A. Definitions.
"Community College" has the meaning as prescribed in A.R.S.
§
15-1401.
"Department" means the Arizona Department of
Transportation.
"FHWA" means the Federal Highway Administration of the U.S.
DOT.
"Major metro area" means an urban area with a population of
at least 50,000.
"Municipality" means an incorporated city or town.
"MUTCD" means the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices,
a national standard for the design and application of traffic control devices
that is published by the U.S. DOT/FHWA and that is the standard for traffic
control devices on the streets and highways of this state as required by A.R.S.
§
28-641.
"Nonconforming sign" means an erected sign that does not
comply with this Section or A.R.S. §
28-642(D) due to
changes in the statutes, rules, or changed conditions. Examples of changed
conditions include the reconstruction of a highway or physical deterioration of
a sign.
"Regionally accredited college or university" means a college
or university accredited by a regional institutional accrediting association
recognized by the Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary
Education.
"Rural area" means all areas other than a major metro area or
an urban area.
"Signing" means standard highway supplemental guide signs as
specified in the MUTCD.
"State highway" has the same meaning as prescribed in A.R.S.
§
28-101.
"State University" means a university established and
maintained by the Arizona Board of Regents under A.R.S. §
15-1601.
"Trailblazing sign" means a sign installed by a local
governmental agency, off the state highway, to guide traffic to a college or
university.
"Trip" means a one-way commute to or from a college or
university, calculated by the Department based on the number of students or
dorm beds, using the following equivalents:
One student = 1 1/2 trips
One dorm bed = three trips.
"Urban area" means a municipality having a population of at
least 10,000 but less than 50,000.
"U.S. DOT" means the United States Department of
Transportation.
B.
Application for signing. A college or university referenced in A.R.S. §
28-642(D) may
request signing by submitting a letter on its letterhead to the Department's
State Traffic Engineer. The letter shall contain the following information:
1. Name of college or university;
2. Complete street address;
3. Names of agencies granting
accreditation;
4. Number of
students;
5. Number of dormitory
beds, if applicable; and
6.
Signature of a person authorized to sign for the college or
university.
C.
Requirements. To be considered for signing, a college or university referenced
in A.R.S. §
28-642(D) shall
satisfy the following:
1. Is on a road that
intersects a state highway. If a college or university is on a road that does
not intersect a state highway, it still may qualify if:
a. The governing political subdivision
submits to the Department, within 30 days from the Department's receipt of the
request for signing, written confirmation stating that the governing political
subdivision will install and maintain trailblazing signs; and
b. The governing political subdivision
installs trailblazing signs before the Department places signing on the state
highway.
2. Meets all
the requirements under subsection (C)(2)(a), (b), or (c) of this Section.
a. If in a major metro area:
i. Generates at least 4000 trips per
weekday.
ii. Is three miles or less
from a state highway, except the distance may be increased 1/4 mile for each
10% increase in the required number of trips per weekday to a maximum of five
miles.
b. If in an urban
area:
i. Generates at least 2000 trips per
weekday.
ii. Is four miles or less
from a state highway, except the distance may be increased 1/4 mile for each
10% increase in the required number of trips per weekday to a maximum of five
miles.
c. If in a rural
area:
i. Generates at least 1000 trips per
weekday.
ii. Is five miles or less
from the state highway, except the distance may be increased 1/4 mile for each
10% increase in the required number of trips per weekday to a maximum of 15
miles.
D. Exceptions to standards. The Department
may place supplemental guide signs on state highways to direct traffic to
colleges and universities. The Department shall determine whether to place
supplemental guide signs for a college or university based on the specific
criteria and the guidelines in the MUTCD.
E. Nonconforming signs. The Department may
remove a nonconforming sign if:
1. Other signs
have greater priority under the criteria in the MUTCD,
2. Physical spacing of signs is limited for
an upcoming interchange or intersection, or
3. A greater number of trips are generated by
the subject of other guide signs.
F. College or university. Only the initial,
main campus of a college or university referenced in A.R.S. §
28-642(D) may
qualify for signing, unless otherwise permitted by statute.
Notes
Ariz. Admin.
Code §
R17-3-901
Adopted effective May 7,
1991 (Supp. 91-2). Amended by final rulemaking at 8 A.A.R. 3838, effective
August 12, 2002 (Supp. 02-3). Amended by final rulemaking at 18 A.A.R. 1263,
effective July 6, 2012 (Supp. 12-2). Amended by final rulemaking at 19 A.A.R.
1324, effective July 6, 2013 (Supp.
13-2).
