When the highway system was designed, the signage was very carefully and deliberately planned so that everyone knows exactly what is going on at all times. Different colors and types of placards were created, including black-on-orange highway signs, and they all have a different application and meaning. Understanding the regulations and uses for highway signage is crucial for everyone, from drivers to road work crews that are responsible for installing and using the indicators during their ongoing projects.
Road signs are a type of traffic control device, which is defined as either a signal, sign, or other device that is placed adjacent to or on a freeway or street that regulates, advises, or guides transportation. The colors of the sign generally signify what type of transportation control it provides, such as in the case of all of the standard yellow placards that provide permanent warnings and guides along the roadways.
What do Signs with Black Text and Images on an Orange Background Mean?
On the highway, when you see indicators that have black text on an orange background, those are known as temporary traffic control When the freeway system was designed, the signage was very carefully and deliberately planned so that everyone knows exactly what is going on at all times. Different colors and types of signs were created, including black-on-orange highway placards, and they all have a different application and meaning. Understanding the regulations and uses for highway signage is crucial for everyone, from drivers to road work crews that are responsible for installing and using the indicators during their ongoing projects.
What are the Categories of These Signs?
These placards fall into three distinct categories:
Regulatory
Signs in this category are responsible for informing drivers of various regulations or traffic laws that may not be obvious or present at regular times. These indicators are responsible for dictating legal obligations, so they have to meet the requirements set forth in the code in order to be used for impermanent freeway signage. Regulatory indicators are almost always going to be rectangular or diamond-shaped.
Of course, there are exceptions for temporary transportation control When the highway system was designed, the signage was very carefully and deliberately planned so that everyone knows exactly what is going on at all times. Different colors and types of placards were created, including black-on-orange highway signals, and they all have a different application and meaning. Understanding the regulations and uses for freeway signage is crucial for everyone, from drivers to route work crews that are responsible for installing and using during their ongoing projects.
Warning
While regulatory signs are designed to keep people abreast of current and ongoing regulations and transportation laws, warning indicators are generally much more impermanent and specific, based on a certain situation or condition that is taking place at the time. For example, a warning sign might be one to let you know that the route is closed ahead, or that a lane on the freeway is closing as you approach.
These placards are going to have an orange or yellow background with the black images and text, and they are readily available in a variety of styles. They must be a standard size of 48 inches, at a minimum, in order to effectively warn drivers of route conditions. Smaller warnings are sometimes accepted for certain conditions or situations, but they need to be legible and easily seen by drivers.
Guide
The final type of black-on-orange road sign is the guide sign. These are informational in nature and designed to give drivers direction in temporary traffic control zones during a construction project or other temporary situation. These placards include things like directional, tourist and location-based, and even standard route indicators when the route is temporarily changed for a project or certain situation.
Guide indicators are going to contain specific information that is pertinent to the work being done in an impermanent work zone at any given time. When the highway system was designed, the signage was very carefully and deliberately planned so that everyone knows exactly what is going on at all times. Different colors and types of signs were created, including black-on-orange highway placards, and they all have a different application and meaning. Understanding the regulations and uses for freeway signage is crucial for everyone, from drivers to route work crews that are responsible for installing and using the signs during their ongoing projects.
Temporary Traffic Sign Usage
Temporary traffic control indicators are just as important as permanent signage. Whenever you see orange placards that have black text or images, those are going to be indicative of an impermanent project or road situation where the rules are changed for a very specific limited window of time. These can make a construction project or work area much safer by keeping drivers informed of changes on the route, and any impermanent variations in their usual driving patterns, such as in the case of a temporary STOP or YIELD sign, which is going to keep the same size and shape as people are used to seeing. Common regulatory examples include things like turning instructions, lane shifts, speed limits, and so forth. Using these on a temporary basis in construction and work zones ensures that all drivers know the impermanent rules of the road so that everyone can drive safely.
When you’re working on various road projects and need proper transportation control signage, count on the professionals at Worksafe. We have been working with the sale and rental of traffic control signs and devices to ensure smart work zone solutions for all projects, including impermanent transportation control placards that meet regulatory standards and can be used for any number of traffic management needs. To learn more, contact us today for more information for what may be necessary.