RAFFIC T IGN SHANDBOOK UNH Technology Transfer Center 33 Academic Way Durham NH 03824 800-423-0060 (in NH) or 603-862-2826 Fax: 603-862-0620 [email protected] www.t2.unh.edu April 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction Handbook Purpose 9 Handbook Organization 9 MUTCD 2009 Edition Statement Headings 10 Purpose of Traffi c Control Devices 11 Principles of Traffi c Control Devices 12 Design of Traffi c Control Devices 12 Maintenance of Traffi c Control Device 13 Uniformity of Traffi c Control Devices 14 Placement and Operation of Traffi c Control Devices 14 Color Code 14 General Provisions Standardization of Application 17 Excessive Use of Signs 18 Classifi cation of Signs 18 Application of Regulatory Signs 18 Function of Warning Signs 19 Application of Warning Signs 19 Scope of Conventional Road Guide Sign Standards & Application 20 Guide Signs on Low-Volume Roads 20 Use of Supplemental Warning Plaques 21 Design of Signs 22 Design of Regulatory Signs 24 Design of Warning Signs 25 Retrorefl ectivity and Illumination 26 Maintaining Minimum Retrorefl ectivity 28 Shapes 30 Sign Colors 30 Dimensions 31 Size of Regulatory Signs 33 Size of Warning Signs 34 1 Size of Guide Signs 35 Horizontal Alignment Signs (W1-1 through W1-8) on Symbols 36 Low-Volume Roads 67 Word Messages 38 One Direction Large Arrow Sign 67 Sign Borders 40 Chevron Alignment Sign (W1-8) 68 Standardization of Location 41 Combination Horizontal Alignment/Advisory Speed Signs Mounting Height 43 (W1-1a, W1-2a) 69 Lateral Off set 46 Combination Horizontal Alignment/Intersection Sign Position of Signs 47 (W1-10 series) 70 Orientation 48 Advisory Speed Plaque (W13-1P) 71 Posts and Mountings 48 Advisory Speed Plaque (W13-1P) on Low-Volume Roads 71 Maintenance 49 Distance Plaques (W16-2 Series, W16-3 Series, W16-4P, W7-3aP) 72 Chapter 1: Intersections Chapter 3: Bridges and Culverts Introduction 51 STOP Sign (R1-1) and ALL WAY PLAQUE (R1-3P) 52 Introduction 73 STOP Sign Applications 53 Weight Limit Signs (R12-1 through R12-5) 74 STOP Sign or YIELD Sign Placement 54 NARROW BRIDGE Sign (W5-2) 75 STOP and YIELD Signs (R1-1 and R1-2) on Low-Volume NARROW BRIDGE Sign (W5-2) on Low Volume Roads 75 Roads 57 ONE LANE BRIDGE Sign (W5-3) 75 YIELD Sign Applications 57 ONE LANE BRIDGE Sign (W5-3) on Low-Volume Roads 76 Stop Ahead and Yield Ahead Signs (W3-1, W3-2) 58 Low Clearance Signs (W12-2 and W12-2a) 76 Traffi c Movement and Prohibition Signs (R3, R4, R5, R6, R9, Object Markers for Obstructions Adjacent to the Roadway 77 R10, R11, R12, R13, and R14 Series) 59 DO NOT ENTER Sign (R5-1) 60 Chapter 4: Railroad Grade Crossings WRONG WAY Sign (R5-1a) 61 ONE WAY Signs (R6-1, R6-2) 61 Introduction 79 Two-Direction Large Arrow Sign (W1-7) 62 Grade Crossing Advance Warning Signs (W10 Series) 79 Intersection Warning Signs (W2-1 through W2-6) 63 Grade Crossing Advance Warning Signs (W10 Series) Street Name Sign (D3-1 or D3-1a) 63 on Low-Volume Roads 81 Grade Crossing (Crossbuck) Sign (R15-1) and Number of Chapter 2: Turns and Curves Tracks Plaque (R15-2P) at Active and Passive Grade Crossings 82 Introduction 65 Grade Crossing (Crossbuck) Sign (R15-1) and Number of DO NOT PASS Sign (R4-1) 65 Tracks Plaque (R15-2P) on Low Volume Roads 83 Horizontal Alignment Signs (W1-1 through W1-5, W1-11, Other Traffi c Control Devices on Low-Volume Roads 84 W1-15) 66 STOP and YIELD Signs (R1-1, R1-2) on Low-Volume Roads 84 2 3 Chapter 5: Roadway Restrictions Chapter 6: School and Children Introduction 85 Introduction 107 Speed Limit Sign (R2-1) 85 Need for Standards 107 Speed Limit Signs (R2 Series) on Low-Volume Roads 89 School Routes and Established School Crossings 109 Truck Speed Limit Plaque (R2-2P) 89 School Crossing Control Criteria 109 DO NOT PASS Sign (R4-1) 89 Scope 110 PASS WITH CARE Sign (R4-2) 90 Size of School Signs 110 NO PASSING ZONE Sign (W14-3) 90 Illumination and Refl ectorization 111 Keep Right and Keep Left Signs (R4-7, R4-8) 90 Position of Signs 111 Selective Exclusion Signs 92 Height of Signs 112 Truck Route Sign (R14-1) 94 Sign Color for School Warning Signs 112 Traffi c Movement and Prohibition Signs (R3, R4, R5, R6, R9, SCHOOL BUS TURN AHEAD Sign (S3-2) 112 R10, R11, R12, R13, and R14 Series) on Low-Volume School Speed Limit Assembly (S4-1P, S4-2P, S4-3P, S4-4P, Roads 94 S4-6P, S5-1) and END SCHOOL SPEED LIMIT Sign Parking, Standing, & Stopping Signs (R7 and R8 Series) 95 (S5-3) 112 Design of Parking, Standing, and Stopping Signs 96 Reduced School Speed Limit Ahead Sign (S4-5, S4-5a) 115 Hill Signs (W7-1, W7-1a) 96 Parking and Stopping Signs (R7 and R8 Series) 116 Hill Sign (W7-1) on Low-Volume Roads 97 Playground Sign (W15-1) 116 BUMP and DIP Signs (W8-1, W8-2) 98 PAVEMENT ENDS Sign (W8-3) 98 Chapter 7: Crossing Hazards PAVEMENT ENDS Sign (W8-3) on Low-Volume Roads 99 DEAD END/NO OUTLET Signs (W14-1, W14-1a, Introduction 119 W14-2, W14-2a) 99 State of New Hampshire Supplemental Crosswalk Motorized Traffi c Signs (W8-6, W11-10) 100 Identifi cation Devices 119 Surface Condition Signs (W8-5, W8-7, W8-8, W8-11, In-Street and Overhead Pedestrian Crossing Signs W8-13 and W8-14) 100 (R1-6, R1-6a, R1-9, and R1-9a) 119 Double Arrow Sign (W12-1) 101 Traffi c Signal Pedestrian and Bicycle Actuation Signs Object Marker Design and Placement Height 101 (R10-1 through R10-4, and R10-24 through R10-26) 121 Object Markers for Obstructions Within the Roadway 103 Non-Vehicular Warning Signs (W11-2, W11-3, W11-4, Object Markers for Ends of Roadway 104 W11-6, W11-7, W11-9, and W11-16 through W11-22) 123 NO TRAFFIC SIGNS Sign (W18-1) on Low-Volume Vehicular Traffi c Warning and Non-Vehicular Traffi c Warning Roads 105 Signs (W11 Series and W8-6) on Low Volume Roads 125 Motorized Traffi c Signs (W8-6, W11-10) 126 4 5 Appendix A. Sign Illumination, Retrorefl ectivity, Shapes, Figure 4C-9. Intersection Near a Grade Crossing (One Colors, and Sizes Approach Lane) 157 Figure 5B-1. Regulatory Signs on Low Volume Roads 158 Table I-2. Target Compliance Dates Established by FHWA 127 Figure 5B-2. Parking Signs and Plaques on Low Volume Table 2A-1. Illumination of Sign Elements 130 Roads 159 Table 2A-2. Retrorefl ection of Sign Elements 130 Figure 5C-2. Other Warning Signs and Plaques on Low Table 2A-3. Minimum Maintained Retrorefl ectivity Levels 131 Volume Roads 160 Table 2A-4. Use of Sign Shapes 132 Figure 5F-1. Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Signs and Table 2A-5. Common Uses of Sign Colors 133 Plaques on Low Volume Roads 161 Table 2B-1. Regulatory Sign and Plaque Sizes 134 Figure 6C-1. Component Parts of a Temporary Traffi c Table 2C-2. Warning Sign and Plaque Sizes 138 Control Zone 162 Table 2C-3. Minimum Size of Supplemental Warning Plaques 140 Figure 6C-2. Examples of Warning Signs for a Turn 163 Table 2C-4. Guidelines for Advance Placement of Warning Figure 6E-3. Use of Hand Signaling Devices by Flaggers 164 Signs 141 Figure 6F-1. Height and Location of Signs--Typical Table 2D-2. Recommended Minimum Letter Heights on Installations 165 Street Name Signs 141 Figure 6F-2. Methods of Mounting Signs Other Th an on Table 5A-1. Sign and Plaque Sizes on Low Volume Roads 142 Posts 166 Table 6C-1. Recommended Advance Warning Sign Figure 6F-3. Regulatory Signs and Plaques in Temporary Minimum Spacing 143 Traffi c Control Zones 167 Table 6C-2. Stopping Sight Distance as a Function of Speed 144 Figure 6F-4. Warning Signs and Plaques in Temporary Table 7B-1. School Area Sign and Plaque Sizes 145 Traffi c Control Zones 169 Figure 6H-10. Lane Closure on a Two-Lane Road Using Appendix B. Figures for Height and Location of Various Signs Flaggers (Typical Application) 172 Figure 6H-11. Lane Closure on a Two-Lane Road with Figure 2A-2. Examples of Heights and Lateral Locations of Low Traffi c Volumes (Typical Application) 173 Sign Installations 147 Figure 6H-15. Work in Center of a Road with Low Traffi c Figure 2A-3. Examples of Locations for Some Typical Signs Volumes (Typical Application) 174 at Intersections 148 Figure 7B-6. In Street Signs in School Areas 175 Figure 2A-4. Relative Locations of Regulatory, Warning, and Figure 8B-1. Regulatory Signs and Plaques for Grade Guide Signs on an Intersection Approach 149 Crossings 176 Figure 2B-14. Locations of ONE WAY Signs 151 Figure 9C-8. Examples of Obstruction Pavement Markings 177 Figure 2C-2. Example of Warning Signs for a Turn 153 Figure 3B-1. Example of Two-Lane, Two-Way Marking Appendix C. Word and Phrase Defi nitions 179 Applications 154 Figure 3B-21. Examples of Parking Space Markings 155 Notes 182 Figure 3C-3. Example of Markings for a One-Lane Roundabout 156 6 7 INTRODUCTION Handbook Purpose Traffi c control devices are all signs, signals, markings, and other devices used to regulate, warn, or guide traffi c. In New Hampshire, the Department of Transportation (NHDOT) and municipal offi cials have the authority to install traffi c control devices and the responsibility to maintain them.