Right Idea, Wrong Sign

[lepidopteran]

How about this one, in Laurel, MD?

The "Right Turn Only" sign is typically used at the likes of a parking lot exit, where an impassable median and/or the angle make turning right the only practical option.  The usual signage for this setup is the curved "Only" arrow.

[jakeroot]

How about this one, in Laurel, MD?

The "Right Turn Only" sign is typically used at the likes of a parking lot exit, where an impassable median and/or the angle make turning right the only practical option.  The usual signage for this setup is the curved "Only" arrow.

I would agree. This could also be used leading up to an intersection where the right lane is right-only, mounted on a post. "Right lane must turn right" is more common but I've seen "right turn only" used for that purpose before.

[STLmapboy]

This isn't even the right idea. What the hell is this (W4-1) doing in front of the exit?

[jakeroot]

This isn't even the right idea. What the hell is this (W4-1) doing in front of the exit?

I think it's to warn of the merge just past the exit.

That reminds me of this sign in Tacoma, WA that warns of the right lane ending. Oh, that right lane? Yeah, it's the one joining on the right. As in, none of the lanes visible when you see the sign. Just stupid, and yet further evidence that we continually shoot ourselves in the foot when it comes to encouraging zipper merging by signing merges and lane endings three hundred miles in advance.

[cjk374]

This isn't even the right idea. What the hell is this (W4-1) doing in front of the exit?

Dixie Inn, LA. This merge sign is located at the required distance from the merging on-ramp. It looks weird, but it is proper & correct.

[STLmapboy]

This isn't even the right idea. What the hell is this (W4-1) doing in front of the exit?

Dixie Inn, LA. This merge sign is located at the required distance from the merging on-ramp. It looks weird, but it is proper & correct.

Would it really be that hard to put it after the offramp though?

[jakeroot]

This isn't even the right idea. What the hell is this (W4-1) doing in front of the exit?

Dixie Inn, LA. This merge sign is located at the required distance from the merging on-ramp. It looks weird, but it is proper & correct.

Would it really be that hard to put it after the offramp though?

It would be easy enough, of course, but the stupid rules say to place it a certain distance prior to a merge.

Then again, there could be an exception for situations like this, since I normally only see those merge signs (for RIRO-style ramps) after the off-ramp, like this

[wanderer2575]

Something about this looks a little fishy.  Is it just me?

It's not just you. Those Keep Right signs are meant to go on a median nose. The correct way of doing this would have been to just make one sign: "Wide Loads Keep Right".

A contractor did something similar with a detour "assembly" on I-696 in Pleasant Ridge some years ago:

[wanderer2575]

Northbound US-127 in Addison MI before a sign replacement project several years ago:

[roadfro]

This isn't even the right idea. What the hell is this (W4-1) doing in front of the exit?

Dixie Inn, LA. This merge sign is located at the required distance from the merging on-ramp. It looks weird, but it is proper & correct.

Would it really be that hard to put it after the offramp though?

It would be easy enough, of course, but the stupid rules say to place it a certain distance prior to a merge.

Then again, there could be an exception for situations like this, since I normally only see those merge signs (for RIRO-style ramps) after the off-ramp, like this

Yeah, I'm sure it's a distance requirement issue, or perhaps incorrectly-interpreted distance

It doesn't seem entirely clear based on MUTCD Table 2C-4 what distance should be used... For that Dixie Inn one, if we were to use 65mph, footnote 2 indicates it would be the table's Condition A resulting in a 1200 foot placement for a merge–which is still before the exit, and seems quite unusual...


There's a lot of this phenomenon along Nevada's US 50 & US 50 Alt between Fernley & Fallon. This stretch is mostly four-lane divided, with many High-T intersections. So you'll see the merge/added lane warning sign notifying of the traffic entering on the left side from the side roads. In most (if not all) of these cases, the merge sign comes before the point of the mainline turn–and due to lack of space in the median, is often posted on the right side of the carriageway instead of the left (example).

By comparison, my US 50 Alt example is also 65mph. The measure tool in Google Maps indicated roughly 400 feet from the sign to the physical gore, which seems to correspond to the Table 2C-4 result for a Condition B 20mph deceleration.

[andrepoiy]

Here is a sign somewhere near me. This sign in Ontario is used to indicate which lanes are exit lanes and are really only found on freeways. However, it appears this sign here is being used to indicate that the right lane becomes a turn lane. The correct sign would be a "RIGHT LANE MUST EXIT", so yeah, wrong sign right idea.

The smaller image on the bottom is an example of the correct usage of the sign.

[PurdueBill]

How about this one, in Laurel, MD?

The "Right Turn Only" sign is typically used at the likes of a parking lot exit, where an impassable median and/or the angle make turning right the only practical option.  The usual signage for this setup is the curved "Only" arrow.

I would agree. This could also be used leading up to an intersection where the right lane is right-only, mounted on a post. "Right lane must turn right" is more common but I've seen "right turn only" used for that purpose before.

One could do what Peabody, Mass does a lot and make a custom job for two lanes....it existed from when they redid the intersection and added the signal (late 80s I think I remember? If not, very early 90s) and there were signs on Lowell Street that also had "TURN ONLY".  The westbound LEFT TURN ONLY was changed to a LEFT LANE MUST TURN LEFT in very short order.  The RIGHT TURN ONLY sign eastbound is still there all these years later.  Other boobery when they added the signal included the cabinet being attached to the mast such that it completely blocked the sidewalk.  It was moved to its present location afterward.  The original ground-mounted eastbound signal, an 8-8-8 like the overheads, only lasted a year or two before being knocked down and replaced with a 12-12-12.   

[JoePCool14]

Bringing this thread back from the dead!

IDOT has apparently never heard of chevrons, at least for Sheridan Rd here. I really don't like the practice of spamming these big arrow signs.

https://goo.gl/maps/fwQD1D4PnNBihLXf6

[Scott5114]

Bringing this thread back from the dead!

IDOT has apparently never heard of chevrons, at least for Sheridan Rd here. I really don't like the practice of spamming these big arrow signs.

https://goo.gl/maps/fwQD1D4PnNBihLXf6

This vantage point is pretty confusing. https://www.google.com/maps/@42.1202712,-87.737,3a,75y,55.9h,87.63t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sG3GY1cMfTn6t_Qq0IsTNiw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

[jeffandnicole]

Bringing this thread back from the dead!

IDOT has apparently never heard of chevrons, at least for Sheridan Rd here. I really don't like the practice of spamming these big arrow signs.

https://goo.gl/maps/fwQD1D4PnNBihLXf6

This vantage point is pretty confusing. https://www.google.com/maps/@42.1202712,-87.737,3a,75y,55.9h,87.63t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sG3GY1cMfTn6t_Qq0IsTNiw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Hopefully the driver is looking to their left at the upcoming road, rather than to the right to see the trees.

[LilianaUwU]

A "30 km" distance banner used as a 30 km/h advisory speed sign:

https://goo.gl/maps/o4XZPcJ3oChC4tQ4A

[7/8]

Cross-posting from "erroneous road signs" since kphoger reminded me this thread exists.

Here's one on Huron Road in Kitchener, ON (street view):

The current sign is a Wa-14 "T-Intersection Sign (Uncontrolled)" rotated 90 degrees CCW. The proper sign would be a Wa-13A "Intersection Sign (Controlled)":


In reality, it's a pretty minor difference that most people wouldn't notice, but as a roadgeek, it bugs me a bit.

[bcroadguy]

I think this is an EXCELLENT example of "right idea, wrong sign."

Here, there are two lanes, and the right lane becomes a RIGHT turn only lane at the intersection ahead. After the intersection, the road curves to the LEFT. However, as of 2019, there was a "road curves to the RIGHT yellow diamond" sign.

In 2020 when the road was repaved, this sign was replaced with the standard white-on-black Canadian "right turn only" sign.

[bcroadguy]

I think this is a pretty good example of right idea, wrong sign

https://www.google.com/maps/@48.443862,-123.5266725,3a,25.2y,264.24h,87.51t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s-MOvRIXpyU6KqyHIELrEjw!2e0!5s20180501T000000!7i13312!8i6656

I would say that's the textbook definition of "right idea, wrong sign".

Such a good example, in fact, that it took me several moments to realize the issue.

I posted this over 3 years ago. Originally, a "divided highway begins" sign was posted in the median (instead of a "median: keep right" sign). Now, this sign has been replaced with a "divided highway ends" sign. The "divided highway" does not end until several (new) intersections / roundabouts later. I think Langford, BC needs to learn about "median: keep right" signs.

[CoreySamson]

Huh, looks like this road dead ends ahead:
https://goo.gl/maps/1AZSdBHfniGqv7HK9
Hold up, wait, that's totally the wrong sign for this sort of situation. Maybe a dead end sign would work better. But wait, the sign was right!

I wonder if this situation counts as wrong idea, right sign.

[Big John]

^^ Should be DEAD END sign, red diamond marker

[roadfro]

Huh, looks like this road dead ends ahead:
https://goo.gl/maps/1AZSdBHfniGqv7HK9
Hold up, wait, that's totally the wrong sign for this sort of situation. Maybe a dead end sign would work better. But wait, the sign was right!

I wonder if this situation counts as wrong idea, right sign.

To be fair, there is a "Road Ends" sign upstream: https://goo.gl/maps/6KQjS8k7gqs2BLsa7

But yeah, "stop ahead" and use of the stop sign on the end of road marker is just bizarre.

[PurdueBill]

Huh, looks like this road dead ends ahead:
https://goo.gl/maps/1AZSdBHfniGqv7HK9
Hold up, wait, that's totally the wrong sign for this sort of situation. Maybe a dead end sign would work better. But wait, the sign was right!

I wonder if this situation counts as wrong idea, right sign.

To be fair, there is a "Road Ends" sign upstream: https://goo.gl/maps/6KQjS8k7gqs2BLsa7

But yeah, "stop ahead" and use of the stop sign on the end of road marker is just bizarre.

At least they got rid of the yellow diamond "no parking" and "tow away" signs that were present in the 2016 view. 

[Revive 755]

Left Turn Only At Signal on IN 51 in Hobart instead of a No Left Turn sign near the channelized right turn for the SB to WB right turn.

[wanderer2575]

W1-2R signs used as route direction arrows in Carey, OH: