W21-7 Utility Work Ahead
Warns that utility work is taking place on or near the roadway ahead, alerting drivers to utility crews, equipment, and possible lane or shoulder impacts.
- Sign Name
- Utility Work Ahead
- MUTCD Code
- W21-7
- Official designation
- Utility Work (with distance) — FHWA SHS 2024, App. B5-42
- Sign Category
- Warning Signs
Specifications
- Shape
- Diamond
- Color / legend
- Orange background, black legend
Sizes & Dimensions (inches)
These are dimensions shown on the linked layout. Select the required size using the applicable MUTCD and agency requirements; the smallest drawing size is not necessarily the permitted minimum.
Dimensions are side lengths of the diamond, not its corner-to-corner span.
- Layout 130" × 30"
- Layout 236" × 36"
- Layout 348" × 48"
When & Where It's Used
- Utility maintenance and installation in the right-of-way
- Short-duration and mobile utility operations
- Encroachment-permit work for utility agencies
Placement Context
- Where it sits
- Advance warning area, ahead of the work.
- CA MUTCD reference
- CA MUTCD 2026 Chapter 6H — TTC Zone Warning Signs
Related Signs
Browse Warning Signs
Educational reference only. This is not an official Caltrans, FHWA, or local agency publication and is not legal or engineering advice. Always verify sign selection, size, placement, spacing, and application against the current CA MUTCD 2026, Caltrans sign specifications, Standard Plans, project documents, and the reviewing agency’s requirements. Local jurisdictions may impose additional requirements, and final selection, placement, and dimensions may require engineering judgment or agency approval. Reference editions: California MUTCD 2026 (effective January 18, 2026) and the Federal MUTCD 11th Edition with Revision 1.
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