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No Trucks signs on a New Hampshire street |
Installing the Correct Traffic Sign
Road managers must often install traffic signs to satisfy residents’ requests. Whether to slow or restrict traffic on certain streets. The sign must be the correct type and correctly placed. The picture above is an example of well intended traffic signs that probably satisfy residents, but mislead drivers.
On pages 6 and 7, the No Trucks sign notifies drivers that local laws "exclude designated vehicles" from using the road. Does the city mean to prohibit all trucks? The highway department should install a No Through Truck message sign instead. Residents expect delivery of mail, fuel, furniture, or appliances. The affect of the sign is that truck drivers must break the law to deliver necessary goods or services.
The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) states that signs should meet five basic requirements to be effective:
Give adequate time for proper response.
The Institute of Traffic Engineers addresses correct sign selection in its Traffic Signing Handbook. It states, "A sign has little value if it not effective." It quotes the MUTCD requirements as criteria for a sign to be effective."
Signs with incorrect or inconsistent messages do not meet these requirements. Correct sign placement is also necessary. The sign in the picture’s background is also a No Trucks sign. It is visible to truck drivers turning right only after they have entered the street. What are they to do? Turn around in a resident’s driveway? Continue through the street, thereby breaking the implied law?
Truck sign types and their placement are described in the "Traffic Signs to Restrict Trucks" article. It is the second in a series of Road Business articles intended to clarify sign selection and installation. If you have examples or questions about particular signs or situations, please contact the UNH T² Center. The staff will clarify proper usage and placement in future articles.