Kern County Grand Jury • 2023-2024

Report: Roadway Marking Retroreflectivity

Published: June 13, 2024 16 pages
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Findings and Recommendations 6 findings

F1
Both the County and the City PWDs are aware of the new requirement to develop a method for maintenance of retroreflectivity but neither have yet formalized, adopted, or implemented their respective methods. 2023-2024 Kern County Grand Jury Report 4
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
By January 1, 2025, review the guidance provided by the FHWA in their Technical Report SA-22-028, and determine the most appropriate maintenance method, or combination of methods, that will be developed to assure minimum retroreflectivity levels will be maintained for the roadway markings within their jurisdictions. (Finding 1)
F2
Although the County and City PWDs routinely restripe roadways based on length of time since they were last painted, they do not currently have a systematic method to ensure that roadway marking retroreflectivity is continually at or above a minimum level as required by the new standard.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
By February 1, 2025, develop the formal written Method for Maintaining Pavement Marking Retroreflectivity that will be used to systematically track and schedule replacing or refreshing roadway markings that fall below the minimum retroreflectivity requirements. (Finding 2) 2023-2024 Kern County Grand Jury Report 5
F3
The County and City PWDs are not currently restriping all markings that are water- based paint with glass beads within their expected service life timeframe of between 6 months to 3 years. The glass beads wear off and the paint fades before the markings can be refreshed.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
By April 1, 2025, perform an analysis to determine whether, and consequently where, it would be cost beneficial to restripe the roadways in their respective jurisdictions with thermoplastic paint. (Findings 3 and 4)
F4
A reduction in the frequency of application of thermoplastic paint instead of water- based paint may justify the additional costs.
No recommendations for this finding
F5
The County and City PWD databases used for determining their respective roadway striping schedules do not include sufficient historical data to effectively track and schedule the replacement of roadway markings in accordance with the new standard.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4
By June 1, 2025, develop the database required to establish a roadway marking schedule. The database should consider the agencies policies and practices regarding the use of pavement marking materials and should include information specific to the roadway, average daily traffic, and weather conditions of the local area. (Finding 5)
F6
For citizen complaints, both the City and County websites/apps are difficult to navigate to report problems related to roadway markings. COMMENTS: The focus of this report has been on the Kern County and City of Bakersfield Public Works Departments. However, the FHWA MUTCD is the law governing all traffic control devices and non-compliance can ultimately result in the loss of federal-aid funds as well as in a significant increase in tort liability. The Grand Jury urges all agencies and officials responsible for maintaining roadways to plan for the development of a systematic approach to maintaining the required minimum levels of retroreflectivity for roadway markings before September 2026. Accordingly, responses to the findings and recommendations of this report are invited from all incorporated cities in Kern County.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5
By November 1, 2024, the Kern County and Bakersfield City websites/apps should be modified to include a user friendly, specific service request for roadway markings. (Finding 6) 2023-2024 Kern County Grand Jury Report 6 NOTES: • The Kern County Board of Supervisors and the Bakersfield City Council should post a copy of this report where it will be available for public review. • Persons wishing to receive an email notification of newly released reports may sign up at: https://www.kerncounty.com/government/other-agencies/grand-jury • Present and past Kern County Grand Jury Final Reports and Responses can be accessed on the Kern County Grand Jury website: https://www.kerncounty.com/government/other-agencies/grand-jury RESPONSE DEADLINE: • REQUIRED WITHIN 90 DAYS FROM: Kern County Board of Supervisors to Findings 1 through 6 and Recommendations o 1 through 5 Bakersfield City Council to Findings 1 through 6 and Recommendations 1 o through 5 • INVITED RESPONSES FROM: Kern County Cities and Special Districts responsible for roadway maintenance o RESPONSES ARE REQUIRED PURSUANT TO CAL. PENAL CODE §§933(c) AND 933.05 TO: • PRESIDING JUDGE SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF KERN 1415 TRUXTUN AVENUE, SUITE 212 BAKERSFIELD, CA 93301 • TRUXTUN AVENUE, SUITE 600 BAKERSFIELD, CA 93301 Reports issued by the Grand Jury do not identify individuals interviewed. Cal. Penal Code §929 requires that reports of the Grand Jury not contain the name of any person or facts leading to the identity of any person who provides information to the Grand Jury. 2023-2024 Kern County Grand Jury Report 7

Comments 7

No Responses Found 2

Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.

Bakersfield City
Kern County County