Not yet. Federal Highway Administration reportedly
received over 12,000 comments on the draft*, and it'll
take them a while to plow through them all and issue
the final version of the new Manual. Right now, I'd
estimate it'll be near the end of 2009 before the final
rule is issued and the new MUTCD is ready for use -
and it could be later than that.

Note that Section 2B.54 of the current (2003) MUTCD
allows the use of custom regulatory signs as needed,
as long as the sign uses word legends and/or already-
approved symbols. This would seem to allow an agency
to install the Bicycles May Use Full Lane sign (if they
chose to) without having to wait for a new MUTCD.


*and virtually no comments opposing the new devices
for bicyclists :)

--
Richard C. Moeur, P.E., L.C.I., WC7RCM
Practicing Traffic Engineer (I'll get it right someday...)
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
"Life is just one W1-5 after another, until the W14-1"
The opinions expressed are not necessarily shared by
any organization with which I may be associated. :)
Websites:
http://www.richardcmoeur.com
http://www.trafficsign.us
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


-----Original Message-----
From: Frank Gmeindl <fgmeindl@verizon.net>
To: Richard C. Moeur <rcmoeur@aol.com>
Sent: Thu, 18 Dec 2008 6:50 am
Subject: MUTCD approval?

Richard,

When will the new MUTCD be officially approved for use?   We got the
WVDOH to approve our use of the Shared Lane Markings and Bicycles May
Use Full Lane signs but a personnel change caused them to retract their
approval until the new MUTCD is official.

As always, I am very grateful for your response as I'm sure you get 
many
such requests.

Frank Gmeindl
LCI 1703