TxDOT Item 644 Small Roadside Sign Assemblies: Bid Code Spec, Pricing and Post-Installation Requirements
Item 644 covers small roadside and bridge-mounted clearance sign assemblies, priced by post type, by size classification, and by which of three actions you're bidding, install, relocate, or remove. Relocating a sign is not a discounted move, it prices at 72 to 96 percent of a fresh install in this data, because the spec requires new stub posts and a new foundation even though the existing sign gets reused. This covers the 10 bid codes that show up most often across recent TxDOT lettings, what separates one from the next, and what's bundled into each unit price whether you accounted for it or not.
TxDOT Item 644 Bid Code Variants: What Determines Pricing
Item 644 pays for three distinct actions, not one. The spec splits them out directly:
"Installation. Furnish, fabricate, and erect small roadside sign assemblies... Relocation. Relocate existing small roadside sign assemblies... and furnish and fabricate material as required. Removal. Remove existing small roadside sign assemblies."
Two things determine what you're actually pricing within that:
- Post type. 10BWG and S80 are the two post types in this data. S80 prices 23 to 25 percent above 10BWG at matching classification levels, consistently. Different steel spec, different weight, different price.
- The letter suffix, P, T, or U. Every 10BWG code in this data carries one, and the price climbs in that order every time, P is cheapest, U is most expensive. What each letter specifically denotes isn't stated in the general Item 644 spec text, it's most likely tied to the foundation or mounting classification referenced under Item 656, "Foundations for Traffic Control Devices." Worth confirming against the SMD standard sheets before you rely on the letter alone to price a code you haven't bid before, the price relationship holds, the underlying reason isn't fully documented here.
- Relocation reuses the sign, not the cost. The spec requires "new stub posts in new foundations for relocated sign assemblies," with the existing sign reinstalled on the new supports. That's most of a fresh install, minus fabricating a new sign panel. The pricing below confirms it, relocation lands close to installation, not close to removal.
TxDOT Item 644 Pricing: Key Takeaways
- Relocation is not a cheap option. It prices at 72 to 96 percent of a comparable fresh install in this data, because new posts and a new foundation are required either way.
- S80 posts carry a consistent 23 to 25 percent premium over 10BWG, holding across every matched suffix level in this data.
- Removal is a much smaller fraction of install cost here than on other items, roughly 13 to 17 percent, below what similar install-versus-remove comparisons have shown elsewhere. Don't assume a "typical" removal discount carries over from another item.
- Damage to a sign you're supposed to be salvaging is on you. The spec makes the Contractor responsible for replacing any portion of a reuse or salvage sign damaged during handling.
- Materials must be new unless the plans say otherwise. No default assumption of using salvaged material on a fresh install.
Cost Factors for TxDOT Item 644 Small Roadside Sign Assemblies
Cost Factors That Vary by Bid Code
Work through these one code at a time. They're what makes 644-7028 a different number than 644-7001.
- Post type. S80 against 10BWG is the clearest material-driven step in this item, a 23 to 25 percent premium that holds regardless of which suffix classification you're comparing.
- The letter suffix. P, T, and U price in a strict, repeating order, and the gap between them is real money, roughly $86 to $167 per step in this data. Confirm which suffix applies to your specific plan sheet before you price off a similar-looking code from a different job.
- Which action. Install, relocate, and remove are three separate pay items with three separate cost bases. Relocate is priced closest to install, not to remove, because it carries nearly the same construction scope, new posts and a new foundation, just without fabricating a new sign.
- Foundation requirement. Foundations get built "in accordance with Item 656," and are only required "when required" per the plans, meaning some assemblies may not need one at all. Confirm this per sign before assuming every install carries a foundation cost.
- Bridge-mounted clearance signs price under the same codes as roadside assemblies. The spec treats them as the same Item throughout, install, relocate, and remove language all cover both. If your plans mix roadside and bridge-mounted signs, don't assume they're priced separately by default.
Cost Factors That Apply to Every TxDOT Item 644 Bid Code
These don't separate one code from another. They sit under all of them.
- Utility coordination is required before work starts, on every code.
"Use established safety practices when working near underground or overhead utilities. Consult the appropriate utility company before beginning work."
- Only new materials, by default.
"Furnish all materials unless otherwise shown on the plans. Furnish only new materials."
Salvaged or reused material only enters the picture if the plans specifically call for it. - Damage during installation is on you.
"Remove and replace posts damaged during installation at the Contractor's expense."
- Galvanizing repair is a real, spec'd cost, not an afterthought. Fabricated parts get hot-dip galvanized, and any damage during assembly, transit, or erection has to be repaired to spec before the sign goes up, following Section 445.3.4 specifically, not just "touched up."
- Post-installation cleaning is required, not optional.
"Wash the entire sign after installation using a biodegradable cleaning solution acceptable to the sign face materials manufacturer to remove dirt, grease, oil smears, streaks, finger marks, and other foreign materials."
TxDOT Item 644 Payment Terms: Subsidiary Work vs. Separately Paid Items
Item 644's payment clauses bundle a lot into each unit price, more than the short pay-item name suggests. This is where a bid priced off the name alone comes up short.
What's included in the install price, all of it, one unit price:
"This price is full compensation for furnishing, fabricating, galvanizing, and erecting the supports; constructing foundations, including concrete (when required); furnishing complete signs, including sign connections and all hardware; attaching the signs to the supports; preparing and cleaning the signs; and materials, equipment, labor, tools, and incidentals."
Galvanizing, foundation concrete, hardware, cleaning, all of it, one number.
What's included in relocation, and it's a longer list than install:
"This price is full compensation for removing existing sign assemblies and related materials; furnishing and installing new stub posts and new sign supports; constructing foundations, including concrete (when required); new hardware; reinstallation of signs; preparing and cleaning the signs; salvaging; disposal of unsalvageable materials; removing existing foundations, backfilling, and surface placement."
That's a removal, a full new install, and a disposal obligation, bundled into what the pay item calls "relocation." It's priced closer to a full rebuild because it largely is one.
What's included in removal, and it's not just detaching the sign:
"This price is full compensation for removing existing sign assemblies and related materials; salvaging; disposal of unsalvageable materials; removing existing foundations, backfilling, and surface placement."
Foundation removal specifically has real depth requirements, covered next.
No separate pay item for utility coordination, sign washing, or galvanizing repair. All three are folded into whichever action's unit price applies.
TxDOT Item 644 Post-Installation Requirements: Removal Depth and Salvage Liability
Item 644 doesn't carry an ongoing monitoring obligation the way Item 506 does, or a measured performance requirement the way Item 666 does. Its risk is different in kind, it's about the scope hidden inside "removal" and "relocation" being larger than the pay-item name implies.
Foundation removal has a real depth requirement, not just "remove the visible parts."
"Remove abandoned concrete foundations to 2 ft. below finished grade unless otherwise shown on the plans. Cut off and remove steel protruding from the remaining concrete. Backfill the remaining hole with material equal in composition and density to the surrounding area. Replace any surfacing with like material to equivalent condition."
Two feet below grade, matched backfill, matched surfacing. That's excavation and restoration work, not a five-minute demo task, and it's bundled into the same removal unit price as pulling the sign panel off the post.
Salvage liability sits with the Contractor, even on signs you're not keeping.
"Replace any portion of the sign damaged by the Contractor designated for reuse or salvage, including messages removed."
If a sign is marked for salvage or reuse and it gets damaged during your handling, that's on you to replace, regardless of whether the sign was headed for the Department's inventory or back onto a relocated post.
Storage requirements are material-specific, and getting them wrong is a real cost. Sheet aluminum substrate signs need a weatherproof building. Extruded aluminum can be stored outdoors. All signs, new or existing, get stored off the ground and in a vertical position until erected.
Pricing Considerations for Removal and Relocation Scope
- Price foundation removal like excavation work, not demolition. Two feet of depth, backfill material matched to the surrounding soil, and surface restoration are all inside the removal unit price.
- Don't price relocation as a discount off removal plus install priced separately. The spec bundles both into one action, and the pricing data confirms it lands close to a full install, not a partial one.
- Carry storage cost for sheet aluminum signs specifically, since weatherproof building storage is a real facility requirement, not a general assumption that applies to every sign type.
- Budget salvage liability separately from install quality, since damage to a sign destined for reuse is a distinct exposure from damage to a sign you're installing new.
TxDOT Item 644 Bid Item Pricing Data
Average unit price across TxDOT lettings over the last 24 months. Each code links to its full pricing page, where you can see the spread by competitor, by district, and by quantity band.
Pricing Analysis: Key Cost Comparisons Across TxDOT Item 644
The useful comparisons are between codes that are identical except for one thing. Whatever gap shows up is what the market charges for that one difference.
S80 posts price 23 to 25 percent above 10BWG, holding across every matched suffix level.
The P, T, U suffix climbs in strict order, every time, on 10BWG:
From P to U is a 34 percent step. Whatever the letters denote, the market prices the difference consistently, which is useful even without a confirmed technical definition behind it.
Relocation prices close to install, not close to removal, exactly as the bundled scope in the payment clause predicts.
Even at its widest gap, relocation still prices closer to a full install than to the $125 removal number. If you're pricing a relocation off a rough "install plus a small labor premium for the move" assumption, this data says the real number is closer to a second full install.
Removal here is a smaller fraction of install cost than the comparable ratio on Item 506. $125 against a $751 to $1,259 install range puts removal at roughly 10 to 17 percent, not the 25 to 33 percent seen on Item 506's erosion control devices. Install-to-remove ratios don't transfer cleanly from one item to another, confirm the ratio per item rather than assuming a rule of thumb.
Executing TxDOT Item 644: Avoiding Rework and Ensuring Payment
For whoever's running the job. Same spec, stated as things to do.
Rework Triggers Under TxDOT Item 644
- Posts damaged during installation, replaced at the Contractor's expense
- A salvage or reuse sign damaged during handling, replacement is on the Contractor
- Galvanizing damaged during assembly, transit, or erection, repaired to Section 445.3.4 before the sign goes up
- Foundation removal that doesn't reach the specified 2 ft. depth, or backfill that doesn't match surrounding composition and density
- Work started near underground or overhead utilities without the required coordination
Field Compliance Requirements for TxDOT Item 644
- Utility company consulted before work begins on every code, install, relocate, or remove
- Post lengths verified per sign before fabrication, matched to field conditions and plan-shown mounting heights
- Sign support locations staked for Engineer verification before installation
- Connection bolts torqued to plan specification, not just seated
- Sheet aluminum signs stored in a weatherproof building, extruded aluminum may be stored outdoors, all signs stored off the ground and vertical until erected
Pay Application Requirements for TxDOT Item 644
- Confirm which of the three actions you're invoicing against, install, relocate, or remove, since each has its own bundled scope and its own unit price, not a shared rate
- Document foundation removal depth, 2 ft. below finished grade is the default requirement unless the plans state otherwise, and that's the kind of detail worth photographing before backfill
- Track galvanizing repairs against Section 445.3.4 specifically, since that's the compliance reference an inspector will check against, not a general "looks fine" standard
- Keep the biodegradable cleaning step in your closeout checklist, it's a spec'd requirement before a sign is considered complete, not a courtesy wipe-down
Built for people pricing and executing TxDOT sign assembly work
Frequently asked questions about TxDOT Item 644
What is TxDOT Item 644, Small Roadside Sign Assemblies?
It's the TxDOT spec covering small roadside and bridge-mounted clearance sign assemblies, including the posts, foundations, hardware, and the three pay actions that apply to them, installation, relocation, and removal.
Why does relocating a sign cost almost as much as installing a new one?
Because the spec requires new stub posts and a new foundation for a relocated assembly, even though the existing sign gets reinstalled. In this data, relocation prices at 72 to 96 percent of a comparable fresh install.
What's the difference between a 10BWG post and an S80 post?
Different steel specification. S80 consistently prices 23 to 25 percent above 10BWG at matching classification levels in this data, reflecting a heavier or higher-grade post.
What does the P, T, or U suffix on a sign assembly code mean?
The general Item 644 spec text doesn't define it directly, it's most likely tied to the foundation or mounting classification under Item 656. What's confirmed is the price relationship, P prices lowest, then T, then U, consistently, worth verifying the exact definition against the SMD standard sheets before pricing an unfamiliar code off the letter alone.
Is removing abandoned foundations included in the removal price?
Yes, and it's a real scope, not an afterthought. The spec requires removing concrete to 2 feet below finished grade, cutting off protruding steel, backfilling with matched material, and restoring the surface, all inside the same unit price as removing the sign itself.
Am I liable if I damage a sign that's supposed to be salvaged or reused?
Yes. The spec makes the Contractor responsible for replacing any portion of a sign designated for reuse or salvage that's damaged during handling, including removed messages.
Can I use salvaged materials on a new sign assembly installation?
Not by default. The spec requires new materials "unless otherwise shown on the plans." Salvage only applies where the plans specifically call for it.
Is galvanizing repair a separate cost?
No, it's bundled into the applicable unit price, but it's a real, spec-referenced requirement, Section 445.3.4 specifically, for any galvanizing damaged during assembly, transit, or erection.
How is Item 644 measured?
As each assembly, installed, removed, or relocated. Not by weight, length, or any other basis, one count per assembly per action.
Is this pricing data free to use?
Yes. Every bid item pricing page linked above is free, no account needed.