STREET SIGNAGE


Per the Illinois Department of Transporation (Circular Letter 2011-08) children warning signs should not be used since they may encourage children to play in the street and may encourage parents to be less vigilant.  Such signs also provide no guidance to motorists as to a safe speed, and the sign has no legal basis for determining what a motorist should do.  Furthermore, motorists should expect children to be at play in all residential areas, and the lack of signage on some streets may indicate otherwise.  The signs are unenforceable and act as another roadside obstacle to pedestrians and errant motorists.  Use of these nonstandard signs may also imply that the involved jurisdiction approves of streets as playgrounds, which may result in the jurisdiction being vulnerable to tort liability. 
These signs are not in compliance with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).
Other word message warning signs dealing with children such as "Autistic Child", "Blind Child", "Deaf Child" or "Children at Play" are not recommended.  These types of warning signs:
Do not describe where the child may be
No longer attract the attention of motorists after initial installation
Have no legal meaning
Provide parents and children with a false sense of security
Are often left in place after the child is grown and have moved away
Lack established procedures for engineering judgment or study; and
Have proven ineffective
Please contact the Local Policy and Technology Unit at DOT.LocalPolicy@Illinois.gov with any questions.


/////////////////////

If a homeowner is missing the address sign in front of their home, the local fire department should be contacted.  The fire department is responsible for installing these signs.