MUTCD 11th Edition
Page 23
- Physical Gore—a longitudinal point where a physical barrier or the lack of a paved surface inhibits road users from crossing from a ramp or channelized turn lane or channelized entering lane to the adjacent through lane(s) or vice versa.
- Pictograph—a pictorial representation used to identify a governmental jurisdiction, an area of jurisdiction, a governmental or other public transportation agency or provider, a military base or branch of service, a governmental-approved university or college, a governmental-approved institution, or a toll payment system.
- Plaque—a traffic control device intended to communicate specific information to road users through a word, symbol, or arrow legend that is placed immediately adjacent to a sign to supplement the message on the sign. The difference between a plaque and a sign is that a plaque cannot be used alone. The designation for a plaque includes a “P” suffix.
- Platoon—a group of vehicles or pedestrians traveling together as a group, either voluntarily or involuntarily, because of traffic signal controls, geometrics, or other factors.
- Portable Traffic Control Signal—see Highway Traffic Signal.
- Post-Exit Ramp Lane Reduction—see Lane Reduction.
- Post-Mounted Sign—a sign that is placed to the side of the roadway such that no portion of the sign or its support is directly above the roadway or shoulder.
- Posted Speed Limit—a speed limit determined by law or regulation and displayed on Speed Limit signs.
- Preemption—the transfer of normal operation of a traffic control signal or a hybrid beacon to a special control mode of operation.
- Preferential Lane—a highway lane or set of lanes, or a highway facility, reserved for the exclusive use of one or more specific types of vehicles or of vehicles with a specific minimum number of occupants.
- Pre-Signal—see Highway Traffic Signal.
- Pretimed Operation—a type of traffic control signal operation in which none of the signal phases function on the basis of actuation.
- Primary Signal Face—one of the required or recommended minimum number of signal faces for a given approach or separate turning movement, but not including near-side signal faces required as a result of the far-side signal faces exceeding the maximum distance from the stop line.
- Principal Legend—place names, street names, and route numbers displayed on guide signs.
- Priority Control—a means by which the assignment of right-of-way is obtained or modified.
- Private Road—see Site Roadways Open to Public Travel.
- Professional Engineer (P.E.)—An individual who has fulfilled education and experience requirements and passed examinations that, under State licensure laws, permit the individual to offer engineering services within areas of expertise directly to the public.
- Protected Mode—a mode of traffic control signal operation in which left or right turns are permitted to be made only when a left or right GREEN ARROW signal indication is displayed.
- Public Road—any road, street, or similar facility under the jurisdiction of and maintained by a public agency and open to public travel.
- Push Button—a button to activate a device or signal timing for pedestrians, bicyclists, or other road users.
- Push Button Information Message—a recorded message that can be actuated by pressing a push button when the walk interval is not timing and that provides the name of the street that the crosswalk associated with that particular push button crosses and can also provide other information about the intersection signalization or geometry.
- Push Button Locator Tone—a repeating sound that informs approaching pedestrians that a push button exists to actuate pedestrian timing or receive additional information and that enables pedestrians with vision disabilities to locate the push button.
- Queue Clearance Time—when used in Part 8, the time required for the design vehicle of maximum length stopped just inside the minimum track clearance distance to start up and move through and clear the entire minimum track clearance distance.
- Queue Cutter Signal—see Highway Traffic Signal.
- Quiet Zone—a segment of a rail line, within which is situated one or a number of consecutive public highway-rail grade crossings at which locomotive horns are not routinely sounded per 49 CFR Part 222.
December 2023
Sect. 1C.02
