JBC 36 in. Work Area Ahead Sign

A work area ahead sign is the first thing a driver sees before your trucks, chipper, and ground crew. This 36 inch version is sized for roadside jobs where the crew is working on or near the travel lane.

Give drivers time to react

Most tree crews spend a lot of time on the shoulder: trimming over a road, dragging brush to the chipper, or parking a bucket truck in a lane. Drivers do not expect people and equipment there. An advance warning sign set well before the work zone buys them the seconds they need to slow down and move over. On fast roads, the sign often needs to go farther out than seems natural, so drivers coming around a bend still have room to brake.

Place the sign so it is visible from a distance, not hidden behind a parked truck or a curve. On a two-way road, cover both approaches. Take it down when the crew leaves, because a warning sign left out with no work behind it teaches drivers to ignore the next one.

Part of a work zone setup

The sign is only the start of the layout. Cones or drums, a lane taper where needed, and trained flaggers finish the job. Follow the MUTCD and local rules for spacing, and plan traffic control as part of the job briefing as ANSI Z133 expects. Keep the sign face clean, since a coat of road grime and sawdust cuts its visibility, especially at dawn and dusk.

Pair it with a sign stand that keeps it upright in wind. Our traffic control section has stands, cones, and other signs.