MUTCD/Ohio/W

Series W of the OMUTCD is for warning signs. The following tables display only the signs specific to the OMUTCD in Ohio; consult MUTCD/W for warning signs in the national standard.

Work zone usage

This series includes temporary traffic control warning signs for use in work zones (construction zones). Whereas a regulatory sign appears the same inside and outside a work zone, a warning sign has an orange background instead of the usual yellow when used in a work zone.

• W3-H4b
• 
  Warning use
• 
  Work zone use

In general, OpenStreetMap only maps long-term closures and construction sites. For routing purposes, short-term construction is more reliably and efficiently tracked in incident management systems along with real-time traffic congestion data. However, if a temporary sign happens to be posted on a long-term basis for some reason, you can map it as you would map a normal sign. If you map the work zone use traffic sign as a node, use a W code but add colour=orange to the node.

W1: Curves and Turns‎

Sign or plaque	Designation	Name	Tags	Notes
	W1-H6P	___ MPH	maxspeed:advisory=35 mph
	W1-H16	Construction Arrow Symbol Sign	?

W3: Advance Traffic Control‎

Sign or plaque	Designation	Name	Tags	Notes
	W3-H4a	Prepare to Stop When Flashing	hazard=queues_likely
	W3-H4b	Watch for Stopped Traffic	hazard=queues_likely
	W3-H4c	Watch for Slowing Vehicles	hazard=queues_likely
	W3-H5b	Variable Speed Limit Ahead	hazard=maxspeed maxspeed:variable=yes ahead	Speculative
	W3-H15	Watch for Buses on Shoulder	shoulder:access:bus=designated
	W3-H16	Bus Shoulder Obstruction Symbol	shoulder:access:bus=designated

W4: Lanes and Merges‎

Sign or plaque	Designation	Name	Tags	Notes
	W4-H1a	Center Lanes Merge	hazard=merge	Speculative

W6: Divided Highways‎

Sign or plaque	Designation	Name	Tags	Notes
	W6-H3b	Single Lane	lanes=1

W8: Pavement and Roadway Conditions‎

Sign or plaque	Designation	Name	Tags	Notes
	W8-H6a	Trucks Entering and Exiting	hazard=slow_lorries
	W8-H6aPL	On Left	N/A
	W8-H6aPR	On Right
	W8-H6b	Slow Trucks Entering	hazard=slow_lorries
	W8-H7	Loose Gravel / Fresh Tar	hazard=loose_gravel surface=asphalt
	W8-H12a	No Edge Lines	?
	W8-H15a	Rumble Strips	traffic_calming=rumble_strip
	W8-H18a	High Water	hazard=flood
	W8-H20	Land Slides	hazard=landslide
	W8-H23a	Narrow Shoulder	shoulder:narrow=yes	Speculative

W9: Lane Transitions‎

Sign or plaque	Designation	Name	Tags	Notes
	W9-H3b	Center Lane Closed	access:both_ways=no
	W9-H4L	Left Lane Ends / Merge Right	turn:lanes=merge_to_right| change=yes
	W9-H4R	Right Lane Ends / Merge Left	turn:lanes=|merge_to_right change=yes
File:MUTCD-OH W9-H5L.svg	W9-H5L	Left Lane(s) Ends / (Distance)	turn:lanes=merge_to_left| change=yes for given distance
File:MUTCD-OH W9-H5R.svg	W9-H5R	Right Lane(s) Ends / (Distance)	turn:lanes=|merge_to_right change=yes for given distance

W10: Rail and Light Rail‎

Sign or plaque	Designation	Name	Tags	Notes
	W10-H20	Uneven Tracks	?

W11: Advance Warnings and Crossings‎

Sign or plaque	Designation	Name	Tags	Notes
	W11-H1a	Bikes Using Roadway Ahead	hazard=cyclists
	W11-2L	Pedestrian	hazard=pedestrians crossing=* foot=designated	ODOT distinguishes the left and right orientations
	W11-2R
	W11-H2a	Pedestrians Using Roadway	foot=yes hazard=pedestrians
	W11-H5aP	Farm Machinery (plaque)	hazard=agricultural_vehicles
	W11-H13	_____ Entrance	hazard=entrance	Speculative
	W11-H14P	Shoulder Narrows	?
	W11-H14a	(Buggy symbol) Using Roadway Ahead	hazard=carriage carriage=designated

W12: Low Clearance‎

Sign or plaque	Designation	Name	Tags	Notes
	W12-H3L	Side Low Clearance / (arrow)	maxheight:conditional=11'2" @ (width > 6') where 6' is the distance between the knee braces of the covered bridge
	W12-H3R

W13: Advisory Speeds‎

Sign or plaque	Designation	Name	Tags	Notes
File:MUTCD-OH W13-H10P.svg	W13-H10P	No Reentry ____bound	N/A
File:MUTCD-OH W13-H11P.svg	W13-H11P	No Reentry ____bound (2-line message)	N/A

W15: Playground

Sign or plaque	Designation	Name	Tags	Notes
	W15-H2	Safety Zone	?

W16: Supplemental

Sign or plaque	Designation	Name	Tags	Notes
File:MUTCD-OH W16-8P.svg	W16-8P	Street Name w/Arrow Plaque
File:MUTCD-OH W16-H8P.svg	W16-H8P	Street Name	name=Hathaway Road on the cross street
File:MUTCD-OH W16-H8aP.svg	W16-H8aP	Two Street Names	name=Plain City Georgesville Road on the cross street
	W16-H13aP	On Bridge When Flashing Plaque​	flashing_lights=yes on the traffic sign node hazard:conditional=cyclists @ flashing_lights on the bridge	Speculative
	W16-H19P	State Law Plaque (New)	N/A

W20: Work Zones

Sign or plaque	Designation	Name	Tags	Notes
File:MUTCD-OH W20-H8.svg	W20-H8	Work in Exit Lane	N/A
File:MUTCD-OH W20-H13.svg	W20-H13	Impending Closure Sign with phone number	highway=construction construction=* access=no check_date=2025-05-14 opening_date=2025-09-18 phone=+1-555-555-1212
File:MUTCD-OH W20-H14.svg	W20-H14	Impending Closure Sign with agency name	highway=construction construction=* access=no check_date=2025-05-14 opening_date=2025-09-18 operator=Ohio Department of Transportation
File:MUTCD-OH W20-H15a.svg	W20-H15	Exit Closed	highway=construction construction=motorway_link access=no
File:MUTCD-OH W20-H15a.svg	W20-H15a	Closed	highway=construction construction=* access=no
	W20-H15b	No Access	highway=construction construction=* access=no on the highway
File:MUTCD-OH W20-H16.svg	W20-H16	State Route Closed	highway=construction construction=secondary access=no
File:MUTCD-OH W20-H17.svg	W20-H17	Rest Area Closed Ahead	opening_hours=closed access=no disused:highway=rest_area if permanent
File:MUTCD-OH W20-H18.svg	W20-H18	Emergency Pull-Off Ahead Sign	highway=escape
File:MUTCD-OH W20-H18a.svg	W20-H18a	Emergency Pull-Off (w/ arrow) Sign	highway=escape
	W20-H19	All Traffic Exit and Re-Enter	highway=construction construction=* access=no on the highway between the exit and entrance
	W20-H20	No Access to XX	highway=construction construction=* access=no on the approach to SR 104

W21: Road Work

Sign or plaque	Designation	Name	Tags	Notes
	W21-H5	Shoulder Work Ahead	N/A
	W21-H6	Survey Crew Ahead	N/A

W23: Slow Traffic‎

Sign or plaque	Designation	Name	Tags	Notes
	W23-H2a	Signal Operation Changed (advance version)	?
	W23-H2b	Signal Operation Changed (overhead version)	?

W24: Signal Removal

Sign or plaque	Designation	Name	Tags	Notes
	W24-H2a	(Symbol) / New Signal Will Begin Stop-and-Go / (date)	construction:highway=traffic_signals construction:traffic_signals=blink_mode opening_date=2025-11-08	Add a note about the addition
File:MUTCD-OH W24-H2b.svg	W24-H2b	Signal Under Study for Removal	N/A
File:MUTCD-OH W24-H2c.svg	W24-H2c	Signal Will Be Removed xx-xx-xxxx (date)	highway=traffic_signals end_date=*	Add a note about the removal
File:MUTCD-OH W24-H2d.svg	W24-H2d	Flasher Will Be Removed xx-xx-xxxx (date)	highway=traffic_signals traffic_signals=blinker end_date=*	Add a note about the removal
File:MUTCD-OH W24-H2e.svg	W24-H2e	All-Way Stop Will Begin xx-xx-xxxx (date)	construction:highway=stop opening_date=*

W26: Paint

Sign or plaque	Designation	Name	Tags	Notes
File:MUTCD-OH W26-H1.svg	W26-H1	Wet Paint	N/A
File:MUTCD-OH W26-H2.svg	W26-H2	Wet Paint	N/A
File:MUTCD-OH W26-H3.svg	W26-H3	Wet Paint	N/A
File:MUTCD-OH W26-H4.svg	W26-H4	Center Line Truck Ahead	N/A
File:MUTCD-OH W26-H5.svg	W26-H5	Edge Line Painting for 1500 ft	N/A
File:MUTCD-OH W26-H6.svg	W26-H6	Lane Line Painting for 1500 ft	N/A
File:MUTCD-OH W26-H7.svg	W26-H7	Center Line Painting for 1500 ft	N/A

W27: Vehicle-Mounted Signs

Sign or plaque	Designation	Name	Tags	Notes
	W27-H1	Oversize Load	N/A
	W27-H2	Survey Vehicle	N/A
	W27-H3	Frequent Stops	N/A
	W27-H4	Slow Truck Ahead	N/A
	W27-H5	Slow Tractor Ahead	N/A

External links

• OMUTCD Chapter 2C. Warning Signs and Object Markers
• SDMM Chapter 3: Warning Signs
• SDMM Chapter 8: Temporary Traffic Control Signs
• Diagrams of warning road signs of Ohio
• Diagrams of construction road signs of Ohio