Delaware Administrative Code
Title 2 - Transportation
2000 - Department of Transportation
2400 - Division of Transportation Solutions
2402 - Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD)
Part 2 - Signs
Chapter 2E - GUIDE SIGNS-FREEWAYS AND EXPRESSWAYS
Section 2E.14 - Size and Style of Letters and Signs
Current through Register Vol. 28, No. 3, September 1, 2024
Standard:
01 Except as provided in Section 2A.11, the sizes of freeway and expressway guide signs that have standardized designs shall be as shown in Table 2E-1.
Support:
02 Section 2A.11 contains information regarding the applicability of the various columns in Table 2E-1.
Option:
03 Signs larger than those shown in Table 2E-1 may be used (see Section 2A.11).
Standard:
04 (DE Revision) For all freeway and expressway signs that do not have a standardized design, the message dimensions shall be determined first, and the outside sign dimensions secondarily. Word messages in the legend of expressway guide signs shall be in letters at least 8 inches high. Larger lettering shall be used for major guide signs at or in advance of interchanges and for all overhead signs. Minimum numeral and letter sizes for expressway guide signs according to interchange classification, type of sign, and component of sign legend shall be as shown in Tables 2E-2 and 2E-3. Minimum numeral and letter sizes for freeway guide signs according to interchange classification, type of sign, and component of sign legend shall be as shown in Tables 2E-4 and 2E-5. All names of places, streets, and highways on freeway and expressway guide signs shall be composed of lower-case letters with initial upper-case letters. The letters and the numerals used for negative contrast legends shall be Series E(M) of the "Standard Highway Signs and Markings" book (see Section 1A.11). The letters and the numerals used for positive contrast legends shall be Series E(M) of the "Standard Highway Signs and Markings" book (see Section 1A.11) or Clearview font. The nominal loop height of the lower-case letters shall be 3/4 of the height of the initial upper-case letter (see Paragraph 2 of Section 2D.05 for additional information on the specification of letter heights). Other word legends shall be composed of upper-case letters. Interline and edge spacing shall be as provided in Section 2E.15.
05 Lettering size on freeway and expressway signs shall be the same for both rural and urban conditions.
Support:
06 Sign size is determined primarily in terms of the length of the message and the size of the lettering necessary for proper legibility. Letter style and height, and arrow design have been standardized for freeway and expressway signs to assure uniform and effective application.
07 Designs for upper-case and lower-case alphabets together with tables of recommended letter spacing, are shown in the "Standard Highway Signs and Markings" book (see Section 1A.11).
Guidance:
08 Freeway lettering sizes (see Tables 2E-4 and 2E-5) should be used when expressway geometric design is comparable to freeway standards.
09 Other sign letter size requirements not specifically identified elsewhere in this Manual should be guided by these specifications. Abbreviations (see Section 2E.17) should be kept to a minimum.
Support:
10 A sign mounted over a particular roadway lane to which it applies might have to be limited in horizontal dimension to the width of the lane, so that another sign can be placed over an adjacent lane. The necessity to maintain proper vertical clearance might also place a further limitation on the size of the overhead sign and the legend that can be accommodated.
