Traffic Signs FAQs

What are the rules for reflective signs?

• High Intensity or Diamond Grade sheeting will be required for all traffic signs.
• Engineer grade signs are acceptable for parking signs.

How long do traffic signs really last?

Much depends on your climate and if the sign is south facing. Engineer grade signs generally have a service life of at least seven years. High Intensity and Diamond Grade signs can last 12 years or longer.

What liability do I have if my sign is fading and no longer reflective?

If your parking lot and roads are "open to public travel", your signs should follow MUTCD standards. They need to meet the same levels of retroreflectivity that are required for traffic signs on public highways and roads. Off-street roads that are built or maintained privately generally do not need to follow these guide lines. Installing the proper reflective signs is best way to protect yourself from legal action .

How deep should I pound in my channel post?

Channel post should be pounded 18" to 30" into the ground depending on length of post, soil conditions and how strong you are feeling.

Are there any color restrictions on your custom signs?

No. The technology of today allows us to print almost anything you can design on a traffic or parking blank. Custom sizes and shapes are available as well.

I want to put "Buckle Up" safety message stickers/plaques on the back of STOP and YIELD signs in my City. Is this permissible under the MUTCD?

No. Section 2B.10 of the MUTCD states that "No items other than inventory stickers, sign installation dates, and bar codes shall be affixed to the fronts of STOP or YIELD signs, and the placement of these items shall be in the border of the sign. No items other than official traffic control signs, inventory stickers, sign installation dates, anti-vandalism stickers, and bar codes shall be mounted on the backs of STOP or YIELD signs. No items other than retroreflective strips (see Section 2A.21) or official traffic control signs shall be mounted on the fronts or backs of STOP or YIELD signs supports." The reason is that "Buckle Up" and other such messages detract from the motorist's recognition of the STOP sign as a stop sign.

Am I required to use Fluorescent Yellow Green (FYG) background color signs for warning signs for pedestrians and bicycle application, or is FYG to be used only for school area warning signs?

Fluorescent Yellow Green background color is now required for warning signs and plaques for school area traffic control and is optional for pedestrian and bicycle sign applications.

Can street name signs be installed on the same post as a STOP sign?

Yes, Section 2A.16 of the MUTCD states that "Signs should be individually installed on separate posts or mountings except where a) one sign supplements another, or b) route or directional signs are grouped to clarify information to motorists, or c) regulatory signs that do not conflict with each other are grouped, such as turn prohibition signs posted with one-way signs or a parking regulation sign posted with a speed limit sign, or d) Street name signs are posted with a stop or yield sign."

Can lettering on street name signs still be done in all upper case letters?

No, lettering for place names and destinations on all guide signs, including Street Name signs, shall be in mixed case lettering with the 1st letter in upper case followed by lower case lettering. This is because mixed case lettering has better recognition and legibility distances than all upper case lettering for place names and destinations. The minimum letter heights for Street Name signs given in Section 2D.45 refer to the height of the initial upper case letter.

Some school crossing signs in my area have crosswalk lines shown on the sign under the children's feet and some do not; which is correct?

The current design of the School and School Crossing warning sign does not include the lines indicating crosswalk markings under the children's feet. The design with the lines under the children's feet (formerly S2-1) was deleted effective with the 2000 MUTCD. The S1-1 pentagon-shaped sign, without lines under the children's feet, is now used both for the advance warning (with an "AHEAD" W16-9p plaque) and at the crosswalk itself (with a downward sloping arrow W16-7 plaque). See Sections 7B.08 and 7B.09 for details. The 10-year compliance period for upgrading school warning signs to the new designs will end on January 17, 2011.