NCUTCD - National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices

Purpose History NCUTCD Bylaws Operating Procedures Sponsors Executive Board Headquarters Staff January 2009 Meeting June 2008 Meeting January 2008 Meeting June 2007 Meeting January 2007 Meeting June 2006 Meeting January 2006 Meeting June 2005 Meeting January 2005 Meeting June 2004 Meeting January 2004 Meeting Regulatory/Warning Signs Guide/Motorist Information Signs Markings Signals Temporary Traffic Controls Railroad Grade Crossings Bicycles Research

History of NCUTCD

Throughout the life of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), there has been a committee associated with the Manual. This committee has been known by four different names and has had many changes in membership. In its early years, the committee was responsible for the development and publication of the MUTCD. However, since 1948, the committee has served as an independent organization providing professional input on the content of the Manual, which has been published by the federal government.

The first committee was created in 1931 in response to the conflicts caused by having separate manuals for rural and urban areas. Formed in 1931, it was named the Joint Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (JC). Its purpose was to bring all standards for traffic control devices under one cover and to recognize the rapid developments in the art of traffic control. In its original form, the JC consisted of members representing the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) and the National Conference on Street and Highway Safety (NCSHS). The first meeting was held in March 1932. The JC published a preliminary draft of the MUTCD in 1934 and the first edition of the MUTCD in 1935. The JC was revived in 1938 in order to reexamine the Manual and it published a supplement to the MUTCD in February 1939.

The United States entry into World War II placed many demands upon traffic control. Therefore, the JC was reconvened shortly after the start of World War II to deal with the needs of wartime traffic control. It was expanded to add representatives of the Institute of Traffic Engineers (ITE) to those of AASHO and the NCSHS. Due to the special nature of wartime conditions, the JC was further expanded to include a representative of the War Department and one from the Office of Civilian Defense. Close liaison relations were also established with the War Production Board. The JC published the 1942 War Emergency Edition of the MUTCD in November 1942.

The JC began working on the peacetime edition of the MUTCD in December 1944. The JC continued to be made up of representatives from AASHO, ITE, and NCSHS. The committee developed a preliminary review copy of the manual in January 1947. The review comments from this draft were used to prepare the 1948 MUTCD, which was published by the Public Roads Administration in August 1948.

Two changes in the committee took place after the 1948 MUTCD was published. The NCSHS was dissolved and replaced on the JC by the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Laws and Ordinances (NCUTLO) and the committee was renamed the National Joint Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (NJC). The NJC developed a revision to the 1948 MUTCD that was published in 1954.

The NJC began meeting in the late 1950's to prepare a new edition of the MUTCD. In 1960, the American Municipal Association and the National Association of County Officials were added to the committee. The 1961 MUTCD was prepared by the NJC and published by the Bureau of Public Roads in June 1961. As in the past, the NJC developed the MUTCD with the cooperation of the federal government.

The NJC continued in existence after publication of the 1961 edition. This was due in part to the early recognition of several deficiencies in the 1961 edition. The committee determined that a complete rewrite of the MUTCD was needed and work on the new edition began in 1965. The final draft of the 1971 MUTCD was approved by the five parent organizations of the NJC in May 1970.

The publication of the 1971 MUTCD was significant for a number of reasons and marked a point of departure for the NJC. Following the publication of the 1971 Manual, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) took over full responsibility for the development of the MUTCD from the NJC, although the NJC continued to exist in an advisory role to FHWA. Accordingly, in 1972, the name of the committee was changed to the National Advisory Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (NAC) and its role was changed to that of an official advisory committee to the Secretary of Transportation. Requests for rulings or changes were submitted by FHWA to the NAC and the committee returned its recommendations to FHWA for a final decision. The NAC continued to grow, and by the time the 1978 MUTCD was published in September 1978, NAC membership had grown to 10 organizations.

In June 1979, the Secretary of Transportation terminated its sponsorship of the NAC in accordance with President Carter's policy to limit the number of federal advisory committees. About the same time, FHWA also announced it would adopt all future changes to the MUTCD through the Federal Register rulemaking process. The NAC responded to this action in 1980 by forming a new National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (NC) that was independent of the federal government. In its new role, the responsibilities of the NC were to initiate, review, or comment on proposed changes to the MUTCD. As such, the NC had the opportunity to review proposals and make recommendations to the FHWA in the same manner as any other member of the public.

Today, the NC continues to function in the same way that it has since 1980. The governing body of the NC is a Council. The Council has 38 members appointed by the sponsoring organizations. All recommendations and comments of the NC must be approved by the Council. There is also an Executive Board and seven permanent Technical Committees: The chairmen of the Technical Committees are typically members of the Council and the Technical Committee members are appointed by the Executive Board. The Technical Committees are responsible for developing the recommendations and comments that go to the Council for final action.



Home About Us Purpose History NCUTCD Bylaws Operating Procedures Sponsors Executive Board Headquarters Staff Brochure Meetings January 2009 Meeting June 2008 Meeting January 2008 Meeting June 2007 Meeting January 2007 Meeting June 2006 Meeting January 2006 Meeting June 2005 Meeting January 2005 Meeting June 2004 Meeting January 2004 Meeting NCUTCD Members Honorary Member Nominations Technical Committees Regulatory/Warning Signs Guide/Motorist Information Signs Markings Signals Temporary Traffic Controls Railroad Grade Crossings Bicycles Research MUTCD AASHTO Subcommittee on Traffic Engineering	History of NCUTCD Throughout the life of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), there has been a committee associated with the Manual. This committee has been known by four different names and has had many changes in membership. In its early years, the committee was responsible for the development and publication of the MUTCD. However, since 1948, the committee has served as an independent organization providing professional input on the content of the Manual, which has been published by the federal government. The first committee was created in 1931 in response to the conflicts caused by having separate manuals for rural and urban areas. Formed in 1931, it was named the Joint Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (JC). Its purpose was to bring all standards for traffic control devices under one cover and to recognize the rapid developments in the art of traffic control. In its original form, the JC consisted of members representing the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) and the National Conference on Street and Highway Safety (NCSHS). The first meeting was held in March 1932. The JC published a preliminary draft of the MUTCD in 1934 and the first edition of the MUTCD in 1935. The JC was revived in 1938 in order to reexamine the Manual and it published a supplement to the MUTCD in February 1939. The United States entry into World War II placed many demands upon traffic control. Therefore, the JC was reconvened shortly after the start of World War II to deal with the needs of wartime traffic control. It was expanded to add representatives of the Institute of Traffic Engineers (ITE) to those of AASHO and the NCSHS. Due to the special nature of wartime conditions, the JC was further expanded to include a representative of the War Department and one from the Office of Civilian Defense. Close liaison relations were also established with the War Production Board. The JC published the 1942 War Emergency Edition of the MUTCD in November 1942. The JC began working on the peacetime edition of the MUTCD in December 1944. The JC continued to be made up of representatives from AASHO, ITE, and NCSHS. The committee developed a preliminary review copy of the manual in January 1947. The review comments from this draft were used to prepare the 1948 MUTCD, which was published by the Public Roads Administration in August 1948. Two changes in the committee took place after the 1948 MUTCD was published. The NCSHS was dissolved and replaced on the JC by the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Laws and Ordinances (NCUTLO) and the committee was renamed the National Joint Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (NJC). The NJC developed a revision to the 1948 MUTCD that was published in 1954. The NJC began meeting in the late 1950's to prepare a new edition of the MUTCD. In 1960, the American Municipal Association and the National Association of County Officials were added to the committee. The 1961 MUTCD was prepared by the NJC and published by the Bureau of Public Roads in June 1961. As in the past, the NJC developed the MUTCD with the cooperation of the federal government. The NJC continued in existence after publication of the 1961 edition. This was due in part to the early recognition of several deficiencies in the 1961 edition. The committee determined that a complete rewrite of the MUTCD was needed and work on the new edition began in 1965. The final draft of the 1971 MUTCD was approved by the five parent organizations of the NJC in May 1970. The publication of the 1971 MUTCD was significant for a number of reasons and marked a point of departure for the NJC. Following the publication of the 1971 Manual, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) took over full responsibility for the development of the MUTCD from the NJC, although the NJC continued to exist in an advisory role to FHWA. Accordingly, in 1972, the name of the committee was changed to the National Advisory Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (NAC) and its role was changed to that of an official advisory committee to the Secretary of Transportation. Requests for rulings or changes were submitted by FHWA to the NAC and the committee returned its recommendations to FHWA for a final decision. The NAC continued to grow, and by the time the 1978 MUTCD was published in September 1978, NAC membership had grown to 10 organizations. In June 1979, the Secretary of Transportation terminated its sponsorship of the NAC in accordance with President Carter's policy to limit the number of federal advisory committees. About the same time, FHWA also announced it would adopt all future changes to the MUTCD through the Federal Register rulemaking process. The NAC responded to this action in 1980 by forming a new National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (NC) that was independent of the federal government. In its new role, the responsibilities of the NC were to initiate, review, or comment on proposed changes to the MUTCD. As such, the NC had the opportunity to review proposals and make recommendations to the FHWA in the same manner as any other member of the public. Today, the NC continues to function in the same way that it has since 1980. The governing body of the NC is a Council. The Council has 38 members appointed by the sponsoring organizations. All recommendations and comments of the NC must be approved by the Council. There is also an Executive Board and seven permanent Technical Committees: The chairmen of the Technical Committees are typically members of the Council and the Technical Committee members are appointed by the Executive Board. The Technical Committees are responsible for developing the recommendations and comments that go to the Council for final action.
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