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Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) arrows logo

Chapter 2H. Recreational and Cultural Interest Area Signs

Section 2H.01 Scope

Support:
Recreational or cultural interest areas are attractions or traffic generators that are open to the general public for the purpose of play, amusement, or relaxation. Recreational attractions include such facilities as parks, campgrounds, gaming facilities, and ski areas, while examples of cultural attractions include museums, art galleries, and historical buildings or sites.

The purpose of recreation and cultural interest area signs is to guide road users to a general area and then to specific facilities or activities within the area.

Option:
Recreational and cultural interest area signs that depict significant traffic generators may be used on freeways and expressways where there is direct access to these areas as discussed in Section 2H.09.

Recreational and cultural interest area signs may be used off the road network, as appropriate.

Section 2H.02 Application of Recreational and Cultural Interest Area Signs

Support:
Standards for signing recreational or cultural interest areas are subdivided into two different types of signs: (1) symbol signs and (2) destination guide signs.

Guidance:
When highway agencies decide to provide recreational and cultural interest area signing, these agencies should have a policy for such signing. The policy should establish signing criteria for the eligibility of the various types of services, accommodations, and facilities. These signs should not be used where they might be confused with other traffic control signs.

Option:
Recreational and cultural interest area signs may be used on any road to direct persons to facilities, structures, and places, and to identify various services available to the general public. These signs may also be used in recreational or cultural interest areas for signing nonvehicular events and amenities such as trails, structures, and facilities.

Section 2H.03 Regulatory and Warning Signs

Standard:
All regulatory and warning signs installed on public roads and streets within recreational and cultural interest areas shall conform to the requirements of Chapters 2A, 2B, and 2C.

Section 2H.04 General Design Requirements for Recreational and Cultural Interest Area Symbol Signs

Standard:
Recreational and cultural interest area symbol signs shall be square or rectangular in shape and shall have a white symbol or message and white border on a brown background. The symbols shall be grouped into the following usage and series categories (see the "Standard Highway Signs" book for design details):

  1. General Information (RG Series)
  2. Motorist Services (RM Series)
  3. Accommodation Services (RA Series)
  4. Land Recreation (RL series)
  5. Water Recreation (RW Series), and
  6. Winter Recreation (RS Series)

Support:
Table 2H-1 contains a listing of the symbols within each series category. Drawings for these symbols are found in the "Standard Highway Signs" book (see Section 1A.11).

Option:
Mirror images of symbols may be used where the reverse image will better convey the message.

Table 2H-1. Category Chart for Symbols
General Information empty cell
Automobile RG-010
Bear Viewing Area RG-020
Dam RG-030
Deer Viewing Area RG-040
Drinking Water RG-050
Environmental Study Area RG-060
Falling Rocks * RG-070
Firearms RG-080
Fish Hatchery RG-090
Information RG-100
Leashed Pets * RG-110
Lighthouse RG-120
Litter Container RG-130
Lookout Tower RG-140
Ped Xing * RG-150
Point of Interest RG-160
Ranger Station RG-170
Smoking * RG-180
Truck RG-190
Tunnel RG-200
Dog RG-240
Seaplane RG-260
empty cell empty cell
Motorist Services empty cell
Camping (Tent) RM-010
Camping (Trailer) RM-020
Ferry RM-030
First Aid RM-040
Food RM-050
Gas RM-060
Grocery Store RM-070
Handicapped RM-080
Lodging RM-090
Mechanic RM-100
Post Office RM-110
Picnic Area RM-120
Picnic Shelter RM-130
Rest Room RM-140
Telephone RM-150
Trailer Sanitary Station RM-160
Viewing Area RM-170
Motor Home RM-200
Group Camping RM-210
Group Picnicking RM-220
   
Accommodation Services  
Airport RA-010
Bus Stop RA-020
Campfire RA-030
Elevator * RA-040
Kennel RA-050
Laundry RA-060
Locker * RA-070
Parking RA-080
Rest Room (Men) * RA-090
Rest Room (Women) * RA-100
Shelter (Sleeping) * RA-110
Shelter (Trail) * RA-120
Showers * RA-130
Family Rest Room * RA-150
Helicopter RA-160
   
Land Recreation  
Amphitheater RL-010
Climbing RL-020
Climbing (Rock) RL-030
Hunting RL-040
Playground RL-050
Rock Collecting RL-060
Spelunking RL-070
Stable RL-080
Trail (Bicycle) RL-090
Trail (Hiking) RL-100
Trail (Horse) RL-110
Trail (Interpretive, Auto) RL-120
Trail (Interpretive, Ped.) RL-130
Trail/Road (4 WD Veh.) RL-140
Trail (Trail Bike) RL-150
Tramway RL-160
All-Terrain Vehicle RL-170
Archer RL-190
Hang Glider RL-210
   
Water Recreation  
Boat Tours RW-010
Canoeing RW-020
Diving RW-030
Diving (Scuba) RW-040
Fishing RW-050
Marine Recreation Area RW-060
Motorboating RW-070
Ramp (Launch) RW-080
Rowboating RW-090
Sailboating RW-100
Skiing (water) RW-110
Surfing RW-120
Swimming RW-130
Wading RW-140
Fishing Pier RW-160
Hand Launch RW-170
Kayak RW-190
Wind Surf RW-210
   
Winter Recreation  
Skating (ice) RS-010
Ski Jumping RS-020
Skiing (Bobbing) RS-030
Skiing (Cross Country) RS-040
Skiing (Downhill) RS-050
Sledding RS-060
Snowmobiling RS-070
Snowshoeing RS-080
Winter Recreation Area RS-090
Chairlift RS-100
* For Non-Road Use

Section 2H.05 Symbol Sign Sizes

Guidance:
Recreational and cultural interest area symbol signs should be 600 x 600 mm (24 x 24 in). Where greater visibility or emphasis is needed, larger sizes should be used. Symbol sign enlargements should be in 150 mm (6 in) increments.

Recreational and cultural interest area symbol signs should be 750 x 750 mm (30 x 30 in) when used on freeways or expressways.

Option:
A smaller size of 450 x 450 mm (18 x 18 in) may be used on low-speed, low-volume roadways and on nonroad applications.

Section 2H.06 Use of Educational Plaques

Guidance:
Educational plaques should accompany all initial installations of recreational and cultural interest area symbol signs. The educational plaque should remain in place for at least 3 years after the initial installation. If used, the educational plaque should be the same width as the symbol sign.

Option:
Symbol signs that are readily recognizable by the public may be installed without educational plaques.

Support:
Figure 2H-1 illustrates some examples of the use of educational plaques.

Figure 2H-1 Examples of Use of Educational Plaques, Prohibitory Slashes, and Arrows

Thumbnail image of Figure 2H-1

Section 2H.07 Use of Prohibitive Slash

Standard:
The red diagonal slash, if used on a recreational and cultural interest area sign, shall be placed from the upper left corner to the lower right corner of the sign face (see Figure 2H-1). Requirements for retroreflection of the red slash shall be the same as those requirements for legends, symbols, and borders.

Option:
Where it is necessary to indicate a restriction within a recreational or cultural interest area, a red diagonal slash may be used to indicate that the activity is prohibited.

Support:
Figure 2H-1 illustrates some examples of the use of the prohibitive slashes.

Section 2H.08 Placement of Recreational and Cultural Interest Area Symbol Signs

Standard:
If used, recreational and cultural interest area symbol signs shall be placed in accordance with the general requirements contained in Chapter 2A. The symbol(s) shall be placed in the uppermost part of the sign assembly and the directional information shall be placed below the symbol(s).

Where the name of the recreational or cultural interest area facility or activity is shown on a general directional guide sign and a symbol is used, the symbol shall be placed below the name (see Figure 2H-2).

Recreational and cultural interest area symbols installed for nonroad use shall be placed in accordance with the general sign position requirements of the authority having jurisdiction.

Figure 2H-2 Examples of General Directional Guide Signs for Conventional Roads

Thumbnail image of Figure 2H-2

Support:
Figure 2H-3 illustrates typical height and lateral mounting positions. Figure 2H-4 illustrates some examples of placement of symbol signs within a recreational or cultural interest area. Figure 2H-5 illustrates some of the symbols that can be used.

Figure 2H-3 Height and Lateral Position of Signs Located Within Recreational and Cultural Interest Areas

Thumbnail image of Figure 2H-3

Figure 2H-4 Examples of Symbol Signing Layout

Thumbnail image of Figure 2H-4

Figure 2H-5 Recreational and Cultural Interest Area Symbol Signs (5 Sheets)

Thumbnail image of Figure 2H-5, Sheet 1    Thumbnail image of Figure 2H-5, Sheet 2

Thumbnail image of Figure 2H-5, Sheet 3    Thumbnail image of Figure 2H-5, Sheet 4

Thumbnail image of Figure 2H-5, Sheet 5

Guidance:
The number of symbols used in a single sign assembly should not exceed four.

Option:
Symbols for recreational or cultural interest areas may be used as legend components for a directional sign assembly. The symbols may be used singularly, or in groups of two, three, or four on a single sign assembly (see Figures 2H-1, 2H-3, and 2H-4). Smaller-size secondary symbols (see Figure 2H-1) may be placed beneath the primary symbols, where needed.

Section 2H.09 Destination Guide Signs

Guidance:
When recreational or cultural interest area destinations are shown on supplemental guide signs, the sign should be rectangular or trapezoidal in shape. The order of preference for use of shapes and colors should be as follows: (1) rectangular with a white legend and border on a green background; (2) rectangular with a white legend and border on a brown background; or (3) trapezoidal with a white legend and border on a brown background.

Standard:
Whenever the trapezoidal shape is used, the color combination shall be a white legend and border on a brown background.

Option:
White-on-brown destination guide signs may be posted at the first point where an access or crossroad intersects a highway where recreational or cultural interest areas are a significant destination along conventional roads, expressways, or freeways. White-on-brown supplemental guide signs may be used along conventional roads, expressways, or freeways to direct road users to recreational or cultural interest areas. Where access or crossroads lead exclusively to the recreational or cultural interest area, the advance guide sign and the exit direction sign may be white-on-brown.

Standard:
Linear parkway-type highways that primarily function as arterial connectors, even if they also provide access to recreational or cultural interest areas, shall not qualify for the use of white-on-brown destination guide signs. Directional guide signs used on these highways shall conform to Chapter 2D.

All gore signs shall have a white legend and border on a green background. The background color of the interchange exit number panel shall match the background color of the guide sign. Design characteristics of conventional road, expressway, or freeway guide signs shall conform to Chapter 2D or 2E except as specified in this Section for color combination.

The advance guide sign and the Exit Direction sign shall retain the white-on-green color combination where the crossroad leads to a destination other than a recreational or cultural interest area.

Support:
Figure 2H-2 illustrates destination guide signs commonly used for identifying recreational or cultural interest areas or facilities.

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