Discontinuous Downhill Grade Signage

[Bitmapped]

Maryland has installed new signage on I-68 eastbound heading into Cumberland showing a 14-mile grade starting at Finzel. Altogether, there is about a 2000-foot drop in elevation.

This stretch of I-68 is not a continuous downgrade. The first signs appear before a 1.5 mile-long uphill stretch. Then there are 3.5 miles downhill, a mile steeply uphill with a climbing lane, 4.8 miles downhill, another mile uphill with a climbing lane, followed by 2.7 miles downhill into downtown Cumberland.

Is there guidance on how long interrupted downhill grades should be signed? I didn't see anything in the MUTCD. I understand it's helpful for truckers to know the overall grade is very long, but it seems like knowledge there are interruptions would be useful. It's also kind of awkward having signage showing downhill grades when you're at the base of a mile-long uphill.

[MASTERNC]

Maryland has installed new signage on I-68 eastbound heading into Cumberland showing a 14-mile grade starting at Finzel. Altogether, there is about a 2000-foot drop in elevation.

This stretch of I-68 is not a continuous downgrade. The first signs appear before a 1.5 mile-long uphill stretch. Then there are 3.5 miles downhill, a mile steeply uphill with a climbing lane, 4.8 miles downhill, another mile uphill with a climbing lane, followed by 2.7 miles downhill into downtown Cumberland.

Is there guidance on how long interrupted downhill grades should be signed? I didn't see anything in the MUTCD. I understand it's helpful for truckers to know the overall grade is very long, but it seems like knowledge there are interruptions would be useful. It's also kind of awkward having signage showing downhill grades when you're at the base of a mile-long uphill.

The grade on I-70 into Denver from the west has several stretches where the road seems to flatten out but there are reminders using blunt language ("Don't Be Fooled" and "Truckers: You Are Not Down Yet" are the most famous examples) warning truckers the downgrade isn't done.

[paulthemapguy]

Of the two approaches mentioned so far, the Colorado approach is far superior, in my opinion. I like that a lot.

[oscar]

Another option, for shorter downgrades where the grade increases part way down, is used in some places in Quebec:

http://www.alaskaroads.com/QC381-variable-grade-sign-DSC_1126.jpg

[ozarkman417]

I-80 at Donner Pass warns drivers of the downgrades present over the next forty miles as the road heads out of the Sierras. Over that span, the elevation decreases by about 4000 feet. Some sections of that 40 are quite flat, and the downgrades are denoted by signs like this.

[Bitmapped]

I-80 at Donner Pass warns drivers of the downgrades present over the next forty miles as the road heads out of the Sierras. Over that span, the elevation decreases by about 4000 feet. Some sections of that 40 are quite flat, and the downgrades are denoted by signs like this.

I prefer this approach to what MD SHA did on I-68. Warn up-front of the overall grade, but then sign the downhill segments individually.