2 Del. Admin. Code § 2A.18

Current through Register Vol. 28, No. 5, November 1, 2024

Section 2A.18 - Mounting Height

Standard:

01 The provisions of this Section shall apply unless specifically stated otherwise for a particular sign or object marker elsewhere in this Manual.

Support:

02 The mounting height requirements for object markers are provided in Chapter 2C.

03 In addition to the provisions of this Section, information affecting the minimum mounting height of signs as a function of crash performance can be found in AASHTO's "Roadside Design Guide" (see Section 1A.11).

Standard:

04 The minimum height, measured vertically from the bottom of the sign to the elevation of the near edge of the pavement, of signs installed at the side of the road in rural areas shall be 5 feet (see Figure 2A-2).

05 The minimum height, measured vertically from the bottom of the sign to the top of the curb, or in the absence of curb, measured vertically from the bottom of the sign to the elevation of the near edge of the traveled way, of signs installed at the side of the road in business, commercial, or residential areas where parking or pedestrian movements are likely to occur, or where the view of the sign might be obstructed, shall be 7 feet (see Figure 2A-2).

Option:

06 The height to the bottom of a secondary sign mounted below another sign may be 1 foot less than the height specified in Paragraphs 4 and 5.

Standard:

07 The minimum height, measured vertically from the bottom of the sign to the sidewalk, of signs installed above sidewalks shall be 7 feet.

08 If the bottom of a secondary sign that is mounted below another sign is mounted lower than 7 feet above a pedestrian sidewalk or pathway (see Section 6D.02), the secondary sign shall not project more than 4 inches into the pedestrian facility.

Option:

09 Signs that are placed 30 feet or more from the edge of the traveled way may be installed with a minimum height of 5 feet, measured vertically from the bottom of the sign to the elevation of the near edge of the pavement.

Standard:

10 Directional signs on freeways and expressways shall be installed with a minimum height of 7 feet, measured vertically from the bottom of the sign to the elevation of the near edge of the pavement. All route signs, warning signs, and regulatory signs on freeways and expressways shall be installed with a minimum height of 7 feet, measured vertically from the bottom of the sign to the elevation of the near edge of the pavement. If a secondary sign is mounted below another sign on a freeway or expressway, the major sign shall be installed with a minimum height of 8 feet and the secondary sign shall be installed with a minimum height of 5 feet, measured vertically from the bottom of the sign to the elevation of the near edge of the pavement.

11 Where large signs having an area exceeding 50 square feet are installed on multiple breakaway posts, the clearance from the ground to the bottom of the sign shall be at least 7 feet.

Option:

12 A route sign assembly consisting of a route sign and auxiliary signs (see Section 2D.31) may be treated as a single sign for the purposes of this Section.

13 The mounting height may be adjusted when supports are located near the edge of the right-of-way on a steep backslope in order to avoid the sometimes less desirable alternative of placing the sign closer to the roadway.

Standard:

14 Overhead signs shall provide a vertical clearance of not less than 17 feet to the sign, light fixture, or sign bridge over the entire width of the pavement and shoulders except where the structure on which the overhead signs are to be mounted or other structures along the roadway near the sign structure have a lesser vertical clearance.

Option:

15 If the vertical clearance of other structures along the roadway near the sign structure is less than 16 feet, the vertical clearance to an overhead sign structure or support may be as low as 1 foot higher than the vertical clearance of the other structures in order to improve the visibility of the overhead signs.

16 In special cases it may be necessary to reduce the clearance to overhead signs because of substandard dimensions in tunnels and other major structures such as double-deck bridges.

Support:

17 Figure 2A-2 illustrates some examples of the mounting height requirements contained in this Section.

2 Del. Admin. Code § 2A.18