U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
400 Seventh St., S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20590

June 11, 2003

Refer to: HOTO-1

Mr. Kenneth W. Heathington
President
Applied Research Associates
7653 Charlton Drive
Knoxville, TN 37920

RE: Request for Interpretation 2-522(I)- Application of STOP and YIELD Signs at the Same Intersection

Dear Mr. Heathington:

Thank you for your May 14 letter to the Office of Transportation Operations. You posed a question regarding the use of both a STOP and a YIELD sign for the same intersection. For record keeping purposes, the official ruling number and titled shown above are assigned to your inquiry.

As noted in your letter, Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) Section 2B.06 and 2B. 10 indicate that the STOP sign and Yield Sign shall not be mounted on the same post. Your question specifically addressed whether or not the STOP sign and Yield sign can both be used at the same intersection for the same approach even though they are installed on different posts. The answer to your question is no. We agree that the intent of the current text might be misleading and is not very clear. In a future edition of the MUTCD we will modify the text to clarify that:

"STOP signs and YIELD signs shall not be mounted on the same post or applied to the same traffic lane. For geometric designs which separate the approach lanes such as a right turning lane separated from the through traffic lanes by a island, it is our interpretation that YIELD control can be applied to the right turning lane(s) while STOP control applies to the through lane(s). Where the through lanes are not separated from the turning lanes, STOP and YIELD control can not be concurrently applied to the same lanes."

We appreciate your bringing this to our attention. If you have further questions, you may contact Mr. Fred Ranck of the Federal Highway Administration MUTCD team at 708-283-3545.

Sincerely yours,
/s/
Shelley J. Row, P.E.
Director, Office of Transportation Operations