Traffic Engineering

- Is the science of measuring traffic and travel, the study of the basic laws relative to the
flow and generation, and the application of this knowledge to the professional practice of
planning, and the operating traffic systems to achieve safe and efficient movement of
persons and goods.
Traffic Engineers
- Are specialists at understanding and changing the technical aspects of road design to
maximize traffic flow and reduce congestion.
Traffic Control Devices
- Include street signs, traffic signals, and road markings. These signs, signals and stripes
guide drivers in navigation and control of their vehicles.
Traffic Signs
- It provides local information to drivers. It is made from reflective material in high-contrast
colors, they are highly visible in headlights at night.
The Standard Colors for Signs
1. Red – used as a background for STOP signs, as border color on GIVE WAY signs,
warning signs and prohibitive signs in the regulatory type.
2. Black – used as a legend color for signs having white, yellow, orange fluorescent
orange, fluorescent yellow green background and as chevron for hazard markers.
3. Yellow – used as the background color for road work signs.
4. White – the background color for most signs and legends for some colored background.
5. Fluorescent Yellow Green – used as background color for signs related to pedestrian
movement, school zones, and roadwork hazard markers to give additional emphasis and
guidance to vehicle operations.
6. Fluorescent Orange – used as background color for road work signs whose legends
relate to personnel working.
7. Green – used as background color for directional and guide signs.
8. Blue – used as a background color for service signs.
9. Brown – reserved as a background color for all tourist facility directional and information
signs.

Types of Traffic/Road Signs

A. Regulatory Signs – these signs require the driver to obey the signs for the safety of
other road users. These signs are also called mandatory signs because they inform
users of a law, and drivers must obey these signs.
a. Right of Way Series – this includes 2 unique signs that assign the right of way
to the selected approaches of an intersection.
b. Speed Series – it includes typical speed limit signs, truck speed, minimum speed
signs, etc.
 c. Movement Series/Directional Signs – contains a number of signs that affect
specific vehicle maneuvers. These includes turn signs, alignment signs,
exclusion signs, one way signs, etc.
d. Stopping signs and Parking series – includes parking signs which indicate not
only parking prohibitions or restrictions, but also indicate places where parking is
permitted, the type of vehicle to be parked, duration for parking, etc.
e. Prohibitive/Restrictive Signs – it indicates no entry for either all vehicles or
specific traffic units. It also indicates movements that are not allowed on the
particular segment of the road.
f. Pedestrian Series – it includes both legend and symbol signs. These signs are
meant for the safety of pedestrians and include signs indicating pedestrian only
roads, pedestrian crossing sites, etc.
g. Miscellaneous sign – it indicates road closures, signs restricting vehicles
carrying hazardous cargo or substances, signs indicating vehicle weight, and
height limitations, etc.

B. Warning Signs – these signs are for safety and inform users of hazards. It is also
known as cautionary signs that give information to the driver about the impending road
condition.
a. Horizontal Alignment
i. Sharp Turn – used in advance of a hard curve where motorists are
required to slow down substantially due to road geometry.
ii. Curve Sign – used in advance of a substandard curve or a curve that
may not be evident along a reasonable straight section of the road.
iii. Revers Curve – used where two curves in opposite directions.
iv. Winding Road – is used where there is a series of closely spaced
curves.
v. Hairpin Bend – used to warn about an approaching curve with an almost
180-degree bend.
b. Road Width Signs
i. Divide Road – used to warn motorists of the approach to a divided road
when median island is more than 300m in length.
ii. End Divided Road – used at the end of a section of divided road as
warning of two-way traffic ahead.
c. Road Obstacle Signs
i. Steep Descent – used in advance of a downgrade where vehicle speeds
are likely to increase to an extent that would make a vehicle difficult to
control.
ii. Slippery – used to warn motorists of sections of road where the
pavement may become slippery.
d. Other Warning Signs
i. Low Clearance Signs – installed on structures where the vertical above
the road pavement is 4.4m or less to warn motorists of the restricted
height of the approaching structures.
C. Informative Signs – these signs provide information to the driver about the facilities
available ahead, and the route and distance to reach the specific destinations. These are
also called guide signs.
a. Route Markers – are used to identify numbered highways. They have designs
that are distinctive and unique. They are written in black letters on a yellow
background.
b. Destinations Signs – are used to indicate the direction to the critical destination
points, and to mark important intersections.
c. Service Guide Signs – gives information to the driver regarding various services
such as food, fuel, medical assistance, etc.
d. Tourist Information and Tourist Destination Signs – are written on white
letters with a brown background.

D. Signs on Expressways – these signs are important for the driver to have an advanced
information to ensure that they can position their vehicles in the correct lanes while
driving on an expressway.
a. Expressway Approach Signs – these are signs installed in advance or at the
nearest intersection or interchange leading to the expressway.
b. Expressway Information Signs – includes lane direction, toll charges, and
prohibited on expressways signs.
c. Advance exit signs – these signs are placed advance of an exit.
d. Expressway Exit Direction Signs – signs posted overhead before the exit ramp
of the interchange.
e. Expressway Service Signs – these signs include advance information for
service centre, truck parking services and other services.
f. Expressway Traffic Instruction and Regulatory Signs – these special signs
are normally seen exclusively for expressways.

E. Traffic Instructions Signs – these are signs used to instruct the motorists to follow a
direction or to obey a course of action, in conjunction with regulatory or warning signs to
form a standard treatment, and support the operation of traffic rules.
a. Supplementary Signs – signs indicating supplementary instructions.
b. Movement Instruction Signs – signs that prescribes movement for the motorist.

F. Hazard Markers – these are used to emphasize to the approaching driver a marked
change in the direction of travel and the presence of an obstruction.
a. One-way Hazard Markers - it indicates to the approaching driver the only
direction allowed at the end of the road.
b. Two-way Hazard Markers – it warns the driver ahead that the road ahead is
about to change direction.
c. Width Marker – it warns drivers about narrowing width clearance.
d. Obstruction Markers – it warns drivers about road closure ahead.