Highway Wayfinding Signs

The main purpose of highway (including other expressway) wayfinding signs is to provide clear, unambiguous information for users unfamiliar with local road conditions so that they can reach their destinations smoothly.

For freeways, the design of their wayfinding signs is an integral part of the overall freeway design and should be coordinated with the geometric design of the route.

From ramps to mainline from urban to rural areas, freeway wayfinding signs should be consistent and provide the following specific functions:

(1) Provide directions to destinations or other roadways where interchanges exist;

(2) Advance notice to road users that they are approaching an interchange;

(3) Provide advance notice to road users of lane changes prior to entering or exiting a freeway;

(4) Clarifying road names and directions;

(5) Clarifying the distance to the destination;

(6) Clarifying entrances and exits to relevant service, rest, and tourist amusement locations;

(7) Provide other information needed by drivers.

Highway wayfinding signs must be of a standard shape and color.

With the exception of a few wayfinding signs, such as road names, path guides, variable information, rest areas, and tourist amusements, all lettering, graphics, and borders should be white with a green background lining, and all have the necessary reflectivity to ensure nighttime visibility.

In urban areas, attention should be paid to the many lanes, high traffic volumes, dense interchanges and roadside visual reflective interference.

In rural areas, interchanges are widely spaced, which helps to ensure the distance between signs.

However, be aware of the potential for driver paralysis due to reduced traffic volumes in adjacent lanes or at entrances and exits.

Signs relating to reminders to take action are therefore particularly important.

When installing wayfinding and exit direction signs, it is strictly prohibited to indicate three or more destinations or road names, and to place the name of the city and the name of the road in the same sign.

At the same time, for a group of wayfinding signs mounted on the same support structure, there cannot be more than 3 layouts, and each layout can only provide one destination or road name.

The layout information of highway wayfinding signs can be patterns, road names, arrows, basic directions and exit instructions, etc., but the information on each layout cannot be too long, generally not more than 3 lines.

The direction of the highway as well as the major cities along the way, etc., should be clearly indicated, and only one route can be indicated for one destination.

For the size of the highway wayfinding sign, the length of its message should be determined before deciding its peripheral size.

The height of each letter should not be less than 200mm, and the standard of letter size is the same for urban and rural areas.

The distance between rows should be 3/4 of the average height of letters in adjacent rows, the distance between the top and bottom edges should be the average height of letters in adjacent rows, and the distance from the text on both sides to the border should be the height of the largest letter.

The color of the logo border should be the same as the color of the layout information.

For smaller logos, the border width is generally 30mm; while for larger logos, the border width is 50mm.

Avoid abbreviations as much as possible. When abbreviations must be used, omit the period.

The layout information of wayfinding signs at interchanges is usually patterned.

In the placement of highway wayfinding signs, but also to meet the minimum lateral clearance requirements, at least 1.8m from the outer edge of the shoulder; otherwise, the use of anti-collision pillars or the use of guardrail isolation protection.

There are many kinds of highway wayfinding signs, such as road name and path guidance, interchange and interchange serial number, the next exit, milestone, weighing station, tourism, culture and entertainment, rest area, general service, special service, etc..

It is important to note that general services include food, lodging, gas stations, telephones, hospitals, and so on.

Special services, on the other hand, although they also involve food, lodging, gas stations, etc., their purpose is commercial, such as giving the logo of a particular gas station company.