Guide sign · MUTCD M1-4
U.S. Route Marker
This sign marks a United States numbered route, a major highway that is not part of the Interstate system. The number identifies the route.
- Shape
- Shield (U.S. shield)
- Color
- White shield with black border, black numerals
What to do
Use it to confirm you are on the correct route and to follow the route through towns and junctions. U.S. routes often have intersections, traffic signals and lower speed limits than Interstates, so adjust your speed and watch for cross traffic.
Where you see it
Along the route after intersections and junctions, and on guide signs at interchanges.
Test trap
It is black on white, not blue and red like the Interstate marker, and it is a shield, not the plain rectangle or circle used for state routes. A U.S. route can have stop signs and traffic lights; an Interstate cannot.
Memory tip: White shield, black numbers: a U.S. route, not an Interstate.
Practice question
This sign means:
- A U.S. route, not an Interstate
- An Interstate Highway route
- A route through a school zone
- A route for trucks only
Answer: A. Black numbers on a white U.S. shield mark a U.S. numbered route, not an Interstate.
DC DMV Driver Manual, p. 56