2 Del. Admin. Code § 2I.03

Current through Register Vol. 28, No. 5, November 1, 2024

Section 2I.03 - General Service Signs for Freeways and Expressways

Support:

01 General Service (D9-18 series) signs (see Figure 2I-3) are generally not appropriate at major interchanges (see definition in Section 2E.32) and in urban areas.

Standard:

02 General Service signs shall have white letters, symbols, arrows, and borders on a blue background. Letter and numeral sizes shall comply with the minimum requirements of Tables 2E-2 through 2E-5. All approved symbols shall be permitted as alternatives to word messages, but symbols and word service messages shall not be intermixed. If the services are not visible from the ramp of a single-exit interchange, the service signing shall be repeated in smaller size at the intersection of the exit ramp and the crossroad. Such service signs shall use arrows to indicate the direction to the services.

Option:

03 For numbered interchanges, the exit number may be incorporated within the sign legend (D9-18b) or displayed on an Exit Number (E1-5P) plaque (see Section 2E.31).

Guidance:

04 Distance to services should be displayed on General Service signs where distances are more than 1 mile.

05 General Service signing should only be provided at locations where the road user can return to the freeway or expressway and continue in the same direction of travel.

Click here to view Image

05A (DE Revision) Gas facilities should be located within 1 mile traveling distance from the interchange or intersection where the Gas (D9-7) sign is to be erected.

05B (DE Revision) Food and lodging facilities should be located within 3 miles traveling distance from the interchange or intersection where the Food (D9-8) or Lodging (D9-9) sign is to be erected.

05C (DE Revision) Camping facilities should be located within 7 miles traveling distance from the interchange or intersection where the Camping (D9-3) sign is to be erected.

06 (DE Revision) Only services that fulfill the needs of the road user should be displayed on General Service signs. Minimum required services should include the following:

A. To qualify for a Gas (D9-7) sign, a business:

1. Should have fuel gas/diesel;

2. Should have oil and water and information on tire and repair services;

3. Should have clean public restrooms; and

4. Should operate continuously at least 14 hours per day, 7 days per week.

B. To qualify for a Food (D9-8) sign, a business:

1. Should be open at 10 AM, 6 days per week, 12 hours per day;

2. Should serve at least two meals per day;

3. Should seat 20 or more persons; and

4. Should have approved state health and business licenses and certificates on display.

C. To qualify for a Lodging (D9-9) sign, a business:

1. Should be open year round;

2. Should be open for check-in 7 days per week, 24 hours per day; and

3. Should have approved state health and business licenses and certificates on display.

D. To qualify for a Camping (D9-3) sign, a business:

1. Should have approved state health and business licenses and certificates on display; and

2. Should have adequate parking accommodations; and

3. Should have modern sanitary facilities and drinking water.

E. To qualify for a Public Telephone (D9-1) sign, a phone should have continuous operation and be available 7 days per week.

F. To qualify for a Hospital (D9-2) sign, a hospital should be licensed by the state to operate as a hospital in accordance with Title 16 of the Delaware Code.

Standard:

06A (DE Revision) General Service signs for 24-hour pharmacies shall not be installed along state-maintained roadways.

07 For any service that is operated on a seasonal basis only, the General Service signs shall be removed or covered during periods when the service is not available.

08 The General Service signs shall be mounted in an effective location, between the Advance Guide sign and the Exit Direction sign, in advance of the exit leading to the available services.

Guidance:

09 The General Service sign should contain the interchange number, if any, as shown in Figure 2I-3.

Option:

10 If the distance to the next point where services are available is greater than 10 miles, a NEXT SERVICES XX MILES (D9-17P) plaque (see Figure 2I-2) may be installed below the Exit Direction sign.

Standard:

11 Signs for services shall comply with the format for General Service signs (see Section 2I.02) and as provided in this Manual. No more than six general road user services shall be displayed on one sign, which includes any appended supplemental signs or plaques. General Service signs shall carry the legends for one or more of the following services: Food, Gas, Lodging, Camping, Phone, Hospital, 24-Hour Pharmacy, or Tourist Information.

12 The qualified services available shall be displayed at specific locations on the sign.

13 To provide flexibility for the future when the service might become available, the sign space normally reserved for a given service symbol or word shall be left blank when that service is not present.

Guidance:

14 The standard display of word messages should be FOOD and PHONE in that order on the top line, and GAS and LODGING on the second line. If used, HOSPITAL and CAMPING should be on separate lines (see Figure 2I-3).

Option:

15 Signing for DIESEL, LP-Gas, or other alternative fuel services may be substituted for any of the general services or appended to such signs. The International Symbol of Accessibility for the Handicapped (D9-6) sign (see Figure 2I-1) may be used for facilities that qualify.

Guidance:

16 When symbols are used for the road user services, they should be displayed as follows:

A. Six services:

1. Top row-GAS, FOOD, and LODGING

2. Bottom row-PHONE, HOSPITAL, and CAMPING

B. Four services:

1. Top row-GAS and FOOD

2. Bottom row-LODGING and PHONE

C. Three services:

1. Top row-GAS, FOOD, and LODGING

Option:

17 Substitutions of other services for any of the services described in Paragraph 16 may be made by placing the substitution in the lower right (four or six services) or extreme right (three services) portion of the sign. An action message or an interchange number may be used for symbol signs in the same manner as they are used for word message signs. The Diesel Fuel (D9-11) symbol or the LP-Gas (D9-15) symbol may be substituted for the symbol representing fuel or appended to such assemblies. The Tourist Information (D9-10) symbol or the 24-Hour Pharmacy (D9-20 and D9-20aP) symbol may be substituted on any of the configurations provided in Paragraph 16.

18 At rural interchange areas where limited road user services are available and where it is unlikely that additional services will be provided within the near future, a supplemental plaque displaying one to three services (words or symbols) may be appended below a post-mounted interchange guide sign.

Standard:

19 If more than three services become available at rural interchange areas where limited road user services were anticipated, the appended supplemental plaque described in Paragraph 18 shall be removed and replaced with an independently mounted General Service sign as described in this Section.

Option:

20 A separate Telephone Service (D9-1) sign (see Figure 2I-1) may be installed if telephone facilities are located adjacent to the route at places where public telephones would not normally be expected.

21 The Recreational Vehicle Sanitary Station (D9-12) sign (see Figure 2I-1) may be used as needed to indicate the availability of facilities designed for dumping wastes from recreational vehicle holding tanks.

22 In some locations, signs may be used to indicate that services are not available.

23 A separate Truck Parking (D9-16) sign (see Figure 2I-1) may be mounted below the other general road user services to direct truck drivers to designated parking areas.

2 Del. Admin. Code § 2I.03