Signs and Symbols in Urban Planning

6.
Signs and
Symbols in
Urban
Design
Urban land
use map
color codes
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
not used in any other country.
Prohibitory signs:
These signs are circular with a line across the circle. They are red in colour.
Modern Prohibitory traffic signs:

 No entry
 Limits
 No heavy goods vehicles
 No Horns
 No pedestrians
 No parking
 No pedestrians or bicycles
 No stopping
 No right, left, or U-Turn
 End of all restrictions
 No overtaking
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 No U-Turn
of ways or if the intersecting No Right Turn
road is 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
Speed Limit
the USA and 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 people
 Bridges  Fire stations
 Traffic signals  Oncoming traffic
 Warning signs for regulatory signs  Level crossing (railway crossing)
 Intersections  Falling rocks
 Lane starts and ends  Other warnings (aircraft-related)
 Merge to stay with through traffic  Crosswinds or Side winds
 Roads with one entry point  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/rou
ndabout). They may
also indicate "hidden
driveway" intersecting
the road ahead.
(Compare with
bridges, overpasses, via
ducts).
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 Sign Crossroad Sign Y-Junction Sign Traffic Circle Sign
Ahead Sign
Pedestrian Farm Animals Signs Narrow Bridge

Two-way Traffic Gentle 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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6.

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

There are different families of signs. These are:

The Convention on Road Signs

Mandatory signs are a

Modern Prohibitory traffic signs:

No admittance for vehicles. It

road is one-way. Indicated near-

Either overtaking is prohibited for all vehicles or certain kinds of

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, they

General warning signs are used in

Diamond-shaped with reflectors are placed at point of curves, dividers,

These signs are often temporary

These signs warn

In the United States and Canada, there is special signage for lanes that are

Pedestrian Farm Animals Signs Narrow Bridge

Hump Sign Slippery Road Falling Rocks

Parking Area Sign Hospital Sign disabled access

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