Guide and Informational Signs
Guide and Informational Signs help you navigate and find services; they do not usually impose a legal command. Green signs give destinations, distances, route continuations, and exit information. Blue signs identify motorist services such as gas, food, lodging, and hospitals. Brown signs point to recreation, cultural, or scenic areas. Route markers identify the road you are on, and exit numbers in Oregon generally match mileposts, which increase northbound and eastbound on the main interstates.
Core rules and concepts
- Read guide signs from top to bottom and plan lane changes early; exit direction signs often appear before the exit ramp.
- An advance exit sign gives the exit number and destination; the exit number is a location reference, not a distance or speed.
- Blue service signs are informational; a hospital sign does not grant you priority or an exemption from traffic law.
- Brown signs are for parks, trails, and attractions, not for commercial services.
- Route markers and mileposts help you confirm direction and report your location.
Worked example
You see a green sign reading EXIT 25 CITY CENTER 1 MILE, followed by a blue sign with a gas pump and lodging symbols. The green sign tells you the exit is one mile ahead and serves the city center; the blue sign tells you those services are available at that exit. Neither sign changes the speed limit or gives you the right to cut across a solid white line at the last moment.
Traps
Do not treat a destination sign as a lane command unless it includes an arrow or lane assignment. Do not confuse an exit number with the distance to the exit. Do not follow a blue service sign without checking the arrow or distance plaque. In heavy traffic, a missed exit is safer than a late lane change across a gore area.