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Driving safety guide · Michigan City Ford · Michigan City, IN
Toll Road Signs Explained
A yellow TOLL plaque above a route sign, a purple sign with a toll-pass logo and the word ONLY, a Pay Toll warning a mile before the plaza: toll roads use their own set of signs. Here is what the federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) says each one means.
Purplemeans registered electronic toll collection (ETC) accounts only
TOLLyellow plaque above the route sign of a numbered toll highway
1 mile and 1/2 milewhere Pay Toll signs should be placed ahead of a mainline toll plaza
No STOP signin an ETC-Only plaza lane built for tolling while you keep moving
The short answer
Toll road signs tell you three things: that a road charges a toll, how you can pay, and which lane to use. A yellow TOLL plaque or panel warns that a route is tolled. Purple, with the toll system's logo and the word ONLY, means only vehicles with a registered electronic toll collection (ETC) account may use that lane or road. Pay Toll and Take Ticket warning signs count down to a toll plaza, and the signs over each toll plaza lane (other than open-road ETC lanes) show the payment types it accepts.
Toll sign colors
Toll roads use the same color code as every other road, plus one color of their own:
| Color | What it means on a toll road |
|---|---|
| Purple | Restricted to use only by vehicles with registered electronic toll collection (ETC) accounts. It is used only to show that requirement, never for a destination or other message. |
| Yellow (black legend) | Warning: the TOLL plaque and TOLL panel, Pay Toll and Take Ticket signs, and warning panels inside guide signs. |
| Green (white legend) | Guide signs for toll highways, toll plazas and tolled or priced managed lanes. |
| White (black legend) | Regulation: regulatory messages inside a guide sign go on a white panel. The separate NO CASH plaque is also black on white. |
From the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), 11th Edition with Revision 1, Sections 1D.05, 2F.03, 2F.05, 2F.11 and 2F.12, read November 5, 2026.
Signs before you get on a toll road
These signs and plaques appear in route sign assemblies and guide signs on the way to a tolled road:
| Sign | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| TOLL plaque (W16-17P) | Black on yellow, mounted directly above the route sign of a numbered toll highway in directions to a toll highway or tolled segment. Guide signs leading to a tolled highway include a yellow TOLL panel. |
| ETC Account-Only sign (R3-31) | Purple with a white border, the toll system's pictograph and the word ONLY. Mounted directly below the route sign where electronic toll collection is the only payment method and all vehicles must have a registered ETC account. |
| NO CASH plaque (R3-32P) | Black on white. May be mounted directly below the R3-31 sign. |
| LAST EXIT BEFORE TOLL plaque (W16-16P, W16-16aP) | Should be used to tell you about the last exit from a highway before it becomes a road on which toll payments are required. |
| NO TOLL panel | Black on yellow. May be included on the top of the Exit Gore sign for an exit that gives access to the road without charging a toll. |
From the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), 11th Edition with Revision 1, Sections 2F.05, 2F.10, 2F.11, 2F.12 and 2F.18, read November 5, 2026.
Approaching a toll plaza
On the approach to a toll plaza where some or all lanes must stop, you can expect these signs:
| Sign | What it tells you | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|
| Pay Toll (W9-6) | The distance to the toll plaza and the toll for passenger or 2-axle vehicles. Where that toll varies by time of day, the sign shows the toll in effect. | About 1 mile and 1/2 mile before mainline plazas, mounted overhead; an extra one may go about 2 miles ahead. |
| Take Ticket (W9-6e) | The distance to a toll plaza where you take a toll ticket. | About 1 mile and 1/2 mile before mainline plazas where some or all lanes stop for a ticket. |
| Stop Ahead Pay Toll (W9-6a), Stop Ahead Take Ticket (W9-6f) | A stop is coming up to pay a toll or take a ticket. The W9-6a sign shows the toll for passenger or 2-axle vehicles. | Past the 1/2-mile sign, overhead, about where the mainline lanes begin to widen toward the plaza lanes. |
| Toll Rate (R3-28) | The toll for different vehicle types, in no more than three lines. | Optional; between the plaza and the first advance sign for it. |
Where there is no room for the full warning sign, or where the toll is shown on the guide sign, a matching plaque (W9-6bP, W9-6cP, W9-6dP, W9-6gP or W9-6hP) may be placed above the guide signs instead. From the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), 11th Edition with Revision 1, Sections 2F.04 and 2F.06-2F.09, read November 5, 2026.
Choosing a toll plaza lane
Advance guide signs: for multi-lane toll plazas, these should tell you which lanes take each payment method, using lane numbers, words such as LEFT LANE(S) or RIGHT LANE(S), or down arrows over each lane, along with any limits on which vehicles may use them. For mainline plazas they should be at least 1/2 mile ahead, with more lane signs between about 1/4 mile and 800 feet before the plaza.
Canopy signs: a sign over each lane that is not an open-road ETC lane shows the payment types accepted and any vehicle restrictions. Except for toll-ticket systems, the toll for passenger or 2-axle vehicles is on the canopy sign or on a sign on the upstream side of the tollbooth.
Attended and exact change lanes: signs for attended lanes carry a Toll Collector symbol (M4-17) and may add words such as FULL SERVICE, CASH, CHANGE or RECEIPTS. Exact change lanes carry an Exact Change symbol (M4-18) and, except for ticket systems, the toll for passenger vehicles.
ETC lanes: the canopy sign over an ETC Account-Only lane has a purple background, and one or two flashing yellow beacons may call attention to it. A toll system's pictograph shown without purple on an exact change or attended lane means vehicles with a registered ETC account may also use that lane.
Open or closed: at multi-lane plazas, lane-use control signals over each plaza lane that is not an open-road ETC lane show whether the lane is open or closed. They are not used to point out a lane for a specific payment type.
From the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), 11th Edition with Revision 1, Sections 2F.12, 2F.14 and 2F.16, read November 5, 2026.
ETC-only lanes and when you stop
No STOP sign in moving lanes: a STOP sign shall not be installed in a toll plaza lane operated as an ETC-Only lane and designed for tolls to be collected while vehicles keep moving. Where an enforceable speed limit is set for that kind of lane, speed limit signs should be posted for it.
Stops in cash lanes: a STOP sign may be installed to require every vehicle to come to a complete stop in an attended or exact change lane, even if vehicles with ETC accounts may also use that lane. A PAY TOLL (R3-29P) or TAKE TICKET (R3-30P) plaque may go under it.
Sometimes still a stop: ETC lanes with favorable geometrics usually let vehicles move through without stopping, within a set speed limit or advisory speed. In some ETC lanes, and in most lanes that take non-ETC vehicles, a stop might be required while the payment is processed.
Open-road lanes that split off: where open-road ETC lanes stay on the main alignment and the cash plaza is on a separate alignment, overhead signs should be placed about 1 mile and 1/2 mile before the split, with down arrows over the open-road lanes and signs for the lanes that lead to the plaza.
From the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), 11th Edition with Revision 1, Sections 2F.04 and 2F.15, read November 5, 2026.
Toll billed by mail
No account needed: some roads collect tolls only electronically without requiring you to register in a toll account program. Their advance and exit direction guide signs shall not show an ETC pictograph or use purple.
The payment sign: payment information for these roads goes only on a separate sign that reads TOLL BILLED BY MAIL ONLY, or TOLL BILLED BY MAIL OR with the pictograph of an accepted ETC account program. A NO CASH plaque may be added below it.
Account-only roads: where a registered ETC account is required, guide signs for the entrance ramps carry the toll system's pictograph and the word ONLY, and a sign with the route number, the TOLL panel and the legend NO CASH may appear in the advance guide signs.
From the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), 11th Edition with Revision 1, Sections 2F.13 and 2F.17, read November 5, 2026.
Ready for a 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 5, 2026. Holiday hours can differ.
Toll road sign FAQ
What does a purple toll sign mean?
In the MUTCD color code, purple is restricted to use only by vehicles with registered electronic toll collection (ETC) accounts. A purple sign, panel or plaque with a toll-pass logo and the word ONLY marks a lane, ramp or road that only vehicles with a registered ETC account may use.
What does the yellow TOLL sign above a route sign mean?
That is the TOLL warning plaque (W16-17P), black on yellow. The MUTCD says it shall be mounted directly above the route sign of a numbered toll highway in route sign assemblies that give directions to a toll highway, or to a segment where a toll is required. Guide signs leading to a tolled highway carry a matching yellow TOLL panel.
What does LAST EXIT BEFORE TOLL mean?
The LAST EXIT BEFORE TOLL plaque (W16-16P or W16-16aP) should be used to tell you about the last exit from a highway before it becomes a road on which toll payments are required. It should go above the guide signs for that exit.
How far ahead do Pay Toll signs warn you?
For mainline toll plazas where some or all lanes must stop to pay, the MUTCD says the Pay Toll (W9-6) sign should be installed at about 1 mile and 1/2 mile ahead of the plaza, and an extra one may be installed about 2 miles ahead. The sign shows the distance to the plaza and, except for toll-ticket facilities, the toll for passenger or 2-axle vehicles.
Do you have to stop in an ETC-only lane?
Not where the lane is built for tolls to be collected while vehicles keep moving: the MUTCD says a STOP sign shall not be installed in a toll plaza lane operated as an ETC-Only lane designed that way. A speed limit sign should be posted instead where an enforceable speed limit is set. In some ETC lanes a stop might still be required because of the design or other conditions.
What does TOLL BILLED BY MAIL mean on a sign?
On a road that collects tolls only electronically but does not require you to register in an ETC account program, the payment information goes on a separate sign that reads TOLL BILLED BY MAIL ONLY, or TOLL BILLED BY MAIL OR with the pictograph of an accepted ETC account. A NO CASH plaque may be added below.
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 checkup before a long drive
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 5, 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 and 2F.01-2F.19), Federal Highway Administration, Revision 1 dated December 2025 (PDF updated February 12, 2026), read November 5, 2026
- General service: The Works, Michigan City Ford, November 5, 2026
- Address and service hours (structured data), Michigan City Ford, November 5, 2026