what does this symbol mean?
MUTCD W4-2 A yellow diamond with two lines, one bending in to meet the other

Lane ends sign

A yellow diamond with two lines, one bending in to meet the other. It warns that one lane of a multi-lane road ends ahead.

Rules vary by state and country. This explains the sign's standard meaning in the U.S. Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices; it isn't legal advice.

How to read it

The MUTCD uses it, or its word version LANE ENDS MERGE LEFT (or RIGHT), to warn that the number of lanes in the direction of travel is dropping. The line that bends shows the lane that ends: in Florida's and Michigan's examples, the right lane ends and traffic merges left.

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Sources

Last reviewed September 25, 2026 by Rory Hansen. How we research

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