. Lettering and symbols are legible, but barely so. Reflectivity is about half of the original. Vegetation is beginning to encroach on the sign, further detracting from the legibility of the message. Sign may have some holes or other minor damage which can be readily repaired. (4) Poor. Sign is so weathered that its message is no longer legible. It has been refurbished at least once. It has severe damage from holes or other vandalism. It can be repaired temporarily, but it should be replaced as soon as possible. (5) Missing/Destroyed/Obsolete. Either the sign is gone or is so damaged that repairs are impossible, or the sign message is outdated or incorrect. If one or more of these conditions exists, and a sign is still needed, a replacement sign should be ordered immediately. d. Reflectivity: A great many signs are reflective to ensure their visibility at night. To test visibility, create a small panel (about 8 inches by 10 inches) using sheeting which has an acceptable level of reflectivity. At night, tape the test panel to the face of the sign. Step back about 30 feet, hold a flashlight about 2 inches from your face, and shine it at the sign. (1) (2) If the inspection panel is brighter than the sign, replace the sign within the year. If the sign is brighter than the inspection panel, the sign still has several years of life remaining. (3) If the sign and the panel have equal brightness, the sign has 1 to 2 years of useful life remaining. 6. Maintenance Performance.-Perform maintenance on a regular and systematic basis to ensure signs and other traffic control devices are clean, undamaged, and functional. Check and replace edge tape on a routine basis. Use only those materials (paints, stains, edge tape, sheeting, hardware, etc.) that comply with the original specifications for the sign or traffic control device being refurbished. Evaluate the maintained product against the standard for materials and workmanship established for the original. a. b. c. Clearing: Clear all trees, brush, and other vegetation that may obscure signs. Cleaning: Clean all signs obscured by dust, bituminous materials, road film, mud, etc., to restore legibility and reflectivity. Wash signs by: (1) Flushing sign surface with clean water to remove loose dirt. (2) Scrubbing sign face with soft brush, rag, or sponge, using a mild, nonabrasive detergent or other suitable cleaner. Scrub from the top down. Avoid damaging the surface with unnecessary scrubbing. Keep a steady stream of water flowing on the sign face to wash away dirt. (3) Rinse entire sign face with clean water. Special Cleaning Problems: (1) Tar, oil, diesel, bituminous material. Use a mild solvent such as mineral spirits. Then wash the surface with mild detergent and water and rinse with clean water. (2) Pollen and Fungus. Wash the surface with a 3- to 5-percent sodium hypochlorite solution, such as a commercial brand of bleach, followed by detergent and water. Rinse with clean water. (3) Lipstick and Crayon. Use a mild solvent such as mineral spirits to remove the material. Follow with detergent and water and a clean water rinse. (4) Paint. It may be possible to remove paint sprayed onto a reflective sheeting sign face using a commercial paint remover designed for that purpose. The type of paint, length of exposure, and type of remover may affect the life of the sheeting. (5) Other Severe Contamination. Soiling that cannot be removed by previously d. For all of these special cleaning procedures, the sign should be inspected at night to determine if the cleaned area has lost too much of its reflectivity. Replace any signs with insufficient reflectivity. Repair: Repair damaged signs following the procedures described below. Minor damage may be repaired in the field without removing the sign from its support. Repair of major damage will normally require that the work be performed in a workshop. (1) Aluminum Substrate Signs. (a) Bent Signs. Straighten sign, and if the reflective background or (i) Remove all background sheeting and legend from an area slightly larger than that damaged. (ii) Clean exposed surface with a mild detergent and rinse with clean water. (iii) Apply matching pressure-sensitive reflective background sheeting, extending at least 1⁄2 inch beyond the damaged area. (iv) Replace damaged legend with die-cut, pressure-sensitive, prespaced letters, borders, and symbols and firmly squeegee in place. (v) If sign is subjected to snow burial and replacement sheeting extends to the top edge of the signs, place transparent film or tape along top edge. (b) Holes. Often, it is not necessary to repair each hole in the sign. (i) Remove all damaged background sheeting and legend. (ii) Straighten the sign using a hammer and flat dolly. (iii) Remove any additional sheeting damaged during straightening. (iv) Clean the entire area with mild detergent and rinse with clean water. (v) Patch the hole or puncture on both sides using aluminum foil |