You may notice that the city replaced crosswalk signs inside school zones. The new signs created by the Traffic, Signs, and Signals Department are brighter, giving drivers more time to react. Design changes show whether the crosswalk is ahead or at hand.
The US Dept. of Transportation recently re-designed crosswalk signs within the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (or MUTCD). Lines indicating a crosswalk have been deleted and instead the pentagon shaped signs either have a sign just below them stating "Ahead" or if at the crosswalk itself, have a downward sloping arrow underneath.
Traffic Signs and Signals employees also upgraded the retro-reflective material of the sign to a 3m Diamond Grade material. Diamond Grade gives drivers the highest optical experience with its full cube prismatic reflection. In other words, it reflects more light to the driver, and brighter signs means more time for drivers to react. Diamond Grade is also very durable with a life expectancy of 12 years.
The City of Kalispell Traffic, Signs, and Signals Department replaced signs for about 40 crosswalks that are part of the Safe Routes to Schools Program inside school zones in City limits.
