Color And Phrase Abbreviations For Traffic Control Devices

The normal use of traffic control facilities requires comprehensive consideration and implementation in terms of their design, placement, operation and maintenance.

Rational design of traffic control facilities means that the combined effect of size, shape, color, composition, illumination or reflection and contrast of the control facility in question should be such as to attract and hold the attention of drivers.

There are also requirements that the size, shape, color and message of the traffic control device work together to convey simplicity and clarity; that its size, legibility and placement provide sufficient reaction time for drivers; and that its uniformity, size, legibility and message work together to promote compliance by road users.

Traffic control devices are to be uniform, and appropriate modifications are to be made only when proven necessary.

For special controls or uncertain occasions, the highway department may design special text signs.

In contrast to graphic signs or colors, text signs may be used without experimentation.

In addition to graphics and colors, minor changes may be made to traffic control devices.

However, the standard graphic traffic sign design cannot be altered, although the orientation of its placement can be changed to better reflect the direction of travel.

Traffic control devices should be placed within the visual range of road users and ensure that they provide maximum visual clarity when in use.

In order to help convey the exact meaning, the placement should be chosen to suit the occasion, objective and location.

Whether in daylight or in darkness, the location and legibility of traffic control devices should ensure that road users have sufficient reaction time.

Traffic control facilities are placed and used in a uniform and consistent manner.

Unnecessary traffic control facilities should be firmly removed regardless of their condition.

Traffic signs within the road site shall be the responsibility of and placed only by the authorized highway department of administrative jurisdiction for the purpose of providing injunctions, warnings, and wayfinding information, and no private persons or businesses shall be permitted to place any signs within the road site.

During use, traffic control devices are subject to the necessary routine maintenance to ensure their visibility and legibility; they are also subject to periodic inspection to evaluate their compliance with existing traffic conditions.

Clean, readable and appropriately located control facilities help to attract the attention of road users and induce them to comply with the relevant instructions.

The design, use, and placement of traffic control facilities not provided for in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Facilities are generally not permitted.

Any requests for interpretations and variations of traffic control facilities are to be supported by adequate justification and factual evidence, and are to be agreed to by the Federal Highway Administration.

New traffic control facilities are to be reported to the Federal Highway Administration by the appropriate department after they have been agreed to by the Federal Highway Administration and tested successfully.

After the Federal Highway Administration solicits comments and evaluates and approves the comments, it proposes changes and finally proposes the relevant rules, and the state highway departments have 2 years to make the transition. The application of the colors in question is critical to traffic control facilities.

Of the 12 colors selected, the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices states the significance of 9 of them as follows:

1. Yellow - warning;

2. Red - stop or prohibition;

3. Blue - wayfinding services, travel information, and evacuation routes for road users;

4. Green - permission to pass, directional instructions;

5. Brown - wayfinding for tourist and cultural attractions;

6. Orange - temporary traffic control;

7. Black - prohibitions;

8. White - prohibitions;

9. Fluorescent yellow-green - pedestrian, bicycle, school bus and school warnings.

It should be emphasized that the meaning of the various colors specified above is the meaning in general, and when applied specifically, the meaning is related to the occasion of use.

The significance of the remaining three colors, such as purple, light blue, and coral, is yet to be determined by the Federal Highway Administration and state departments of transportation, the engineering community, and the general public after further consultation.

In addition to colors, the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices also describes the words, phrases, and their related abbreviations for traffic control devices.

The manual specifies that all words and their phrases conform to the Transportation Glossary of the American Association of State Highway Carriers.

The Transportation Glossary gives “Uniform Vehicle Codes” which detail the use, definition, and meaning of uniform words and phrases.

Because they are direct, easy to read and understand, word markings are an important part of traffic control devices, especially traffic signs and markings.

Due to the limited size of traffic control facilities, there cannot be too many text characters.

In addition, at high speeds, the driver's eyesight and reaction time are affected, too many text characters are not conducive to high speed drivers to read, understand, for this reason, in many cases, traffic control facilities need to use the text of the abbreviation.

In order to avoid confusion, the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) also specifies prohibited abbreviations, and the MUTCD specifies English characters and their abbreviations.

Phrases:

Phrases: Abbreviations:

Accident ACC

Clears CLRS

Delay DLY

Feeder FDR

Left L

Light(traffic) LT

Parking PARK

Pollution POLL

Reduce RED

Stadium STAD

Warning WRNG

Time:

Morning/Late Night AM

Afternoon/Evening PM

Monday MON

Tuesday TUES

Wednesday WED

Thursday THURS

Friday FRI

Saturday SAT

Sunday SUN

Minute(s) MIN

Hours(s) HR

Unit of Measure:

Feet FT

Mile(s) MI

Meter(s) M

Kilometer(s) KM

Speed SPD

Miles Per Hour MPH

Kilometers Per Hour Km/h

Kilogram Kg

Pounds LBS

Metric Ton t

Tons of Weight T

Orientations:

East E

South S

West W

North N

Right RHT

Left LFT

Ahead AHD

Transportation and Users:

Pedestrian PED

Travelers TRAVLRS

Bicycle BIKE

Traffic TRAF

Vehicles VEH

Oversized OVRSZ

Name, type and basic composition of the road:

Highway HWY

Expressway EXPWY

Freeway FRWY/FWY

Turnpike TRNPK

Express EXP

US Numbered Route US

Interstate I

Route RT

Frontage FRNTG

Local LOC

Access ACCS

Entrance/Enter ENT

Exit EX, EXT

Lane LN

Road RD

Drive DR

Street ST

Avenue AVE

Boulevard BLVD

Crossing XING

Highway-Railroad Crossing RXR

Junction/Intersection JCT

Two-Way Intersection 2-WAY

Shoulder SHLDR

Pavement PVMT

Bridge BRDG

Road conditions, services and instructions:

Roadwork RDWK

Construction CONST

Maintenance MAINT

Temporary TEMP

Condition COND

Service SERV

Hospital H

Information INFO

Downtown DWNTN

Emergency EMER

Slippery SLIP

Warning WARN

Hazardous HAZ

Blocked BLKD

Congested CONG

Telephone PHONE

Parking PKING

Will Not WONT

Cannot CANT

Do Not DONT