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Frequently Asked Questions - Part 5 - Traffic Control Devices for Low-Volume Roads

The following list of questions relates to the MUTCD Part 5 - Traffic Control Devices for Low-Volume Roads:

1. How does part 5 relate to other sections of the MUTCD?
2. Public alleys and some public residential streets (cul-de-sacs, etc.) are very low in traffic volume. Can I use the reduced sign sizes and reduced requirements for signs in Part 5 Low-Volume Roads for the alleys and residential streets in my town?

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Part 5 - Traffic Control Devices for Low-Volume Roads: Frequently Asked Questions

1. Q: How does part 5 relate to other sections of the MUTCD?

A: Part 5 contains specific criteria for traffic control devices that apply only on low-volume rural roads. What qualifies as a low-volume road for purpose of applying Part 5 is specifically defined. Low-volume roads are not neighborhood streets nor alleys. Low-volume roads are those roads lying outside of built-up areas of cities, towns, and communities and shall have a traffic volume of less than 400 AADT. Part 5 supplements and references other parts of the MUTCD. Part 5 contains some less rigorous requirements for low-volume roads than provided elsewhere in the MUTCD.

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2. Q: Public alleys and some public residential streets (cul-de-sacs, etc.) are very low in traffic volume. Can I use the reduced sign sizes and reduced requirements for signs in Part 5 Low-Volume Roads for the alleys and residential streets in my town?

A: No. A key part of the definition of a low-volume road in Section 5A.01 of the MUTCD is stated as: "a facility lying outside of built-up areas of cities, towns, and communities, and it shall have a traffic volume of less than 400 AADT." Alleys and residential streets in a city or town are within the city or town and hence cannot be considered a low volume road for MUTCD Part 5 purposes. The 2009 MUTCD added clarifying text in Section 5A.01 that a low-volume road shall not be a residential street in a neighborhood.

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