MUTCD D3-2: Advance Street Name Signs

The D3-2 sign is covered in Section 2D.46 of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, 11th Edition. Below are the provisions from that section that describe when the sign is used and how it is placed.

What it means and when it is used

• Standard · Required (shall)
  Advance Street Name (D3-2) signs, if used, shall supplement rather than be used instead of the Street Name (D3-1 or D3-1a) signs at the intersection.
• Option · Permitted (may)
  Advance Street Name (D3-2) signs may be installed in advance of signalized or unsignalized intersections to provide road users with advance information to identify the name(s) of the next intersecting street to prepare for crossing traffic and to facilitate timely deceleration and/or lane changing in preparation for a turn.

Placement and mounting

• Guidance · Recommended (should)
  In urban areas, Advance Street Name signs should be used in advance of all signalized intersections on major arterial streets, except where signalized intersections are so closely spaced that advance placement of the signs is impracticable.
• Option · Permitted (may)
  Directional arrow(s) may be placed to the right or left of the street name or message such as NEXT SIGNAL, as appropriate, rather than on the bottom line of the legend. Curved-stem arrows may be used on Advance Street Name signs on approaches to circular intersections.
• Option · Permitted (may)
  In advance of two closely-spaced intersections where it is impracticable to install separate Advance Street Name signs, the Advance Street Name sign may include the street names for both intersections along with appropriate supplemental legends for both street names, such as NEXT INTERSECTION, 2ND INTERSECTION, or NEXT LEFT and NEXT RIGHT, or directional arrows.

Where to read the rest

• Full text: MUTCD Section 2D.46: Advance Street Name Signs
• Minimum sign sizes by roadway type are in the size section for this chapter: Section 2D.05
• Mounting height, lateral offset and retroreflectivity for any sign: MUTCD sign placement guide