Road Work Ahead Sign (W20-1)
The road work ahead sign is a diamond and its colour is orange. It is a work zone sign. Orange means workers and equipment on the road: fines are often doubled and posted limits are mandatory.
At a glance
| Shape | diamond |
|---|---|
| Color | orange |
| Category | Work zone signs |
| MUTCD code | W20-1 |
| Legend | ROAD WORK AHEAD |
How the test asks about it
- 1.
An orange sign at the roadside means:
Not quiteCorrect answer: B — You are approaching a work zone, where fines are often doubled
Orange is reserved for temporary traffic control in construction and maintenance zones. Expect workers, lane shifts and reduced speed limits; many states double the fines for violations inside a work zone.
Orange does not mean the road is closed — it means conditions have temporarily changed.
- 2.
An orange sign tells you that:
Not quiteCorrect answer: C — You are entering a temporary traffic control or work zone
Orange is reserved for temporary traffic control. It means the road is not in its normal condition: workers, equipment or a changed lane pattern may be ahead.
Orange is often lumped in with yellow as "warning". Yellow warns about a permanent feature of the road; orange means the situation is temporary and people may be working in it.
- 3.
You are driving on a highway and see this sign. What should you expect ahead?
Not quiteCorrect answer: C — Construction or maintenance work is going on ahead
Orange is used only for temporary traffic control. Crews, equipment, lane shifts or a flagger may be ahead, so the pattern you are used to on this road may not be the pattern you meet.
Reading road work as road closed. The route normally stays open through a work zone; it is the conditions in it, not the road, that change.
Related signs
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