MUTCD W10-1: Grade Crossing Advance Warning Signs
The W10-1 sign is covered in Section 8B.06 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)A Grade Crossing Advance Warning (W10-1) sign (see Figure 8B-4 ) shall be used on each highway in advance of every grade crossing, except in the following circumstances: A. On an approach to a grade crossing from an intersection with a parallel highway if the distance from the nearest rail of the tracks to the edge of the parallel roadway is less than 100 feet and W10-2, W10-3, or W10-4 signs are used on the…
- Standard · Required (shall)The placement of the Grade Crossing Advance Warning sign shall be in accordance with Section 2C.04 and Table 2C-3.
Placement and mounting
- Standard · Required (shall)If a YIELD or STOP sign is present at a passive grade crossing, a Yield Ahead (W3-2) or Stop Ahead (W3-1) Advance Warning sign shall also be installed if the criteria for their installation given in Section 2C.35 is met. If a Yield Ahead or Stop Ahead sign is installed on the approach to the crossing, the W10-1 sign shall be installed upstream from the Yield Ahead or Stop Ahead sign. The Yield Ahead or Stop Ahead…
- Option · Permitted (may)On divided highways and one-way streets, an additional W10-1 sign may be installed on the left-hand side of the roadway.
- Standard · Required (shall)If the distance between the tracks and a parallel highway, from the nearest rail of the tracks to the edge of the parallel roadway, is less than 100 feet, a W10-2, W10-3, or W10-4 sign (see Figure 8B-4 ) shall be installed on each approach of the parallel highway to warn road users making a turn that they will encounter a grade crossing soon after making a turn, and a W10-1 sign for the approach to the tracks shall…
Where to read the rest
- Full text: MUTCD Section 8B.06: Grade Crossing Advance Warning Signs
- Mounting height, lateral offset and retroreflectivity for any sign: MUTCD sign placement guide
Related signs in Section 8B.06
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.