January 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 60

is often the most difficult: Parks must network and cooperate with local decisionmakers to set in place the regulations and
ordinances critical to establishing darksky-friendly policies.
The Headlands' silver-tier dark sky designation, then, represents the culmination
of this long and arduous application process requiring the concerted efforts of
myriad local and national actors responsible for seeing the process from inception to
completion. The Headlands Park only recently completed these steps, but it seems
safe to say that it will be a boon to the park.

After all, communities surrounding large
parks often exist because of the tourists
drawn to the natural beauty of those areas.
Preserving and clarifying the night skies
is in the best interests of both local communities and parks. Limiting light pollution
is good for the environment and the natural ecosystem, and promotes ecotourism
and astrotourism-all of which benefit local economies.
haLEy adams is a freelance writer

living in Washington, DC.

Signs of the Times
Larger, brighter signs encouraged to help older drivers

By haley adams

n August 2011, the Federal Highway
Administration eliminated the 2018
deadline on a mandate that would
have required municipalities nationwide to replace all existing street
signs. New signs would need to meet more
stringent font and reflectivity standards. For
many towns, the unfunded mandate would have
been " devastating " -replacing all street signs
is already no small task, and the new materials
would have represented a staggering expenditure in already beleaguered towns. One New
Jersey township estimated the cost at $82,481
for the simplest signage option.
Towns and counties across the country issued
a collective sigh of relief when the FHWA eliminated the Bush administration deadline. The underlying reason for the mandate, however, still
looms large: By 2030, there will be an estimated 72.1 million persons 65 and older in the U.S.-two times the
number of older persons in 2000. There are already signs of this
dramatic population shift: according to 2003 FHWA data, there
are 26 states where older drivers represent over 15 percent of
the total drivers. With an aging Baby Boomer population, making
street signs bright, large, and readable will go a long way toward
making the streets that bisect our nation's towns-and municipal
parks-safer for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists.
As a driver ages, changes in vision-and night vision in particular-greatly affect the distance at which drivers can take

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note of signs. This distance is especially critical given the attendant decline in reaction time with age.
Gene Amparo and David Morena of the FHWA
therefore recommend " far-side traffic signals centered over each through lane, backplates with reflectorized yellow borders on the traffic signals,
painted curb on the median island, and the overhead internally lit street name sign with 30-centimeter (12-inch) letter height. "
For public parks located within municipality boundaries, the issue is further compounded:
should a park prioritize such conspicuous signage
to promote the safety of the many pedestrians and
cyclists crossing park roads? Alternatively, would it
be a better option to feature signage aimed at preserving the natural beauty of the park? Internally lit
street signs, for instance, would be a visual disruption (that is, after all, the point), but would maximize
safety for all park users.
Without a deadline for the mandate, parks have greater flexibility to choose the timing and the manner best suited for meeting the FHWA standards. High-density prismatic signs appear
to be a decent compromise-visible, with high retroreflectivity,
without being overly obtrusive. Either way, parks should consider updating signs by increasing font size and reflectivity. By
improving signage, parks can meet regulation standards while
simultaneously promoting senior accessibility and safety.
haLEy adams is a freelance writer living in Washington, DC.

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January 2012 - Parks & Recreation

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