FHWA's Interim Approvals Status in California

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Section 1B.07 and 1B.08 of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD, 11th Edition) contains a provision authorizing the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to issue Interim Approvals (IAs). Such approvals allow the interim use, pending official rulemaking, of a new traffic control device, a revision to the application or manner of use of an existing traffic control device, or a provision not specifically described in the MUTCD. IAs are considered by FHWA based on the results of successful experimentation, studies, or research, and an intention to place the new or revised device into a future rulemaking process for MUTCD revisions. More IAs issued by FHWA are available, with links to the actual approval document and background information.

Any agency in California can request and receive approval to use a device under the IA process directly from FHWA. However, until the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the California Traffic Control Device Committee (CTCDC) have reviewed and recommended approval of a particular IA, its use by any agency in California can constitute a violation of the California Vehicle Code (CVC) 21400 and 21401. Also, if the agency installs the device under FHWA’s approval and later upon review by Caltrans and the CTCDC the particular device is not recommended for use in California, the agency will have to remove the device or potentially be in conflict with CVC 21400 and 21401.

To alleviate these concerns, Caltrans and the CTCDC have agreed to review each IA issued by FHWA at their earliest convenience for its application in California. If the IA is recommended for use in California, then Caltrans will request FHWA’s approval for its use on a blanket basis statewide, eliminating the need for individual agencies to seek FHWA approval.  If the IA is not recommended for use in California, then Caltrans will publicize the status of the particular IA on this web site.

Any highway agency that installed these devices under these Interim Approvals should consult the MUTCD (the version that the device was incorporated into) sections applicable to these devices and revise their installations as needed to comply with the adopted provisions of the MUTCD.

Status of Interim Approvals issued by FHWA in California

The table below lists IAs that have been incorporated into the 2009 MUTCD, therefore, have been terminated by FHWA and are no longer in effect. Any highway agency that installed these devices under these IAs should consult the 2009 MUTCD sections applicable to these devices and revise their installations as needed to comply with the adopted provisions of the 2009 MUTCD.

The table below lists IAs that have been incorporated into the MUTCD, 11th Edition, either in whole or in part. While these have been terminated by FHWA, the IAs in the table below are still valid in California (the effective CA MUTCD is based on FHWA's MUTCD 2009 Edition).

This below IA was not incorporated into the 2009 MUTCD and FHWA does not intend to incorporate it into any future editions of the MUTCD. It has been terminated by the FHWA in a memorandum dated December 21, 2017, and is no longer in effect.