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Driving safety guide · Michigan City Ford · Michigan City, IN
Highway Guide Signs Explained
Guide signs are the ones that tell you where you are going: route shields, the green destination and distance signs, and the overhead signs that lead you to an exit. Here is what the federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) says about how they work.
Greenthe standard background for guide signs, with a white message and border
BlueGeneral Service signs for road-user services
Brownrecreational and cultural interest area guidance
Nearest milehow distances are shown on Distance signs
The short answer
Guide signs direct you along streets and highways, to intersecting routes and to destinations. Most are white on green; signs for services are white on blue, and recreational and cultural interest area symbol guide signs are white on brown. Route shields identify each numbered highway system, Destination and Distance signs list places and how far they are, and on freeways Interchange Advance guide signs, Exit Direction signs (required at major and intermediate interchanges) and an Exit Gore sign for each ramp lead you to the exit.
Guide sign colors
What guide signs do: they direct road users along streets and highways, inform them of intersecting routes, direct them to cities, towns, villages and other important destinations, identify nearby rivers and streams, parks, forests and historical sites, and give information that helps them along their way.
Green: in the MUTCD color code, green means indicated movements or actions permitted and direction guidance. Except where the MUTCD provides otherwise, guide signs on streets and highways shall have a white message and border on a green background, and guide signs on freeways and expressways shall have white letters, symbols, arrows and borders on a green background.
Blue and brown: blue is for road-user services guidance, tourist information and evacuation routes, and brown is for recreational and cultural interest area guidance.
Color coding: different background colors shall not be used to color-code destinations, except where the MUTCD provides otherwise. Color coding, such as for airport terminals, is done with colored square or rectangular panels on the face of the sign.
From the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), 11th Edition with Revision 1, Sections 1D.05, 2D.01, 2D.02 and 2E.09, read November 4, 2026.
Route signs
All numbered highway routes shall be identified by route signs and auxiliary plaques, except where the MUTCD provides otherwise. Each system has its own sign, distinctive in shape and color, used only on that system and its approaches:
| Sign | What the MUTCD says |
|---|---|
| Interstate Route (M1-1, M1-1a) | Shall be used on all Interstate routes and in Route Sign assemblies on intersecting highways. The M1-1a version, with the State name in white upper-case letters on a blue background, may be used only in Route Sign assemblies. |
| Off-Interstate Business Route (M1-2, M1-3) | A cutout shield, white on green, with the connecting Interstate number and BUSINESS with LOOP (rejoins the same Interstate) or SPUR (leaves and does not rejoin). The word INTERSTATE never appears on it. |
| U.S. Route (M1-4) | Black numerals on a white shield surrounded by a rectangular black background without a border. Shall be used on all U.S. routes. |
| State Route (M1-5) | Designed by each State highway agency. The MUTCD says it should be rectangular, about the size of the U.S. Route sign, with black numerals on a white area, which should be circular unless the State decides otherwise. |
| County Route (M1-6) | Where a county system is signed, a pentagon with a yellow county name, route number and border on a blue background. |
From the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), 11th Edition with Revision 1, Sections 2D.09 to 2D.11, read November 4, 2026. Route systems shall be given preference in this order: Interstate, U.S., State and county, with the highest-priority route number on the top or the left of the sign; a different order may be used where it would better match road users' expectations and give more effective direction (Section 2D.09).
Destination and distance signs
Destination signs (D1 series): except on approaches to interchanges, if used, a horizontal rectangle with the name of a city, town, village or other traffic generator and a directional arrow; the distance may also be shown. Except where the MUTCD provides otherwise, an arrow pointing right shall be at the far right of the sign and an arrow pointing left or up at the far left, and distance numerals go to the right of the names.
Where they are used: the MUTCD says Destination signs should be used where U.S. or State numbered routes meet Interstate, U.S. or State numbered routes, and where they direct traffic from those routes to the business section of towns or other destinations reached by unnumbered routes.
Distance signs (D2 series): show no more than three cities, towns, junctions or other traffic generators and the distance to each, to the nearest mile. The top name should be the next place on the route, such as one with a post office or railroad station, or an intersected highway, and the bottom name should be the next major destination or control city.
Which point is measured: the distance should be chosen by the road owner or statewide policy, using a well-defined central area or central business district where one exists.
From the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), 11th Edition with Revision 1, Sections 2D.35, 2D.36 and 2D.43, read November 4, 2026.
Freeway exit signs
At interchanges, the MUTCD requires Interchange Advance guide signs and Exit Direction signs, with consistent destination messages on both:
| Sign | What the MUTCD says |
|---|---|
| Interchange Advance guide sign (E1 series) | Gives notice, well in advance, of the main destinations served by the next interchange and the distance to it. At major and intermediate interchanges, at least two should be used, at half a mile and 1 mile before the exit, plus one at 2 miles if spacing permits. At minor interchanges, it should be half a mile to 1 mile from the exit gore. |
| Distance on advance signs | Shown as XX MILE(S) where exit numbers are used. Fractions of a mile, not decimals, shall be used, and a distance of 1,000 feet or less should be shown in feet. |
| Exit Direction sign (E4 series) | Repeats the route and destination from the advance signs and shows whether you exit to the right or left. Shall be used at major and intermediate interchanges, and should be used at minor ones. |
| Exit Gore sign (E5-1 series) | Stands in the gore, the area between the main roadway and the ramp just beyond where the ramp branches off, marking the exit point. It shows EXIT, or EXIT and the number where exit numbering is used, with a diagonal upward arrow. |
From the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), 11th Edition with Revision 1, Sections 2E.21, 2E.23, 2E.25 and 2E.26, read November 4, 2026. Guide signs placed in advance of an interchange deceleration lane should be spaced at least 800 feet apart (Section 2E.21).
EXIT ONLY and pull-through signs
EXIT ONLY: at exits without an optional exit lane, an EXIT ONLY sign panel shall be used for all interchange lane drops at which the through route is carried on the main roadway, and major guide signs for lane drops shall be mounted overhead, except where the MUTCD provides otherwise. On the overhead Exit Direction sign for a lane drop, the bottom part shall be yellow with a black border, with a black arrow over each dropped lane.
Pull-Through signs (E6 series): overhead guide signs for through traffic. The MUTCD says they should be used where it is not clear which roadway is the through roadway or where more route guidance is wanted. When used, they shall show the route shield and the cardinal direction of the through route, and they may show the control city and down arrows.
From the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), 11th Edition with Revision 1, Sections 2E.27 and 2E.28, read November 4, 2026.
Service and recreation signs
Blue General Service signs: all General Service signs and their supplemental panels shall have a white legend and border on a blue background. On conventional roads they may be used where services are infrequent and found only on an intersecting highway or crossroad, and when used at intersections they shall have a directional message.
Brown recreation and culture signs: these guide road users to recreational or cultural interest areas, such as parks, campgrounds, ski areas, museums and historical sites, first to the general area and then to specific facilities. Except where the MUTCD provides otherwise, their symbol guide signs shall be square or rectangular with a white symbol or message and white border on a brown background.
From the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), 11th Edition with Revision 1, Sections 2I.02, 2M.01, 2M.02 and 2M.04, read November 4, 2026.
Keep your car ready for the road trip
The Works® at Michigan City Ford includes a synthetic blend oil change, tire rotation and pressure check, brake inspection, Multi-Point Inspection, fluid top-off, battery test, and a filter, belts and hoses check.
Schedule service online and see our service specials first. Michigan City Ford is at 3930 Franklin St. in Michigan City. Get directions.
Michigan City Ford service hours
| Days | Hours |
|---|---|
| Mon-Fri | 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. |
| Sat | 8 a.m.-3 p.m. |
| Sun | closed |
From Michigan City Ford's website, November 4, 2026. Holiday hours can differ.
Highway guide sign FAQ
What are guide signs?
Guide signs direct road users along streets and highways, tell them about intersecting routes, direct them to cities, towns and other important destinations, and identify places such as rivers, parks, forests and historical sites.
What color are guide signs?
Except where the MUTCD provides otherwise, guide signs on streets and highways shall have a white message and border on a green background. General Service signs, such as those for gas, food or lodging, are white on blue, and recreational and cultural interest area symbol guide signs are white on brown.
What does the shape of a route sign tell you?
Each numbered highway system has its own route sign, distinctive in shape and color, used only on that system and its approaches. The U.S. Route sign is black numerals on a white shield surrounded by a black rectangle, and State Route signs are designed by each State.
Which route number is shown first?
The MUTCD gives route systems preference in this order: Interstate, U.S., State, then county. The highest-priority route number goes on the top or the left of the sign, though that order may be changed where a different order would give more effective direction.
What does a yellow EXIT ONLY panel mean?
It marks a lane drop at an interchange. For exits without an optional exit lane, the MUTCD says an EXIT ONLY sign panel shall be used for all interchange lane drops at which the through route is carried on the main roadway, and the bottom of the overhead Exit Direction sign for a lane drop shall be yellow with a black border.
How far ahead are exits signed?
At major and intermediate interchanges, the MUTCD says at least two Interchange Advance guide signs should be used, at half a mile and 1 mile before the exit, with a third at 2 miles if spacing permits. At minor interchanges, the advance sign should be half a mile to 1 mile from the exit gore.
How far is it to the town on a distance sign?
Distance signs show no more than three destinations, to the nearest mile. The MUTCD says the distance should be chosen by the road owner or statewide policy, using a well-defined central area or central business district where one exists.
What does The Works at Michigan City Ford include?
The Works® at Michigan City Ford includes a synthetic blend oil change, tire rotation and pressure check, brake inspection, Multi-Point Inspection, fluid top-off, battery test, and a filter, belts and hoses check.
Book a routine checkup
Book The Works, which includes a brake inspection, tire rotation and pressure check, and battery test, at Michigan City Ford.
Sources
Sign descriptions are from the Federal Highway Administration's Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, 11th Edition with Revision 1 (Revision 1 dated December 2025), read November 4, 2026. This page is a plain-language summary of national standards, not legal advice; state law sets the rules of the road where you drive. Service details, address and hours are from Michigan City Ford's own website, checked the same day. Photo is illustrative.
- Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), 11th Edition with Revision 1 (Sections 1D.05, 2D.01, 2D.02, 2D.09 to 2D.11, 2D.35, 2D.36, 2D.43, 2E.09, 2E.21, 2E.23, 2E.25 to 2E.28, 2I.02, 2M.01, 2M.02 and 2M.04), Federal Highway Administration, Revision 1 dated December 2025 (PDF updated February 12, 2026), read November 4, 2026
- General service: The Works, Michigan City Ford, November 4, 2026
- Address and service hours (structured data), Michigan City Ford, November 4, 2026