Cross road sign: what it means

Cross road warning sign: a yellow diamond with a black plus-shaped crossroad symbol
Drawing: DriveQuiz, based on MUTCD sign W2-1. Simplified; real signs follow the FHWA Standard Highway Signs specifications.

The cross road sign warns of an intersection ahead where another road crosses yours. Watch for vehicles turning in or crossing.

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What it means

MUTCD Section 2C.41: Cross Road, Side Road, T-Intersection and Y-Intersection signs may be used before an intersection to show it is there and that traffic may turn or enter.

The symbol may be shaped to match the real layout of the intersection (Section 2C.02).

Where you see it

On the approach to intersections, often where the crossing road is hard to see.

A common mistake

Looking only straight ahead. Scan left and right for vehicles entering, and be ready for someone to turn in front of you.

Quick quiz

What does a plus-shaped symbol on a yellow diamond warn you about?

  1. A road crossing yours ahead
  2. A hospital
  3. A railroad crossing
Show answer

A. A road crossing yours ahead. It is the Cross Road (W2-1) warning sign. Source: MUTCD 11th Edition, Chapter 2C, Warning Signs and Object Markers: Sections 2C.41, 2C.02, FHWA; MUTCD 11th Edition, FHWA

Compare with

Next in warning signs: Stop ahead sign. See all warning signs or the full road signs list.

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Sources

  1. MUTCD 11th Edition, Chapter 2C, Warning Signs and Object Markers: Sections 2C.41, 2C.02, FHWA
  2. MUTCD 11th Edition, FHWA. FHWA lists the current version as the 11th Edition with Revision 1, dated December 2025

Sign pictures are our own simplified drawings of the MUTCD designs, which are in the public domain (MUTCD Section 1D.06). Sources and image credits.