Planning
Exterior Signs
Sign Placement Care also needs to be taken to place
Coordination needs to take place with
signs in a manner that allow clear
things like irrigation systems, electrical
viewing. Placement of signs so trees
service and other underground utilities.
and shrubs do not obscure them is
Proper placement is an important part
critical. It is also critical that signs are
of a well-planned program
not placed in locations that obscure a
driver's visibility of vehicular traffic and
pedestrians.
Placement Guidelines Following are general guidelines
level is 1650 mm (5'-6") standing, and
for placing signs to viewed from an
1350 mm (4'-6") driving a car. Signs
approaching vehicle as well as for
placed for viewing from long distances
mounting signs for pedestrian viewing.
will be mounted higher than those in the
Guidelines for specific sign types are
immediate foreground. Mounting height
shown in their respective sections.
is measured from the ground level to
the bottom edge of the sign panel.
Straight Ahead: Sign placement must
For signs mounted along roadways, the
be within the approaching driver's
grade of the road is considered ground
immediate cone-of-vision. Drivers
level. When ground mounted signs
cannot be expected to turn their heads
on two posts are placed on sloping or
to read a sign. Signs mounted more
inclined grades, adjustments must be
than 12 M (40 feet) off the roadway
made to the post lengths and mounting
because of special circumstances may
heights. Extreme differences between
require use of a larger panel to increase
post lengths should be minimized
readability because the sign is outside
whenever possible.
the normal cone-of-vision.
Spacing: Signs must be located with
Perpendicular: The sign face should
respect to other signs. Mounting sites
be perpendicular to the approaching
should be carefully selected so that
viewer. Never place a sign parallel to
groups of signs are placed without
passing traffic.
creating a cluttered appearance. Also,
drivers must be given time to read and
Right Side: Place signs on the
react to one sign before another is
right side of the roadway whenever
presented.
possible. Drivers are not conditioned
to look to the left side of the road for
Site Preparation: Placement must be
driving information. An exception to
carefully considered to ensure that
this rule is the use of a double-face
the sign fits the location without major
Standard Identification sign mounted
regarding. It may be necessary to clear
perpendicular to a facility entrance
some shrubs or bushes or relocate an
roadway sign should be sized and
obstruction.
placed with clear target value and
readability from both directions.
Field Test: An effective way to determine
a sign placement location is to place the
Distance Legibility: All signs must
actual sign in the proposed location for
be clearly legible from the distance
verification. This is relatively simple for
at which they are to be read. The
pedestrian signs; they are viewed from
viewing distance guide delineates the
relatively short distances. For signs
appropriate text size.
viewed from a moving vehicle, testing
Advance Warning: Signs on roadways
should include driving the approach
that communicate a desired reaction,
from which it is viewed to verify the
must be placed in advance of the
appropriateness of the proposed
intersection to afford a safe distance
location. A cardboard or brown paper
for reaction to and execution of the
banner (which is the same size as the
maneuver.
proposed sign) can be used instead of
the sign to check placement against the
Viewing Angle: Mount signs at eye level.
criteria listed above.
The height of the average viewer's eye
Page 2-2-6
02/2005
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