SYMBOLISM IN THE PEDESTRIAN MANUAL

Both of these books are available in electronic format online at. Dimension drawings for signs can be found in the Standard Highway Signs book.

SYMBOLISM IN THE PEDESTRIAN MANUAL

Standards for the sign design and application of the signs shown here as well as for other traffic control devices are contained in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). On the navigation bar under Knowledge, select Sign Shape/Color. Test your Sign IQ by taking the interactive shape and color quiz available on the web at. The illustration below shows how the shape and color of a sign indicate the nature of the message.

A circular sign warns of a railroad crossing. Rectangular signs with the longer direction horizontal provide guidance information. Additional regulatory signs are octagons for stop and inverted triangles for yield. Traffic regulations are conveyed in signs that are rectangular with the longer direction vertical or square. Sign shape can also alert roadway users to the type of information displayed on a sign. A white background indicates a regulatory sign yellow conveys a general warning message green shows permitted traffic movements or directional guidance fluorescent yellow/green indicates pedestrian crossings and school zones orange is used for warning and guidance in roadway work zones coral is used for incident management signs ** blue indicates road user services, tourist information, and evacuation routes and brown is for guidance to sites of public recreation or cultural interest. The use of red on signs is limited to stop, yield, and prohibition signs. The color of roadway signs is an important indicator of the information they contain. Familiarity with symbols on traffic signs is important for every road user in order to maintain the safety and efficiency of our transportation facilities. Symbols provide instant communication with roadway users, overcome language barriers, and are becoming standard for traffic control devices throughout the world. Roadway signs in the United States increasingly use symbols rather than words to convey their message.

Symbolism in the pedestrian