Narrative:

Iad has inadequate direction, position and identify signs for safe ground operations, particularly during darkness with wet or reduced visibility conditions. Multiple txwys with few signs presents a confusing environment for a regular user, and an almost impossible environment to a new arrival. Runway markings still exist on a closed runway used as a taxiway (T/D zone) and is confusing when found unexpectedly during reduced visibility ground operations. It could be disastrous if mistaken during a low RVR landing on the adjacent runway while aircraft held for takeoff. On the taxi route southbound to runway 30 along txwys west 1 and west 2, 2 red signs appear with information for runway 12/30. Red signs should only be hold short signs. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: closed runway referred to is apparently the old STOL runway designated as R18 on taxiway E1 which is apparently no longer used. Reporter feels that in bad WX it could be mistaken for runway 19L/1R and if low visibility erroneously used to takeoff or land. Markings should be painted out as is no longer used. Red signs referred to are direction signs on taxiway west 1 and west 2 and are apparently the only 2 signs of that color on the airport. Since red at most airports and universally normally means stop, reporter feels these signs should be standard yellow and black as used at all other airports. Red should only be used for stop or hold short markings.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT COMPLAINT ABOUT TXWY AND RWY MARKINGS AT IAD.

Narrative: IAD HAS INADEQUATE DIRECTION, POS AND IDENT SIGNS FOR SAFE GND OPS, PARTICULARLY DURING DARKNESS WITH WET OR REDUCED VISIBILITY CONDITIONS. MULTIPLE TXWYS WITH FEW SIGNS PRESENTS A CONFUSING ENVIRONMENT FOR A REGULAR USER, AND AN ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE ENVIRONMENT TO A NEW ARR. RWY MARKINGS STILL EXIST ON A CLOSED RWY USED AS A TXWY (T/D ZONE) AND IS CONFUSING WHEN FOUND UNEXPECTEDLY DURING REDUCED VISIBILITY GND OPS. IT COULD BE DISASTROUS IF MISTAKEN DURING A LOW RVR LNDG ON THE ADJACENT RWY WHILE ACFT HELD FOR TKOF. ON THE TAXI ROUTE SBND TO RWY 30 ALONG TXWYS W 1 AND W 2, 2 RED SIGNS APPEAR WITH INFO FOR RWY 12/30. RED SIGNS SHOULD ONLY BE HOLD SHORT SIGNS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: CLOSED RWY REFERRED TO IS APPARENTLY THE OLD STOL RWY DESIGNATED AS R18 ON TXWY E1 WHICH IS APPARENTLY NO LONGER USED. RPTR FEELS THAT IN BAD WX IT COULD BE MISTAKEN FOR RWY 19L/1R AND IF LOW VISIBILITY ERRONEOUSLY USED TO TKOF OR LAND. MARKINGS SHOULD BE PAINTED OUT AS IS NO LONGER USED. RED SIGNS REFERRED TO ARE DIRECTION SIGNS ON TXWY W 1 AND W 2 AND ARE APPARENTLY THE ONLY 2 SIGNS OF THAT COLOR ON THE ARPT. SINCE RED AT MOST ARPTS AND UNIVERSALLY NORMALLY MEANS STOP, RPTR FEELS THESE SIGNS SHOULD BE STANDARD YELLOW AND BLACK AS USED AT ALL OTHER ARPTS. RED SHOULD ONLY BE USED FOR STOP OR HOLD SHORT MARKINGS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.