Santa Claus may not exist, but personal legal liability for negligence in your duties as a civil servant certainly does. That may sound like a dramatic way to begin an article, but if you have spent any time working in local government, you have probably heard some version of the same comforting myt…continue
Public works and highway departments across the United States are legally required to maintain traffic control devices that meet minimum standards for visibility, condition, and retroreflectivity. According to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), every public agency must have a pro…continue
Every municipality is responsible for maintaining traffic signs in accordance with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). While most superintendents recognize the importance of installing the correct signs in the correct locations, the job doesn’t end there. Signs are only effe…continue
Quick-reference guide for rural roads Why placement matters Driver safety & liability - Wrongly placed signs can block sight-lines, be struck by vehicles, or fail to give drivers enough time to react. Compliance - The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) is adopted as law in most st…continue
A practical guide to defensible record-keeping for highway departments When a state auditor, insurance adjuster, or opposing attorney asks for documentation, there is only one safe answer: “Certainly, here it is.” Anything less invites financial penalties, lost grant funding, or courtroo…continue
Why every highway department should treat potholes, faded striping, and clogged drains as potential lawsuit magnets 1 | The public-safety duty In every U.S. state, the agency that owns or controls a roadway has a non-delegable duty to keep it “reasonably safe for travel.” Courts have sai…continue
Running a highway department without written policies is like building a road without a blueprint. Eventually, you will hit potholes. A clear set of written policies provides structure, consistency, and legal protection for both the department and the municipality it serves. Yet, too many highway de…continue
Highway departments are responsible for maintaining traffic signs so they remain visible and legible to motorists, day and night. A key part of this responsibility is ensuring that signs maintain adequate retroreflectivity, or the ability to reflect light from vehicle headlights back to drivers at n…continue
For highway departments striving to stay compliant, organized, and legally protected, keeping accurate and up-to-date records of traffic signs is critical. Signs are among the most visible and most litigated assets on the road. To ensure accountability, safety, and compliance with federal and state …continue
Maintaining safe and visible traffic signs is one of the most important responsibilities of any highway department. Over time, sign sheeting materials degrade, reducing their visibility at night. The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) requires that agencies maintain sign retroreflecti…continue
As a highway superintendent, managing your department’s workload is a balancing act between limited resources, urgent needs, and long-term planning. With miles of roadway, countless infrastructure assets, and ever-changing weather conditions, knowing what to tackle first can feel overwhelming.…continue
Barricades are a common sight in construction zones, work areas, and emergency detours, but not all barricades are created equal. The orange or red diagonal stripes you see on barricades aren't just there for visibility - they actually convey important directional and safety information to drive…continue
Defending Against Liability Claims Highway departments are on the front lines of public safety, maintaining roads, traffic signals, signs, and other infrastructure that keeps communities moving. But with that responsibility comes liability. If a stop sign is missing, a traffic signal malfunctions, o…continue
When it comes to managing your town’s roads, signs, drainage systems, and other infrastructure, you know what matters: keeping things in good condition, knowing what needs attention, and staying organized. That’s where asset management software comes in. But for many highway departments,…continue
The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) is the national standard for traffic signs, road surface markings, and signals in the United States. Maintained by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the MUTCD serves as the backbone of roadway safety and consistency, guiding how informat…continue
Selecting the right asset management software can be the difference between a well-run highway department and one that constantly struggles with inefficiencies, lost records, and reactive maintenance. But with so many software options available, ranging from simple platforms to enterprise-level syst…continue
When it comes to municipal liability, a missing stop sign or a damaged guardrail isn't just an inconvenience, it’s a lawsuit waiting to happen. That’s why your municipality’s liability insurance carrier is increasingly urging highway departments to adopt asset management platfo…continue
When you think of asset management for a highway department, you might picture complicated spreadsheets, satellite maps, or tech-heavy systems. But at its core, asset management is really just about knowing what you have, understanding what condition it’s in, and planning what to do about it. …continue
It’s not uncommon for concerned residents—especially those with young children—to contact their local highway superintendent with a simple request: “Can we get a speed bump on our street to slow traffic down?” It’s an understandable concern. Everyone wants safer s…continue
Efficient highway management requires meticulous record-keeping on various assets that contribute to the safety, functionality, and longevity of road infrastructure. A well-maintained asset database allows highway departments to plan maintenance schedules, allocate budgets effectively, and ensure pu…continue
For small highway departments, managing road, sign, drainage, and signal assets can feel overwhelming, especially when you're short on staff, time, and budget. Yet without a reliable system to track the condition and maintenance history of your infrastructure, your department is flying blind. Th…continue
At first glance, "Children at Play" signs seem like a commonsense addition to residential streets. These signs, typically adorned with an image of a child or a playful font, aim to encourage drivers to slow down and heighten their awareness of children in the area. However, despite their w…continue
*The following information has been copied verbatim from Federal Highway Administration publication FHWA-SA-07-020. Traffic signs provide important information to road users. To be effective, traffic sign visibility must be maintained during daytime and nighttime conditions. In addition to Section 2…continue
Roadwurx is always growing and evolving. Here is the current complete feature set for our highway department software. Reach out to us if you have an questions or ideas on how we can improve. Roads You have the ability to store all of the following data for every road you add to your database: Road …continue