Question: What is the difference between green highway signs and blue highway signs?

Answer: There are several colors of signs that are used on the city streets, county roads, state highways, and interstate highways throughout the US (Canada and Europe will be somewhat different, but will still have their own color codes per country).

So, rather than give you a simple answer, as usual, I’ll give you a complex answer to a simple question. Actually, I’ll give you a color coded answer with visuals so you’ll have a good understanding of how highway, road, and street signs work.

The most common highway and road signs are white with black or red copy (mostly), with the exception of stop and yield signs. These signs are known as regulatory signs and include:

• Stop signs
• Yield signs
• Speed limit/zone signs (Including “Reduced Speed Ahead” type signs)
• Directional arrow signs (“One Way” signs fit into this sub-category)
• Lane control signs (such as “Left Turn Only” signs or “Bus Lane” signs)
• Passing signs (“Do Not Pass,” “Pass With Care” etc.)
• Prohibitive Signs (“Do Not Enter” and “No Trucks” are examples of this type of sign)
• Parking Signs (e.g. “Handicapped Parking” or “No Parking 12am to 6am”)
• Restrictive Signs (e.g. “Weight Limit 20,000 Lbs”)

While this list is certainly not exhaustive, it should give you a pretty good idea of regulatory signs as you’ve seen them all you life, obey them every day (hopefully), but just weren’t aware of the significance of white.

The next major category is the yellow signs. Yellow signs are generally permanent warning signs that are placed in areas where there is always a reason to warn you of something, like a sharp corner. Some examples of these signs are:

• Stop Ahead
• Winding Road (symbol only usually)
• Signal Ahead
• Narrow Bridge
• Lane Ends
• Bump
• Slippery When Wet
• Slow Children
• Truck Crossing
• Et Cetera – there are over 200 signs in this category

In the same category, with some crossover signs which can be yellow or orange, are the temporary warning signs. These signs are used for a temporary traffic situation and include over 100 signs as well, although between the yellow and orange category, the total is just over 300 signs. These signs include:

• Detour Signs
• Be Prepared to Stop
• Two Way Traffic
• Gravel
• Water Over Road
• Bump
• Lane Closed Ahead
• Road Work Ahead
• Flagger Ahead
• Road Closed
• Et Cetera

A relatively small but important category of signs is the School Zone signs. These signs are now, in many area, a super reflective fluorescent yellow-green color, and signify that there are children present in the area at many times of day. These areas are often heavily patrolled by the police, so, if you don’t want a speeding ticket, these are signs you’ll really want to pay attention to. They include:

• School Zone symbol
• What Hours Zone Signs are in effect
• End School Zone
• Et Cetera

And (drum roll) finally, we’re getting to your question about blue versus green signs. I’ll start with green signs first. In the US, almost universally, green signs have to do with where you’re at and where you’re going. These include:

• School Zone symbol
• What Hours Zone Signs are in effect
• End School Zone
• Et Cetera

The blue signs are also directional signs, but have to do more with things like hospitals or parks or fuel or lodging. These signs include:

• “H” signs – for hospital
• Tent symbol for camp area
• Gas Pump symbol for Fueling Station
• Rest Area signs
• Knife/Fork/Plate symbol for Restaurant
• Et Cetera

Lastly, the brown signs. These signs are similar to the blue signs, but are generally pointing to recreational areas or motorist services within recreational area. The symbols are similar to the blue signs with some overlap. The symbols you’ll see on these signs include:

• Bear Symbol for a bear viewing area (kind of a scary sign, really!)
• Helicopter symbol for heli-pad
• Dog symbol for pet rest area
• Hiker symbol for hiking trail
• Bed symbol for lodging
• Downhill Skier symbol for an upcoming ski area
• Cross Country Skier symbol for XC skiing trails
• Sailboat symbol for sailing access area
• Et Cetera

So, there’s your highway sign primer. It covers most of the signs used on roads, streets, highways, and interstate highways in the US, so hopefully you got not only your original question answered, but several others too!

If you want to grab your very own street sign/s, GO HERE and learn more about the specs as specified by the United States Department of Transportation.

Question: What is a “non-compliant” sign?

Answer: This will depend on your location. There are locations that have virtually no sign codes, but they are few and far between in the 21^st Century USA, Canada, or Western Europe.

In our area, there are a bazillion rules for signs, so it is best to contact a sign professional to help guide you through the process. I believe this would be the case for most cities of any size in the US.

Let’s say, for instance, in our area if you were to put up a 4’ x 6’ For Sale sign in front of your home, if you were in the city of Spokane, you would have a non-compliant sign because the max square footage allowed in a residential or small business zone is 15 square feet – which is, in the opinion of anyone who makes signs a goofy size, because a 4’ x 4’ sign is 16 square feet, and it just messes up a 4’ x 8’ substrate to have to cut it to 3.5’ x 4’.

Again, in our area, if you have a sign that is 13’ above grade on a street or road, you have a non-compliant sign. You may get by with it not being 14’ above grade until someone hits it with an over-sized load on a semi truck or an over-aggressive inspector with a beam measuring device flashes it and discovers, horror of horrors, that an accident could happen if previous said event might happen, even though no semis ever travel this street.

You think, one day, that you’ll pull a permit and install an illuminated sign. You set your pole, rent a lift, and weld the cabinet that you purchased from a UL approved vendor, and hook up the electrical, and as you’re doing so, and inspector from L&I comes by and fines you $1000 because you don’t have an “Electrical Administrators License.” That’s here in the People’s Republic of Washington. Even if everything is perfect, they can still find a non-compliance issue with your sign.

That’s why we recommend hiring a sign professional to make and install your sign. They’re out there every day and know the ins and outs of dealing with all the compliance issues, so it makes it so you don’t have to.

Discover more about various kinds of signs you can have installed in here.

Question: Why aren’t all businesses permitted to advertise on interstate highway signs? Why just tourism operators?

Answer: This varies from state to state. In many states, anyone who wants to pay the fee and for the sign can advertise on these signs. Advertising on these signs is best suited to fuel stations and fast food restaurants, but at least in our jurisdiction, I’ve seen other types of restaurants also advertise in our area, and if memory serves, other types of business too.

Of course, a lot of retail outlets, auto dealerships, and other business can get a lot of visibility by buying or leasing a building along an interstate, then put up a large sign perpendicular to the freeway and so they really don’t need to put their business on the USDOT Interstate signs.

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Question: What is the difference between Standard Reflective (Engineer Grade or Type I), and High Intensity (Type III) and Diamond Grade (Type XI) reflective sign material?

Answer: Engineer Grade Reflective Sheeting typically meets ASTM D4956 Type 1 standards and is an enclosed film or lens using glass beads or prismatic optical technology.

This material is specified for use on non-critical street and road signs such as parking signs or wayfinding signs. It has less reflectivity than the other types mentioned in the original question. Standard colors are white, yellow, red, blue, green, and brown.

Engineer grade reflective sheeting is also used often for reflective stickers and decals, as it is printable both with digital and screen printing methods. It is also cut-table using a die cutter or a vinyl plotter, which makes it useful for creating reflective decals that are cut to a specified shape.

Engineer grade reflective vinyl utilizes and aggressive acrylic adhesive which makes it difficult to remove. Use of heat from a heat gun or hair dryer will aid in the removal of EG reflective sheeting, but often the vinyl will separated from the adhesive, and it becomes necessary to use a glue remover to soften and remove the adhesive.

Most EG reflective films have a 5-7 year outdoor durability warranty, and are not considered a “long term use” material.

High Intensity Prismatic (HIP) Sheeting meets ASTM requirement standards for D4956-09 Type III and Type IV, as well as ASTM 4956-07 Type X. It is a non-metallized micro prismatic lens reflective sheeting that is used mainly for reflective traffic and road signs, barricades or other road construction zone devices, and traffic delineators such as cones or barrels.

HIP sheeting is highly reflective, and it’s durable topcoat protects signs and other traffic control devices against scratches and abrasion. Not only is it highly reflective at night, it also commands attention during the day as well.

HIP Reflective Sheeting is used for more permanent traffic signs, work zone devices, etc., and comes in white, yellow, red, orange, blue, green, and brown.

The manufacturing process for HIP sheeting is also considered to be more “green” as it produces 97% fewer VOC emissions than engineer grade reflective sheeting, and 72% less energy to manufacture. However, the reflectivity value stands alone as a better reason to use HIP.

Finally, HIP reflective sign materials will last longer than its EG reflective film counterpart. This material is considered to be mid to long range durability, and typically will last about 10 years.

Finally, Diamond Grade Reflective Sheeting (DG3) is a full cube prismatic reflective sheeting that returns almost 60% of the available light to vehicle drivers which is about double what HIP reflective sheeting reflects. DG3 reflective sheeting meets the specifications of ASTM Type XI standard.

It is likely with pending legislation in the US, that this material will be required to replace many existing signs. Currently all new “critical” traffic control signs (such as Stop signs, speed limit signs, etc.) are required to utilize this sheeting.

Similar to the other two sheetings aforementioned, diamond grade reflective sheeting has a pressure sensitive adhesive and is applied to (typically) alodized or anodized aluminum sheeting either with a hand roller or a mechanical squeeze roll laminator/applicator.

This material can be decorated either using screen printing or by using transparent film that comes in various highway sign colors.

DG3 sheeting was engineered to reflect the newer headlights in late model automobiles, as well as to help older drivers (like me) with greater luminescence, as well as truck drivers whose lights are able to pick up signs that utilize DG3 better and at greater distances.

Available stock colors include white, yellow, orange, red, green, blue, and brown. Another color, fluorescent yellow-green, is also available and is used primarily in school zones, and has superior luminescence both during the daytime and night

For signs having those reflective grading characteristics mentioned above, check this.

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Question: What is the purpose of a STOP sign?

Answer: This, of course, is a hotly debated topic!

Some have said that a STOP sign should be used as a dinner plate, while others a shield to deflect arrows, but not bullets. Some juveniles have insisted that STOP signs should be used as wall décor in their bedrooms.

But I say that these signs should be used strictly as traffic control devices, at intersections where if there were no STOP sign, many accidents would happen.

And furthermore, stop signs should be used coming out of parking lots to prevent shoppers (particularly WalMart shoppers) from just driving out into traffic without even slowing down!

So, the answer to your question, most succinctly stated, would be to get someone in a car, on a motorcycle, or in a truck, or any other motorized vehicle, to STOP!

Sorry. Couldn’t resist.

Where should two-way STOP signs be installed?

Answer: Anywhere where the flow and speed of traffic from the right or left is greater than the speed limit and flow of traffic from the incoming street, road or highway. If there is too much traffic from all 4 directions consistently, then a signal light or 4-way Stop sign.

Question: What are “warrants” for traffic control devices?

Answer: A warrant for traffic control devices is the criteria used by various road departments to determine whether a traffic control device is needed at an intersection or on/along any street, road, or highway. However, just because the warrant’s criteria is met does not require any municipality, county, state, or federal transportation department to add a sign or signal.

Some of the criteria for a warrant for signs are as follows:

1. Fulfillment of something considered necessary, such as accident reduction
2. A sign or signal that needs to attract attention, such as a One Way sign
3. Gives a driver a clear direction as to where they need to go, such as a directional sign
4. Signs that “lay down the law” such as “Fines Double in Construction Zones”
5. Signs that let you know something is about to change, such as “Road Closed in 1 Mile”

Traffic Signals have warrants as well, such as the following:

1. How many vehicles go through an intersection daily
2. What times the traffic through a given intersection is heaviest
3. What kind of foot traffic crosses at any given point or intersection
4. How many crashes have occurred at an intersection
5. Or any combination of the above factors

Stop Signs have their own criteria:

1. Which street, out of a possible 2 or more, has heavier traffic
2. Does traffic from a side street enter a highway, road, or street
3. Are there other traffic signs or signals in the area. One unmarked intersection in an area where there are all marked intersections may have more accidents when the others are all marked
4. Restricted views
5. One street, road, or highway that has a higher speed than the other
6. How many crashes have occurred at an intersection
7. Speed control; a stop sign may act similar to a speed bump, and is likely less costly to install

It may also be decided that a stop sign is not needed, but that a Yield sign would be sufficient in some circumstances.

There are several warrants for other types of signs such as warning signs that might include a sign that warns of a sharp corner ahead, a school zone, road construction areas, crosswalk or railroad signs, addition or subtraction of traffic lanes, no shoulder signs for roads that drop off sharply on the sides, and many more.

Other regulatory signs such as speed limit signs, parking signs, slow children signs, reduced speed signs, and the like, are also required to have warrants in many municipalities in order to be placed.

Ultimately, smooth traffic flow and safety are the goal of traffic signal warrants. These are typically determined by local traffic engineers who are employed by the city, county, state, or federal highway and street departments, and enforced by local law enforcement.

If you’re interested to get your very own traffic sign, get here.

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Question: What are Traffic Control Devices and what are they used for?

Answer: Traffic Control Devices can be broken into several categories and a whole bunch of subcategories, but I’ll stay with the general categories for sake of brevity here.

The main category would be signs, which encompass road signs, street signs, highway signs, and traffic signs.

This category will include stop signs, speed limit signs, parking signs, warning signs, construction signs, street name signs, highway number and type signs like Interstate 75 or State Highway 231, yield signs, one way signs, do not enter signs, keep right or keep left signs, etc.

There are also signs which mark national monuments and national parks, as well as state parks, and point-of-interest signs.

Then there are custom highway signs like the ones on the interstate that advertise gas stations and fast food restaurants. These usually are placed on the front side of exit signs.

While this isn’t exhaustive, it does hit the high points of signs. Most traffic signs, at least those specified by the state and national departments of transportation utilize various grades of reflective sheeting in the manufacturing and printing of road signs.

Most signs built in the past few years use diamond grade or hi-intensity prismatic (HIP) reflective films, depending on the usage. Diamond grade 3 (DG3) is used on pretty much all school zone signs, whereas both DG3 and HIP are used for most other state or federal DOT projects where a greater degree of reflectivity is required.

Another major category of traffic control devices include signals. Traffic signals are the most common, which feature the red “stop” light, the yellow “caution” light, and the green “go” light. There are also flashing red lights which signal a stop sign, and 4 way flashing red lights which are used at high speed or congested traffic area 4-way stops.

Of course, there are the signals and barricades at railroad crossings. Ignore those at your own peril!

Finally, in this category are the flashing school zone sign lights, which are mounted with the signs that signal motorists that they are entering a school zone, and that there are children present in the area.

The third major traffic control signs I’ll mention are construction zone signs, warning flashing lights, and barricades. These signs, in the US, are always orange with black copy and legends.

Traffic barricades are most often plastic barrels or cones which utilize hi-intensity reflective tape to alert motorists at night time that they are in a construction zone. It is now frequent for US interstate highway projects in urban areas to be constructed at night so as to not disrupt the flow of business traffic during the daylight hours.

Other types of barricades are portable plastic or metal barricades (replacing the old wood barricades of the past). These use orange and white diagonal striping on horizontal slats, held up by stands, and are used to signal that a road or lane is closed completely to all but construction traffic.

A fourth category could be considered the human factor of traffic control. This would include the “flagger” who has a stop sign on one side of a handheld pole or paddle, and a slow sign on the other. These flaggers are used in area, mostly, where one lane of traffic needs to stop so the opposing line of traffic can move ahead, and visa versa.

In situations where there is a stadium which has just had a big game, traffic cops with whistles may signal traffic to stop or go as they see it building up in one direction or another.

And of course, the city, county, and state police can also be included, sort of, as traffic control devices. These officers are charged with keeping the streets, roads, and highways safe by enforcing speed limits and drunk driving laws, to name a couple things they do.

Recently, due to budget shortages, some have charged that safety is less of a concern than obtaining revenue for the state or city coffers for many states, cities, and counties.

So, now I’ll get on a soapbox and tell you what I learned about this in our state (Washington). Recently, the head of the State Patrol (WSP), was on TV with the governor, proclaiming the need to crack down on speeders. Of course, all red-blooded Americans want to crack down on speeders, right? Why, they’re dangerous!

So, I went online and reviewed traffic stats for the State of Washington. In 1988, Washington returned the interstate speed limit to 70MPH. From 1988 to 2008, traffic increased around 60%. But the accident rate stayed the same! This translates to about a 30%+ decrease in accidents in real terms.

So, I would have to agree that while safety is important, much of the current drive to “crack down on speeders” has less to do with your safety and more to do with picking your pockets to keep the bureaucrats of the world living well.

Read here to see more about traffic signs and control devices.

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Question:  If a traffic signal’s cycle is too long or too short, will the DOT change it?

Answer:  Possibly. If your opinion is that a signal’s cycle is too long or too short, you could contact the DOT or county or municipal road maintenance department and speak to the traffic engineering department about it.

However, it may also be their opinion that the cycles is just fine, thank you. Unless, of course, many people besides yourself have complained about the same intersection.

The good news is that most municipalities will monitor traffic flow at busier intersections periodically, and will note that traffic backs up beyond normal at busy or not-so-busy times of day, and can make recommendations to the traffic engineers that such-and-such an intersection appears to have inordinate  back-ups or delays due to the length (too short or too long) of the light signal.

Question:  How does DOT decide whether a traffic signal should be installed at an intersection?

Answer:  Since I’ve never worked for the USDOT or any state DOT, I am going to hazard an educated guess, having worked on several private road or street projects with various DOT’s.

Similar to what I said in the previous segment, the DOT will monitor traffic using pneumatic road tubes across roads or streets in various locations, such as where it is evident that more homes are being built, a school will be built, or commercial development is taking place.

If it is noted that an area has an elevated traffic flow, and that traffic is getting too heavy or backed up at a STOP sign, for instance, the DOT or municipal road department will frequently add a traffic signal at that intersection. Increasingly, and unfortunately in my opinion, municipal and county road departments are using “roundabouts,” which in my opinion are a hindrance to traffic flow unless it’s a low traffic intersection, and if that is the case, it costs maybe $1500-2000 to add 4-way Stop signs, but roundabouts cost upwards of $50,000 on the low end.

Most municipal road departments also know, because of various building permitting processes, where a school or shopping mall will be built, and often part of the requirements for putting in the shopping mall will be for the commercial construction firm to add new streets, traffic signals, and various traffic control signs or signals, like electronic crosswalk signs.

Questions:  How do the standards for traffic signals accommodate the needs of color-vision deficient drivers? Would it be better to add shapes to the signal indications to help the color-vision deficient to identify what signal is on?

Answer:  Traffic signal lights are very bright LED’s, so if a person has color-deficient vision, more commonly known as “color blindness,” they are required under current law to know that green is on the bottom, yellow is in the middle, and red is on the top.

In our opinion, there is no need to add shapes to the current configuration, but if you want to start a signal manufacturing firm that could popularize this idea, then lobby some congressmen to pass a law, you could make yourself a literal fortune. That’s how it’s done these days. Provide a semi-useless idea, make some high-powered friends, cut them in on some of the profits, and ¡voila! You’re rich!

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Question:  What is Reflective Sheeting?

Answer:  Reflective sheeting is the sheeting used to create reflective road signs, traffic signs, street signs, and highway signs.

Basically, reflective sheeting is laminated to aluminum sign blanks of various sizes and shapes, then printed with whatever copy is needed, and you have a reflective traffic sign.

Reflective sheeting comes in various grades, the most common being “Engineer Grade,” “Hi-Intensity Prismatic”, and “Diamond Grade.” The USDOT requires diamond grade for most interstate signs, and most state DOT’s require it for school zones and stop signs and any sign mandated to use it that they believe needs it. Those requirements vary from state to state.

“Engineer Grade” reflective sheeting is now used mostly for private company signs or decals and has less intense reflectivity than does the HIP or DG reflective sheeting. If you were to call up to order reflective decals from our firm, we’d be printing them on “EG” reflective films.

Question:  What are traffic sign posts made of?

Answer:  That depends. Depends on whose jurisdiction the signs are in, for instance.

If the sign is located on the Interstate Highway System, the USDOT works with the State DOT to determine how sign systems are constructed. The USDOT allows some variation in the way signs are posted.

In some jurisdictions, wood posts are used to post some types of signs, although wood seems to rarely be used for the big green and white wayfinding signs any more. Most of the time traffic sign posts are constructed of welded and/or bolted together steel frames, and even the smaller signs now, at least in our area, are mostly posted with steel posts.

However, I still see, in housing developments or commercial developments, that pressure-treated wood posts are allowed. I personally recommend the pre-punched galvanized steel posts and post sleeves over wood or the U-channel posts that are used by those trying to keep costs down.

Question:  What’s the difference between a flat aluminum and an extruded aluminum street name sign?

Answer: Flat aluminum is pretty self-explanatory and is easy to describe, so I’ll do that first. Flat aluminum is actually extruded as well, but it’s extruded into flat sheets, and most traffic control signs that are constructed of flat sheet aluminum range in thickness from .080” to .25”, although most of the time, in my experience, once the thickness moves past .125” with flat sheets, either a supporting frame buttresses the sign, or we use extruded aluminum.

Extruded aluminum signs are usually extruded in channel-shaped sections, sometimes with “ribs” that support the extrusion in high wind conditions. The extrusions are often “stacked” one on another and bolted together, then bolted to a galvanized steel framework that holds the whole sign together.

Stop signs, speed limit signs, school zone signs, Parking Signs, etc., are almost never extruded, but are flat panel signs. The extruded signs are usually used only for large wayfinding signs, like the ones on I-75 telling you how far it is to Atlanta, Georgia or Lexington, Kentucky, or I-90 telling you how far it is to Seattle, Washington.  Check this out for more about these road sign markers.

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Question:  What should drivers do when traffic Signal Lights Are All Dark?

Answer:  This is a very good question, because there are certainly no traffic signs that back up traffic signal lights if the power goes out, unless it’s a longer term deal like caused by a natural disaster and such.

What I’ve seen for the most part in such situations is that people pretend that it’s a 4-way Stop, and alternate the sides the cars are coming from. This is probably the most logical way to proceed. It’s slower than a traffic signal, but at least things stay moderately organized if everyone does their share to make traffic flow smoothly (i.e., take turns).

 Question:  Is it legal for someone to own a traffic sign?

Answer:  That depends, of course, on how you came by that ownership.

It is absolutely NOT OK to discover a street sign with your name on it, then visit the street sign pole at 2am to remove it and claim it as your own!

It is also NOT OK to pilfer traffic signs for the aluminum recycling value, as seems to happen more in down economic times.

However, it is OK to purchase a traffic sign or road sign or yield sign or stop sign or street name sign or speed limit sign or any other traffic control sign from any company that sells USDOT-approved signs.

One caveat, though. You usually may not put the sign out on your street or road on a pole similar to approved signs. This is the domain of the county road department or the state highway department, and if you do, as some people have tried to, put up a “Slow, Children Playing” Sign on your road or street, the friendlies down at the local transportation department may simply pluck it out of the ground, and you’re out your $75 or $100 or whatever you spent installing that sign.

You may, however, decorate the entire interior of your home or master bedroom suite with highway and street signs if you so desire – if your mate is OK with that. But I’m just not quite sure how it would play to have too many STOP signs in your bedroom. Just sayin’.

Question:  How high should traffic signs be mounted?

Answer: I’ve thought of several clever remarks to this question, none of which were appropriate. However, if you’re a private contractor, and have some street or traffic signs to install, there will be local ordinances set forth by the state DOT, or the county or municipal road maintenance department, or, if all else fails, by the USDOT.

In my experience, which has been fairly extens ive, the height of the sign will vary depending on the sign and where the sign is located. Speed Limit signs on the interstate highway will not be the same height as speed limit signs in town.

Stop signs coming out of a home improvement store’s parking lot will probably be a different height than a Stop sign on a state highway. Again, you’ll need to contact your local regulatory road department in order to determine the height requirement in the area you’re locating the signs.

For traffic signs produced in accordance with the USDOT standards, check here.

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Question:  Why doesn’t the “Walk” light stay on longer? I can only get halfway across before it starts flashing!

Answer:  Since I know nothing of your physical condition, whether you’re 18 or 85 years old, I’ll assume you’re in average physical condition and should be able to make it across the street before the sign says “Don’t Walk.”

Walk signs are timed by the light, so if there is a green light that stays green for, say, 30 seconds, then turns yellow for 3 seconds before turning red, you actually have about 33 total seconds. However, 15 seconds into that cycle, it may start flashing, and while that seems ominous, you still probably have at least 15 seconds to meander to the other side.

The flashing “Walk” sign is just a reminder to hurry up. You’ll also notice that most of these flashing walk signs flash faster as the time is reduced, adding to your urgency to get across. In our area, we’re now seeing a second countdown, starting at 15, which I think is pretty cool!

Question:  Why can’t the signals along a road be timed together to reduce delay?

Answer:  Ultimately you’ll need to talk to the traffic engineers at the city or county in which you reside if there is an issue, but I will say that most places I’ve lived, and I’ve lived in a few places, have the lights timed.

When I lived in Portland, OR, many moons ago, you could drive through downtown Portland and never hit a red light…if you went 17MPH. And that might be the rub. I know I like to get to the next light ASAP, so I tend to gun it and then end up waiting, but if you learn at what speed the traffic engineers have the signal lights timed at, you may find that indeed, they are timed. Maybe not the timing you’d prefer, but probably at about two-thirds of the speed limit.

Question:  What should drivers do when a traffic sign is flashing?

Answer:  To tell you the truth, I’ve never seen a traffic sign flashing. That reminds me, though, of a story about my sister, whose name will be withheld to protect the guilty.

When she took driver’s education training in about 1977, her instructor drove with her into Spokane, WA, from the small town she went to school in. They drove about, here and there through Spokane, he giving her instructions, and she driving. At one point in the lesson, she came to a STOP sign. She stopped. And waited. And waited. And waited. Finally, her instructor asked what she was waiting for. She answered that she was waiting for it to turn green!

At any rate, I figure that was a good time for a story, since I’m not sure what you’re asking here. Traffic lights flash yellow. Construction lights on poles with signs flash orange-ish. Railroad crossing lights flash red. School zone signs flash yellow also.

If you see a traffic signal flashing yellow, I would suggest you stop before you run the red light. The tickets are nasty and expensive and raise your insurance rates.

If you see construction lights flashing, slow down. The same holds true for the tickets, except that in most states now, the traffic fines double in those areas.

And if you see railroad lights flashing, for God’s sake, stop! Preferably before you are on the tracks. I’m less worried about traffic tickets here than untangling your car a mile down the track.

Other areas with traffic sign lights? School zones often have flashing lights as you enter a school zone, telling  you that children and police officers are present. The tickets aren’t cheap in these zones either.

If you want cheap tickets, you’d have to move to a 3^rd world country. In fact, you can likely bribe your way out of a ticket for $10-20, but the risks to life and limb are higher, or so they say.

Did that answer your question? Get here for more about various traffic sign markers.

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Question:  Will traffic signs make an intersection safer?

Answer: Generally, yes. Unless it had a traffic light and now you’re replacing it with signs. Of course, if there’s little traffic at that intersection anyway, it won’t make much actual difference where safety is concerned.

The newer USDOT codes, and I believe most “First World” nations as well, though, require the “diamond grade” reflective materials to be the basis for most intersection signs, so it’s almost like having a traffic light anyway.

Now, if there was no control at an intersection previously (a.k.a. an “unmarked intersection”), then it will be very likely that it is now a 4-way stop or that one direction will consistently have the right of way, and the other direction will be required to stop. Either way, if it is a semi-busy street or road, stop signs should make that intersection safer.

Question:  How does the County decide where to install traffic signs?

Answer:  Good question, and I can only tell you that they make their decisions, in most cases, based on traffic levels and safety. Although I’ve seen them install lower speed limit signs in some areas where I suspect revenue, not safety, was the goal.

For instance, in an area where there has been a lot of developing going on, and traffic has increased significantly over the past year or two, with lots of families with young children moving into an area, the speed limits on the main road alongside the development may be changed to 35MPH from 45 or 50MPH in order to reduce the risk of a child being injured that inadvertently darts in front of a car to grab an errant Frisbee. Or similar. An auto traveling at 35MPH has a much shorter stopping distance than one traveling 50MPH.

Of course, in the new development, there are streets which will exit the development to the main road mentioned above. Obviously, the county will require STOP signs at all intersections involving a main road. The speed limit in most developments is 25MPH, so a large STOP sign would be overkill. Our county requires a 30” STOP sign at these intersections. Higher speed intersections require larger STOP signs.

In this new development, it may be that a new grade school is also built to handle all the new children coming into the development. The USDOT regulates, along with cooperation with the various US states, the signing of all school districts with Hi-intensity “diamond” grade reflective signage on the appropriate alodized or anodized aluminum sign blanks. Most school zone signs are mandated by the USDOT with a few additional signs being mandated by the various state DOT’s as well.

Side note: Alodization/Anodization is a chemical process which helps aluminum to resist corrosion. Little-known Fact: Aluminum corrodes at a faster rate than steel rusts.

School zones are the most heavily signed areas, in my view, of any streets in the US, and likely Canada, Europe, and the Commonwealth nations are similar in their sign regulations for school districts. I don’t know about the above mentioned regions, but in the US, these are also the most heavily patrolled areas as well, both because of safety concerns, and since 2008, probably as a driver of revenue for the county as well.

That’s a pretty long answer to your short question, but hopefully encapsulates the answer somewhat succinctly!

To see more of alodized, or anodized, traffic sign markers, go here.

Good Read! Can I get a quote NOW!?