Dead End vs. No Outlet

[kphoger]

So "dead end" means that the street will end without reaching any other street.

"No outlet" means that the street will branch out to other streets, but all of those streets will eventually lead to dead ends.

No.  As I've already explained. . .

In the illustration above, the pink road could have a NO OUTLET sign, even though neither it nor any of the roads it connects to are dead-end streets.

[paulthemapguy]

Section 2C.26 in the MUTCD:

"The DEAD END (W14-1) sign (see Figure 2C-5) may be used at the entrance of a single road or street that terminates in a dead end or cul-de-sac.  The NO OUTLET (W14-2) sign (see Figure 2C-5) may be used at the entrance to a road or road network from which there is no other exit."

Since it says "road or road network" for the NO OUTLET sign, either sign would be appropriate for a single roadway that terminates without any further junctions. But this is the ONLY application of a DEAD END sign, which would explain why NO OUTLET signs are more abundant in my experiences.

A road may have a NO OUTLET sign posted if it has junctions further ahead, but all of those junctions lead to either more dead ends or complete circuits that require you to pass by the sign in order to access anything else in the world.  It isn't entirely truthful to say that all junctions beyond the NO OUTLET sign lead to other dead-ends, because there may be some loops and circuits back there.  All a NO OUTLET sign says is that "you're gonna have to come back this way to get out."

[Flint1979]

Is there a reason Arcola Avenue is mentioned there? I see where Arcola Avenue is at and where this sign is at doesn't even lead to Arcola Avenue.

Isn't that the point of the sign? You can't get to Arcola Avenue by the way marked with the sign.

Arcola Avenue doesn't even cross over there so there really is no point in the sign.

[Flint1979]

Section 2C.26 in the MUTCD:

"The DEAD END (W14-1) sign (see Figure 2C-5) may be used at the entrance of a single road or street that terminates in a dead end or cul-de-sac.  The NO OUTLET (W14-2) sign (see Figure 2C-5) may be used at the entrance to a road or road network from which there is no other exit."

Since it says "road or road network" for the NO OUTLET sign, either sign would be appropriate for a single roadway that terminates without any further junctions. But this is the ONLY application of a DEAD END sign, which would explain why NO OUTLET signs are more abundant in my experiences.

A road may have a NO OUTLET sign posted if it has junctions further ahead, but all of those junctions lead to either more dead ends or complete circuits that require you to pass by the sign in order to access anything else in the world.  It isn't entirely truthful to say that all junctions beyond the NO OUTLET sign lead to other dead-ends, because there may be some loops and circuits back there.  All a NO OUTLET sign says is that "you're gonna have to come back this way to get out."

You're pretty spot on.

[kphoger]

I agree.  I'm not sure why a driver would even need to know that street doesn't lead to Arcola.

That is to say, Arcola Avenue is...

not likely where you want to go

[Flint1979]

I agree.  I'm not sure why a driver would even need to know that street doesn't lead to Arcola.

That is to say, Arcola Avenue is...

not likely where you want to go

Right. Especially when Arcola ends at the street that you would be coming off of and doesn't even go through there.

[MNHighwayMan]

I agree.  I'm not sure why a driver would even need to know that street doesn't lead to Arcola.

Right. Especially when Arcola ends at the street that you would be coming off of and doesn't even go through there.

I assumed that it might be the expectation of drivers who are not intimately familiar with the area.

[1995hoo]

Some streets in my area have "No Access to Route 1"  yellow warning signs posted. Example linked below. In this case, I think it's because maps make it look like you can connect through to Lockheed Boulevard and thence to Route 1 by using Bedrock Road, but that street is blocked by planter-like obstructions, I assume to stop speeding cut-through traffic.

https://goo.gl/maps/9BtDWq8zAo62

In that case, this sign makes sense. There is another nearby place–see below–that has the same type of sign where it doesn't seem to make sense because it's never connected to Route 1 and never will, but I guess the idea is to say you'll have to come back to Telegraph Road if you go down there. (I don't know whether once upon a time it was planned to connect, but the map makes it look like it might have been proposed. I imagine froggie might know.)

https://goo.gl/maps/Uu1nQHJp7gG2

[mrsman]

I agree.  I'm not sure why a driver would even need to know that street doesn't lead to Arcola.

Right. Especially when Arcola ends at the street that you would be coming off of and doesn't even go through there.

I assumed that it might be the expectation of drivers who are not intimately familiar with the area.

To address the Arcola questions, since I brought it up and live nearby, I thought I would address the issue.

University Blvd westbound in this area generally moves pretty well, but slows down right in front of the high school.  A lot of University Blvd traffic makes the turn onto Arcola.  Many of these drivers may be encouraged to turn onto side streets to avoid congestion and make a short cut through residential neighborhood.  But it simply won't work because there is no connection and the sign warns you of that.

It is very common to be able to "cut the corner" by making a right, a left, and another right to avoid a congested intersection.  If the area is a normal grid, this is easily done (but if too many people do it, the neighbors won't like it and they will probably institute turn restrictions during rush hour).  But in the deep suburbs, it's sometimes physically impossible. 

And yes not everyone has a map or GPS or familiarity with the area.  So having a sign like this lets you know that you'll just have to sit through high school traffic because there is no shortcut to Arcola.

[Flint1979]

I think this one makes sense. Since you are on 11 Mile Road and 11 Mile picks up at Farmington Road. 11 Mile is very discontiguous in this area but from the Mixing Bowl interchange to Jefferson it never breaks up.

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.4835276,-83.400176,3a,15y,109h,86.98t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sLvempcqXP_itf_HdQcFQ2Q!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DLvempcqXP_itf_HdQcFQ2Q%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D150.39117%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e1

[tolbs17]

Some dead end signs are posted at the end of the street. But right now, they use red diamonds.

No outlet means it can connect to several streets, but no way out to a main road.

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.383843,-77.8646529,3a,15y,99.75h,87.02t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1skWehgvvRFPsH-w-QbOrClg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

So this connects to one street, and is a dead end and not a NO OUTLET sign?

Edit: it's just dirt, so no need to change the sign.

[andrepoiy]

In Ontario, we have just a "NO EXIT" sign for both situations.

[MCRoads]

In my neighborhood, we have both. Entering my subdivision you see a NO OUTLET sign, and a little further on, on the same road, there is a DEAD END sign, as the road ends in a Cul-De-Sac.

[roadfro]

Some dead end signs are posted at the end of the street. But right now, they use red diamonds.

No outlet means it can connect to several streets, but no way out to a main road.

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.383843,-77.8646529,3a,15y,99.75h,87.02t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1skWehgvvRFPsH-w-QbOrClg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

The red diamonds are not "dead end" signs in the sense of the typical warning signs being discussed in this thread. They are object markers, and the red ones specifically are meant to mark the actual end of a roadway.

[tolbs17]

Some dead end signs are posted at the end of the street. But right now, they use red diamonds.

No outlet means it can connect to several streets, but no way out to a main road.

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.383843,-77.8646529,3a,15y,99.75h,87.02t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1skWehgvvRFPsH-w-QbOrClg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

The red diamonds are not "dead end" signs in the sense of the typical warning signs being discussed in this thread. They are object markers, and the red ones specifically are meant to mark the actual end of a roadway.

honestly, I did not know.

[tolbs17]

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.7656954,-78.483095,3a,19.8y,41.66h,84.58t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s4eczodCjcihDTePvC59SIg!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3D4eczodCjcihDTePvC59SIg%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D43.918842%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656

Why are these diamonds yellow and not red?

[Big John]

^^ Contractor error?

[tolbs17]

^^ Contractor error?

I guess we will have to contact them.

[GaryV]

They probably had some blank road signs hanging around and thought, "These'll do."

[roadfro]

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.7656954,-78.483095,3a,19.8y,41.66h,84.58t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s4eczodCjcihDTePvC59SIg!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3D4eczodCjcihDTePvC59SIg%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D43.918842%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656

Why are these diamonds yellow and not red?

They probably had some blank road signs hanging around and thought, "These'll do."

That's my guess. Those are definitely sign-sized, larger than your standard object marker that is supposed to be used in that situation.