Signs of the times

March 20, 2025

By Cynthia Vaquera

AUSTIN—Traffic signs are everywhere and if you’re not paying attention, you might miss one.

Have you ever wondered why they all look the same no matter where you are? The answer is in a manual that all states in the country must follow, which aims to make the signs easy for drivers to identify and keep our roads safe.

Think of it as something similar to all the roads speaking the same language.

TxDOT follows the Texas Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), which determines what signage should look like on any type of roadway, whether it's a highway, public street or even a private road with public access.

“If you're seeing a stop sign out there, they're all going to be red octagonal,” said Cory Jucius, TxDOT Austin District traffic engineer. “Your warning signs are all yellow. You're not going to see cursive writing on it. We have to meet the proper lettering. We have to meet the proper sizes. We have to meet again those minimum criteria.”

If a sign is requested, TxDOT must first evaluate whether it is really needed to improve safety in that area or if it could create more problems, such as unnecessary traffic.

“Everybody wants stop signs, it seems like. And obviously, we can't put stop signs at every location,” Jucius said.

Once it is determined if the sign is needed, TxDOT assigns a maintenance crew to install it. If it's a common sign, such as a stop sign or speed limit sign, it's installed more quickly because those are usually in stock. If it's a larger sign, like a highway sign, it may require a longer process and additional crews.

What happens when a sign is damaged or down? TxDOT needs the help of drivers who travel through the area more often. If a fallen sign is not reported, it could go unnoticed until someone on a TxDOT maintenance crew spots it, especially if it is in a more rural area.

“We are liaisons for the public to the department,” Jucius said. “So, we do depend on the public to let us know if something's down.”

Traffic signs are not just there for the sake of being there, they all follow specific rules.

“We are really striving to make our roads safer,” Jucius said.