Divided Highway Sign: W6-1 vs R6-3, Sizes and Placement
Updated · By the Cone to Curb editors
The divided highway sign most people mean is the W6-1, a yellow diamond showing the road splitting around a median, which warns drivers on a two-way road that a divided section begins ahead. It's 36 x 36 inches on conventional roads and 48 x 48 on expressways and freeways. A different sign, the white R6-3 Divided Highway Crossing, is used at intersections with a divided road.
| Sign | Code | Type | Conventional road | Expressway | Freeway |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Divided Highway | W6-1 | Warning (yellow diamond) | 36 x 36 | 48 x 48 | 48 x 48 |
| Divided Highway Ends | W6-2 | Warning (yellow diamond) | 36 x 36 | 48 x 48 | 48 x 48 |
| Divided Highway Crossing | R6-3, R6-3a | Regulatory (white rectangle) | 30 x 24 | 36 x 30 | (none) |
Sizes in inches, from MUTCD Tables 2C-1 and 2B-1. The W6-1 and W6-2 have no minimum or oversized size listed.
W6-1: where a road becomes divided
Section 2C.20 says the W6-1 should be used on the approach to a section of highway, not an intersection, where opposing traffic gets separated by a median or other barrier. The point is to tell drivers that the left side of the road is about to become off limits, which matters most at night and in rain.
What it isn't for: the approach end of a median island at an intersection. That spot gets a Keep Right (R4-7) sign, and Section 2C.20 says the W6-1 "shall not be used instead of" it.
W6-2: where it ends
The Divided Highway Ends sign warns that two-way traffic starts again. The MUTCD suggests pairing it with a Two-Way Traffic (W6-3) sign at the transition to a two-lane, two-way section (2C.21).
R6-3: the one at the intersection
The R6-3 is a regulatory sign facing traffic on a side road that's about to cross a divided highway. It shows the divided road from above, so drivers know they're crossing two separate roadways and must turn into the correct one. It's the sign most likely to be confused with the W6-1 when ordering, and it's a different shape, color and size.
Placement and mounting
Place the W6-1 ahead of the start of the median using the advance placement distances in Table 2C-3, and mount it at least 5 feet to the bottom of the sign in rural areas and 7 feet where people park or walk (Section 2A.15). Where the median starts on a curve or past a hill, move the sign back so drivers see it with time to spare.
Mistakes we see
- W6-1 on a median island nose at an intersection. Use Keep Right (R4-7).
- Ordering "divided highway sign" and getting the wrong one. Order by code: W6-1, W6-2 or R6-3.
- No W6-2 at the end. Drivers keep using the left lane into oncoming traffic.
What it costs
Ballpark U.S. prices in late 2026: $70 to $160 for a 36-inch W6-1 with high-intensity sheeting, more for 48-inch and prismatic, and $50 to $120 for an R6-3.
Where to buy
Sign shops and traffic safety distributors. Order by MUTCD code and size, and ask for the sheeting type.