Signs and Symbols in Urban Planning

Signs and Symbols
In Urban Planning
Signs and symbols
 Can be a word, a drawing, an object or an action, which

communicates a piece of action, which communicates a
piece of information
 This has many advantages over written instructions.
 People who talk different languages can understand the
same common signs.
 Instructions for some tasks can be clearer when given as
drawings.
 Signs & symbols are commonly used in everyday situations.
SAFETY COLORS
 Safety red  Safety yellow
 Fire  Caution
 Danger
 Stop  Safety green
 Safety
 Safety orange
 Warning  Safety blue
 Notice
Signs and symbols
There are different families of signs. These are:

 Mandatory signs
 Prohibition signs
 Warning signs
Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals
The Convention on Road Signs

and Signals, commonly known as
the Vienna Convention on Road
Signs and Signals, is a multilateral
treaty designed to increase road
safety and aid international road
traffic by standardising the signing
system for road traffic (road
signs, traffic lights and road
markings) in use internationally.
Mandatory signs:
These signs are blue in colour. They give a positive instruction. In

other words they tell you what to do rather than what not to do.
Mandatory signs:
Mandatory signs are a

subset of the regulatory sign group as
defined by the United Nations Economic
and Social Council in the Vienna
Convention on Road Signs and Signals of
1968.
The mandatory sign group is not
used in Australia, Ecuador, or the United
States, none of which are signatories to
the Vienna Convention. Canada has
developed
its own style using a green circle, which is
Prohibitory signs:
These signs are circular with a line across the circle. They are red in
colour.
Modern Prohibitory traffic signs:

 No entry
 No heavy goods vehicles  Limits
 No pedestrians  No Horns
 No pedestrians or bicycles  No parking
 No right, left, or U-Turn  No stopping
 No overtaking  End of all restrictions

Prohibitory signs:
No entry
No admittance to unauthorised personnel, usually shown as a red circle with
a white rectangle across its face. It is often used for one-way traffic.
Prohibitory signs:
Prohibitory signs:
No entry
 Road Closed
No admittance for
vehicles. It used on closed
roads.
Prohibitory signs:
No Heavy Goods Vehicles
Heavy goods vehicles are not allowed.
Prohibitory signs:
No Pedestrians
Pedestrians are not allowed on the road, but may use a
footpath instead.
Prohibitory signs:
No Right, Left, or U-Turn
Either for all vehicles or
with some exceptions
(emergency vehicles,
buses). These are usually to
speed up traffic through an
intersection or due to street
cars or other right of ways or No U-Turn
if the intersecting road is No Right Turn
one-way. Indicated near-
universally by an arrow
making the prohibited turn
overlaid with a red circle
with an angular line crossing
it.
No Left Turn
Prohibitory signs:
No Overtaking
Either overtaking is prohibited for all vehicles or certain kinds

of vehicles only (e.g. lorries, motorcycles, etc...).
Prohibitory signs:
Limits
 Speed Limit
Used to indicate a
maximum speed limit.
The indicated limit is
in mph in the USA and Speed Limit
the UK, and in km/h in
all other countries.
End of Speed Limit

Prohibitory signs:
Limits
 Weight Limit
Used denote maximum weight for bridges.

Prohibitory signs:
Limits
 Width Limit
Used to denote maximum width on narrow roadways.

Prohibitory signs:
Limits
 Height Limit
Used to denote height limit on bridges and underpasses.

Prohibitory signs:
Limits
 Length Limit
Used to denote maximum length.

Prohibitory signs:
No Horns
Sounding your horn is not allowed for vehicles in some
areas, most commonly in school zones, villages, or near hospitals
or churches.
Prohibitory signs:
No Parking
Amongst one of the most familiar signs, this sign is used
where parking is prohibited. Usually shown as a red diagonal bar
inside a blue circle with a red ring in Europe and parts of Asia,
and a 'P' in a red circle with a cross through in North and South
America, elsewhere in Asia, Australia, Africa and Ireland.
Prohibitory signs:
No Stopping
This sign is used where parking and stopping is prohibited.
Usually shown as a red cross inside a blue circle with a red ring in
Europe and parts of Asia, and a 'E' in a red circle with a X
through in South America.
Prohibitory signs:
End of All Restrictions
These are the signs that end restrictions.

warning signs:
These signs are yellow. They are normally triangular
but can be other shapes.
Modern Warning Signs Shapes and Color:
 General caution
 Obstacles  End of roadway
 Animals crossing the roadway  Pedestrian crossings
 Road work or construction  Schools
 Curves and corners  Bicycle
 Tunnels  Other signs with unprotected peopl
 Bridges e
 Traffic signals  Fire stations
 Warning signs for regulatory signs  Oncoming traffic
 Intersections  Level crossing (railway crossing)
 Lane starts and ends  Falling rocks
 Merge to stay with through traffic  Other warnings (aircraft-related)
 Roads with one entry point  Crosswinds or Side winds
 Road conditions
warning signs:
While designs vary,

they usually take the
shape of an equilateral
triangle with a white
background and thick
red border. In
the People's Republic of
China (except for Macau
and Hong Kong), they
appear with a black
border and a yellow
background.
warning signs:
Warning signs in some countries have a diamond shape in place of
the standard triangular shape. In the United
States, Canada, Mexico, Thailand, Australia, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia,
New Zealand, most of South America, and also Ireland are black on an
orange background. Some other countries also use these standards for
some signage.
warning signs:
General caution
General warning signs are used

in instances in which the particular
hazard, obstacle or condition is not
covered by a standard sign.
In countries using diamond-
shaped signs, the explanatory
language is often written directly on
the diamond-shaped sign, although
it may contain only a general
warning such as "Caution", and
pictograms may also be used.
warning signs:
Obstacles
Diamond-shaped with reflectors are placed at point of

curves, dividers, or other lane obstacles. Rectangular signs with
diagonal stripes indicate solid objects such as barricades, bridge
abutments, utility poles or natural obstacles near the roadway.
warning signs:
Road Work or Construction
These signs are often
temporary in nature and used to
indicate road work
(construction), poor roads, or
temporary conditions ahead on
the road including: flagmen,
survey crew, single-lane, detour,
bridge out, utility crew ahead,
blasting area, bump, dip, frost
heaves, flooding (with signs
labeled "High water"), soft
shoulder, uneven pavement,
freshly oiled road, loose gravel,
smoke on road, trucks entering,
etc.
warning signs:
warning signs:
Curves and corners
 Chevrons and arrows
Chevron-shaped symbols or arrows on rectangular signs
may be placed at the actual location of the bend or curve to
further mark the location of the curve and to assist in negotiation
of the curve. They may also be used to indicate "merge" with
other traffic, as for an on-ramp of a limited-access highway.
Bitukang Manok (Zigzag Road)
warning signs:
Tunnels
The signs are used to indicate tunnels, where lights are
usually required, and a general change in the light level. May
also indicate low ceiling clearance.
warning signs:
Intersections
These signs
warn of road
crossings at
(crossroads, T-
intersection, forks
(Y-
intersection), rotary/
roundabout). They
may also indicate
"hidden driveway"
intersecting the
road ahead.
(Compare with
bridges, overpasses,
viaducts).
warning signs:
Merge to stay with through traffic
In the United States and Canada, there is special signage for
lanes that are about to exit, so that drivers who wish to remain on
the main road have adequate time to merge. Such lanes are
sometimes indicated by special striping ("alligator stripes") and the
sign, "Thru Traffic Merge Left" (or right). On freeways, the green
directions sign for the exit ramp may have the additional notation,
"Exit Only," and should have black letters on a yellow background
for emphasis.
warning signs:
Schools
The signs mark school zones (in which lower speed limits may
be in place), student crossings, crossing guards or signals ahead.
OTHER WARNING SIGNS
Traffic Signal Congestion SignCrossroad SignY-Junction Sign Traffic Circle Sign

Ahead Sign
Narrow Bridge
Pedestrian Farm Animals Signs
Two-way TrafficGentle Curve Signs Signs
Crossing Sign
Sign
OTHER WARNING SIGNS
Hump Sign Slippery Road Falling Rocks

Sign Sign
Information, Facilities or Service Sign
Parking Area Sign Hospital Sign disabled access

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What are the different types of signs discussed?

What are the different types of signs discussed?

What does the Vienna Convention aim to achieve?

What does the Vienna Convention aim to achieve?

Signs and Symbols

 Can be a word, a drawing, an object or an action, which

There are different families of signs. These are:

The Convention on Road Signs

These signs are blue in colour. They give a positive instruction. In

Mandatory signs are a

Modern Prohibitory traffic signs:

 No pedestrians or bicycles  No parking

 No right, left, or U-Turn  No stopping

 No overtaking  End of all restrictions

Either overtaking is prohibited for all vehicles or certain kinds

End of Speed Limit

Used denote maximum weight for bridges.

Used to denote maximum width on narrow roadways.

Used to denote height limit on bridges and underpasses.

Used to denote maximum length.

End of All Restrictions

These are the signs that end restrictions.

While designs vary,

General warning signs are used

Diamond-shaped with reflectors are placed at point of

Traffic Signal Congestion SignCrossroad SignY-Junction Sign Traffic Circle Sign

Hump Sign Slippery Road Falling Rocks

Parking Area Sign Hospital Sign disabled access

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