Frequently Asked Questions

What is the significance of State standards for traffic control devices?

Any device that guides, warns, or regulates motorists on a public street or highway in California is required by CVC Section 21401 to conform to the standards promulgated by Caltrans. These devices include signs, pavement markings, signals, and delineators. The basic standards are prescribed in the CA MUTCD. Most of the CTCDC agenda item motions with successful outcomes get incorporated into the CA MUTCD via annual revisions, typically at end of March.

There is no recommended practice on having a hard copy or electronic copy of the CA MUTCD, although the electronic copy makes it easier to search for a given topic, terminology, or code. There is also no live electronic version of the manual, and it is only available as a specific revision, when released on a specific date.

Who is on the Committee?

The Committee consists of ten members appointed by the organizations that they represent. There are two representatives from both the League of California Cities and the County Engineers Association of California. There is one representative each from the Automobile Club of Southern California, the California State Automobile Association, and the California Highway Patrol. Caltrans designated three members and three alternates, one of whom represent road users and two of whom represent active transportation road users.

The Committee meets on the first Thursday of February, May, August, and November. The meetings are open to the public. To facilitate attendance, the meeting locations typically alternate between northern and southern California sites and may be held in-person or virtually as needed. During meetings, a PowerPoint presentation is used to navigate the agenda and discussion of agenda items. The Committee may also meet, at the request of Caltrans, for technical consultation. All interested persons and traffic control device practitioners are encouraged to attend and participate in the public hearing portion of the meeting discussions.

If I have an idea, how can I get it considered by the Committee?

If you would like to propose a revision to CA MUTCD or wish to experiment with a new or non-standard traffic control device or a provision not specifically described in CA MUTCD, view the Experimentation Guidelines, then contact the Committee's Executive Secretary to discuss your ideas. One of the members of the CTCDC (voting or alternate), would have to sponsor the experiment proposal.

When can a practitioner use an item that was recommended for inclusion in CA MUTCD by the Committee?

Recommended items are typically included in the next update of the CA MUTCD and/or the corresponding California Sign Specifications manual. Annual updates typically occur near the end of March.

Once an item is recommended by the Committee, it can be used. However, if a practitioner chooses to use a recommended item prior to the release of the next manual update, it is the responsibility of the practitioner to ensure that implementation of the item is consistent with what the Committee recommended. It is not uncommon for an item to be recommended with minor revisions made by the Committee. The finalized minutes for an item reflect what the Committee recommended.

How can I get more information about Committee meetings?

Please visit the CTCDC Meetings website for the minutes of the previous meeting and the agenda for the next meeting.

The agenda for the upcoming meeting, individual agenda items, date and location of the upcoming meeting, minutes for the previous meetings, and the annual reports of the accomplishments of the Committee are available at the CTCDC website.