Section 2: Warning Sign Advance Placement

Introduction

Warning signs are placed in advance of a potential hazard. The Texas MUTCD presents basic information in Table 2C-4 of the manual. The information in this section expands upon the information in the Texas MUTCD.

Advance Placement Condition Descriptions

The placement of a warning sign is based on the potential hazard the sign warns of and the amount of advance warning needed by a road user. There are
two
placement conditions:
  • Condition A
    represents a situation that involves a complex driving decision, often in heavy traffic conditions. Lane changes in heavy traffic, exiting maneuvers, and merging traffic are common examples. This condition typically applies to freeways and high volume urban arterial situations that require additional response time.
  • Condition B
    represents a condition where a vehicle may have to stop
    or slow down
    as a result of the potential hazard identified by the warning sign.

Relation Between Minimum Distances and Sign Crew Field Book Distance

The minimum advance placement distances for warning signs shown in the next subsection are intended primarily for installation of isolated warning signs. When a warning sign is installed as part of a series of signs, it may be appropriate to place a warning sign further from the potential hazard than the values indicated in the table. In particular, warning signs on the approach or departure from an intersection are placed using the distances shown in the figures in Chapters 5 and 6 to maintain the system perspective with all the signs on the approach or departure.

Advance Placement Distance for Warning Signs

Warning signs are placed in advance of a potential hazard based on the roadway speed limit, the type of response needed (the condition), and the speed associated with the warning sign response. Table 2-1 presents the minimum advance placement distances for warning signs. This table is an expansion of the information in Table 2C-4 from the Texas MUTCD,
including speed limits of 80 and 85 mph, as well as advisory speeds ending in 5 (i.e. 15)
. Table 2-2 provides a description of each condition and information about which warning signs are associated with each condition.
Table 2-1:
Minimum Advance Placement Distance for Warning Signs
Minimum Advance Placement Distance
1
(ft)
Posted Speed or 85th Percentile (mph)
Condition B: Deceleration to the listed advisory speed (mph) for the condition
Condition A: Speed reduction and lane changing in heavy traffic
2
B: Stop
3
5
4
10
4
15
4
20
4
25
4
30
4
35
4
40
4
45
4
50
4
55
4
60
4
65
4
70
4
75
4
80
4
20
225
100
6
NA
5
NA
5
NA
5
25
325
100
6
NA
5
NA
5
NA
5
NA
5
30
460
100
6
NA
5
NA
5
NA
5
NA
5
NA
5
35
565
100
6
NA
5
NA
5
NA
5
NA
5
NA
5
NA
5
40
670
125
100
6
100
6
100
6
100
6
NA
5
NA
5
NA
5
45
775
175
125
125
125
100
6
100
6
100
6
NA
5
NA
5
50
885
250
200
200
200
175
150
125
100
6
100
6
NA
5
55
990
325
275
275
275
225
225
200
150
125
100
6
NA
5
60
1,100
400
350
350
350
325
300
275
225
200
150
100
6
100
6
65
1,200
475
450
450
425
400
400
350
325
275
225
200
125
100
6
70
1,250
550
525
525
525
500
475
450
425
375
325
275
225
150
100
6
75
1,350
650
625
625
625
600
575
550
500
475
425
375
325
250
200
100
6
80
1,475
750
750
725
725
700
675
650
600
575
525
475
425
350
300
225
150
85
1,575
850
850
850
825
800
775
750
725
675
625
575
525
475
400
325
250
150
1
The distances are adjusted for a sign legibility distance of 180 feet for Condition A. The distances for Condition B have been adjusted for a sign legibility distance of 250 feet, which is appropriate for an alignment warning symbol sign. For Conditions A and B, warning signs with less than 6-inch legend or more than four words, a minimum of 100 feet should be added to the advance placement distance to provide adequate legibility of the warning sign.
2
Typical conditions are locations where the road user must use extra time to adjust speed and change lanes in heavy traffic because of a complex driving situation. Typical signs are Merge and Right Lane Ends. The distances are determined by providing the driver a PRT of 14.0 to 14.5 seconds for vehicle maneuvers (2004 AASHTO Policy, Exhibit 3-3, Decision Site Distance, Avoidance Maneuver E) minus the legibility distance of 180 feet for the appropriate sign.
3
Typical condition is the warning of a potential stop situation. Typical signs are Stop Ahead, Yield Ahead, Signal Ahead, and Intersection Warning signs. The distances are based on the 2004 AASHTO Policy, Exhibit 3-1, Stopping Site Distance, providing a PRT of 2.5 seconds, a deceleration rate of 11.2 feet/second2 minus the sign legibility distance of 250 feet.
4
Typical conditions are locations where the road user must decrease speed to maneuver through the warned condition. Typical signs are Turn, Curve, Reverse Turn, or Reverse Curve. The distance is determined by providing a 2.5 second PRT, a vehicle deceleration rate of 10 feet/second2 minus the sign legibility distance of 250 feet.
5
No suggested distances are provided for these speeds, as the placement locations are dependent on site conditions and other signing. An alignment warning sign may be placed anywhere from the point of curvature up to 100 feet in advance of the curve. However, the alignment warning sign should be installed in advance of the curve and at least 100 feet from any other signs.
6
The minimum advance placement distance is listed as 100 feet to provide adequate spacing between signs.

Conditions Associated with Specific Warning Signs

Table 2-2 lists the signs that are associated with the
two
conditions (A and B) used in Table 2-1.
Condition B is separated into warning signs that require a stop, and warning signs that require a speed reduction. Two other conditions are included that do not pertain to Table 2-1: warning signs that do not require a speed reduction, and warning signs that are placed at the road hazard.
Table 2-2:
Warning Sign Placement Conditions
Condition
Applicable Warning Signs
A: Complex Maneuver
W4-1, Merging Traffic
W4-1aT, Thru Traffic Merge Right (Left)
W4-2, Lane Ends
W4-5, Entering Roadway Merge
W9-1, Right (Left) Lane Ends
W9-2T, Lane Ends Merge Left (Right)
B: Stop
W2-1, Cross Road
W2-1aT, Highway Intersection Ahead
W2-2, Side Road (perpendicular)
W2-3, Side Road (oblique)
W2-4, T-intersection symbol
W2-5, Y-intersection symbol
W2-6, Circular intersection
W2-6aT, Traffic Islands Ahead
W2-7, Offset Side Road
W2-8, Double Side Road
W3-1, Stop Ahead
W3-2, Yield Ahead
W3-3, Signal Ahead
W3-4, Be Prepared to Stop
W3-6, Draw Bridge
W3-7, Ramp Meter Ahead
W3-7aT, Ramp Signal Ahead
W3-8, Ramp Metered When Flashing
W5-3, One Lane Bridge
W8-6, Truck Crossing
W8-13aT, Bridge May Ice in Cold Weather
W8-14, Fallen Rocks
W8-18, Road May Flood
W8-18aT, Water Crossing
W8-18bT, When Flooded Turn Around Don’t Drown
W10-1, Grade Crossing Advance Warning
W10-2, Parallel Railroad Crossing (cross road)
W10-3, Parallel Railroad Crossing (side road)
W10-4, Parallel Railroad Crossing (T road)
W10-4a & W10-4b, Train When Flashing
W10-5, Low Ground Clearance
W10-11, Railroad T Crossing
W10-12, Railroad Skewed Crossing
W11-1, Bicycle Crossing
W11-2, Pedestrian Crossing
W11-3, Deer Crossing
W11-4, Cow Crossing
W11-5 & W11-5a, Farm Vehicle
W11-6, Snowmobile Crossing
W11-7, Equestrian Crossing
W11-8, Fire Station
W11-9, Handicapped Crossing
W11-10, Truck Crossing
W11-11, Golf Cart Crossing
W11-12T, Watch for Emergency Vehicles
W11-12aT, Emergency Vehicles Entering Intersection When Flashing
W11-14, Horse Drawn Vehicle Crossing
W11-15, Bicycle-Pedestrian Crossing
W11-15a & W11-15b, Trail Crossing
W11-16, Bear Crossing
W11-17, Sheep Crossing
W11-18, Bighorn Sheep Crossing
W11-19, Donkey Crossing
W11-20, Elk Crossing
W11-21, Moose Crossing
W11-22, Wild horse Crossing
W11-25T, Ducks Crossing
W11-26aT, Watch for Pelicans
W11-26T, Pelicans
W12-2, Low Clearance
W12-5T, Load Zoned Bridge
W14-1T, Road Ends
W15-1, Playground
W17-3T, Loose Livestock
W17-5T, Hospital
W17-6T, Military Entrance
W17-7T, Military Area
W17-11T, Rock Slides
W17-12T, Earth Slides
W17-14T, Watch for Smoke on Road
W17-15T, Watch for Mud on Road
W20-3TD, Inspection Station Ahead
S3-1, School Bus Stop Ahead
S3-2, School Bus Turn Ahead
B: Decelerate to Indicated Advisory Speed
All warning signs with an advisory speed plaque
W1-11T, Curve Blocks View
W1-13, Truck Rollover
W3-5, S4-5, & S4-5a, Speed Reduction (use speed shown in sign as advisory speed)
W7-6, Hill Blocks View
W13-2, Exit Speed
W13-3, Ramp Speed
W13-5T, Curve Speed
W13-6, Exit Curve 25MPH
W13-7, Ramp Curve 25MPH
W13-8T, XXMPH When Flashing
W17-1, Speed Hump
N/A: No Speed Reduction
W1-1, Turn
W1-2, Curve
W1-3, Reverse Turn
W1-4, Reverse Curve
W1-5, Winding Road
W1-10 Series, Curve-Intersection
W1-11, Hairpin Curve
W4-3, Added Lane
W4-6, Entering Roadway Added Lane
W5-1, Road Narrows
W5-2, Narrow Bridge
W6-1 & W6-1aT, Divided Highway
W6-1bT, Divided Road
W6-2 & W6-2aT, Divided Highway Ends
W6-2bT, Divided Road Ends
W6-3, Two-Way Traffic
W6-3aT, Two-Way Traffic on a Three-Lane Road
W7-1, Hill
W7-1a, Hill with Grade
W8-1, Bump
W8-2, Dip
W8-3, Pavement Ends
W8-4, Soft Shoulder
W8-5aT, Slow Down on Wet Road
W8-7, Loose Gravel
W8-7aT, Loose Sand
W8-8, Rough Road
W8-9, Low Shoulder
W8-9aT, Shoulder Drop Off
W8-11, Uneven Lanes
W8-12, No Center Line
W8-15, Grooved Pavement
W8-16, Metal Bridge Deck
W8-17, Shoulder Drop Off
W8-21, Gusty Winds Area
W8-23, No Shoulder
W8-25, Shoulder Ends
W10-6, Uneven Tracks
W10-8, Trains May Exceed 80MPH
W10-9, No Train Horn
W11-15cT, Watch for Slow Moving Vehicles
W17-2T, Rumble Strips
W17-4T, Cattle Guard
W17-9T, Hitchhikers May Be Escaping Inmates
W17-10T, Watch for Low Flying Aircraft
W18-1, No Traffic Signs
W19-3, Freeway Ends
W19-5, All Traffic Must Exit
W23-2, New Traffic Pattern Ahead
N/A: Sign at Hazard
W1-1a & W1-2a, Combination Horizontal Alignment/Advisory Speed
W1-6, One Direction Large Arrow
W1-7 & W1-7T, Two Direction Large Arrow
W1-8, Chevron Alignment
W1-9T, One Direction Large Arrow
W8-19, Flood Gauge
W12-1, Double Arrow
W12-2a, Low Clearance
W14-1 & W14-1a, Dead End
W14-2 & W14-2a, No Outlet
W14-3, No Passing Zone