903.11 Specific Service Signs - Logos

903.11.1 Eligibility (MUTCD Section 2J.01)

Support. This is commonly referred to as the Logo Program. See Signing Policy 7 CSR 10-9 for the Logo rules. Pursuant to 7 CSR 10-9 of the Missouri Code of State Regulations (CSR), and based on the standards and guidelines noted herein, MoDOT has established a program that “provides signing that contains a logo for a business if it qualifies in a category. These signs are erected only in advance of interchanges on state system.”

This program is administered by an outside contractor and is governed by a set of rules and regulations that are contained in the Missouri Code of State Regulations (CSR). The current CSRs for the Logo program are contained in this article.

Standard. Specific Service signs shall be defined as guide signs that provide road users with business identification and directional information for services and for eligible attractions. Eligible service categories shall be limited to gas, food, lodging, camping, attractions, and 24-hour pharmacies.

Guidance. The use of Specific Service signs should be limited to areas primarily rural in character or to areas where adequate sign spacing can be maintained.

Option. Where an engineering study determines a need, Specific Service signs may be used on any class of highways, according to the CSR.

Guidance. Specific Service signs should not be installed at an interchange where the road user cannot conveniently reenter the freeway or expressway and continue in the same direction of travel.

Standard. Eligible service facilities shall comply with laws concerning the provisions of public accommodations without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex or national origin and laws concerning the licensing and approval of service facilities.

The tourist attraction shall include only facilities which have the primary purpose of providing amusement, historical or cultural activities to the public.

Distances to eligible 24-hour pharmacies shall not exceed 3 miles in any direction of an interchange on the federal-aid system.

Tourist attraction

Guidance. Distances to eligible services should not exceed 3 miles in either direction.

Option. If, within the 3-mile limit, facilities for the services being considered are not available or choose to not participate in the program, the limit of eligibility may be extended in 3-mile increments until one or more facilities for the services being considered chooses to participate or until 6 miles is reached for gas, food and lodging services, 15 miles is reached for camping services or 30 miles is reached for tourist attractions, whichever comes first.

Standard. If Specific Service signing is provided for pharmacies, both of the following criteria shall be met for a pharmacy to qualify for signing.

A. The pharmacy shall be continuously operated 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, and shall have a state-licensed pharmacist present and on duty at all times.

B. The pharmacy shall be located within 3 miles of an interchange on the federal-aid system.

903.11.2 Application (MUTCD Section 2J.02)

Standard. The number of Specific Service signs along an approach to an interchange or intersection, regardless of the number of service types displayed, shall be limited to a maximum of four. In the direction of traffic, successive Specific Service signs shall be for 24-hour Pharmacy, attraction, camping, lodging, food and gas services, in that order.

A Specific Service sign shall display the word message GAS, FOOD, LODGING, CAMPING, ATTRACTION or 24-HOUR PHARMACY, an appropriate directional legend such as the word message EXIT XX, NEXT RIGHT, SECOND RIGHT or directional arrows, and the related logo sign panels.

No more than three types of services shall be represented on any sign or sign assembly. If three types of services are displayed on one sign, then the logo sign panels shall be limited to two for each service (for a total of six logo sign panels). If two types of services are displayed on one sign, then the logo sign panels shall be limited to either three for each service type (for a total of six logo sign panels) or four for one service type and two for the other service type (for a total of six logo sign panels). The legend and logo sign panels applicable to a service type shall be displayed such that the road user will not associate them with another service type on the same sign.

No service type shall appear on more than one sign.

The signs shall have a blue background, a white border, and white legends of upper-case letters, numbers and arrows.

Guidance. Where a service type is displayed on two signs, the signs for that service should follow one another in succession.

The Specific Service signs should be located to take advantage of natural terrain, to have the least impact on the scenic environment and to avoid visual conflict with other signs within the highway right of way.

Option. General Service signs (refer to EPG 903.10) may be used in conjunction with Specific Service signs for eligible types of services that are not represented by a Specific Service sign.

Support. Examples of sign locations are shown in Fig. 903.11.2.

Fig. 903.11.2, Examples of Specific Service Sign Locations

903.11.3 Logos and Logo Sign Panels (MUTCD Section 2J.03)

Standard. A logo shall be either an identification symbol/trademark or a word message. Each logo shall be placed on a separate logo sign panel that shall be attached to the Specific Service sign. Symbols or trademarks used alone for a logo shall be reproduced in the colors and general shape consistent with customary use, and any integral legend shall be in proportionate size. A logo that resembles an official traffic control device shall not be used.

Guidance. A word message logo, not using a symbol or trademark, should have a blue background with white legend and border.

Option. Where business identification symbols or trademarks are used alone for a logo, the border may be omitted from the logo sign panel.

A portion of a logo sign panel may be used to display a supplemental message horizontally along the bottom of the logo sign panel, provided that the message displayed essential motorist information.

Standard. All supplemental messages shall be displayed within the logo sign panel and shall have letters and numerals that comply with the minimum height requirements shown in Table 903.11.5.

Guidance. A logo sign panel should not display more than one supplemental message.

The supplemental message should be displayed in a color to contrast effectively with the background of the business sign or separated from the other legend or logo by a divider bar.

State or local agencies that elect to allow supplemental messages on logo sign panels should develop a statewide policy for such messages.

Support. Typical supplemental messages might include DIESEL, 24 HOURS, CLOSED and ALTERNATIVE FUELS.

Standard. A logo sign panel shall not display the symbol/trademark or name of more than one business.

903.11.4 Number and Size of Signs and Logos Sign Panels (MUTCD Section 2J.04)

Guidance. Sign sizes should be determined by the amount and height of legend and the number and size of logo sign panels attached to the sign. All logo sign panels on a sign should be the same size.

Standard. Each Specific Service sign or sign assembly shall be limited to no more than six logo sign panels.

Option. Where more than six businesses of a specific service type are eligible for logo sign panels at the same interchange, additional logo sign panels of that same specific service type may also be displayed in accordance with these provisions. The additional logo sign panels may be displayed either by placing more than one specific service type on the same sign or by using a second Specific Service sign of that specific service type if the additional sign can be added without exceeding the limit of four Specific Service signs at an interchange or intersection approach.

Standard. Where logo sign panels for more than six businesses of a specific service type are displayed at the same interchange or intersection approach, the following provisions shall apply:

A. No more than 12 logo sign panels of a specific service type shall be displayed on no more than two Specific Service signs or sign assemblies;

B. No more than six logo sign panels shall be displayed on a single Specific Service sign; and

C. No more than four Specific Service signs shall be displayed on the approach.

Support. Refer to EPG 903.11.8 for information about Specific Service signs for double-exit interchanges.

Standard. Each logo sign panel attached to a Specific Service sign shall have a rectangular shape with a width longer than the height. A logo sign panel on mainline signs for freeways and expressways shall be 60 in. wide and 36 in. tall. A logo sign panel on signs for ramps shall not exceed 30 in. wide and 18 in. tall. The vertical and horizontal spacing between logo sign panels shall not exceed 8 in. and 12 in., respectively.

Support. Refer to EPG 903.2.24, EPG 903.8.12 and EPG 903.8.13 for information regarding borders, interline spacing and edge spacing.

903.11.5 Size of Lettering (MUTCD Section 2J.05)

Standard. All Specific Service signs and logo sign panels shall have letter and numeral sizes that comply with the minimum requirements of Table 903.11.5.

The principle legend on the business (logo) sign shall be a minimum 4 in. tall on supplemental direction signs and 10 inches tall on specific service signs.

Guidance. When a symbol/trademark is used alone for the business sign, any legend on the symbol/trademark shall be proportioned to the size of the symbol/trademark.

Table 903.11.5 Minimum Letter and Numeral Sizes for Specific Service Signs According to Sign Type (inches)

Type of Sign	Freeway or Expressway	Conventional Road or Ramp
Specific Service Signs
Service Categories	10	6
Exit Number Words	10	-
Exit Number Numerals and Letters	10	-
Action Message Words	10	6
Distance Numerals	-	6
Distance Numerals	-	4
Logo Sign Panels
Logo Sign Panels	60 X 36	30 X 18
Words and Numerals (Non-Trademark/Graphic Logo)	8	4
Trademark/Graphic Logo	Proportional	Proportional
Supplemental Message Words and Numerals	5	2.5
Note: Where applicable, sizes are shown as width x height

903.11.6 Signs at Interchanges (MUTCD Section 2J.06)

Standard. The Specific Service signs shall be installed between the preceding interchange and at least 800 ft. in advance of the Exit Direction sign at the interchange from which the services are available (see Figure 903.11.2).

Guidance. There should be at least 800 ft. between the Specific Service signs, except for Specific Service ramp signs. However, excessive spacing is not desirable. Specific Service ramp signs should be spaced at least 100 ft. from the exit gore sign, from each other and from the ramp terminal.

903.11.7 Single-Exit Interchanges (MUTCD Section 2J.07)

Standard. At numbered single-exit interchanges, the name of the service type followed by the exit number shall be displayed on one line above the logo sign panels. At unnumbered interchanges, the directional legend NEXT RIGHT (LEFT) shall be used.

At single-exit interchanges, Specific Service ramp signs shall be installed along the ramp or at the ramp terminal for facilities that have logo sign panels displayed along the main roadway if the facilities are not readily visible from the ramp terminal. Directions to the service facilities shall be indicated by arrows on the ramp signs. Logo sign panels on Specific Service ramp signs shall be duplicates of those displayed on the Specific Service signs located in advance of the interchange, but shall be reduced in size.

Guidance. Specific Service ramp signs should include distances to the service facilities.

903.11.8 Double-Exit Interchanges (MUTCD Section 2J.08)

Guidance. At double-exit interchanges, the Specific Service signs should consist of two sections, one for each exit (see Figure 903.11.2).

Standard. At a double-exit interchange, the top section shall display the logo sign panels for the first exit and the bottom section shall display the logo sign panels for the second exit. At numbered interchanges, the name of the service type and the exit number shall be displayed above the logo sign panels in each section. At unnumbered interchanges, the word message NEXT RIGHT (LEFT) and SECOND RIGHT (LEFT) shall be used in place of the exit number. The number of logo panels on the sign (total of both sections) or the sign assembly shall be limited to six.

Guidance. At a double-exit interchanges, where a service type is displayed on two Specific Service signs in accordance with these provisions, one of the signs should display the logo sign panels for that service type for the businesses that are accessible form one of the two exits and the other sign should display the logo sign panels for that service type for the businesses that are accessible from the other exit.

Option. At a double-exit interchange where there are four logo sign panels to be displayed for one of the exits and one or two logo sign panels to be displayed for the other exit, the logo sign panels may be arranged in three rows with two logo sign panels per row.

At a double-exit interchange, where a service should be signed for only one exit, one section of the Specific Service sign may be omitted, or a single exit interchange sign may be used. Signs on ramps and crossroads as described in EPG 903.11.7 may be used at a double-exit interchange.

903.11.9 Specific Service Trailblazer Signs (MUTCD Section 2J.09)

Support. Specific Service trailblazer signs are guide signs with one to four logo sign panels that display business identification and directional information for services and for eligible attractions. Specific Service trailblazer signs are installed along crossroads for facilities that have logo sign panels displayed along the main roadway and ramp, and that require additional vehicle maneuvers.

Standard. Specific Service trailblazer signs shall be installed along crossroads where the route to the business requires a direction change, where it is questionable as to which roadway to follow, or where additional guidance is needed. Where it is not feasible or practical to install Specific Service trailblazer signs to such businesses, those businesses shall not be considered eligible for signing from the ramp and main roadway. A Specific Service trailblazer sign shall not be required at the point where the business is visible from the roadway and its access is readily apparent.

Guidance. If used, a Specific Service trailblazer sign should be located a maximum of 500 ft. in advance of any required turn.

Standard. The location of other traffic control devices shall take precedence over the location of a Specific Service trailblazer sign.

When used, each Specific Service trailblazer sign or sign assembly shall be limited to no more than four logo sign panels. The logo sign panels on Specific Service trailblazer signs shall be duplicates of those displayed on the Specific Service ramp signs.

Appropriate legends, such as directional arrows or the word message NEXT RIGHT or SECOND RIGHT, shall be displayed with the logo sign panel to provide proper guidance. The directional legend and border shall be white and shall be displayed on a blue background.

Option. Specific Service trailblazer signs may contain various types of services on a single sign or on a sign assembly.

Specific Service trailblazer signs may be placed farther from the edge of the road than other traffic control signs.

903.11.10 Signs at Intersections (MUTCD Section 2J.10)

Standard. Where both tourist-oriented information (refer to EPG 903.12) and specific service information would be needed at the same intersection, the design of the tourist-oriented directional signs shall be used and the needed specific service information shall be incorporated.

Guidance. If Specific Service signs are used at intersections on expressways, they should be installed between the previous interchange or intersection and at least 300 ft. in advance of the intersection from which the services are available.

The spacing between signs should be determined on the basis of an engineering study.

Logo sign panels should not be displayed for a type of service for which a qualified facility is readily visible.

Standard. If Specific Service signs are used on conventional roads or at intersections on expressways, the name of each type of service shall be displayed above its logo sign panel(s), together with an appropriate legend such as NEXT RIGHT (LEFT) or a directional arrow, either displayed on the same line as the name of the type of service or displayed below the logo sign panel(s).

Option. Signs similar to Specific Service ramp signs as described in EPG 903.11.7 may be provided on the crossroad.

903.11.11 Signing Policy 7CSR 10-9 (MUTCD Section 2J.11)

Guidance. The rules and regulations on how to obtain information and materials about the Logo Signing Program, including guidelines for its administration, are available at the Code of State Regulations link.

903.11.11.1 Contractor’s Role

Support. It is the contractor’s role to administer the day-to-day operations of the Logo program. The current contractor for this program is Missouri Logos, Inc. Missouri Logos makes contacts with prospective customers, proposes sign layouts for MoDOT review and arranges for the erection of new signs.

903.11.11.2 MoDOT’s Role

Support. MoDOT’s primary role in the Logo program is to assure that sign installations follow our guidelines. Missouri Logos will provide to the district a proposed layout of any new sign installation.

Guidance. District traffic personnel should field check each installation to be sure there is sufficient spacing for the signs and they do not interfere with any existing signs. Any requests for Logo signing should be referred to Missouri Logos for handling. Missouri Logo’s phone number is (573) 893-6662 or 800-666-3514. See Fig. 903.11.11.2.

Fig. 903.11.11.2 Current Process for New Logo Request (or Structural Modifications)

903.11.11.3 Maintenance

Support. Missouri Logos is responsible for the initial erection and maintenance of the logo signs. MoDOT, as part of our contract with Missouri Logos, pays them for this installation and maintenance includes knockdowns and removal of logo panels.

Guidance. Knockdowns and damages should be reported to Missouri Logos as soon as noticed. Interchange, location and direction damaged should be reported. See Process for Logo Maintenance Flowchart, Figs. 903.11.11.3.1 and 903.11.11.3.2.

Fig. 903.11.11.3.1 Process for Logo Maintenance

Fig. 903.11.11.3.2 Process for Logo Knockdowns