Traffic Signs, An Evolution of Road Signs from 1925 to Present

The first transatlantic telephone call is made from New York to London.

Harry Heltzer designs the first retroreflective tape, using small glass beads to increase the reflectivity of the center striping on highways at night.

When he couldn't make his reflective tape stick to the road in cold weather, he adapted it to be used on road signs. On September 1, the first sign with 3M Scotchlite^TM Reflective sheeting was erected on a Minneapolis street.

The United States' first freeway, the Arroyo Seco, is built, connecting downtown Los Angeles with Pasadena. The limited access and toll-free highway is now known as Highway 110.

3M researchers develop new beads that reflect more light and are more weather resistant. These beads are still used today in reflective fabric and bicycle tires.

CenterLite pavement marking material is introduced.

Prismo Safety Corporation develops the Prismo Life-Line, the most reflective and longest lasting highway center line available on the market.

Engineer Grade sheeting is produced at the 3M Cottage Grove facility, making it possible to apply lettering and weather-resistant transparent inks to reflective signs.

Sales of 3M Engineer Grade Reflective Sheeting soar, and a new plant in Guin Alabama is built to manufacture 3M Reflective Sheeting. In later years, additional plants were built worldwide.

President Eisenhower signs the Federal-Aid Highway Act, further funding the interstate program. The act effectively rejuvenates the interstate system, which was recovering from the debilitating effects of the Great Depression and World War II.

Highway engineers, working to expand the interstate system, haphazardly design the font Highway Gothic to be used as the standard font for signs across the country.

GreenLite pavement marking material is introduced.

All four major US automobile manufacturers agree to make dual front-seat belts standard equipment.

Scotch-Lane reflective and non-reflective pavement marking materials and application equipment are introduced.

The Department of Transportation is established, providing quick and accessible transportation for the growing nation.

A new, whiter glass bead is developed, which can be made with 30% less energy.

3M High Intensity Grade Reflective Sheeting sets a new standard with increased durability and three times the brightness of previous sheeting.

Stamark Pavement Markings set the standard in pavement markings, achieving significantly higher levels of brightness and durability.

3M develops and markets a full line of reflective signs and pavement marking products for the work zone.

Stamark patterned pavement marking tape is introduced.

Raised pavement markings are introduced.

Market testing for 3M Diamond Grade Reflective Sheeting begins. Its microcube corners reflect a significantly higher percentage of light than previous reflective sheeting.

Durable Fluorescent technology is introduced, using fluorescent orange in work zones.

3M introduces Durable fluorescent yellow green non-motorized crossing signs.

The United States Congress passes legislation that proposes establishing a "standard for the minimum level of retroreflectivity that must be maintained for traffic signs and pavement markings."

Global Positioning Systems (GPS's) are invented, allowing a person to pinpoint his or her exact location on earth via a network of orbiting satellites.

3M introduces Diamond Grade Visual Impact Performance (VIP) sheeting; the industries only type IV reflective sheeting.

New, highly-reflective microcrystalline ceramic beads are used in highway marking paint, making it three times brighter than conventional markings.

The Federal Highway Administration grants Clearview, a newly designed font, approval to be used on road signs across the country. Tests of Clearview (on the left) show enhanced legibility.

The Federal Highway Administration's Minimum Levels of Retroreflectivity for traffic signs goes into effect, giving agencies seven years to replace regulatory, warning, and ground-mounted sings, and ten years to replace street name signs and overhead signs. Standards specify that parking signs, in almost all cases, must be reflective.

Updated RoadTrafficSigns.com is launched. It is the first completely searchable and comprehensive database of Road signs that can be ordered online by municipal, governmental and private property customers. Find over 5,000 different designs and materials. Download a free PDF of the official MUTCD signs or one of your own custom signs.