Standard Highway Signs (2004 Edition)

From the Preface:
Detailed drawings of the Standard Highway Signs
prescribed or provided for in the Manual on Uni-
form Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), 2003 Edi-
tion, have been prepared by the Office of Trans-
portation Operations, Federal Highway Adminis-
tration, U. S. Department of Transportation, for
use by all traffic authorities, agencies, jurisdic-
tions and persons involved with the fabrication,
installation and maintenance of traffic signs on
streets and highways in the United States.
These drawings are presented in English units as
an alternate to metric dimensional designs. They
are provided to promote uniformity in design
throughout the United States in accordance with
Title 23, U.S. Code, Sections 109(b), 109(d) and
402 (a), and Highway Safety Program Standard
13, “Traffic Engineering Services”. As stated in
the MUTCD, “Uniformity in design includes
shape, color, dimensions, legends and
retroreflection. This manual shows typical signs
approved for use on streets and highways. De-
tailed drawings of these and other approved signare available to State and local highway and traf-
fic authorities and similarly interested agencies.
All symbols shall be unmistakably similar to
those shown and where a word message is appli-
cable, the wording shall be as herein provided
unless alternative wording is optional. Most standard symbols are oriented facing left; however,
this does not preclude the use of mirror images
of these symbols where the reverse orientation
might better convey a direction of movement to
vehicle operators. Standardization of these de-
signs does not preclude further improvements by
minor changes in the proportion of the symbols,
width of borders, or layout of word messages, but
all shapes and colors shall be as indicated.
The format for the English and metric versions of
the SHS has a basis in English units.