Job Title: TRAFFIC CONTROL TECHNICIAN

Department: Public Works Division: Road and Bridge

Reports To: Traffic Control Supervisor and/or the Operations Manager

Pay Range: 5 Status: Full time

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Position Summary: This position is responsible for installing and maintaining all traffic control devices utilized to direct and protect the motoring public traveling the county-wide highway system.

A person in this position responds to emergencies to repair signs and traffic lights damaged by acts of vandalism, storm damage, and traffic accidents. This position also fabricates and assembles signs, installs sign systems, maintains sign inventories, and signs work zones, detours, and road closures.

Essential Functions:

• Ensures duties are carried out in accordance with policies and guidelines.
• Ensures time management on projects is sufficient.
• Provides for regular and punctual attendance and fosters a cooperative work environment.
• Repairs traffic control devices damaged from vandalism and traffic accidents.
• Locates and initiates sign replacement and reinstallation on county roads and bridges and county bridges on township roads.
• Identifies area and requests locates for underground utilities prior to sign installation.
• Maintains a daily electronic logbook and labor, equipment, and material use records. Reports time worked and equipment used for cost accounting and accounts receivable processing.
• Charges out material used on projects and commodities used on equipment.
• Records repairs, changes, and replacements in an electronic logbook to document work.
• Fabricates and installs new signs.
• Designs and lays out signs, applies reflective sheeting to aluminum blanks, applies borders and lettering to sheeting, finishes and installs signs in accordance with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) and the Standard Highway Signs Manual.
• Installs and maintains traffic control devices and performs traffic control in work zones.
• Assists with traffic flagging.
• Takes annual traffic counts. Performs recounts to recheck errant data and improve accuracy
• Assures traffic control devices are maintained and constructed in conformance with the “Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices”.
• Maintains traffic division material inventory.
• Reports sign inventory usage and low stocks to initiate sign fabrication and reorders.

Secondary Functions:

• Operates equipment such as utility and boom trucks, sign production and installation equipment.
• Plans and schedules short term projects and allocates materials and equipment daily.
• Maintains project lists to organize work by priority and location for economy and efficiency.
• Responds to emergencies and complaints and requests from the public and other officials to control traffic or repair traffic control devices.
• Responds to requests for dead animal removal on county roads.
• Assists in monthly inspection of county traffic control devices and pavement marking systems.
• Performs annual sign and traffic striping retro-reflectivity inspections.
• Utilizes reflectometers and night-time inspections to rate condition and prepare reports to record defective signs found on all Riley County roads and bridges.
• Prepares road surfaces for traffic striping.
• Assists with layout and marking for passing / no passing zones.
• Provides support vehicle to assist contractor with striping operations.
• Removes weeds, trees, and brush from area around signs, guardrail and delineators to ensure proper visibility for traffic.
• Makes recommendations regarding the purchase of new equipment and replacement or modification of existing equipment.
• Maintains a clean work area.
• Periodically inspects equipment to ensure units are clean and maintenance is performed adequately.
• Occasionally operates equipment including GPS units, calculators, FAX machines, distance measuring equipment, printers, plotters, and computers. Performs related work as required during and after regular hours, any day of the week, including holidays.
• Participates in staff meetings, safety meetings and other related activities.
• Position may require occasional overtime outside normal work hours including weekends.
• May be required to perform related work after hours, any day of the week, including holidays.
• Maintains equipment assigned and clears a snow removal route as assigned.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Any satisfactory equivalent combination of experience, education and training which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities listed below will be accepted.

• This position requires the employee to provide and carry a personal cell phone and will be reimbursed as per the County’s Cell Phone Policy. The cell phone is to be utilized to carry out county related functions in accordance with Departmental Policies and Procedures.

Education:

• This position requires a high school education or equivalent. Vo-Tech training is preferred.
• Valid Class A Commercial Driver’s License with tanker endorsement shall be obtained within the first 90 days of employment in this position.

Experience:

• Knowledge in sign construction or maintenance required.
• Experience maintaining traffic control devices preferred.
• Knowledge of the materials, equipment, methods, and practices essential to the maintenance and installation of county traffic control devices.
• Knowledge of the "Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways", the “Standard Highway Signs Manual”, and other technical manuals on traffic control.
• Knowledge of the equipment, materials, methods, and practices essential for the maintenance and construction of traffic signs.
• Knowledge of the applicable work safety rules and procedures.

Skills:

• Good organizational, interpersonal and communication skills are required.
• Ability to follow oral and written instruction.
• Ability to express oneself clearly and concisely, orally and written.
• Ability to work independently with little or no supervision.
• Ability to deal tactfully with people.
• Ability to analyze and solve problems.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with employees, supervisors, other government agency officials, and the public.
• Ability to make mathematical computations.
• Ability to plan, organize, and schedule daily work activities.
• Ability to maintain repair logbook and other records such as equipment use, material charge-out sheets, accident and complaint forms, inventory and repair records, and traffic count reports.
• Ability to recognize and identify unsafe road and bridge conditions and initiate corrective action to protect the public from unsuspected hazards.
• Ability to read and explain traffic engineering plans and drawings.
• Ability to design, layout and construct signs utilizing computer software and digital plotter-cutters on a personal computer in a local area network environment.
• Ability to maintain records, prepare basic reports, and record data and inventories accurately.
• Ability to work independently with little supervision.