Can Street Name Signs Be Mounted on the Same Poles as Traffic Signs?

If you're developing a new residential community -- or if you're looking to update an existing community -- you might be wondering if it's acceptable to mount street name signs on the same poles or bases as traffic signs. Both street name signs and road signs are essential to residential communities. Street name signs guide motorists and pedestrians alike to their intended destination, whereas traffic signs provide control measures to reduce the risk of vehicle collisions. However, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has rules developers and municipalities must follow when using signage. So, can you mount street name signs on the same poles or bases as traffic signs?

What the MUTCD Says

In the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), you'll find that the FHWA allows the mounting of street name signs and traffic signs -- but only under certain circumstances, such as when one sign supplements the other. If a traffic sign supplements a street name sign or vise versa, the two can be mounted on the same pole or base. It's not uncommon for property developers to group their signs together for this very reason. Using a traffic sign and a street name sign on the same pole or base can improve the clarity of the signs' meaning.

Route and Directional Signs

The MUTCD also states that route and directional traffic signs can be mounted on the same pole or base as street name signs. If you're adding a route or directional sign, the FHWA will allow you to mount a street name sign on it. This makes sense considering that both street name signs and route or directional signs help guide motorists and pedestrians to their intended destination.

Stop and Yield Signs

Finally, you can mount street name signs on the same pole or base as stop or yield signs. The MUTCD even lists this as one of the exceptions in which it's acceptable to mount these signs on the same pole or base. If you're adding a top or yield sign to your residential community, it's perfectly fine to mount a street name sign on it.

You can't always mount a street name sign to a traffic sign. As revealed in the MUTCD, this is only allowed under certain circumstances, including when one sign supplements the other sign; when a route or directional sign is used; or when a stop or yield sign is used. For all other occasions, you'll have to mount your street name signs and traffic signs separately.

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