TRS: Sign Life-Cycle Policies and Practices Status: CompleteReport Date: 10/31/2017 Summary: MnDOT Metro District Traffic Engineering is reviewing its practices for determining traffic sign life expectancy and replacement. The Metro District is interested in understanding the state of the practice regarding traffic sign colors, life cycles and management, specifically whether signs are selected for replacement based on a specific age or characteristics such as color fade, reduced retroreflectivity levels and loss of fluorescence. In addition, the Metro District would like to know the role that sign sheeting types and fabrication methods play in sign color selection and sign life expectations and replacement. To determine the state of the practice, a survey was sent to representatives of all state departments of transportation, several metropolitan area agencies and select Canadian provinces. This Transportation Research Synthesis includes findings from the survey along with the results of a literature search regarding sign life expectancy and replacement. Final Deliverables: TRS: Sign Life-Cycle Policies and Practices (Synthesis #TRS1707) Related Materials: Traffic Sign Life Expectancy research project (Other) Minnesota Best Practices for Traffic Sign Maintenance/Management Handbook - Updated (Other) Traffic Sign Life Expectancy Project webpage (Other) Related Research: