Home SECTION IV SIGNAGE CHAPTER VI TYPES AND MEANINGS OF ROAD SIGNS AND ROAD MARKINGS SECTION 4 VERTICAL TRAFFIC SIGNS Subsection 3 Indication signs Article 162 Orientation signs

Article 162 Orientation signs

by Mark Nolan

1. Orientation signs are subdivided into: pre-signposting signs, direction signs, road identification signs, location signs, confirmation signs and signs of specific use in the town.

 

2. Pre-signalling signs should be placed at a suitable distance from the intersection so that their efficiency is maximum, both day and night, taking into account the road and traffic conditions, especially the usual speed of the vehicles and the distance to the sign that is visible. This distance may be reduced to 50 metres in populated areas but must be at least 500 metres on highways and toll roads. These signs may be repeated. The distance between the sign and the intersection may be indicated by means of a complementary panel placed above the sign; that distance may also be indicated at the top of the sign itself.

 

The nomenclature and meaning of the pre-signposting signs are the following:

 

S-200. Pre-signposting of a roundabout. Indicates the directions of the different exits of the next roundabout. If any inscription appears on a blue background, it indicates that the exit leads to a toll road or motorway.

 

S-220. Pre-signposting of directions towards a conventional road. It indicates, on a conventional road, the directions of the different branches of the next intersection when one of them leads to another conventional road.

 

S-222. Destination sign towards a motorway or toll road. It indicates, on a conventional road, the directions of the different branches of the next intersection when one of them leads to a motorway or a toll road.

 

S-222 a. Pre-signposting of directions to a motorway or a toll road and its own direction. It indicates, on a conventional road, the directions of the different branches of the next intersection when one of them leads to a motorway or toll road. It also indicates the destination direction of the conventional road.

 

S-225. Pre-signposting of directions on a motorway or a toll road to any highway. Indicate the directions of the different branches at the next intersection on a motorway or toll road. It also indicates the distance, the junction number and, if applicable, the letter of the junction and branch.

 

S-230. Signs on a conventional road to another conventional road. Indicates the destinations of the branch of the next exit and the distance to which it is located.

 

S-230 a. Signs on a conventional road to another conventional road and its own direction. Indicates the directions of the branch of the next exit and the distance to which it is located. It also indicates the destination direction of the conventional road.

 

S-232. Signs on a conventional road towards a motorway or toll road. Indicates the directions of the branch of the next exit and the distance to which it is located.

 

S-232 a. Signs on on a conventional road towards a motorway or toll road and its direction. Indicates the directions of the branch of the next exit and the distance to which it is located. It also indicates the destination direction of the conventional road.

 

S-235. Signs on a motorway or toll road towards any road. Indicate the directions of the branch of the next exit, the distance to which it is located and the number of the junction.

 

S-235 a. Signs on a motorway or toll road to any road and direction. Indicates the directions of the branch of the next exit, the distance to which it is located and the number of the junction. It also indicates the destination direction of the motorway or toll road.

 

S-242. Motorway or toll road pre-signposting of two exits very close to any road. It indicates the directions of the branches of the two consecutive exits of the motorway or toll road, the distance, the number of the junction and the letter of each exit.

 

S-242 a. Motorway or toll road pre-signposting of two exits very close to any road and direction. It indicates the directions of the branches of the two consecutive exits of the motorway or toll road, the distance, the number of the junction and the letter of each exit. It also indicates the destination direction of the motorway or toll road.

 

S-250. Pre-signposting for route. Indicate the route that must be followed to take the direction indicated by the arrow.

 

S-260. Pre-signposting for lanes. Indicates the only directions allowed in each lane, at the next intersection, for users travelling through the indicated lanes.

 

S-261. Pre-signposting in a conventional road of zone or service area. Indicates, on a conventional highway, the proximity of an exit to an area or service area.

 

S-263. Motorway or toll road pre-signposting of an area or service area with a shared exit. Indicates, on a motorway or toll road, the proximity of an exit to an area or service area, and that it coincides with an exit to one or more towns.

 

S-263 a. Motorway or toll road pre-signposting of a zone or service area with an exclusive exit. Indicates, on motorway or toll road, the proximity of an exit to an area or service area.

 

S-264. Pre-signposting on a conventional road of a service road. Indicates, on a conventional highway, the proximity of an exit to a service road from which the indicated services can be accessed.

 

S-266. Pre-signposting on a motorway or toll road of a service road, with a shared exit. It indicates, on a motorway or toll road, the proximity of an exit to a service road from which the indicated services can be accessed, and that this coincides with an exit to one or several towns.

 

S-266 a. Pre-signposting on a motorway or toll road of a service road, with an exclusive exit. Indicates, on a motorway or toll road, the proximity of an exit to a service road from which the indicated services can be accessed.

 

S-270. Pre-signposting of two nearby exits. Indicates the proximity of two consecutive outputs among which, due to the lack of sufficient distance between them, it is not possible to install other individual orientation signs for each exit.

 

The letters or, as the case may be, the numbers correspond to those of the immediately preceding pre-signposting signals.

 

S-271. Pre-signposting of service areas. Indicates, on motorways and toll roads, the exit to a service area.

 

3. The meaning and nomenclature of the direction signs are the following:

 

S-300. Localities within a conventional road route. It indicates the names of towns located on a route constituted by a conventional road and the direction by which they are reached. The box located inside the signal defines the category and number of the road. The figures inscribed within the sign indicate the distance in kilometres.

 

S-301. Localities reached by motorway or toll road. Indicates the names of towns located on a route constituted by a motorway or toll road and the route by which they are reached. The box located inside the sign defines the category and number of the road. The figures inscribed within the sign indicate the distance in kilometres.

 

S-310. Localities reached by varying routes. Indicates the roads and towns that are reached in the direction indicated by the arrow.

 

S-320. Places of interest reached by conventional road. Indicates places of general interest that are not populations located in a route consisting of conventional roads. The figures inscribed within the sign indicate the distance in kilometres.

 

S-321. Places of interest reached by motorway or toll road. Indicates places of interest that are not towns located on a route consisting of a motorway or toll road. The figures inscribed within the sign indicate the distance in kilometres.

 

S-322. Sign pointing towards a bicycle path. Indicates the existence in the direction pointed by the arrow of a cycle path. The figures written within the sign indicate the distance in kilometres.

 

S-341. Sign pointing towards an immediate exit to conventional road. Indicates the place of departure of a motorway or carriageway to a conventional road. The figure indicates the number of the junction that corresponds to the kilometric point of the road.

 

S-342. Sign pointing towards an immediate exit to a motorway or toll road. Indicates the place of departure of a motorway or toll road to another motorway or toll road. The figure indicates the number of the junction that corresponds to the kilometric point of the road.

 

S-344. Sign pointing towards an immediate exit to an area or service road. Indicates the place of departure of any road to an area or service road.

 

S-347. Sign pointing towards to an area or service road, with shared exit to a motorway or toll road. Indicates the place of departure of any road to an area or service road, and that this coincides with an exit to a motorway or toll road.

 

S-348 a. Sign pointing towards a diversion. It indicates that, by the provisional diversion route and in the direction indicated by the arrow, the destination that appears on the sign is reached.

 

S-348 b. Sign of variable destination. Indicates that in the direction pointed to by the arrow the destination that appears in the sign is reached.

 

S-350. Sign on a lane, on conventional roads. Immediate departure to a conventional road. Indicates, on a conventional road, the place where the exit branch starts, the directions that are reached by the immediate exit by a conventional road and, depending upon the case, the number.

 

S-351. Sign on the lane on motorways and toll roads. Immediate departure to a conventional road. It indicates the place where the exit branch of any motorway starts, the destinations that are reached by the immediate exit by a conventional road and, if it is the case, the number. It also indicates the number and, if applicable, the letter of the junction and branch.

 

S-354. Sign on the lane, on conventional roads. Immediate exit to motorway or toll roads. Indicates, in the place where the exit branch starts, the directions that are reached by the immediate exit by a motorway or a toll road and, where appropriate, the number.

 

S-355. Sign on the lane on motorways and toll roads. Immediate exit to motorway or toll road. Indicates, in the place where the exit branch starts, the directions that are reached by the immediate exit by a motorway or toll road and, where appropriate, the number. It also indicates the number and, if applicable, the letter of the junction and branch.

 

S-360. Signs on the lane on conventional roads. Immediate exit to conventional roads and their direction. It indicates, on a conventional road, the directions that are reached by the immediate exit to another conventional road. It also indicates the destination direction of the conventional road and its number.

 

S-362. Signs on the lane on conventional roads. Immediate exit to motorways or carriageways and their directions. It indicates, in a conventional road, the directions that are reached by the immediate exit towards a motorway or toll road. It also indicates the destination direction of the conventional road.

 

S-366. Signs on the lane on motorways or toll roads. Immediate exit to conventional road and direction. Indicates, on a motorway or a toll road, the directions that are reached by the immediate exit to a conventional road, as well as the number of the junction and, where appropriate, the letter of the branch. It also indicates the destination direction of the motor or the toll road.

 

S-368. Signs on the lane on motorways or toll roads. Exit towards motorways or toll roads and their direction. Indicates, on a motorway or toll road, the directions that are reached by the immediate exit to a motorway or toll road, as well as the number of the junction and, where appropriate, the letter of the branch. It also indicates the destination direction of the motorway or toll road.

 

S-371. Road signs on conventional roads. Two immediate exits very close to conventional roads and its direction.

 

S-373. Signs on the lane on motorways or toll roads. Two immediate exits very close to conventional roads and their directions. It indicates the directions of the branches of the two consecutive exits of the motorway or toll road, the distance of the second, the number of the junction and the letter of each exit. It also indicates the destination direction of the motorway or toll road.

 

S-375. Signs on the roadway on a motorways or toll roads. Two immediate exits very close to motorways or toll roads and their direction. It indicates the directions of the branches of the two consecutive exits of the motorway or toll road, the distance of the second, the number of the junction and the letter of each exit. It also indicates the destination direction of the motorway or toll road.

 

4. Signs destined to identify the routes, either by their number, composed in figures, letters or a combination of both, or by their name, will be constituted by this number or this name framed in a rectangle or in a shield. They have the following nomenclature and meaning:

 

S-400. European route. Identifies route within the European network.

 

S-410. Motorway and toll roads. Identifies a motorway or toll road. When this is of regional scope, in addition to the letter A and after the corresponding number or on top of the sign with a complementary panel, the acronym of identification of the autonomous community may be included. No road that does not have motorway or toll road characteristics may be identified with the letter A. When the motorway or toll motorway is a ringnroad or bypass, the letter A may be replaced by the letters indicating the city, in accordance with the code established for that purpose by the Ministries of Development and Interior.

 

S-410 a. Toll motorway. Identifies a toll road.

 

S-420. Road that forms part of the general state road network. Identifies a road in the general state network that is not a motorway or toll road.

 

S-430. First level regional road. Identifies a road of the first level that is not a motorway or toll road, belonging to the autonomic network of the community to which the acronyms of identification correspond.

 

S-440. Second level autonomous road. Identifies a road of the second level that is not a motorway or toll road, belonging to the autonomic network of the community to which the acronyms of identification correspond.

 

S-450. Third level regional road. Identifies a third level road, that is not a motorway or a toll road, belonging to the autonomous community network to which the identification acronym corresponds.

 

5. Location signs may be used to indicate the boundary between two regions or the boundary between two administrative divisions of the same region or the name of a town, a river, a port, a place or other circumstance of a similar nature.

 

The nomenclature and meaning of the localisation signs are the following:

 

S-500. Entrance to a populated area. It indicates the place where the rules of driving behaviour concerning towns begin.

 

S-510. End of a populated area. It indicates the place where the rules of driving behaviour relative to the town are no longer applicable.

 

S-520. Situation of characteristic point of the road. Indicates a place of general interest on the road.

 

S-540. Province border. Indicates the place from which the road enters a province.

 

S-550. Boundaries of an autonomous community. Indicates the place from which the road enters an autonomous community.

 

S-560. Boundaries of an autonomous community and province. Indicates the place from which the road enters an autonomous community and province.

 

S-570. Milestone on highway. Indicates the kilometric point of the motorway whose identification appears at the top.

 

S-570 a. Milestone on toll road. Indicates the kilometric point of the toll road whose identification appears at the top.

 

S-571. Milestone on a motorway and toll road, which is also part of a European route. Indicates the kilometre point of the motorway or toll road that is also part of a European route, whose identification appears at the top of the sign.

 

S-572. Milestone on a conventional road. Indicates the kilometric point of a conventional road whose identification appears in the upper part on the background of the colour that corresponds to the road network to which it belongs.

 

S-573. Milestone in the European route. Indicates the kilometre point of a conventional road and that is part of a European route, whose letters and numbers appear at the top of the sign.

 

S-574. Milestone on a motorway or toll road. Indicates the kilometre point of a motorway or toll road when is represents a multiple of 10.

 

S-574 a. Landmark frequency on a conventional road. Indicates the kilometric point of a conventional road on multiples of 10.

 

S-574 b. Landmark frequency on a toll road. Indicates the kilometric point of a toll road on multiples of 10.

 

S-575. Landmark frequency. Indicates the kilometric point of a road that is not a motorway or toll road on multiples of 10. Its colour will correspond to the network that the road forms a part of.

 

6. Confirmation signs are intended to remind drivers of the direction of the road when the competent authorities deem it necessary, like at the exits to important towns.

 

When distances are indicated, the figures that express them will be placed after the name of the locality. Its nomenclature and meaning are the following:

 

S-600. Confirmation of populated areas on a conventional road route. Indicates, on a conventional road, the names of and distances in kilometres to the towns expressed.

 

S-602. Confirmation of populated areas on a route on a motorway or toll road. Indicates, on a motorway or toll road, the names and distances in kilometres to the towns expressed.

 

7. The signs specifically used in towns are constituted by modules, used jointly or separately, whose common purpose is to communicate that the places to which they refer are reached by following the direction marked by the arrow, and whose respective nomenclature and meaning are the following:

 

S-700. Places on the urban road network. Indicates the names of streets, avenues, squares, roundabouts or any other point on the road network.

 

S-710. Places of interest for travellers. Indicates places of interest for travellers, such as stations, airports, port embarkation areas, hotels, camps, tourist offices and Automobile Clubs.

 

S-720. Places of sporting or recreational interest. Indicates the places where a sporting or recreational activity takes place.

 

S-730. Places of geographical or ecological interest. Indicates places of geographical or ecological interest.

 

S-740. Places of monumental or cultural interest. Indicates places of monumental, historical, artistic or, in general, cultural interest.

 

S-750. Areas of industrial use. Indicates areas with significant interest to commercial vehicles, goods and, in general, heavy industrial traffic.

 

S-760. Motorways and toll roads. Indicates motorways and toll roads and the places which can be accessed through them.

 

S-770. Other places and roads. Indicates roads that are not motorways or toll roads, the towns that can be accessed by them, as well as other places of public interest not included in signs S-700 to S-760.

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