Work zone sign · MUTCD W20-2
Detour Ahead
The road ahead is closed, and traffic must leave it and follow a different route. The detour avoids the work zone.
- Shape
- Orange rectangle
- Color
- Orange background, black letters and border
What to do
Prepare to leave your route and watch for the DETOUR signs that follow. Follow them until they bring you back to the original road.
Where you see it
Before the point where the detour begins.
Test trap
"Detour Ahead" only warns; the turn comes later. Do not ignore the follow-up DETOUR signs or drive through a barricade to keep to your usual road.
Memory tip: Detour ahead: be ready to leave your road.
Practice question
This sign means:
- The road ahead is one-way
- A dead end is ahead
- The road is closed; use a detour
- A rest area is ahead
Answer: C. You will need to leave the road and follow another route.
Massachusetts RMV Driver's Manual (rev. April 2026), p. 96