Indication of distance on a control panel in France

In the field of the road signs, certain panels comprise an indication of distance equal to mileage remaining to be traversed to reach the mention concerned. This indication of distance on the panels indication answers in France precise rules which were defined in the interdepartmental instruction of March 22nd, 1982 relating to the indication of direction for some and the interdepartmental instruction on the road signs - decree of June 7th, 1977 - for others.

Definition

The distances are counted starting from the center of the locality. There the circular of April 22nd, 1985 which prescribed the establishment of a state route of the trunk roads indicates that the center of each locality is selected in I' place more attended or converge the majority of the services of transport, or the principal hotels are.

They are expressed in km with possible indication of the figure of the hectometers. They are never supplemented by a symbol of unit.

Regulate of round for the directional panels

The indication of the distances follows the following rules of round-off: The distances are however round with the kilometer for the localities where the distance between the center and the panel of agglomeration is of I' order of the kilometer at least.

Regulate of round for the signs in urban environment

In urban environment, when the distance is lower than 500 m, it is expressed in meters, supplemented by I' indication of I' unit. The distances are round in accordance with the following rules

The rule concerning the signs m1 and m2 is the following one.

Type and height of the characters

The typestyle used is the same one as that of the principal indication concerned. The height of the characters is the same one as that of I' principal indication except the figure of the hectometers which is separated from I' indication of the kilometers by a point or a comma and the height is reduced of 2 ranges of dimensions.

Spacing between characters

Spacing between figures is defined by a specific table. It depends on the figures following one another.

Spacing between the kilometers and the hectometers is defined as follows, according to the height of composition Hc. For the most current panels on the nonfast ways, the value of Hc is of 100 Misters.

Positioning in the register

When there are several lines in a register, the indications of distances are aligned on the figure of the units.

What one should not do

Many anomalies are usually met on the ground in the choice of the equipment of indication or their establishment. If they very do not contribute to induce a accidentogene risk, they take part in any event in a decredibilisation of indication and often generate a confusion in perception that with its environment and road user.

This section thus has primarily a teaching vocation and not of targeting of such or such error, and thus of such or such manager.

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