what does this symbol mean?
MUTCD W5-2 A yellow diamond with two lines that pinch inward

Narrow bridge sign

A yellow diamond with two lines that pinch in. It warns of a bridge ahead that is narrower than the road leading to it.

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 ahead of a bridge or culvert 16 to 18 feet wide between its sides, or narrower than the lanes that lead to it, and may also use it where the shoulders narrow or disappear on the approach. Pennsylvania's manual adds that such a bridge generally has no shoulder.

Narrow or one lane

A narrow bridge still carries two lanes, as Florida's handbook puts it, with very little clearance. A bridge less than 16 feet wide gets a different sign, ONE LANE BRIDGE: only one vehicle fits at a time.

More road signs

Sources

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

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