Map Your Road Signs for Better Management

Public road agencies face a challenge managing the number, condition and types of road signs in their jurisdictions.  Larger counties in the US can have well over 50,000 road signs.  These signs need to be replaced from time to time or after their useful life has been attained but it's difficult to keep track of a data set so large.  What's the best way to meet this asset management challenge?  Software that automatically locates, maps and manages road signs an allows agencies to query an associated road sign database.

Technology such as database software and GIS mapping tools allow users with those systems to create maps and manage large numbers of road signs in their jurisdictions.  When a sign has a known latitude and longitude, managers can place the sign location on an accurate to-scale mapping application.  GIS products from Esri are very good at this.  When a manager wants a comprehensive list of the conditions of all road signs in his county's data set, he may use a Microsoft Access database program to query the data set and produce the desired report.

But it's difficult to get both services in one easy-to-use software application.  Midwestern Software Solution's (MS2) road sign management system combines both elements - a robust GIS mapping system and a powerful database application - to allow road sign managers a way to both visualize their road sign locations and create reports based upon user-defined database queries. MS2's software tool allows road sign managers to create new sign locations, edit sign attributes, keep track of sign age and retroreflectivity measurements.  The tool is web-based so there is no limit to the number of signs the database can import.  And when the field crew sees a downed or broken road sign, the MS2 software includes a powerful work order tracking system so the needed repairs can be reported immediately.  The software is highly customizable meaning database queries and reports can be customized based on the agency's needs - no two agencies need be forced into using other's canned report formats.


A screen shot of MS2’s road sign database software

To learn more about how MS2's road sign management system can help you manage, map and analyze your entire road sign inventory, please contact Lev Wood at (734-995-0200 or clw@ms2soft.com) .