Warning sign · MUTCD W4-2
Lane Ends (Merge Left)
One lane ends ahead. Drivers in the ending lane must move into the lane that continues.
- Shape
- Diamond
- Color
- Yellow background, two black lines, one bending into the other
What to do
If you are in the lane that ends, signal early, check your mirror and blind spot, and merge as soon as there is a safe gap. If you are in the through lane, keep a steady speed and let others merge. Do not race to the end of the ending lane.
Where you see it
Before the point where a lane drops out, often with a LANE ENDS MERGE LEFT or RIGHT LANE ENDS plaque.
Test trap
Candidates confuse Lane Ends with Road Narrows and with Merging Traffic. Lane Ends shows one lane line bending into another; Merging Traffic shows a separate road joining. The driver in the ending lane is the one who must yield.
Memory tip: A line that bends over and disappears — that lane is going away.
Practice question
A yellow diamond sign with two lines where the right line curves in toward the left one means:
- Merging traffic
- Road widens
- Narrow bridge
- Right lane ends — move left
Answer: D. The right lane ends ahead. Drivers in that lane must merge left.
NY Driver's Manual: Road Signs You Must Know