Sign Guidelines and Applications Manual (SMK)

1 sign Guidelines and Applications Manual May 2017. 2017 by Texas Department of Transportation (512) 463-8630 all rights reserved Manual Notice 2017-1. From: Michael A. Chacon, Manual : sign Guidelines and Applications Manual Effective Date: May 01, 2017. purpose The purpose of this Manual is to provide information and internal procedures for the placement and use of various types of signs on state roadways. This Manual is not meant to be comprehensive, but rather to provide additional information and procedures specific to Texas Department of Transpor- tation (TxDOT) operations not covered in the Texas Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (TMUTCD).

2 Contents The Signs and Markings Manual was originally published in March of 2006 to provide guidance on the proper placement of guide signs, which are discussed in Chapter 7. The Manual has been revised to include additional chapters on sign location and installation, sign materials and supports, sign maintenance, regulatory and warning signs, as well as other miscellaneous signs. The original Signs and Markings Manual had a chapter on markings which has since been removed. The Manual name has therefore changed from the Signs and Markings Manual to the sign Guidelines and Appli- cations Manual . Contact For information on the contents of the sign Guidelines and Applications Manual , contact Doug Skowronek by email at or by phone at 512-416-3120.

3 Archives Previous editions of the Signs and Markings Manual can be found in archives. Table of Contents Chapter 1 Introduction Section 1 Overview .. 1-2. purpose of this Handbook .. 1-2. Importance of Uniformity .. 1-2. Section 2 Authority to Install Signs .. 1-3. Legal Authority .. 1-3. Payment by Others for Installation of Traffic Control Devices .. 1-3. Illegal Traffic Control Devices .. 1-4. Section 3 Reference Sources.. 1-5. Introduction .. 1-5. The Texas Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (TMUTCD) .. 1-5. Using the TMUTCD .. 1-5. Standard Highway sign Designs for Texas (SHSD) .. 1-5. Other Resources.. 1-6. Chapter 2 sign Location Section 1 Overview.

4 2-2. Requirements of Effective Signs .. 2-2. Basic Considerations .. 2-2. More Information.. 2-3. Section 2 Determining Location .. 2-4. Determination of Need .. 2-4. Field Review .. 2-4. Physical Features of sign Placement.. 2-4. Back to Back Mounting .. 2-4. Mounting Height .. 2-5. Lateral Clearance .. 2-5. Rural Intersections .. 2-5. Chapter 3 sign Materials and Supports Section 1 Roadside sign Supports .. 3-2. Introduction .. 3-2. Foundations .. 3-2. Types of Supports .. 3-2. Section 2 sign and Substrate Structure .. 3-4. Substrate .. 3-4. Structural Support System .. 3-4. sign Guidelines and Applications Manual i TxDOT 5/2017. Overhead sign Walkways.

5 3-4. Section 3 Retroreflectorization .. 3-5. Introduction .. 3-5. Retroreflective Sheeting Types .. 3-5. Fluorescent Retroreflective Sheeting Types .. 3-5. TxDOT Standard .. 3-5. Deterioration of Retroreflectivity .. 3-5. Section 4 sign Legends.. 3-7. Introduction .. 3-7. Font Types .. 3-7. Symbols .. 3-7. Application Methods .. 3-8. Section 5 sign Identification Decal .. 3-9. Decal Required .. 3-9. purpose .. 3-9. Use of Decal .. 3-9. Fabrication Coding .. 3-10. Installation Coding .. 3-11. Section 6 Storage and Transport .. 3-13. Storage .. 3-13. Transport .. 3-13. Section 7 Special sign Applications .. 3-14. Flashing Beacons Attached to sign .

6 3-14. Portable Changeable Message Signs .. 3-14. Dynamic Message Signs .. 3-14. Bilingual Signs .. 3-14. Chapter 4 sign Maintenance Section 1 Overview .. 4-2. Introduction .. 4-2. Maintenance in Cities .. 4-2. Importance of sign Maintenance.. 4-2. Section 2 General Guidelines .. 4-4. sign Visibility .. 4-4. When to Replace Signs .. 4-4. Positioning Replaced Signs .. 4-4. Aluminum sign Recycling .. 4-4. sign Warranty .. 4-5. Section 3 sign Inspection .. 4-6. sign Guidelines and Applications Manual ii TxDOT 5/2017. General.. 4-6. sign Retroreflectivity.. 4-6. Inspection Report.. 4-7. Section 4 Roadside sign Supports .. 4-8. Introduction .. 4-8.

7 Keeping Posts Straight.. 4-8. Breakaway Posts .. 4-8. Straightening Bent Posts .. 4-8. I-beam Supports.. 4-8. Repair of Large, Ground-Mounted Guide sign Supports .. 4-9. Section 5 Overhead Signs .. 4-10. Introduction .. 4-10. Special Equipment .. 4-10. Supports .. 4-10. Walkway .. 4-10. Chapter 5 Regulatory Signs Section 1 Overview .. 5-2. Introduction .. 5-2. Section 2 STOP and YIELD Signs .. 5-3. County Road Intersections with State Highways .. 5-3. Frontage Road-Ramp Intersection Control .. 5-3. Ramps Intersecting Separately Numbered Highways .. 5-6. Section 3 Speed Limit sign .. 5-8. Speed Limit sign .. 5-8. Reduced Speed Limit Ahead .. 5-8.

8 Section 4 Handicapped Parking .. 5-9. Handicapped Parking sign .. 5-9. Parking Space Design and Restrictions .. 5-9. Licenses and Permits .. 5-9. Section 5 WEIGHT LIMIT sign .. 5-10. Weight Limit sign .. 5-10. Section 6 Truck Routes .. 5-11. Introduction .. 5-11. Authority .. 5-11. Proposals .. 5-11. Route Guidelines .. 5-11. Signing Guidelines .. 5-12. Process Summary.. 5-14. sign Guidelines and Applications Manual iii TxDOT 5/2017. Restricted Truck Lanes .. 5-14. Section 7 Non-Radioactive Hazardous Materials Routing .. 5-15. Introduction .. 5-15. Authority .. 5-15. Terminology .. 5-15. Who Initiates the Process?.. 5-16. Financial Responsibility.

9 5-16. Establishing or Revising an NRHM Route .. 5-17. Route Signing Guidelines .. 5-19. Section 8 Restricted Truck Lanes .. 5-23. Introduction .. 5-23. Authority .. 5-23. Terminology .. 5-23. Who Initiates the Process?.. 5-24. Financial Responsibility .. 5-24. Establishing a Lane Restriction .. 5-24. Single City or County Initiated Process .. 5-24. TxDOT Initiated Process .. 5-27. Example Signing for Left Lane Restriction.. 5-28. Example Signing for Left Lane Restriction Plaques .. 5-30. Section 9 Exclusive Lanes .. 5-32. Authority .. 5-32. Guidance .. 5-32. Chapter 6 Warning Signs Section 1 Overview .. 6-2. Introduction .. 6-2. Section 2 T-Intersections.

10 6-3. Introduction .. 6-3. Advance Warning .. 6-3. At the Intersection .. 6-3. Use of Large Arrow Signs .. 6-3. Section 3 Vertical Clearance.. 6-5. Introduction .. 6-5. Signs .. 6-5. When to Measure.. 6-5. How to Measure Minimum Vertical Clearance.. 6-5. Signing Minimum Vertical Clearance .. 6-6. Reporting Measurements .. 6-10. sign Guidelines and Applications Manual iv TxDOT 5/2017. Updating Vertical Clearance Signing .. 6-11. Section 4 Advisory Speeds .. 6-12. Advisory Speed sign .. 6-12. Curve Symbol .. 6-12. Turn Symbol .. 6-12. Advisory Exit Speed sign .. 6-12. Section 5 Flood-Related Weather Conditions.. 6-13. Flood-Related Weather Conditions sign .