Were SLOW and REDUCED SPEED ever in the MUTCD?

[cpzilliacus]

Anyone recall the word SLOW (in a yellow diamond sign) and REDUCED SPEED (in a regulatory rectangle)?

Have not seen either for a long time.  Last time I saw a REDUCED SPEED sign might have been on I-95 approaching the Delaware Turnpike tolls before the barrier was reconstructed to allow for high-speed open-road tolling down the middle.

[agentsteel53]

both are commonly found in Massachusetts.  lots of SLOW signs in Boston. 

a brief glance at the 1935 MUTCD shows that SLOW is absent. 

[bugo]

[Alps]

REDUCED SPEED AHEAD is in the regulatory rectangle. I seem to recall REDUCED SPEED in a warning diamond. "SLOW" is covered by the MUTCD language that allows you to use any text on a warning sign.

[roadfro]

I took a cursory look yesterday at all old MUTCDs from present version back through the 1971 edition, and could not find any images of either sign.

The use of "SLOW" on a warning sign never made any sense to me. What exactly is the "slow" I should be looking out for...?


EDIT: Clarified that I looked through the more recent versions, not the pre-1971 manuals.

[cpzilliacus]

REDUCED SPEED AHEAD is in the regulatory rectangle. I seem to recall REDUCED SPEED in a warning diamond. "SLOW" is covered by the MUTCD language that allows you to use any text on a warning sign.

I definitely recall seeing REDUCED SPEED in a rectangle.  Used to be found in Maryland, but were gone by the 1980's.  As I suggested above, the last time I saw them was on the Delaware Turnpike, approaching the mainline barrier, but that was a few years ago.

Agreed regarding SLOW. The ones I recall had nothing else - just SLOW (might make sense to post a lower speed limit instead of a SLOW sign).

[cpzilliacus]

I took a cursory look yesterday at all old MUTCDs through the 1971 edition, and could not find any images of either sign.

Never saw it in any (recent) MUTCD.

The use of "SLOW" on a warning sign never made any sense to me. What exactly is the "slow" I should be looking out for...?

Slow-moving traffic, perhaps?  "Congested Area" might make sense.

Pedestrians?

Bikes?

I agree with your point. 

I am not especially in favor of either of them, but at one time they were rather common in some states.

[mjb2002]

REDUCED SPEED AHEAD is in the regulatory rectangle. I seem to recall REDUCED SPEED in a warning diamond. "SLOW" is covered by the MUTCD language that allows you to use any text on a warning sign.

I definitely recall seeing REDUCED SPEED in a rectangle.  Used to be found in Maryland, but were gone by the 1980's.  As I suggested above, the last time I saw them was on the Delaware Turnpike, approaching the mainline barrier, but that was a few years ago.

Agreed regarding SLOW. The ones I recall had nothing else - just SLOW (might make sense to post a lower speed limit instead of a SLOW sign).

You are right. REDUCED SPEED AHEAD was a white rectangle, though whether the sign was part of the Regulatory Series or Warning Series was debatable prior to December 16, 2009.

[US71]

Mississippi uses these a lot

[DRMan]

Massachusetts used to have a lot of these (in warning diamonds):

     GO
CHILDREN
   SLOW

Often with CHILDREN in a larger font.

[deathtopumpkins]

Massachusetts used to have a lot of these (in warning diamonds):

     GO
CHILDREN
   SLOW

Often with CHILDREN in a larger font.

Still has a lot of those. In fact there's a particularly ancient one on a side street adjacent to the bridge project I'm working on.

[roadman]

Reduced Speed Ahead as a regulatory sign (black on white rectangle) appeared in the MUTCD (R2-5a) from the 1971 edition until the 2003 edition.  Beginning with the 2003 edition, the R2-5a regulatory sign has been replaced with the Advance Speed Zone warning sign (W3-5 series).

[cpzilliacus]

Reduced Speed Ahead as a regulatory sign (black on white rectangle) appeared in the MUTCD (R2-5a) from the 1971 edition until the 2003 edition.  Beginning with the 2003 edition, the R2-5a regulatory sign has been replaced with the Advacne Speed Zone warning sign (W3-5 series).

Thanks!