Item Number: 11
City Council / Board of Directors
Consent Calendar
Meeting of: October 21, 2025
Submitted By:
Fredy Bonilla, City Engineer
Subject:
Highway Safety Improvement Program Traffic Signal Retro-Reflective Border Project Completion Report
Recommendation:
That the Honorable City Council receive and file this report.
Fiscal Impact:
There are no fiscal impacts related to this report.
Strategic Plan Goal:
This item aligns with “Goal E - Invest in Infrastructure” in the City of Victorville Strategic Plan 2023-2026. This project supports this goal by investing in our traffic signal infrastructure to enhance safety for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians.
Background:
The Federal Highway Administration (“FHWA”) identifies signalized intersection traffic signal head backplates with yellow retro-reflective borders (“RRBs”) as a proven safety countermeasure. The application of RRBs on the backplates enhance the visibility of the traffic signal heads helping drivers better recognize signal indications, especially at night.
In 2004, FHWA approved the use of RRBs after a seven-year safety study determined that the use of RRBs reduced total crashes at intersections by 15% to 24%.
To implement this safety improvement, Engineering Staff submitted a grant application for the Highway Safety Improvement Program (“HSIP”), administered by Caltrans, in September of 2022. The grant application proposed the installation of RRBs by the City’s Traffic Engineering Operations & Maintenance Staff for the 96 signalized intersections citywide that were in operation at that time. On March 9, 2023, Caltrans notified the City that its application was selected to receive $100,440 in State HSIP grant funding. The 4 3
5 7
City will provide a 10% match of $11,160 from the Street Lighting Assessment District bringing the total project cost to $111,600.
The project was presented to the City Council on May 2, 2023, at which time the scope of work and the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) Notice of Exemption were approved.
Discussion:
In June 2024, the Traffic Engineering Operations staff ordered and received the RRB tape to install on each individual traffic signal head. On average, each signalized intersection has approximately 20 signal heads. Over the past year, during routine maintenance at each signalized intersection, Traffic Engineering Operations & Maintenance staff installed the RRB tape, completing work on one to two traffic signals per week.
In July 2025, the Traffic Engineering Operations staff completed the installation of RRBs on all signal head assemblies for the 96 traffic signals included in the project scope, at a total cost of $96,357.94. Since then, new traffic signals have been installed with RRBs, and now all 101 of the City’s operating signals include them.
Staff recommends that the Honorable City Council receive and file this report.
Staff is available for any questions Council may have.
Prepared By:
Jovanny Flores, Assistant Engineer I
Attachment: A. Retro-Reflective Borders Before and After Pictures