Design your custom street name signs for neighborhoods, HOAs, private roads, campuses, business parks, and municipal replacement projects. Choose from flat or extruded aluminum street name blades, multiple sizes, reflective sheeting options, standard street-sign colors, and versions with a custom logo or image.
Our street name signs are available in 6" and 9" blade heights with lengths for short and long street names. Choose High Intensity Prismatic or Diamond Grade DG3 reflective sheeting and customize the street name, prefix or suffix, border, color, and other available options.
Custom Street Name Sign Buying Guide
Choosing a street name sign comes down to five main decisions: blade height, blade length, flat or extruded construction, reflective sheeting, and color. The correct combination depends on where the sign will be installed, the speed and type of roadway, the length of the street name, and the mounting system already in place.
Choose the Right Street Name Sign Size
For street name signs, blade height and letter height are closely related. The MUTCD provides recommended minimum letter heights based on roadway type, speed, and whether the sign is post-mounted or overhead. The blade must be large enough to accommodate the appropriate lettering and spacing.
| Roadway | Recommended Street Name Lettering | Typical Starting Point |
|---|---|---|
| Two-lane local road, 25 mph or less | 4" initial uppercase / 3" lowercase | 6" blade |
| Two-lane road | 6" initial uppercase / 4.5" lowercase | 9" blade |
| Multi-lane road, 40 mph or less | 6" initial uppercase / 4.5" lowercase | 9" blade |
| Multi-lane road, over 40 mph | 8" initial uppercase / 6" lowercase | Custom larger blade |
| Overhead street name sign | 12" initial uppercase / 9" lowercase | Request a quote |
The roadway criteria apply to the road the sign faces, not necessarily the street name printed on the blade. Local agencies may also have their own specifications, so public-road projects should be checked against the requirements of the agency having jurisdiction.
How Long Should a Street Name Sign Be?
After choosing the blade height, select a length that gives the street name enough room to remain clear and easy to read. Short names can often fit comfortably on 18" or 24" blades, while 30" and 36" blades work well for many typical street names. Longer names, directional prefixes, suffixes, block numbers, or other supplemental information may require 42", 48", 54", or 60" blades.
A longer blade is generally preferable to squeezing a long street name into a smaller sign. If you are unsure which length will fit your legend, contact us before ordering and we can help select the appropriate size.
Flat Blade vs. Extruded Blade Street Name Signs
Both flat and extruded street name signs provide a professional finished street-name system, but they use different aluminum profiles and mounting hardware.
Flat blade: Made from .080" aluminum and compatible with brackets designed for flat street name blades. Flat blades are a practical choice for most neighborhoods, private roads, campuses, parking areas, and replacement projects.
Extruded blade: Made from heavier .090" aluminum with formed channels along the top and bottom of the blade. The profile adds rigidity and works with brackets specifically designed for extruded street name signs. Choose extruded when matching an existing extruded sign system or when a more rigid blade and mounting system is preferred.
If you are replacing an existing street name sign, check the blade profile and bracket before ordering. Flat and extruded blades require compatible mounting hardware.
6-Inch vs. 9-Inch Street Name Signs
A 6" street name blade is commonly used for lower-speed applications where smaller lettering is appropriate, including qualifying two-lane local streets posted at 25 mph or less. These signs are also frequently used on private roads, parking areas, campuses, and similar low-speed environments.
A 9" street name blade provides room for larger lettering and is the better starting point for most conventional roadway applications. Multi-lane roads over 40 mph require larger recommended lettering than a standard 9" blade is designed to accommodate, so those projects should be quoted for a larger custom sign.
Street Name Sign Colors
White lettering on a green background is the standard color combination for MUTCD street name signs. Blue, brown, and white backgrounds are also permitted alternatives for D3-1 and D3-1a street name signs.
- Green background with white lettering
- Blue background with white lettering
- Brown background with white lettering
- White background with black lettering
If a border is used, it should be the same color as the street-name lettering. A border may also be omitted from a post-mounted street name sign.
Other color combinations, including white on black, can be produced for private roads, developments, branded properties, and decorative applications, but they should not be represented as standard MUTCD D3-1 color combinations for public-road installations.
High Intensity Prismatic or Diamond Grade DG3?
Street name signs must be retroreflective or illuminated so they remain visible at night. Our street name signs are available with two 3M reflective sheeting options.
High Intensity Prismatic (HIP): ASTM Type III/IV reflective sheeting and the standard choice for most street name sign applications. Standard sheeting warranty is 10 years.
Diamond Grade DG3: ASTM Type XI reflective sheeting with higher retroreflective performance. DG3 is a premium upgrade for applications where greater nighttime visibility is desired. Standard sheeting warranty is 12 years.
Street Name Sign Lettering
MUTCD street name signs use a combination of initial uppercase and lowercase lettering. Street descriptors and supplemental information such as St, Ave, Rd, directional prefixes, and block numbers may use smaller lettering than the primary street name.
Our standard roadway layouts use Highway Gothic-style lettering designed for clear legibility. If your project requires a specific agency layout, font, abbreviation, letter height, or existing street-sign standard, send us the specifications before ordering.
Adding a Logo or Image
Logo and image-upload street name signs are available for communities, campuses, developments, businesses, and other custom sign programs.
For public-road D3-1 signs, the MUTCD places restrictions on pictographs. A qualifying municipality or other governmental-approved entity may use a pictograph within the applicable MUTCD requirements. Public-road projects involving logos, directional arrows, route shields, or unusual layouts should therefore be reviewed against the requirements of the agency having jurisdiction.
For private-property applications, we can also produce custom layouts with logos, community identifiers, colors, arrows, and other design elements.
Street Name Sign Mounting
Street name blades are normally installed at the top of a sign post using a street name sign cap, crosspiece, or other compatible bracket. At an intersection, two blades can be mounted at different angles so each blade identifies one of the intersecting streets.
Flat and extruded blades use different bracket configurations, so match the bracket to the blade type you are ordering. Street name sign posts, caps, crosspieces, brackets, and mounting hardware are sold separately unless specifically included with the product.
Optional vandal-resistant bolt-through mounting is also available for projects that require additional security.
Shop compatible mounting components in our Sign Posts collection.
Can Street Name Signs Be Used on Public Roads?
Our MUTCD street name sign configurations are designed around federal street-name sign guidance, including standard lettering, reflective construction, and accepted color combinations. However, the agency having jurisdiction determines the final specifications for signs installed within a public roadway.
State and local agencies can have additional requirements for blade dimensions, lettering, logos, mounting systems, colors, or reflective sheeting. For municipal replacement projects, it is best to match the existing agency specification or provide us with the required sign standard before ordering.
Custom Street Name Sign FAQs
What is the most common street name sign size?
6" and 9" tall blades are common post-mounted street name sign sizes. A 6" blade is commonly used for lower-speed applications, while a 9" blade provides room for the larger lettering used on many conventional roads. The correct size depends on roadway type, speed, required lettering, and local agency specifications.
Should I choose a 6" or 9" street name sign?
Choose a 6" blade for qualifying low-speed applications where 4" initial uppercase street-name lettering is appropriate. Choose a 9" blade when larger 6" initial uppercase lettering is needed. Higher-speed multi-lane and overhead applications can require larger lettering and should be quoted separately.
What is the difference between flat and extruded street name signs?
Flat street name signs use a flat .080" aluminum blade. Extruded street name signs use a heavier .090" aluminum profile with formed top and bottom channels for additional rigidity. The mounting brackets must match the blade type.
Are street name signs double-sided?
The street name signs in this collection are double-sided so the street name can be read from either direction. Double-sided street-name legends also support visibility for drivers and pedestrians approaching an intersection from different directions.
What color should a street name sign be?
The standard MUTCD combination is white lettering on green. Blue and brown backgrounds with white lettering and a white background with black lettering are also accepted alternatives for D3-1 and D3-1a street name signs. Other color combinations are generally intended for custom or private-property applications.
Do street name signs need to be reflective?
Street name signs used as traffic-control devices must be retroreflective or illuminated. Our street name signs are available in High Intensity Prismatic and Diamond Grade DG3 reflective sheeting.
Can I put a logo on a street name sign?
Yes. Choose one of the logo or image-upload products in this collection for a custom community, campus, development, or organizational identifier. Public-road installations have additional MUTCD restrictions on pictographs and should be approved by the agency having jurisdiction.
Do street name signs include the post and brackets?
Unless the product specifically states otherwise, the street name blade is sold separately from the post, cap, crosspiece, bracket, and mounting hardware. This lets you match a new blade to an existing installation or build the mounting system required for your project.
Can you make a street name sign that is not listed here?
Yes. Custom lengths, larger blades, special layouts, arrows, block numbers, route shields, two-line legends, specialty colors, and other configurations can be quoted separately. Please request a quote or email us support@roadsigns.com with your specifications.