409. Signalization Warrants

The Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) outlines thefollowing eight warrants for signalization at an intersection.

409.1. Warrant 1—Eight-Hour Vehicular Volume

Warrant 1 is satisfied if one of the following conditions exists for each ofany 8 h of an average day :

1. The vehicles per hour given in both of the 100% columns of condition A inTable 409.1 exist on the major-street and the higher-volume minor-streetapproaches.

2. The vehicles per hour given in both of the 100% columns of condition B inTable 409.1 exist on the major-street and the higher-volume minor-street.

Table 409.01. Warrant 1 Criteria (MUTCD)

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Signalization Warrants

In applying each condition the major-street and minor-street volumes shall befor the same 8 h. On the minor street, the higher volume shall not berequired to be on the same approach during each of these 8 h.

If the posted or statutory speed limit or the 85th percentile speed on themajor street exceeds 70 km/h (40 mph), or if the intersection lies within thebuilt-up area of an isolated community having a population of less than10,000, the traffic volumes in the 70% columns in Table 409.1 should be usedin place of the 100% columns.

Warrant 1 is also satisfied if both of the following conditions exist for eachof any 8 h of an average day :

1. The vehicles per hour given in both of the 80% columns of condition A inTable 409.1 exist on the major-street and the higher-volume minor-streetapproaches.

2. The vehicles per hour given in both of the 80% columns of condition B inTable 409.1 exist on the major-street and the higher-volume minor-streetapproach.

These major-street and minor-street volumes shall be for the same 8 h foreach condition; however, the 8 h satisfied in condition A shall not be required

to be the same 8 h satisfied in condition B. On the minor street, the highervolume shall not be required to be on the same approach during each of the8 h.

If the posted or statutory speed limit or the 85th percentile speed on themajor street exceeds 70 km/h (40 mph), or if the intersection lies within thebuilt-up area of an isolated community having a population of less than10,000, the traffic volumes at the 56% level may be used in place of the 80%columns.

409.2. Warrant 2—Four-Hour Vehicular Volume

Warrant 2 is satisfied if, for each of any 4 h of an average day , the plottedpoints representing the vehicles per hour on the major street (total of bothapproaches) and the corresponding vehicles per hour on the higher-volumeminor-street approach (one direction only) all fall above the applicable curvein Figure 409.1 for the existing combination of approach lanes. On the minorstreet, the higher volume shall not be required to be on the same approachduring each of these 4 h.

If the posted or statutory speed limit or the 85th percentile speed on themajor street exceeds 70 km/h (40 mph) or if the intersection lies within thebuilt-up area of an isolated community having a population of less than

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Figure 409.1. MUTCD warrant 2: 4-h vehicular volume. (Manual ofUniform Traffic Control Devices, Federal Highway Administration,Washington, DC, 2003.)

10,000, warrant 2 is satisfied with 70% of the numbers in Figure 409.1.

409.3. Warrant 3—Peak Hour Volume

This signal warrant shall be applied only in unusual cases. Such casesinclude, but are not limited to, office complexes, manufacturing plants,industrial complexes, or high-occupancy vehicle facilities that attract ordischarge large numbers of vehicles over a short time.

Warrant 3 is satisfied if the criteria in either of the following two categoriesare met:

1. If all three of the following conditions exist for the same 1 h (any fourconsecutive 15-min periods) of an average day:

a. The total stopped time delay experienced by the traffic on one minor-street approach (one direction only) controlled by a stop sign equals orexceeds: 4 veh/h for a one-lane approach; or 5 veh/h for a two-laneapproach.

b. The volume on the same minor-street approach (one direction only)equals or exceeds 100 veh/h for one moving lane of traffic or 150 veh/hfor two moving lanes.

c. The total entering volume serviced during the hour equals or exceeds650 veh/h for intersections with three approaches or 800 veh/h forintersections with four or more approaches.

2. The plotted point representing the vehicles per hour on the major street(total of both approaches) and the corresponding vehicles per hour on thehigher-volume minor-street approach (one direction only) for 1 h (any fourconsecutive 15-min periods) of an average day falls above the applicablecurve in Fig. 409.2 for the existing combination of approach lanes.

If the posted or statutory speed limit or the 85th-percentile speed on themajor street exceeds 70 km/h (40 mph), or if the intersection lies within thebuilt-up area of an isolated community having a population of less than10,000, warrant 4 is satisfied with 70% of the numbers in Fig. 409.2.

409.4. Warrant 4—Pedestrian Volume

Warrant 4 is satisfied if both of the following criteria are met:

1. The pedestrian volume crossing the major street at an intersection ormidblock location during an average day is 100 or more for each of any 4 hor 190 or more during any 1 h.

2. There are fewer than 60 gaps per hour in the traffic stream of adequatelength to allow pedestrians to cross during the same period when thepedestrian volume criterion is satisfied.

Where there is a divided street having a median of sufficient width forpedestrians to wait, the requirement applies separately to each direction ofvehicular traffic.

The pedestrian volume signal warrant shall not be applied at locations wherethe distance to the nearest traffic control signal along the major street is lessthan 90 m (300 ft), unless the proposed traffic control signal will not restrictthe progressive movement of traffic.

The criterion for the pedestrian volume crossing the major roadway may be

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Figure 409.2. MUTCD warrant 3: peak-hour volume.

reduced as much as 50% if the average crossing speed of pedestrians is lessthan 1.2 m/s (4 ft/s). A traffic control signal may not be needed at the studylocation if adjacent coordinated traffic control signals consistently providegaps of adequate length for pedestrians to cross the street, even if the rateof gap occurrence is less than one per minute.

409.5. Warrant 5—School Crossing

Warrant 5 is satisfied when an engineering study of the frequency andadequacy of gaps in the vehicular traffic stream as related to the number andsize of groups of school children at an established school crossing across themajor street shows that the number of adequate gaps in the traffic streamduring the period when the children are using the crossing is less than thenumber of minutes in the same period and there are a minimum of 20students during the highest crossing hour. Before a decision is made toinstall a traffic control signal, consideration shall be given to theimplementation of other remedial measures, such as warning signs andflashers, school speed zones, school crossing guards, or a grade-separatedcrossing.

The school crossing signal warrant shall not be applied at locations wherethe distance to the nearest traffic control signal along the major street is lessthan 90 m (300 ft), unless the proposed traffic control signal will not restrictthe progressive movement of traffic.

409.6. Warrant 6—Coordinated Signal System

Warrant 6 is satisfied if one of the following criteria is met:

1. On a one-way street or a street that has traffic predominantly in onedirection, the adjacent traffic control signals are so far apart that they donot provide the necessary degree of vehicular platooning.

2. On a two-way street, adjacent traffic control signals do not provide thenecessary degree of platooning and the proposed and adjacent trafficcontrol signals will collectively provide a progressive operation.

409.7. Warrant 7—Crash Experience

Warrant 7 is satisfied if all of the following criteria are met:

1. Adequate trial of alternatives with satisfactory observance andenforcement has failed to reduce the crash frequency.

2. Five or more reported crashes, of types susceptible to correction by atraffic control signal, have occurred within a 12-month period, each crashinvolving personal injury or property damage apparently exceeding theapplicable requirements for a reportable crash.

3. For each of any 8 h of an average day, the vehicles per hour (vph) given inboth of the 80% columns of condition A in Table 409.1, or the vph in both ofthe 80% columns of condition B in Table 409.1 exists on the major-streetand the higher-volume minor-street approach, or the volume of pedestriantraffic is not less than 80% of the requirements specified in the pedestrianvolume warrant. These major-street and minor-street volumes shall be forthe same 8 h. On the minor street, the higher volume shall not be requiredto be on the same approach during each of the 8 h.

If the posted or statutory speed limit or the 85th percentile speed on themajor street exceeds 70 km/h (40 mph), or if the intersection lies within thebuilt-up area of an isolated community having a population of less than10,000, the traffic volumes in the 56% columns in Table 409.1 may be used inplace of the 80% columns.

409.8. Warrant 8—Roadway Network

Warrant 8 is satisfied if the common intersection of two or more major routesmeets one or both of the following criteria:

1. The intersection has a total existing, or immediately projected, enteringvolume of at least 1000 veh/h during the peak hour of a typical weekdayand has 5-year projected traffic volumes, based on an engineering study,that meet one or more of Warrants 1, 2, and 3 during an average weekday.

2. The intersection has a total existing or immediately projected enteringvolume of at least 1000 veh/h for each of any 5 h of a nonnormal businessday (Saturday or Sunday).

A major route as used in this signal warrant shall have one or more of thefollowing characteristics:

1. It is part of the street or highway system that serves as the principalroadway network for through traffic flow.

2. It includes rural or suburban highways outside, entering or traversing acity.

3. It appears as a major route on an official plan, such as a major street planin an urban area traffic and transportation study.

409.9. Warrant 9—Signalization of an Intersection Near a GradeCrossing

Warrant 9 (new in the 2009 MUTCD) is met if both of the following conditionsare met:

A. A grade crossing exists on an approach controlled by a STOP or YIELD signand the center of the track nearest to the intersection is within 140 feet ofthe stop line or yield line on the approach; and

B. During the highest traffic volume hour during which rail traffic uses thecrossing, the plotted point representing the vehicles per hour on the majorstreet (total of both approaches) and the corresponding vehicles per houron the minor-street approach that crosses the track (one direction only,approaching the intersection) falls above the applicable curve in Figure409.3 or 409.4 (Figures 4C-9 or 4C-10 from the MUTCD 2009) for theexisting combination of approach lanes over the track and the distance D,which is the clear storage distance as defined in Section 1A.13.

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The minor-street approach volume may be multiplied by up to threeadjustment factors as follows:

Because the curves are based on an average of four occurrences of rail trafficper day, the vehicles per hour on the minor-street approach may bemultiplied by the adjustment factor shown in Table 4C-2 for the appropriatenumber of occurrences of rail traffic per day. The factor ranges from 0.67 (fordaily rail traffic = 1) to 1.33 (for daily rail traffic = 12).

Because the curves are based on typical vehicle occupancy of at least 2% ofthe vehicles crossing the track are (high occupancy) buses carrying at least20 people, the vehicles per hour on the minor-street approach may bemultiplied by the adjustment factor shown in Table 4C-3 for the appropriatepercentage of high-occupancy buses. For 6% or more of the minor streetapproach traffic composed of high-occupancy buses, this adjustment factor =1.32.

Because the curves are based on tractor-trailer trucks comprising 10% of thevehicles crossing the track, the vehicles per hour on the minor-streetapproach may be multiplied by the adjustment factor shown in Table 4C-4 forthe appropriate distance and percentage of tractor-trailer trucks. This factor

Figure 409.3. Warrant 9, intersection near a grade crossing (oneapproach lane at the track crossing).

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Figure 409.4. Warrant 9, intersection near a grade crossing (two ormore approach lanes at the track crossing).

ranges from 0.50 to 4.18 for distance D less than 70 ft and from 0.50 to 2.09for distance D greater than 70 ft.

Clear storage distance —when used in Part 8, the distance available forvehicle storage measured between 6 ft from the rail nearest the intersectionto the intersection stop line or the normal stopping point on the highway. Atskewed grade crossings and intersections, the 6-ft distance shall bemeasured perpendicular to the nearest rail either along the center line oredge line of the highway, as appropriate, to obtain the shorter distance.Where exit gates are used, the distance available for vehicle storage ismeasured from the point where the rear of the vehicle would be clear of theexit gate arm. In cases where the exit gate arm is parallel to the track(s) andis not perpendicular to the highway, the distance is measured either alongthe center line or edge line of the highway, as appropriate, to obtain theshorter distance.

Example 409.1

A two-lane minor street intersects a four-lane major street as shown in thediagram below.

Given the following data, determine which MUTCD warrants for signalizationare satisfied at this location.

On an average day, for each of the 8 h, total traffic volume on major street(sum of both directions) is 450 vph. For the higher-volume minor-streetapproach, the volume is 130 vph.

85th percentile speed on the major street traffic is 47 mph.

The peak pedestrian volume crossing the major street is 230 pedestrians perhour. During peak pedestrian periods, the average number of gaps per hour

in the traffic stream is 48.

The nearest traffic signal is located 800 ft from this intersection.

In the last 12 months, there have been 2 PDO accidents and 1 injury accident(nonfatal) at this intersection.

Solution With the limited data, only the following relevant warrants areexamined:

Warrant 1—8-h volume

Warrant 4—pedestrian volume

Warrant 7—crash experience

Warrant 1

For two lanes on major street and one lane on minor street, the minimumvolume requirements are 600 (major street total both approaches) and 150(larger of minor volumes). The given volumes (450 and 130) are less thanthese levels. Conditions A or B are not met at the 100% level. However, sincethe 85th percentile speed is greater than 40 mph, check these levels at 70%levels (420 and 105). Condition A for warrant 1 is therefore met.

Warrant 4

In order for this warrant to be met, both conditions of warrant 4 need to bemet—pedestrian volume greater than 190 pedestrians per hour during any 1h, or greater than 100 pedestrians per hour during any 4 h and number ofacceptable (to pedestrians) gaps in traffic stream less than 60 per hour. Thegiven peak hour volume of 230 pedestrians per hour is greater than 190 andnumber of gaps (48) is less than 60. Therefore, this warrant is met.

Warrant 7

Number of crashes during the 12-month period is less than 5. Therefore, thiswarrant is not met.

Warrants 1 and 4 for signalization of the intersection are satisfied.

(Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices , Federal Highway[1]

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Citation

Indranil Goswami: Civil Engineering All-In-One PE Exam Guide: Breadth and Depth,Second Edition. Signalization Warrants, Chapter (McGraw-Hill Professional, 2012),AccessEngineering

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