Connecticut Road Signs (A Complete Guide)

Want to ace the Connecticut permit test?

Don’t want to get in trouble by disobeying a simple traffic sign?

Want to be a safe driver?

Whatever the reason, it’s a good thing to learn the Connecticut road signs.

And this is why, today, we’re taking the time to give you a complete guide to all these signs, signals, and markings.

So without further ado, let’s look at the signs and their meanings.

Connecticut Pavement Markings

Pavement markings help lane control. Without them, anyone can just overtake, park, turn, or ignore pedestrians. And you can probably already tell that will lead to disaster.

So to organize traffic and avoid accidents, the Connecticut DMV created the following pavement markings:

For other road markings, you can check out the Connecticut DMV Handbook.

Connecticut Traffic Signals

Traffic signals are the lights that you see at stoplights. These are usually found at intersections or right-turn or left-turn lanes.

As you probably know, there are only 3 colors used in traffic signals.

For a quick review, here are the meanings of each color.

Red – means that you should stop. You don’t need to go into park mode, but you have to fully stop until the light turns green. If you are at a crossroads, make sure to stop right before the pedestrian lane.
Yellow – means that you have to slow down because the red light is about to turn on. If you are crossing an intersection and the yellow light turns on, you have to continue crossing the road. Do not stop if you’re in the middle of the intersection.
Green – means that you can go and cross an intersection. However, if there are emergency vehicles, pedestrians, or right-of-way vehicles, you need to make way and let them pass first.

There are some variations in these traffic signals that you may also encounter. Here is the meaning of flashing lights or arrows:

Flashing red light – this means the same as a full red light – you should do a full stop before crossing the intersection. However, you can go ahead if it is safe to do so.
Flashing yellow light – this means that you need to slow down and proceed carefully at the intersection.
Red arrow to the left/right – You cannot proceed to your desired direction until the green light is turned on.
Yellow arrow to the left/right – You need to slow down and proceed with caution. If you are only just approaching the intersection, prepare to do a full stop.
Green arrow to the left/right – You can go in your desired direction as long as there is no incoming vehicle

Connecticut Traffic Signs

So the pavement markings and traffic signals are pretty basic. Anyone that has been driving for a while knows them.

But when it comes to the road signs, or traffic signs, that’s a different story.

This is why we’re going to put the rest of our focus here.

Shapes

In Connecticut, they use shapes to help you identify the sign. This is so you won’t take your eyes off the road too long.

Let’s look at the most common sign shapes in Connecticut:

Colors

Connecticut also uses colors in their road signs

Here’s what the sign colors mean:

Red – should do a full stop. This sign can also be in black or white.
Yellow/orange – slow down as these are warning signs. It may also signify hazards or construction sites ahead.
Green – used to indicate the distance to where you are headed.
Blue – usually used for guide signs
Brown – for parks and recreational sites

Regulatory Signs

Here are the most common regulatory signs that you will see on the Connecticut road:

Warning Signs

And here are the most common warning signs in Connecticut:

Guide Signs

Guide signs act as guides telling you where you are, what route number you are in, and if the nearby area is a park, school, or service area.

Work Area Signs

Work area signs indicate that there is a construction site, cleaning, or utility work ahead. If you approach these signs, you should slow down or find a new lane.

Some signs will tell you to take a detour with an arrow indicating an alternative route. Some signs will also mention the type of work. For example, shoulder work or utility work.

Common Crossing Signs

There are three common crossing signs:

Railroad Crossing – has two ‘R’s’ separated by an ‘X’ in between. This means that you are passing a railroad
Railroad Crossing – two panels with the words ‘railroad’ and ‘crossing’ forming an X. This means that you need to yield to the trains approaching
Railroad Crossbuck and Flashing Lights – railroad gates often have a large sign with the railroad crossing and blinking lights attached to it. If the lights are flashing, you need to stop. The gates of the railroad will also start going down.

Conclusion

So that was our guide to the Connecticut road signs.

As you can see, there are a lot out there.

But if you memorize the basics and most common ones, you should be good.

You’ll not only be the safest driver if you follow these signs, but you won’t have to get an annoying ticket.

Plus, it just might help you pass the Connecticut permit test.

So we hope that this article has helped you!

Markings	Area	Symbol	Meaning
Solid white lines	Edge Lines (side of the road)		Edge lines on the right side of the road
Solid yellow lines	Edge Lines (side of the road)		Edge lines on the left side of the road
Dashed white lines	Lane Lines		Found between roads with cars moving in the same direction. You can change lines if needed
Solid white lines	Lane Lines		You are not allowed to change lanes, except for emergency situations
Dashed yellow lines	Center Lines		Found between roads with cars moving in the opposite direction. Allows overtaking
Solid yellow lines	Center Lines		Found between roads with cars moving in the opposite direction. Does not allow overtaking
Dashed yellow lines beside solid yellow lines	Center Lines		Overtaking is allowed on the side of the dashed line only.
Solid double yellow lines	Center Lines		For roads that have lanes where cars move in opposite directions. Marks the center of the highway. These lines can be crossed when making a left turn only
Shared Center Lanes	Center Lines		To mark areas in the center lane where you can make left turns or U-turns.
Crosswalk	Crosswalks		Indicate where pedestrians may cross the road. Cars are required to stop before the crosswalk
Various vehicle images	Reserved Lanes		Indicates to which vehicle the road is reserved for (e.g. bike lanes show a bicycle sign at the side of the road)

Shape	Symbol	Meaning
Octagon		Do a full stop and follow the right-of-way rules for pedestrians and other vehicles
Triangle		Slow down as you approach the sign and yield to the right-of-way rules. Stop if necessary.
Diamond		Slow down and drive with caution. Diamond signs tell you that there may be hazards ahead.
Rectangle		These often have text or instructions on them. They may be in horizontal or vertical orientations.
Pentagon		These are warning signs for school zones and pedestrian crossings. You should slow down and be alert.
Circle		Slow down and listen for trains approaching.
Pennant (triangular sign similar to a flag)		Signifies that you are approaching a no-passing zone

Sign	Description	Symbol	Meaning
Stop	Octagonal sign that is in red with white letters		You should do a full stop as you approach the area with the sign. If there is no stoplight, you have to wait for pedestrians and vehicles to cross before you go.
Yield	Downward pointing triangle with the word ‘yield’		Give way to other vehicles crossing
Do Not Enter	Circular sign with a horizontal line in between words		You are prohibited from entering the road, usually found in one-way streets or parking lanes
Wrong-Way	Horizontal sign		Indicates that you are entering from the wrong direction. It can also signify that the lane is one way, so you should make a turn.
No U-Turn	U arrow with a diagonal cross over it		Shows that u-turns are not allowed in that area
Crossed left/right turn	Left/right arrows with a diagonal cross over it		Left or right turns are not allowed
One Way	Arrow pointed in one direction		Indicates one-way streets. Enter only if you’re following the same direction.
Left or Through Sign	One arrow pointing straight ahead and one arrow turning to the left		The lane is splitting into separate directions, depending on where the arrows are pointed
Keep Right	Curvy arrow moving to the right of an island		Keep to the right because you are approaching a traffic island or an obstruction
No Passing Signs	Do Not Pass		You are not allowed to pass through because of a possible hazard. Look at the road markings on where you can go once you approach this sign
Disabled Parking	Person sitting in a wheelchair with an arrow at the bottom		Select parking spaces are only for disabled individuals or those vehicles carrying a disabled person

Name	Symbol	Meaning
Signal Ahead		Warning that there is a traffic signal ahead
Stop Ahead		A stop sign is ahead, so start slowing down and be ready to stop
Reduction in Lanes		Used in multi-lane highways to tell you that the lanes will be reduced. You should be prepared to change lanes
No Passing		Marks a no-passing zone
Merge		Two lanes will be merging into one
Pedestrian Crossing		Slow down and be careful of people crossing the road
School Zone		Slow down to not higher than 25 MPH. Be cautious of students crossing the road
School Zone Cross Walk		Warns you of a school zone crosswalk ahead. If there is an arrow pointing downward, it means that you are in the area of the crosswalk
Slippery When Wet		The road becomes slippery when the pavement is wet. Make sure to reduce speed and do not brake right away or too hard.
Two-Way Road Way		You are leaving a divided roadway and are approaching a two-way highway
Divided Highway Begins		The highway ahead is going to split into two roadways due to a median or an island
Change in Direction		There is a change in the direction of the road ahead.