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Narrow Bridge sign

A bridge ahead is narrower than the road approaching it (two-way clearance of 16 to 18 feet, or less than the approach lanes).

What to do

Slow down, keep right and watch for oncoming vehicles.

Slow down, stay near the right side of your lane and be extra careful if a truck or bus is coming the other way.

Where it's used

Section 2C.18 says a NARROW BRIDGE (W5-2) sign should be placed before any bridge or culvert whose two-way roadway is 16 to 18 feet wide, or narrower than the approach lanes, and may be used where shoulders are narrowed or dropped. It is a black-on-yellow diamond word sign, backed up by object markers, delineators or pavement markings. A NARROW UNDERPASS (W5-2a) sign is used for the same condition under a structure, and the sign may be omitted on low-volume rural roads with good sight distance.

Don't confuse it with

  • One Lane Bridge: ONE LANE BRIDGE means the bridge fits only one vehicle at a time (usually under 16 feet), while a narrow bridge still has room for two, just tightly.
  • Road Narrows: ROAD NARROWS is for a narrowing of the road itself, not a bridge.
  • Bridge Ices Before Road: BRIDGE ICES BEFORE ROAD warns about ice on bridges, not their width.
Narrow Bridge sign
Type
Warning signs
Shape
Diamond
Colors
yellow, black
MUTCD code
W5-2
MUTCD section
2C.18

On state permit tests

Our questions for 6 states ask about this sign, including Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania.

Test yourself

A NARROW BRIDGE warning sign means: (Florida practice test)

  • The bridge fits two lanes but with very little clearance, so stay in your lane
  • Only one vehicle can cross at a time
  • The bridge may be raised for boats
  • Trucks are not allowed on the bridge
Show answer

The bridge fits two lanes but with very little clearance, so stay in your lane. A narrow bridge is wide enough for two lanes of traffic but with very little clearance; stay in your lane.

How much narrower than the approach pavement is a bridge marked with a NARROW BRIDGE sign generally? (Illinois practice test)

  • About 2 feet
  • About 5 feet
  • About 6 inches
  • About one lane
Show answer

About 2 feet. A narrow bridge is generally 2 feet narrower than the approach pavement.

More warning signs

Road signs testAll road signs

From the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), 11th edition, section 2C.18. Sign image: public domain, source.