Draft:Road signs in Ohio

Road signs in Ohio are regulated in the Ohio Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (OMUTCD), the standard for traffic signs, road surface markings, and traffic signals in the U.S. state of Ohio. It is developed by the Ohio Department of Transportation "in substantial conformance to" the national Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) developed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

Adoption and compliance

The first edition of the standard for traffic signs, road surface markings, and traffic signals in the U.S. state of Ohio was published in May 1924. The Ohio Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices was most recently updated on July 21, 2023 (as of July 2023). Ohio is among the ten states to have adopted its own MUTCD "in substantial conformance to" an edition of the national MUTCD, annotated throughout with state-specific modifications and clarifications.

The 11th edition of the MUTCD was released on December 19, 2023 with an effective date of January 18, 2024. Ohio has two years from the effective date to adopt the new OMUTCD, which will consist of the Federal MUTCD and a state-specific supplement with content specific to this state.

Regulatory signs

Regulatory signs give instructions to motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists. Signs including Stop, Yield, No Turns, No Trucks, No Parking, No Stopping, Minimum Speed, Right Turn Only, Do Not Enter, Weight Limit, and Speed Limit are considered regulatory signs. Some have special shapes, such as the octagon for the Stop sign and the crossbuck for railroad crossings. These signs are in the R series of signs in the MUTCD and typically in the R series in most state supplements or state MUTCDs.

R1 series: Stop and yield

The MUTCD's R1 series is for Stop and Yield. The 4-WAY and 3-WAY plaques (R1-3) were deprecated in the 2009 Edition of the MUTCD in favor of the ALL WAY plaque (R1-3P).

• 
  R1-1
  Stop
• 
  R1-2
  Yield
• 
  R1-2aP
  To oncoming traffic (plaque)
• 
  R1-3P
  All way (plaque)
• 
  R1-5
  Yield here to pedestrians
• 
  R1-5a
  Yield here to pedestrians
• 
  R1-6
  In-street pedestrian crossing
• 
  R1-7
  Wait on stop
• 
  R1-8
  Go on slow
• 
  R1-9
  Overhead pedestrian crossing
• 
  R1-10P
  Except right turn (plaque)

R2 series: Speed limit

The MUTCD's R2 series is for speed limit signs. Some state supplements and state MUTCDs place various speed limit signs in other series. Speed limits in the United States are always in miles per hour.

• 
  R2-1
  Speed limit
• 
  R2-H2a
  Vehicles Over 4 Tons Empty / Non Com Buses
• 
  R2-H2b
  Speed Limit 65 / Vehicles Over 4 Tons Empty
• 
  R2-2P
  Truck speed limit (plaque)
• 
  R2-3P
  Night speed limit (plaque)
• 
  R2-4P
  Minimum speed limit (plaque)
• 
  R2-4a
  Combined speed limit
• 
  R2-5P
  Unless otherwise posted (plaque)
• 
  R2-5aP
  Citywide (plaque)
• 
  R2-5bP
  Neighborhood (plaque)
• 
  R2-5cP
  Residential (plaque)
• 
  R2-6bP
  $XX fine (plaque)
• 
  R2-10
  Begin higher/double fines
• 
  R2-11
  End double/higher fines
• 
  R2-H16
  Safety Corridor / Strict Enforcement / Speeding and Distracted Driving
• 
  R2-H17
  Safety Corridor / Strict Enforcement / Speeding and Other Violations

R3 series: Lane usage and turns

The MUTCD's R3 series of signs is for lane usage and turn signs.

For lane control signs (R3-H8b), the following letters and abbreviations are used to designate turns from lanes:

• L: turn left only
• R: turn right only
• T: straight through only
• LT: turn left and straight through
• RT: turn right and straight through
• LTR: turn left, straight through and right turn
• UL: U-turn and turn left
• LU: turn left and U-turn
• X: lane divider

• 
  R3-1
  No right turn
• 
  R3-2
  No left turn
• 
  R3-3
  No turns
• 
  R3-4
  No U-turn
• 
  R3-H4b
  U-Turn permitted
• 
  R3-5L
  Left turn only
• 
  R3-5R
  Right turn only
• 
  R3-5a
  Straight through only
• 
  R3-5b
  Left lane (plaque)
• 
  R3-5cP
  HOV 2+ (plaque)
• 
  R3-5dP
  Taxi lane (plaque)
• 
  R3-5e
  Center lane (plaque)
• 
  R3-5f
  Right lane (plaque)
• 
  R3-5g
  Bus lane (plaque)
• 
  R3-6R
  Optional movement lane control, straight through and right turn
• 
  R3-6L
  Optional movement lane control, straight through and left turn
• 
  R3-H6a
  Lane Use Control Sign (LT) and (TR)
• 
  R3-H8
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-LT) (alternate version)
• 
  R3-H8a
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-LT-R) (alternate version)
• 
  R3-H8b
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-T-R) (alternate version)
• 
  R3-H8ba
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-T)
• 
  R3-H8bb
  Lane Use Control Sign (T-R)
• 
  R3-H8bc
  Lane Use Control Sign (T-T)
• 
  R3-H8bd
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-R)
• 
  R3-H8be
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-L)
• 
  R3-H8bf
  Lane Use Control Sign (R-R)
• 
  R3-H8bg
  Lane Use Control Sign (TR-R)
• 
  R3-H8bh
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-TR)
• 
  R3-H8bj
  Lane Use Control Sign (LT-R)
• 
  R3-H8bk
  Lane Use Control Sign (T-TR)
• 
  R3-H8bm
  Lane Use Control Sign (LT-T)
• 
  R3-H8bn
  Lane Use Control Sign (LT-TR)
• 
  R3-H8bp
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-RR)
• 
  R3-H8bq
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-LR)
• 
  R3-H8bs
  Lane Use Control Sign (LR-R)
• 
  R3-H8bt
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-LTR)
• 
  R3-H8bu
  Lane Use Control Sign (LTR-R)
• 
  R3-H8ca
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-T-T)
• 
  R3-H8cb
  Lane Use Control Sign (T-T-R)
• 
  R3-H8cc
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-L-R)
• 
  R3-H8cd
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-R-R)
• 
  R3-H8ce
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-L-T)
• 
  R3-H8cf
  Lane Use Control Sign (T-R-R)
• 
  R3-H8cg
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-T-TR)
• 
  R3-H8ch
  Lane Use Control Sign (LT-T-R)
• 
  R3-H8chh
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-X-T-T)
• 
  R3-H8cj
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-TR-R)
• 
  R3-H8ck
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-LT-T)
• 
  R3-H8cm
  Lane Use Control Sign (T-TR-R)
• 
  R3-H8cn
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-L-TR)
• 
  R3-H8cp
  Lane Use Control Sign (LT-R-R)
• 
  R3-H8cq
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-LR-R)
• 
  R3-H8cs
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-LTR-R)
• 
  R3-H8ct
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-LT-TR)
• 
  R3-H8cu
  Lane Use Control Sign (LT-TR-R)
• 
  R3-H8cv
  Lane Use Control Sign (T-T-T)
• 
  R3-H8cw
  Lane Use Control Sign (R-R-R)
• 
  R3-H8cx
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-L-L)
• 
  R3-H8cy
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-L-LT)
• 
  R3-H8cz
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-L-LR)
• 
  R3-H8caa
  Lane Use Control Sign (LT-T-T)
• 
  R3-H8cbb
  Lane Use Control Sign (T-T-TR)
• 
  R3-H8ccc
  Lane Use Control Sign (TR-R-R)
• 
  R3-H8cdd
  Lane Use Control Sign (LR-R-R)
• 
  R3-H8cee
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-L-LTR)
• 
  R3-H8cff
  Lane Use Control Sign (LTR-R-R)
• 
  R3-H8cgg
  Lane Use Control Sign (LT-T-TR)
• 
  R3-H8da
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-T-T-R)
• 
  R3-H8db
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-L-T-R)
• 
  R3-H8dc
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-T-R-R)
• 
  R3-H8dd
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-L-T-T)
• 
  R3-H8de
  Lane Use Control Sign (T-T-R-R)
• 
  R3-H8df
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-T-T-TR)
• 
  R3-H8dg
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-L-T-TR)
• 
  R3-H8dh
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-LT-T-T)
• 
  R3-H8dj
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-L-TR-R)
• 
  R3-H8dk
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-L-R-R)
• 
  R3-H8dm
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-T-T-T)
• 
  R3-H8dn
  Lane Use Control Sign (T-T-T-R)
• 
  R3-H8dp
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-LT-T-R)
• 
  R3-H8dq
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-T-TR-R)
• 
  R3-H8dr
  Lane Use Control Sign (T-T-TR-R)
• 
  R3-H8ds
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-X-T-T-R)
• 
  R3-H8dt
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-X-T-T-TR)
• 
  R3-H8du
  Lane Use Control Sign
• 
  R3-H8ea
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-T-T-T-R)
• 
  R3-H8eb
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-L-T-T-R)
• 
  R3-H8ec
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-L-T-T-TR)
• 
  R3-H8ed
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-T-T-T-TR)
• 
  R3-H8fa
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-T-T-T-T-R)
• 
  R3-H8fb
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-L-T-T-T-R)
• 
  R3-H8fc
  Lane Use Control Sign (L-L-T-T-T-TR)
• 
  R3-9a
  Two-Way Left turn only (overhead)
• 
  R3-9b
  Two-Way Left turn only (post-mounted)
• 
  R3-9cP
  BEGIN
• 
  R3-9dP
  END
• 
  R3-9e
  Reversible lane control (symbol)
• 
  R3-9f
  Reversible lane control (post-mounted)
• 
  R3-9g
  Advance reversible lane control transition signing
• 
  R3-9h
  Advance reversible lane control transition signing
• 
  R3-9i
  End Reverse Lane
• 
  R3-10
  Preferential lane vehicle occupancy definition (post-mounted)
• 
  R3-10a
  Preferential lane vehicle occupancy definition (post-mounted)
• 
  R3-11
  Preferential lane operation, high-occupancy vehicles (post-mounted)
• 
  R3-11a
  Preferential lane operation, high-occupancy vehicles (post-mounted)
• 
  R3-11d
  Preferential lane operation (post-mounted)
• 
  R3-11b
  Preferential lane operation, high-occupancy vehicles, full-time (post-mounted)
• 
  R3-12
  Preferential lane ahead, high-occupancy vehicles (post-mounted)
• 
  R3-12a
  Preferential lane ends, high-occupancy vehicles (post-mounted)
• 
  R3-12
  Preferential lane ends, high-occupancy vehicles (post-mounted)
• 
  R3-H12j
  Shoulder/authorized buses only
• 
  R3-13
  Preferential lane vehicle occupancy definition (overhead)
• 
  R3-13a
  Preferential lane vehicle occupancy definition (overhead)
• 
  R3-14
  HOV lane operation (overhead)
• 
  R3-14a
  HOV lane operation (overhead)
• 
  R3-14b
  HOV lane operation (overhead)
• 
  R3-15
  HOV lane ahead (overhead)
• 
  R3-15a
  HOV lane begins XX miles (overhead)
• 
  R3-H16
  PASS / (bicycle symbol) / MIN 3 FT
• 
  R3-17
  Bike lane
• 
  R3-18
  No U or left turn
• 
  R3-23
  All turns from right lane (used at jughandles)
• 
  R3-24
  All turns (diagonal right arrow) (used at jughandles)
• 
  R3-24a
  U and left turns (diagonal right arrow) (used at jughandles)
• 
  R3-27
  No straight through
• 
  R3-29P
  Pay toll (plaque)
• 
  R3-33R
  Right lane must exit
• 
  R3-33L
  Left lane must exit

External links

• Ohio Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices