No Passing Zone Pennant

Additional Details

MUTCD Section 2C.35 NO PASSING ZONE Sign (W14-3)
Standard: The NO PASSING ZONE (W14-3) sign (see Figure 2C-6) shall be a pennant-shaped isosceles triangle with its longer axis horizontal and pointing to the right. When used, the NO PASSING ZONE sign shall be installed on the left side of the roadway at the beginning of no-passing zones identified by either pavement markings or DO NOT PASS signs or both (see Sections 2B.29 and 3B.02).

MUTCD Section 3B.02 No-Passing Zone Pavement Markings and Warrants
Standard: Where centerline markings are used, no-passing zones shall be marked by either the one direction no-passing zone pavement markings or the two-direction no-passing zone pavement markings described previously and shown in Figures 3B-1 and 3B-3.
When centerline markings are used, no-passing zone markings shall be used on two-way roadways at lane reduction transitions (see Section 3B.09) and on approaches to obstructions that must be passed on the right (see Section 3B.10). Guidance: Where the distance between successive no-passing zones is less than 120 m (400 ft), no-passing markings should connect the zones.

Standard: Where centerline markings are used, no-passing zone markings shall be used on approaches to highway-rail grade crossings in conformance with Section 8B.20.

Option: In addition to pavement markings, no-passing zone signs (see Sections 2B.29, 2B.30, and 2C.35) may be used to emphasize the existence and extent of a no-passing zone.

Support:,/b> Section 11-307 of the "Uniform Vehicle Code (UVC) Revised" contains further information regarding no-passing zones. The "UVC" can be obtained from the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Laws and Ordinances (see Addresses).

Standard: On two-way, two- or three-lane roadways where centerline markings are installed, no-passing zones shall be established at vertical and horizontal curves and other locations where an engineering study indicates that passing must be prohibited because of inadequate sight distances or other special conditions.
On three-lane roadways where the direction of travel in the center lane transitions from one direction to the other, a no-passing buffer zone shall be provided in the center lane as shown in Figure 3B-4. A lane transition shall be provided at each end of the buffer zone.
The buffer zone shall be a median island that is at least 15 m (50 ft) in length.

Guidance: For three-lane roadways having a posted or statutory speed limit of 70 km/h (45 mph) or greater, the lane transition taper length should be computed by the formula L = 0.62 WS for speeds in km/h (L = WS for speeds in mph). For roadways where the posted or statutory speed limit is less than 70 km/h (45 mph), the formula L = WS2/155 for speeds in km/h (L = WS2/60 for speeds in mph) should be used to compute taper length. Under both formulas, L equals the taper length in meters (feet), W equals the width of the center lane or offset distance in meters (feet), and S equals the 85th-percentile speed or the posted or statutory speed limit, whichever is higher.

Standard: The minimum lane transition taper length shall be 30 m (100 ft) in urban areas and 60 m (200 ft) in rural areas.
On roadways with centerline markings, no-passing zone markings shall be used at horizontal or vertical curves where the passing sight distance is less than the minimum necessary for reasonably safe passing at the 85th-percentile speed or the posted or statutory speed limit as shown in Table 3B-1. The passing sight distance on a vertical curve is the distance at which an object 1.07 m (3.5 ft) above the pavement surface can be seen from a point 1.07 m (3.5 ft) above the pavement (see Figure 3B-5). Similarly, the passing sight distance on a horizontal curve is the distance measured along the centerline (or right-hand lane line of a three-lane roadway) between two points 1.07 m (3.5 ft) above the pavement on a line tangent to the embankment or other obstruction that cuts off the view on the inside of the curve (see Figure 3B-5).

Table 3B-1. Minimum Passing Sight Distances 85th-Percentile or Posted or Statutory Speed Limit

(km/h) Minimum Passing Sight Distance	(meters) 85th-Percentile or Posted or Statutory Speed Limit	(mph) Minimum Passing Sight Distance	(feet)
40	140	25	400
50	160	30	500
60	180	35	550
70	210	40	600
80	245	45	700
90	280	50	800
100	320	55	900
110	355	60	1,000
120	395	65	1,100
		70	1,200

Figure 3B-5 Method of Locating and Determining the Limits of No-Passing Zones at Curves

Image from mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov