Traffic Engineering Manual Volume 2

Chapter 3: Signs and Devices: General Principles

Traffic Engineering Manual Volume 2, Chapter 3 Edition 4, June 2014 2




Amendment Record

Ed/Rev No Page(s) Issue Date Amendment Description
Ed 1 All J uly 1986 Original Manual
Ed 2 All April 2000 Initial draft for comment
(VicRoads only)
Ed 3 All December 2001 New Edition
Ed 3 Rev 1 7 J uly 2004 Change Traffic & Road Use Management to Traffic & Transport
Integration
Ed 4 5 &7 J une 2014 Minor amendments








Traffic Engineering Manual Volume 2, Chapter 3 Edition 4, June 2014 4

Contents
Amendment Record ................................................................................................................................ 3
3.1 Reasons for Installation ................................................................................................. 5
3.2 Warrants and Guides ..................................................................................................... 6
3.3 Traffic Volume and Speed Criteria ................................................................................ 7
3.4 Assessment of Need ...................................................................................................... 8

















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3.1 Reasons for Installation

A sign or device may be installed for one or more of the following reasons:
A warrant or guide for the sign or device is given in this Manual and is met at a particular site, see Section
3.2,
A proper engineering assessment indicates the need for a sign or device not covered by a quantitative
warrant or guide. The assessment should be based on either a history of incidents or accidents susceptible
to correction by the sign or device, or anticipated hazard or confusion,
The sign or device is part of a standard treatment which is applied in certain situations,
There are external requests or pressures for the device. A proper engineering assessment is vital in such
cases, to determine whether the device will have the desired effect, and that it will not merely add to an
unnecessary or distracting proliferation of devices. The use of signs or devices not meeting a warrant or
guide should be seriously questioned.


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3.2 Warrants and Guides

The application of warrants and guides is as follows:
(a) Warrants
For certain devices in this Manual a warrant is prescribed, either in the form of a numerical or quantitative
warrant, or a statement that a device is warranted under certain described conditions. A warrant is a
definitive requirement in that the device is not used unless the warrant is met. There may, however, be
cases where, although a warrant is met, the device is unnecessary or inappropriate in a particular case.
There may be special circumstances that require use of a device even though warrants may not be met. In
these circumstances, approval of the Executive Director Policy and Program or delegate shall be
obtained.
(b) Guides
In general, the described uses of the signs and devices in this Manual are regarded as guides. However, in
some instances, numerical or otherwise quantified guides are given. In either case the guide should be
observed as far as practicable, but some scope is permitted for making an overriding engineering
judgement.

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3.3 Traffic Volume and Speed Criteria

(a) Volume Criteria
Where traffic volumes are specified in this Manual as part of a warrant or guide, they are expressed as Annual
Average Daily Traffic (AADT). As the total yearly traffic volume is rarely counted, AADT is normally estimated
from short term counts and predetermined factors for the type of road under consideration.
(b) Speed Criteria
Traffic speed criteria specified as part of a warrant or guide in this Manual are usually expressed as 85
th

percentile speed (V85). This measure is selected on a statistical basis as being approximately the maximum
speed of drivers whose speed behaviour lies within one standard deviation from the mean speed, and is therefore
generally regarded as representing the upper limit of reasonable behaviour. It is preferably measured by non-
intrusive methods such as radar, etc. but in less critical cases may be estimated by observing the average speed
of the faster group of drivers on a particular road. It is acknowledged that, where appropriate and for practical
purposes, the posted speed limit will often be used instead of the 85
th
percentile speed in applying warrants and
guides.


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3.4 Assessment of Need

Clause 1.7, AS 1742.2, 2009, outlines general principles which enable signs, markings and devices to achieve the
purposes for which they are designed and installed.

The following is a summary of the principles in AS 1742.2,2009 and should be considered when an assessment of
the need for a sign or device is being made, regardless of whether warrants or guides are met:

whether the driver would become overloaded with excessive information at the site,
the likelihood that drivers will notice, appreciate and act upon the message displayed,
whether a reassessment or relocation of existing devices is needed,
whether some geometric alteration to the road layout would provide a better solution, and
whether improvement of existing devices (including removal of superfluous devices) would be a better
alternative