MUTCD EM4-1: Shelter Directional Signs
The EM4-1 sign is covered in Section 2N.09 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)Shelter Directional (EM4-1 series) signs (see Figure 2N-1) shall be used to direct the public to selected shelters that have been licensed and marked for emergency use.
- Standard · Required (shall)The installation of Shelter Directional signs shall comply with established signing standards. Where used, the signs shall not be installed in competition with other necessary highway regulatory, guide, and warning signs.
Placement and mounting
- Option · Permitted (may)The Shelter Directional signs may be installed on the Interstate Highway System or any other major highway system when it has been determined that a need exists for such signs as part of a State or local shelter plan.
- Guidance · Recommended (should)The Shelter Directional sign should not be posted more than 5 miles from a shelter. S e c t . 2 N . 0 9 (This page intentionally left blank) December 2023 Sect. 3A.01 to 3A.03PART 3 MARKINGS
Where to read the rest
- Full text: MUTCD Section 2N.09: Shelter Directional Signs
- Mounting height, lateral offset and retroreflectivity for any sign: MUTCD sign placement guide
Source: Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, 11th Edition (Federal Highway Administration, December 2023, public domain). Excerpts are shortened and shown out of context; read the full section before specifying a sign. Your state may still be operating under the 2009 edition or a state supplement. Official manual: mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov.