Traffic Engineering

Traffic Lights Augusta
Traffic Engineering

Charles W. Gifford, Jr.
Operations Manager

Signs

Sources of Official Information

The official manual for signing in the United States is the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) published by the Government Printing Offices Approved as an American National Standard by the American National Standards Institute.

Publication No. FHWA-SA-89-006

The MUTCD is a national standard, intended to ensure that signing is consistent throughout the US. Each state has adopted either the Federal MUTCD or a state Traffic Manual that governs traffic control devices for that particular state.

Functions of Traffic Signs

Traffic signs are devices placed along, beside or above a highway, roadway, pathway, or other route to inform, guide, warn, and regulate the flow of traffic, including motor vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, equestrians, and other travelers.

Signs should only be placed when warranted by facts and engineering studies.

Signs should be placed as necessary for safety and proper regulation of traffic. However, the use of too many signs in a given location may reduce the effectiveness of all signs at that location.

Sign Colors and Their Meanings

Red - Exclusively for STOP and YIELD signs, multiway supplemental plates, DO NOT ENTER and WRONG WAY signs, for legend or symbols on certain regulatory signs, and as part of Interstate and certain State route markers
Black- is used as message on white, yellow and orange signs.
White- is used as a background for route markers, guide signs, and regulatory signs, except Stop signs and for the legend on brown, green, blue, black and red signs.
Orange - used as background color for construction and maintenance signs
Yellow - used as background color for warning signs and school signs.
Brown and Green - used for information guide signs.
Blue - used for information signs related to motorist services such as police services rest areas, and evacuation route markers.

Signs are classified as Follows:

Regulatory signs give notice of traffic laws or regulations.

Warning signs call attention to conditions on, or adjacent to, a highway or street that are potentially hazardous to traffic operations.

Guide signs show route designations, destinations, directions, distances, service, points of interest, and other geographical, recreational, or cultural information.