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Reference.org
Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices
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<p>The <i>Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways</i> (usually referred to as the <i>Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices</i>, abbreviated MUTCD) is a document issued by the <a href="/facts/Federal_Highway_Administration/NlxY1qzR">Federal Highway Administration</a> (FHWA) of the <a href="/facts/United_States_Department_of_Transportation/qgNCJ1tF">United States Department of Transportation</a> (USDOT) to specify the standards by which <a href="/facts/Traffic_sign/yfn9b7Uf">traffic signs</a>, <a href="/facts/Road_surface_marking/yk8thLtL">road surface markings</a>, and <a href="/facts/Traffic_light/v5pwcfsQ">signals</a> are designed, installed, and used. Federal law requires compliance by all traffic control signs and surface markings on roads "open to public travel", including state, local, and privately owned roads (but not parking lots or gated communities). While some state agencies have developed their own sets of standards, including their own MUTCDs, these must substantially conform to the federal MUTCD. </p><p>The MUTCD defines the content and placement of traffic signs, while design specifications are detailed in a companion volume, <i>Standard Highway Signs and Markings</i>. This manual defines the specific dimensions, colors, and fonts of each sign and road marking. The National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (NCUTCD) advises FHWA on additions, revisions, and changes to the MUTCD. </p><p>The United States is among the countries that have not ratified the <a href="/facts/Vienna_Convention_on_Road_Signs_and_Signals/VLh7vjAl">Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals</a>. The first edition of the MUTCD was published in 1935, 33 years before the Vienna Convention was signed in 1968, and 4 years before <a href="/facts/World_War_II/2efV5L1U">World War II</a> started in 1939. The MUTCD differs significantly from the European-influenced Vienna Convention, and an attempt to adopt several of the Vienna Convention's standards during the 1970s led to confusion among many US drivers. </p>