There are several private roads and highway trade magazines, most of which are free to readers. These are mostly advertiser and contractor supported. I have never seen them use metric units, even when it looked like most States were going SI. There is obviously even less incentive to use SI now. Although one did an extensive series about the conversion process, most of these are pro English, until now.
Better Roads magazine recently published a letter to the editor titled "Metric: Yea or Nay". A Right-of-way mapping supervisor from Main DOT laments on the few states left that have not "seen the light and gone back to the Imperial System of measurement". He does not give any strong argument for designing in English other that the fact that adjacent states should use similar units. I think he forgets that one of Maine's largest neighbor is to the north and is metric (IE. Canada). Surprisingly though the Editor replied. I was ready for another English love fest, especially when he starts out "I totally agree that only one measurement system should be used by the states" he then shocked me by continuing "but I believe that system should be metric". I responded to the editor, supporting his viewpoint but challenging the magazine to be more forthright in its support for the metric system. I encouraged him to use metic units in their articles. I will keep the list posted if he responds. Its just too bad his vocal support was not louder when States started to revert. Howard Ressel Metric Manger, NYSDOT Region 4
