2 Del. Admin. Code § 2H.08

Current through Register Vol. 28, No. 5, November 1, 2024

Section 2H.08 - Acknowledgment Signs

Support:

01 Acknowledgment signs are a way of recognizing a company, business, or volunteer group that provides a highway-related service. Acknowledgment signs include sponsorship signs for adopt-a-highway litter removal programs, maintenance of a parkway or interchange, and other highway maintenance or beautification sponsorship programs.

Guidance:

02 A State or local highway agency that elects to have an acknowledgment sign program should develop an acknowledgment sign policy. The policy should require that eligible sponsoring organizations comply with State laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, and other applicable laws. The acknowledgment sign policy should include all of the provisions regarding sign placement and sign design that are described in this Section.

Support:

02A (DE Revision) DelDOT has developed a policy for the installation, placement, and maintenance of signs associated with their statewide Adopt-A-Highway litter removal program.

02B (DE Revision) DelDOT has developed a policy for the installation, placement, and maintenance of signs associated with their statewide Sponsor-A-Highway Program.

Standard:

03 Because regulatory, warning, and guide signs have a higher priority, acknowledgment signs shall only be installed where adequate spacing is available between the acknowledgment sign and other higher priority signs. Acknowledgment signs shall not be installed in a position where they would obscure the road users' view of other traffic control devices.

04 Acknowledgment signs shall not be installed at any of the following locations:

A. On the front or back of, adjacent to, or around any other traffic control device, including traffic signs, highway traffic signals, and changeable message signs;

B. On the front or back of, adjacent to, or around the supports or structures of other traffic control devices, or bridge piers; or

C. At key decision points where a road user's attention is more appropriately focused on other traffic control devices, roadway geometry, or traffic conditions, including exit and entrance ramps, intersections, grade crossings, toll plazas, temporary traffic control zones, and areas of limited sight distance.

Guidance:

05 The minimum spacing between acknowledgment signs and any other traffic control signs, except parking regulation signs, should be:

A. 150 feet on roadways with speed limits of less than 30 mph,

B. 200 feet on roadways with speed limits of 30 to 45 mph, and

C. 500 feet on roadways with speed limits greater than 45 mph.

06 If the placement of a newly-installed higher-priority traffic control device, such as a higher-priority sign, a highway traffic signal, or a temporary traffic control device, conflicts with an existing acknowledgment sign, the acknowledgment sign should be relocated, covered, or removed.

Option:

07 State or local highway agencies may develop their own acknowledgment sign designs and may also use their own pictograph (see definition in Section 1A.13) and/or a brief jurisdiction-wide program slogan as part of any portion of the acknowledgment sign, provided that the signs comply with the provisions for shape, color, and lettering style in this Chapter and in Chapter 2A.

07A (DE Revision) ADOPT A HIGHWAY (D14-3-DE) signs (see Figure 2H-5) may be installed to recognize a business or volunteer ground that participates in DelDOT's litter removal program.

07B (DE Revision) ADOPT A HIGHWAY (D14-3-DE) signs may be placed at the beginning and end of the adopted section of roadway

07C (DE Revision) SPONSOR A HIGHWAY (D14-1-DE) signs (see Figure 2H-5) may be installed to recognize a business or volunteer ground that participates in DelDOT's Sponsor-A-Highway Program.

Guidance:

08 Acknowledgment signs should clearly indicate the type of highway services provided by the sponsor.

Standard:

09 In addition to the general provisions for signs described in Chapter 2A and the sign design principles covered in the "Standard Highway Signs and Markings" book (see Section 1A.11), acknowledgment sign designs developed by State or local highway agencies shall comply with the following provisions:

A. Neither the sign design nor the sponsor acknowledgment logo shall contain any contact information, directions, slogans (other than a brief jurisdiction-wide program slogan, if used), telephone numbers, or Internet addresses, including domain names and uniform resource locators (URL);

B. Except for the lettering, if any, on the sponsor acknowledgment logo, all of the lettering shall be in upper-case letters as provided in the "Standard Highway Signs and Markings" book (see Section 1A.11);

C. In order to keep the main focus on the highway-related service and not on the sponsor acknowledgment logo, the area reserved for the sponsor acknowledgment logo shall not exceed 1/3 of the total area of the sign and shall be a maximum of 8 square feet, and shall not be located at the top of the sign;

D. The entire sign display area shall not exceed 24 square feet;

E. The sign shall not contain any messages, lights, symbols, or trademarks that resemble any official traffic control devices;

F. The sign shall not contain any external or internal illumination, light-emitting diodes, luminous tubing, fiber optics, luminescent panels, or other flashing, moving, or animated features; and

G. The sign shall not distract from official traffic control messages such as regulatory, warning, or guidance messages.

Support:

10 Examples of acknowledgment sign designs are shown in Figure 2H-5.

Standard:

10A (DE Revision) If used, the Delaware Scenic Byways sign (D14-4-DE) shall be installed on a route (or routes) designated on or within the boundaries of an approved Delaware Scenic Byway.

10B (DE Revision) The design of the Delaware Scenic Byways (D14-4-DE) sign shown in Figure 2H-5 shall be used.

Support:

10C (DE Revision) § 191 of Title 17 of the Delaware Code authorizes the Delaware Department of Transportation to develop and manage the Delaware Byways Program. This program is administered through the Department's Division of Planning.

10D (DE Revision) DelDOT has established a Policy and Program Guide that defines the process to be followed in the nomination and selection of certain roads as State Scenic Byways.

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2 Del. Admin. Code § 2H.08