Guide signs for highways provide a uniform and effective system of highway signing and traffic management that is fully adequate for high volume, high speed motor vehicle traffic. Design standards include high visibility, large lettering and symbols, and short legends for quick comprehension. Standard messages and symbols for regulatory and warning signs also apply.
Typical information given on these signs includes:
- directions to destination
- advance notice of the approach to intersections or interchanges
- directions to appropriate lanes in advance of diverging or merging traffic
- identification of routes and directions on those routes
- distances to destination.
Other sign types often required for traffic management systems include:
- Specific servicing signs – these provide business identification and directional information for essential motorist services.
- Recreational and cultural interest signs – these provide business identification and directional information for attractions that are open to the general public.
- Civil defence signs.