Chapter 5: Approach Placement

Section 1: Overview

Introduction

The longitudinal placement of guide signs on the approach to an intersection determines the amount of time available to the road user to make navigational decisions.
This chapter contains numerous drawings that illustrate the longitudinal placement of signs on the approach to an intersection. The illustrations are organized to address several different features that may be present at an intersection, including:
  • Geometrics:
    • 3-leg T
    • 3-leg side
    • 4-leg.
  • Number of approach lanes:
    • 1 approach lane
    • 1 approach lane with left-turn lane
    • 2 approach lanes
    • 2 approach lanes with left-turn lane.
  • Type of intersection control:
    • No control
    • Stop control
    • Signal control.
  • Routing arrangement of intersecting highways:
    • Approach route(s) goes left, through, and/or right
    • 1, 2, or 3 intersecting highways.
Sign sizes are shown for warning and regulatory signs for ease in field installations. All sign sizes shown are minimums.
The placement of signs on the departure from the intersection is addressed in Chapter 6.
A figure index table has been developed for the figures contained within this chapter. This figure index table will assist in quickly locating a figure based on the basic information available such as intersection geometry, number of approach lanes, and type of traffic control used at the intersection.
The Figure Index Table is located on page 5-8.