Urban Freeway Signing and the Freeway Signing Handbook

摘要

By providing navigational information that can be read and understood at high speed, freeway guide signs help road users reach their desired destinations in a safe and efficient manner. However, providing effective freeway guide signs can present many challenges due to the variety of destinations and geometric situations that may exist on freeways. This condition is especially true in urban conditions where high traffic volumes, multiple destinations, and closely spaced interchanges complicate the freeway signing challenges. The Texas Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (TxMUTCD) is the primary document that establishes the basic guidelines for the design and placement of freeway guide signs. However, this information is general in nature and leaves room for interpretation in the use of freeway guide signs, which can lead to regional differences in the way that destination information is presented in freeway guide signs. Additional information on sign layout is contained in the Texas Department of Transportations (TxDOT) Traffic Control Standard Sheets and the Standard Highway Signs for Texas document. Research project 0-4170, Improved Signing for Urban Freeway Conditions, was conducted to improve consistency in freeway signing by developing improved guidelines for freeway signing guidelines, including signing on freeway frontage roads.