2 Del. Admin. Code § 2D.43
Current through Register Vol. 28, No. 5, November 1, 2024
Section 2D.43 - Street Name Signs (D3-1, D3-1-DE1, D3-1a)Guidance:
01 Street Name (D3-1 and D3-1a) signs (see Figure 2D-10) should be installed in urban areas at all street intersections regardless of other route signs that might be present and should be installed in rural areas to identify important roads that are not otherwise signed. Option:
01A (DE Revision) Private Street Name (D3-1-DE1) signs (see Figure 2D-10) may be installed at the intersection of a state-maintained roadway with a private roadway or at the intersection of two private roadways.02 For streets that are part of a U.S., State, or county numbered route, a D3-1a Street Name sign (see Figure 2D-10) that incorporates a route shield may be used to assist road users who might not otherwise be able to associate the name of the street with the route number. Standard:
03 The lettering for names of streets and highways on Street Name signs shall be composed of a combination of lower-case letters with initial upper-case letters (see Section 2A.13). Guidance:
04 (DE Revision) Except as provided in Paragraphs 5, 6, and 7 lettering on post-mounted Street Name signs should be composed of initial upper-case letters at least 6 inches in height and lower-case letters at least 4.5 inches in height.05 On multi-lane streets with speed limits greater than 40 mph, the lettering on post-mounted Street Name signs should be composed of initial upper-case letters at least 8 inches in height and lower-case letters at least 6 inches in height. Option:
06 (DE Revision) At the intersection of two subdivision streets, the lettering on post-mounted Street Name signs may be composed of initial upper-case letters at least 4 inches in height and lower-case letters at least 3 inches in height. Guidance:
07 If overhead Street Name signs are used, the lettering should be composed of initial upper-case letters at least 12 inches in height and lower-case letters at least 9 inches in height. Option:
07A Lettering on overhead street name signs on traffic signals may be reduced to have an initial upper-case letter height of 8 inches and a lower-case letter height of 6 inches.Support:
08 The recommended minimum letter heights for Street Name signs are summarized in Table 2D-2. 08A (DE Revision) The "DelDOT Traffic Design Manual" provides additional guidance regarding the design of signs mounted on traffic signal span wires and mast arms.Option:
09 Supplementary lettering to indicate the type of street (such as Street, Avenue, or Road) or the section of the city (such as NW) on the D3-1 and D3-1a signs may be in smaller lettering, composed of initial upper-case letters at least 3 inches in height and lower-case letters at least 2.25 inches in height. Conventional abbreviations (see Section 1A.15) may be used except for the street name itself.10 A pictograph (see definition in Section 1A.13) may be used on a D3-1 sign. Click here to view Image
Table 2D-2. Recommended Minimum Letter Heights on Street Name Signs
(Delaware Revision)
| Type of Mounting | Type of Street or Highway | Speed Limit | Recommended Minimum Letter Height* | Sign Height |
| Initial Upper-Case | Lower-Case |
| Overhead | All types | All speed limits | 12 inches | 9 inches | 24 inches |
| Post-mounted | All types | More than 40 mph | 8 inches | 6 inches | 18 inches |
| Post-mounted | All types | 40 mph or less | 6 inches | 4.5 inches | 12 inches |
| Post-mounted | Intersection of two subdivision streets or local streets | 25 mph or less | 4 inches | 3 inches | 8 inches |
* Reduced letter height and reduced edge spacing may be used on Street Name signs if the sign size must be reduced due to factors including lane width or vertical or lateral clearance (see Paragraph 5 of Section 2D.04)
Standard:
11 Pictographs shall not be displayed on D3-1a or Advance Street Name (D3-2) signs (see Section 2D.44).12 If a pictograph is used on a D3-1 sign, the height and width of the pictograph shall not exceed the upper-case letter height of the principal legend of the sign. Guidance:
13 The pictograph should be positioned to the left of the street name. Standard:
14 The Street Name sign shall be retroreflective or illuminated to show the same shape and similar color both day and night. The color of the legend (and border, if used) shall contrast with the background color of the sign. Option:
15 The border may be omitted from a Street Name sign.16 An alternative background color other than the normal guide sign color of green may be used for Street Name (D3-1 or D3-1a) signs where the highway agency determines this is necessary to assist road users in determining jurisdictional authority for roads. Standard:
17 Alternative background colors shall not be used for Advance Street Name (D3-2) signs (see Section 2D.44).18 The only acceptable alternative background colors for Street Name (D3-1 or D3-1a) signs shall be blue, brown, or white. Regardless of whether green, blue, or brown is used as the background color for Street Name (D3-1 or D3-1a) signs, the legend (and border, if used) shall be white. For Street Name signs that use a white background, the legend (and border, if used) shall be black. Guidance:
18A (DE Revision) Private Street Blade (D3-1-DE1) signs (see Figure 2D-10) should have a white background and a black legend.19 An alternative background color for Street Name signs, if used, should be applied to the Street Name (D3-1 or D3-1a) signs on all roadways under the jurisdiction of a particular highway agency.20 In business or commercial areas and on principal arterials, Street Name signs should be placed at least on diagonally opposite corners. In residential areas, at least one Street Name sign should be mounted at each intersection. Signs naming both streets should be installed at each intersection. They should be mounted with their faces parallel to the streets they name. Option:
21 To optimize visibility, Street Name signs may be mounted overhead. Street Name signs may also be placed above a regulatory or STOP or YIELD sign with no required vertical separation. Guidance:
22 In urban or suburban areas, especially where Advance Street Name signs for signalized and other major intersections are not used, the use of overhead Street Name signs should be strongly considered. Option:
23 At intersection crossroads where the same road has two different street names for each direction of travel, both street names may be displayed on the same sign along with directional arrows. Support:
24 Information regarding the use of street names on supplemental plaques for use with intersection-related warning signs is contained in Section 2C.58.2 Del. Admin. Code § 2D.43
21 DE Reg. 905 (5/1/2018) (Final)