Surface Transportation Safety Act of 2008

Surface Transportation Safety Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation to modify certain federal regulations to: (1) allow fire services personnel to wear high visibility apparel meeting certain requirements; and (2) ensure that positive protective measures (including temporary longitudinal traffic barriers) are used to separate workers on highway construction projects from motorized traffic.

Directs the Secretary to approve the use of federal-aid highway funds for patented or proprietary items that further the goals of state strategic highway safety plans.

Directs the Secretary of Transportation to revise the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices to include a standard for a minimum level of retroreflectivity that must be maintained for pavement markings, which shall apply to all roads open to public travel.

Revises requirements for the highway safety improvement program to count installation, replacement, and upgrade of highway signs and pavement markings as a highway safety improvement project. Directs the Secretary to: (1) require each state to assess local government financial obligations to maintain minimum levels of retroreflectivity in traffic signs and pavement markings; and (2) provide local governments funding for at least 90% of such obligations.

Directs the Secretary to: (1) carry out a program to improve traffic signs and pavement markings for older drivers and pedestrians in all states; (2) review the safety of all highway-rail grade crossings in the United States and, based on such review, compile a list of the ten highway-rail grade crossings having the greatest need for safety improvements; and (3) establish a national database of information on the safety of highway-rail grade crossings in the United States.