Traffic control changes requiring transition

Transition to a new traffic control is needed for three reasons: safety, uniformity, and liability. Some transitions have been researched and had transition procedures developed, such as the installation or removal of a traffic signal and the reversal of Stop control at an intersection. However, no standardized transitions are documented in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) and no standard transition nomenclature, similar to construction signing, exists at all. This thesis explores transition in traffic control by reviewing published material on the subject, determining what types of control changes professionals in the field feel warrant transition and summarizing currently used policies and procedures. It introduces a set of model transition procedures using concepts found in the literature review and policies being used in the field. Then, by using some limited case studies and a final feedback questionnaire, these procedures are modified.