Signs and Pavement Markings - IMSA Signs & Markings II
IMSA Signs & Markings II tests applied MUTCD knowledge: choosing the right sign or marking, sizing it for the road class, placing it correctly, and keeping it in service.
Sign shape, color, and size
Shape and color carry meaning before the legend is legible: octagon for STOP, downward triangle for YIELD, pennant for No Passing Zone, diamond for warning, round for railroad advance warning, crossbuck at the crossing. White-on-red prohibits, black-on-yellow warns, black-on-orange is temporary, white-on-green guides, yellow-green marks school and pedestrian areas. Minimum sizes scale with road class - a STOP is at least 30 × 30 in on a conventional road and larger on expressways and freeways. Retroreflectivity is a maintenance duty: use a recognized method (nighttime inspection, measured readings, or blanket replacement) and document it.
Placement and supports
Signs sit on the right, facing traffic, with the near edge offset from the traveled way and a larger offset on high-speed roads. Bottom of sign is typically 5 ft in rural areas and 7 ft in urban areas where pedestrians or parking occur; breakaway or yielding supports are used at higher speeds.
Pavement markings
White separates same-direction traffic and marks the right edge; yellow separates opposing traffic and marks the left edge of a divided highway. Longitudinal lines are 4 in wide, with 6-in edge lines on freeways. Broken-line patterns shorten as speed drops; dotted lines (short marks and gaps) extend lane lines through intersections and interchanges. Stop bars are 12–24 in wide across the approach lanes; crosswalk lines 6–24 in, with longitudinal bars for the continental pattern.
Worked example
A 45 mph rural two-lane road gets a no-passing zone at a curve. The restriction is signed with pennants and marked with a solid yellow line on the restricted side; the curve gets a diamond warning sign sized for a conventional road; advance distance comes from the MUTCD speed table, not habit. Then confirm offset and breakaway mounting.
Traps
Treating "should" as "shall"; sizing to the wrong road class; signing a no-passing zone without the matching solid line; reusing a highway-speed broken-line pattern on a low-speed street.