903.13 State and Federal Recreation and Historic Site Signing

903.13.1 Scope (MUTCD Section 2M.01)

Support. Recreational or cultural interest areas are attractions or traffic generators that are open to the general public for the purpose of play, amusement or relaxation.

For the purpose of this chapter, recreational or cultural interest areas are sites that are owned and operated by state and federal agencies. For privately owned recreational and cultural interest signs see EPG 903.8.37 Traffic Generator Signing, EPG 903.11 Specific Service Signs and EPG 903.12 Tourist-Oriented Directional Signs.

Option. Recreational and cultural interest area guide signs directing road users to significant traffic generators may be used on freeways and expressways where there is direct access to these areas as provided in EPG 903.13.9. Recreational and cultural interest area signs may be used off the road network, as appropriate.

Rustic Signs may be used by state and federal agencies at approved locations, see Fig. 903.13.1. If these signs do not meet Federal breakaway standards, these sign shall be placed at or beyond MoDOT’s right of way.

Fig. 903.13.1, Approved Rustic Sign Locations for State and Federal Agencies

903.13.2 Application (MUTCD Section 2M.02)

Support. Provisions for signing recreational or cultural interest areas are subdivided into two different types of signs: (1) symbol signs and (2) destination guide signs.

Guidance. These signs are not to be used where they might be confused with other traffic control signs.

Option. Recreational and cultural interest area guide signs may be used on any road to direct persons to facilities, structures, and places and to identify various services available to the general public. These guide signs may also be used in recreational or cultural interest areas for signing non-vehicular events and amenities such as trails, structures and facilities.

903.13.3 Regulatory and Warning Signs (MUTCD Section 2M.03)

Standard. All regulatory and warning signs installed on public roads and streets within recreational and cultural interest areas shall comply with the requirements of EPG 903.1 through EPG 903.5 and EPG 903.10 through EPG 903.21.

903.13.4 General Design Requirements for Symbol Guide Signs (MUTCD Section 2M.04)

Standard. Recreational and cultural interest area symbol guide signs shall be square or rectangular in shape and shall have a white symbol or message and white border on a brown background. The symbols shall be grouped into the following usage and series categories:

A. General Applications

B. Services

C. Accommodations

D. Land Recreation

E. Water Recreation, and

F. Winter Recreation

Support. Table 903.13.4 contains a listing of the symbols within each series category.

Option. Mirror images of symbols may be used where the reverse image will better convey the message.

Table 903.13.4 Guide Sign Sizes

General		Services		Water Recreation
Bear Viewing Area	RS-012	Drinking Water	RS-013	Beach	RS-145
Bus Stop	RS-031	Electrical Hook-Up	RS-150	Boat Motor	RS-147
Campfires1	RS-042	Firewood Cutting1	RS-112	Boat Ramp	RS-054
Cans or Bottles1	RS-101	First Aid	RS-024	Canoeing	RS-079
Cultural Interest Area	RS-142	Grocery Store	RS-020	Diving	RS-062
Dam	RS-009	Kennel	RS-045	Fish Cleaning1	RS-093
Deer Viewing Area	RS-011	Laundromat	RS-085	Fish Hatchery	RS-010
Falling Rocks1	RS-008	Litter Receptacle	RS-086	Fish Ladder1	RS-089
Fire Extinguisher1	RS-090	Lockers/Storage1	RS-030	Fishing Area	RS-063
Lighthouse	RS-007	Mechanic	RS-027	Fishing Pier	RS-119
Lookout Tower	RS-006	Picnic Shelter	RS-039	Hand Launch/Small Boat Launch	RS-117
Nature Study Area	RS-141	Picnic Site	RS-044	Jet Ski/Personal Watercraft	RS-121
Pets on Leash1	RS-017	Post Office	RS-026	Kayaking	RS-118
Pick-Up Trucks	RS-140	Ranger Station	RS-015	Lifejackets1	RS-094
Point of Interest	RS-080	Sanitary Station	RS-041	Marina	RS-053
Radios1	RS-103	Showers1	RS-035	Motorboating	RS-055
Rattlesnakes1	RS-099	Stable	RS-073	Rafting	RS-146
Recycling1	RS-200	Theater	RS-109	Rowboating	RS-057
Sea Plane	RS-115	Trail Shelter1	RS-043	Sailing	RS-056
Smoking1	RS-002	Tramway	RS-071	Scuba Diving	RS-060
Snack Bar1	RS-102	Trash Dumpster	RS-091	Seal Viewing	RS-106
Stay on Trail1	RS-123			Surfing	RS-059
Strollers1	RS-111	Land Recreation		Swimming	RS-061
Tunnel	RS-005	All-Terrain Trail	RS-095	Tour Boat	RS-087
Viewing Area	RS-036	Amphitheater	RS-070	Wading	RS-088
Walk on Boardwalk1	RS-122	Archery	RS-116	Waterskiing	RS-058
Wood Gathering1	RS-120	Baseball1	RS-096	Whale Viewing	RS-107
		Climbing1	RS-082	Wind Surfing	RS-108
Accommodations		Corral	RS-149
Baby Changing Station (Men's Room)	RS-137	Driving Tour	RS-113	Winter Recreation
Baby Changing Station (Women's Room)	RS-138	Exercise/Fitness	RS-097	Chair Lift/Ski Lift	RS-105
Men's Restroom	RS-021	Golfing1	RS-128	Cross Country Skiing	RS-046
Parking	RS-034	Hang Gliding	RS-126	Dog Sledding	RS-143
Recreational Vehicle Site	RS-104	Hiking Trail	RS-068	Downhill Skiing	RS-047
Restrooms	RS-022	Horse Trail	RS-064	Ice Fishing	RS-092
Sleeping Shelter1	RS-037	In-Line Skating	RS-125	Ice Skating	RS-050
Trailer Site	RS-040	Interpretive Trail	RS-114	Ski Jumping	RS-048
Walk-In Camp	RS-148	Off-Road Vehicle Trail	RS-067	Sledding	RS-049
Women's Restroom	RS-023	Rock Collecting1	RS-083	Snow Tubing	RS-144
		Skateboarding1	RS-098	Snowboarding	RS-127
		Spelunking/Caves	RS-084	Snowmobiling	RS-052
		Technical Rock Climbing	RS-081	Snowshoeing	RS-078
		Tennis	RS-129	Winter Recreational Area	RS-077
		Wildlife Viewing	RS-076
1 For non-road use only

903.13.5 Symbol Sign Sizes (MUTCD Section 2M.05)

Guidance. Recreational and cultural interest area symbol signs should be 24 in. x 24 inches. Where greater visibility or emphasis is needed, larger sizes should be used. Symbol sign enlargements should be in 6-in. increments.

Recreational and cultural interest area symbol signs should be 30 in. x 30 in. when used on guide signs on freeways or expressways.

Option. A smaller size of 18 in. x 18 in. may be used on low-speed, low-volume roadways and on non-road applications.

903.13.6 Use of Educational Plaques (MUTCD Section 2M.06)

Guidance. Educational plaques should accompany all initial installations of recreational and cultural interest area symbol signs. The educational plaque should remain in place for at least 3 years after the initial installation. If used, the educational plaque should be the same width as the symbol sign.

Option. Symbol signs that are readily recognizable by the public may be installed without educational plaques.

Support. Fig. 903.13.6 illustrates some examples of the use of educational plaques.

Fig. 903.13.6, Example of Educational Plaque

903.13.7 Use of Prohibitive Circle and Diagonal Slash for Non-Road Application (MUTCD Section 2M.07)

Standard. Where it is necessary to indicate a prohibition of an activity or an item within a recreational or cultural interest area for non-road use and a standard regulatory sign for such a prohibition is not provided in EPG 903.5, the appropriate recreational and cultural interest area symbol shall be used in combination with a red prohibitive circle and red diagonal slash. The recreational and cultural interest area symbol and the sign border shall be black and the sign background shall be white. The symbol shall be scaled proportionally to fit completely within the circle and the diagonal slash shall be oriented from the upper left to the lower right portions of the circle as shown in Fig. 903.13.7. Requirements for retroreflection of the red circle and diagonal slash shall be the same as those requirements for backgrounds, legends, symbols, arrows, and borders.

Fig. 903.13.7, Examples of Prohibitive Slashes * Standard regulatory signs shall be used.

903.13.8 Placement of Recreational and Cultural Interest Symbol Signs (MUTCD Section 2M.08)

Standard. If used, recreational and cultural interest area symbol signs shall be placed in accordance with the general requirements contained in EPG 903.2. The symbol(s) shall be placed as sign panels in the uppermost part of the sign and the directional information shall be placed below the symbol(s).

Except as provided below, if the name of the recreational or cultural interest area facility or activity is displayed on a destination guide sign and a symbol is used, the symbol shall be placed below the name.

Option. When the legend of Wildlife Viewing Area is displayed with the RS-076 symbol on a destination guide sign, the symbol may be placed to the left or right of the legend and the arrow may be placed below the symbol.

The symbols displayed with the facility or activity name may be placed below the destination guide sign instead of as sign panels placed with the destination guide sign.

Secondary symbols of a smaller size (18 in. x 18 in.) may be placed beneath the primary symbols, where needed.

Standard. Recreational and cultural interest area symbols installed for non-road use shall be placed in accordance with the general sign position requirements of the authority having jurisdiction.

Support. Fig. 903.13.8.1 illustrates typical height and lateral mounting positions. Fig. 903.13.8.2 illustrates some examples of the placement of symbol signs within a recreational or cultural interest area.

Guidance. Signing for specific facilities, such as picnic areas, boat ramps, fishing access, etc., within state or federal major traffic generators will be the responsibility of the respective agency and will be allowed at the point of first order signing. The number of symbols used in a single sign assembly is not to exceed four.

Option. The Advance Turn (M5 series) or Directional Arrow (M6 series) auxiliary signs with white arrows on brown backgrounds may be used with Recreational and Cultural Area Interest symbol guide signs to create a Recreational and Cultural Interest Area Directional Assembly. The symbols may be used singularly, or in groups of two, three or four on a single sign assembly.

Fig. 903.13.8.1, Arrangement, Height and Lateral Position of Signs Located Within Recreational and Cultural Interest Areas Note: See EPG 903.2.18 for reduced lateral offset distances that may be used in areas where lateral offsets are limited, and in urban areas where sidewalk width is limited or where existing poles are close to the curb.

Fig. 903.13.8.2, Examples of Symbol and Destination Guide Sign Layout

903.13.9 Destination Guide Signs (MUTCD Section 2M.09)

D7-10

D7-10P

Guidance. When recreational or cultural interest area destinations are displayed on supplemental guide signs, the sign should be rectangular with a white legend and border on a brown background.

These signs should be erected in the vicinity of state conservation areas, state parks, state historic sites, U.S. Corps of Engineers areas and U.S. forestry service areas. This sign will show the name of the area, type of area, directional arrow and the distance in miles to the area. For distances less than 10 miles, mileage will be indicated quarter mile increments. For distances 10 miles or greater, whole mile increments will be used. A logo of the owning agency may be included on the sign.

Standard. The requesting agency will be responsible for the cost of the participation fee for the recreation or cultural interest area signing program; Traffic will determine the cost. These signs shall be on a separate requisition grouped by agency if necessary. This is done to allow the agencies to approve the replacement of the signs prior to manufacturing. The Controller’s Office will bill the agency for the cost of the participation fee. A TR-15 contract will be executed. See EPG 903.16 Signing Agreements.

First, second and third order signing can be provided for public non-profit agencies where space allows. First, second and third order signing will be provided as shown in Fig. 903.13.9. Only numbered routes will be considered for second and third order signing.

Option. Destination guide signs with a white legend and border on a brown background may be posted at the first point where an access or crossroad intersects a highway where recreational or cultural interest areas are a significant destination along conventional roads, expressways or freeways. Supplemental guide signs with a white legend and border on brown background may be used along conventional roads, expressways or freeways to direct road users to recreational or cultural interest areas. Where access or crossroads lead exclusively to the recreational or cultural interest area, the advance guide sign and the exit direction sign may have a white legend and border on a brown background.

Standard. All Exit Gore signs shall have a white legend and border on a green background. The background color of the interchange exit number plaque shall match the background color of the guide sign. Design characteristics of conventional road, expressway or freeway guide signs shall comply with to EPG 903.7 or EPG 903.8 except as provided in this article for color combination.

The advance guide sign and the Exit Direction sign shall retain the white-on- green color combination where the crossroad leads to a destination other than a recreational or cultural interest area.

Support. Fig. 903.13.8.2 illustrates destination guide signs commonly used for identifying recreational or cultural interest areas or facilities.

Table 903.13.9 Recreational Sign and Plaque Sizes

Sign or Plaque	Sign Designation	EPG Article	Conventional Road (in. x in.)			Freeway/Expressway (in. x in.)
			Single Lane	Multi-Lane	Oversized	Mainline & Ramps
Public Area Directional	D7-10	903.13.9	72 X 24	72 X 24	-	72 X 24
Public Area Plaque	D7-10P	903.13.9	72 X 12	72 X 12	-	72 X 12
Public Area Directional (Narrow)	D7-10a	903.13.9	36 X 48	36 X 48	-	36 X 48

903.13.10 National Park Signs

Standard. All national parks in Missouri shall be included in the recreational area signing program.

Signing for parks that are classified major area generator shall be located where the principal access highways intersect the National Highway System.

Support. Presently, there are two parks that would be provided signing under the major area generator classification: Jefferson National Expansion Memorial and Ozark National Scenic River Ways.