Streets, roads, and public places attract people, but sometimes a closed sign is necessary to discourage people from entering a specific area. Here are some important points to keep in mind when considering whether closed signs should be part of your road or foot traffic control strategy.
Closures can affect buildings, roads, and open areas. One of the most common closed signs are those that businesses hang in their windows during off hours. Some places where closed signs may be necessary include:
Road closed signs can be harder to place in areas where drivers can see them, especially if a closure area is not well-lit. Placing signs early and often is key to alerting drivers of road closures. This can eliminate the element of surprise that drivers experience when they encounter sudden closed signs or unexpected detours.
Sometimes only one or two lanes of a road are closed, rather than a full closure. Sometimes these lane closures are brief, if quick repairs like repaving are needed, but other maintenance work can take several months, such as the 2017-18 Pacific Coast Highway 1 closure. After the worst landslide in California history, this popular scenic route was closed for a year and a half, reopening in July 2018.
While parks are generally open to the public, they typically have closure hours based on local regulations. Signs indicating when the park is closed at night, and when any restrooms or other buildings are locked for the night, can be helpful to increase safety and lower security costs. Schools may also want to keep trespassers away at night by locking their parking lot gates and posting closed signs. An apartment complex requiring gate codes for entry may do the same, or post a sign that lists hours of operation.
In order for any sign to be effective, its message must be easy to read quickly from a distance, and its material must withstand environmental elements. Since they feature a simple message that most people instantly understand, closed signs don’t require elaborate designs. Color, images and reflective coating, however, have been proven to increase a sign’s effectiveness. White text and brightly colored backgrounds, especially yellow and orange, capture people’s attention easily.
Any organization that wants to limit foot or road traffic at any point should invest in closed signs, even if closures do not occur frequently. The signs have many uses in keeping specific areas clear of people and vehicles.
Closed signs send a clear message to drivers and pedestrians to move on. For more information about closed signs and various other signs, contact Zumar at their Arizona, California or Washington location.