SA-SO's SEG Sheeting meets the new MUTCD Street Sign Standards

Online, June 10, 2010 (Newswire.com) - SA-SO's Super Engineer Grade Sheeting complies with the new standard imposed by the highway administration for street sign retro-reflectivity. It also comes AT NO ADDITIONAL COST TO SA-SO CUSTOMERS. This is, without a doubt, the easiest way to upgrade your signs to meet the specs. "Super Engineer Grade sheeting is 2 to 3 times brighter, more visible at night than Regular Engineer Grade reflective sheeting which means increased safety for citizens on the roadway," said Charlie Bond, director of sales at Nippon Carbide Industries Inc.

There are other, less convenient ways to meet the specs, for example Prismatic sheeting. So, what is the difference between SA-SO's Super Engineer Grade Sheeting and the Prismatic alternative?

For one, prismatic sheeting is more expensive. SA-SO was able to absorb the slight extra cost of Super Engineer Grade sheeting and is selling it at the same rate as our previous Regular Engineer Grade price. Secondly, prismatic sheeting costs more. For those of you who sheet your own aluminum, Super Engineer Grade can be cut with regular tools. Super Engineer Grade uses enclosed lense technology which allows you to still cut it.

Despite its heft and hardness, prismatic sheeting does not last as long. Super Engineer Grade has a 12- year warranty. It is also guaranteed to exceed the new standards for ground mount signs for at least two years. The minimum standards have different levels for different colors, and Super Engineer Grade meets them all for a minimum of 12 years.

Super Engineer Grade also comes without the problems and complications of sheeting orientating. Prismatic sheeting is orientation-sensitive meaning if you don't orientate the sheeting properly, it colors the reflectivity. Here is an example. In order to cut out letters and save material, most people nest the letters (meaning you fit them close together in whichever direction they fit best). With prismatic sheeting you have to cut out all the letters horizontally and if you don't twist the letters at a specific angle the sign can be up to 90% less reflective. "You don't have to worry about direction of your letters and signs with Super Engineer Grade," said Charlie.

So why was prismatic sheeting being marketed at all? Its warranty is not as long, it's more expensive and it's more of a hassle in production. Super Engineer Grade is clearly the winner. "No good reason," said Charlie, "the people marketing prismatic are insinuating to their customers that prismatic is the new minimum standard."

As a member of the American Travel Safety Services Association subcommittee on sign maintenance and management, Charlie understands the standards well himself, but he encourages those with questions to look to the Federal Highway Administration for themselves: the MUTCD has made it clear that both Super Engineer Grade sheeting and Prismatic sheeting meet the new standards. SA-SO's product is just a much better deal.

The deadline for implementing a sign assessment plan or management method for maintaining the new retro-reflectivity standards is 2012. There is no template for implementing that plan, but municipalities have to have some written format that shows that they're at least making an attempt at getting their plan in action.

The compliance date for meeting the standard for regulatory, warning and ground-mounted signs is January 2015. The final deadline for remaining signs, including overhead guide signs and street name signs is 2018.

For more information on sheeting, please visit the FHWA's sheeting guide at: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/retro