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Traffic Signage Law

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) publishes the "Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices" (MUTCD) under 23 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 655, Subpart F. MUTCD outlines the minimum criteria for traffic control devices including traffic signage. The rules address messages, locations, sizes, shapes and colors. States must adopt the standards by 2011.

  1. Significance

    • Traffic signage law specifies the requirements for the placement of traffic signs on rural and urban public roadways. Private roads open to the public must also follow MUTCD guidelines.

    Function

    • Traffic signage regulations provide consistency in guidance, selection and options, ensuring signs are visible, identifiable, clear and necessary. Laws instruct municipalities to conduct engineering studies of traffic patterns and investigate the physical attributes of locations before placement of signs. Standard signs must follow guidelines for placement as outlined in the MUTCD manual.

    Types

    • Signs covered under signage traffic laws include warning, toll road, regulatory and tourist directional signs. In addition, freeway, expressway and conventional road signs must adhere to the guidelines, which applies to vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians and others.

    Considerations

    • Regulations encourage judicious use of regulatory and warning signs to avoid signs losing their effectiveness. Conversely, MUTCD rules call for the liberal use of route and tourist signs to assist travelers with location information.

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