Using Detour Signs to Direct Traffic on Campuses and in Parking Lots
Construction activity is booming on college and university campuses across the U.S., and there is no end in sight. Competition is strong in higher education, and institutions need to keep pace by building new facilities and modernizing old ones in order to keep up with enrollment and continue attracting students.
According to a 2017 “State of Facilities in Higher Education” report by the Sightlines research firm, campus facilities constructed in the 1960s to accommodate the surge in Baby Boomers are reaching the end of their usefulness in the next decade. The growing trend towards renovating or replacing these aging buildings, which represent 40 percent of the space on campuses, has resulted in a more than 10% increase in campus space from 2007 to 2016.
With numerous construction improvements underway, effective traffic and construction signage on roadways and in parking lots is essential to help ensure school or college campuses run smoothly. Detour signs, barricades and flaggers have become a common sight as universities focus on creating the safest possible environment for drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists in areas where efforts to improve infrastructure can cause dangerous street and sidewalk conditions.
Detour Signs Help Prevent Accidents and Injuries
Construction-related road and parking lot closures – and the traffic congestion that often results – can make it difficult for motorists to access and travel within higher education institutions. Pedestrian and bicycle traffic routes can also be impacted, which is a major concern considering walking and bicycling are the most popular means of getting around. Countless studies have found that the combination of high levels of walking and biking on college campuses, combined with vehicular traffic, creates a transportation environment that poses safety risks to all roadway users.
Visible signs indicating detours are a vital tool for preventing accidents and injury, not only for drivers, but for students, faculty, employees, visitors, and construction crews. Signage must meet the specific standards outlined in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). The MUTCD is designed to ensure uniformity of traffic control devices – including signs, signals and pavement markings – to promote safer, more efficient travel. The manual mandates that detours be adequately marked with temporary route and destination signs, and outlines detailed standards for the design and installation of these warning signs.
MUTCD Compliant Detour Signs
Traffic Safety Direct provides schools and colleges with aluminum and roll-up signs that meet MUTCD requirements. Our standard aluminum signs, many of which are available in 36 and 48-inch sizes, include a variety of “Detour” options as well as construction signs including “Road Closed” and “Roadwork Ahead”.
Roll-up traffic signs resemble traditional signs, but they are made from lighter materials with the durability to withstand extreme weather conditions. Our standard reflective roll-up traffic signs include "Detour Ahead" and other construction information signs.
Portable Signs Stands Make Setup and Cleanup Faster
Many construction or renovation projects require temporary traffic control signs that can be moved from one campus location to another. We carry portable sign stands that are easy to transport, assemble and store, and are compatible with our aluminum and/or rollup signs.
For example, the Zephyr portable sign stand accommodates 36 and 48-inch roll-up signs. Stable and skid-resistant, it has a steel plate molded into a large recycled rubber base and it “spills the wind” – making it ideal for gusty conditions.
The SafeZone Series SZ-412 Springless Sign Stand is an ultra-lightweight, springless sign stand with independently adjustable telescopic legs. Designed for use with roll-up signs, it works well at sites with uneven terrain and along right of ways and medians.
The 4860K Windmaster Sign Stand accommodates both aluminum and roll-up signs. It features a patented BreakAway® system which allows the vertical upright to break away from the stand on impact.
College and university campuses are dynamic environments where students, faculty and visitors are always on the move. Let the experts at Traffic Safety Direct help you choose the right products to improve travel safety on your campus – during construction periods and all year long.