Driving safety guide · Ford of Peoria · Peoria, IL
Reversible Lanes and Lane-Use Control Signals Explained
Some lanes change direction during the day, and overhead signals or signs tell you when you may use them. The federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) sets the standard meanings. Here is how to read them, in plain language.
The short answer
A reversible lane carries traffic in one direction at some times and the other direction at other times, and it may be a left-turn lane at still other times. Overhead signals or signs tell you its status. With signals, a downward green arrow means the lane is open to you, a yellow X means it is about to close, and a red X means it is closed to you. White turn arrows mean the lane is for left turns only.
What is a reversible lane?
The MUTCD says a reversible lane may be used for through traffic in alternating directions during different periods of the day, with left turns either permitted or prohibited, and may be used for exclusive left turns in one or both directions during other periods.
Reversible lanes are controlled by overhead lane-use control signals, by Reversible Lane Control signs, or by physical barriers. Because the lane can be open to you at one hour and to oncoming traffic the next, always check the signal or sign over your lane before you enter it.
For another road layout that trips up drivers, see our guide on how to drive a roundabout.
From the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), 11th Edition with Revision 1, Sections 2B.34 and 4T.01, read November 4, 2026. The advice to check the signal before entering is our own.
What lane-use control signals mean
Lane-use control signals are special overhead signals placed over a lane. The MUTCD gives these meanings:
| Signal over the lane | What it means for drivers |
|---|---|
| Steady downward green arrow | The lane under the arrow is open to vehicle travel in your direction. |
| Steady yellow X | The lane is about to be closed to traffic in your direction. A steady red X follows, in the same signal face or in one farther down the road. |
| Steady red X | The lane is closed to vehicle traffic in the direction you are traveling. |
| Steady white two-way left-turn arrows | The lane is open to traffic turning left from either direction, but not for through travel. |
| Steady white one-way left-turn arrow | The lane is open to traffic turning left in that direction, without opposing turns in the same lane, but not for through travel. |
From the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), 11th Edition with Revision 1, Section 4T.02, read November 4, 2026.
Reversible lane signs
Where an engineering study finds signals or barriers are not needed, a reversible lane is controlled by overhead Reversible Lane Control signs. These are black on white, except the red X, and they list the times of day and days of the week each use applies. The MUTCD gives these meanings:
| Sign symbol or message | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Red X on white background | Lane closed |
| Upward-pointing black arrow on white background (shown as a left/through arrow where left turns are permitted) | Lane open for through travel and any turns not otherwise prohibited |
| Black two-way left-turn arrows with the word ONLY | Lane may be used only for left turns in either direction, as a two-way left-turn lane |
| Black single left-turn arrow with the word ONLY | Lane may be used only for left turns in one direction, without opposing left turns in the same lane |
From the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), 11th Edition with Revision 1, Section 2B.34 and Table 2B-2, read November 4, 2026.
How reversible lanes are marked
The MUTCD requires the lane lines on each side of a reversible lane to be a normal-width broken double yellow line. Each of these lines serves as the center line of the road during some period.
Signs, lane-use control signals, or both must be used along with these markings. Our advice: do not rely on the pavement alone; look up for the current signal or sign.
From the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), 11th Edition with Revision 1, Sections 3B.04 and 4T.01, read November 4, 2026. The advice in the last sentence is our own.
What happens when a lane changes direction
Under the MUTCD, a lane open to one direction is closed either by switching straight to a red X, or by showing a yellow X first and then a red X. The red X then stays on long enough for traffic to clear the lane before the opposite direction is allowed to use it.
The signals along the controlled section are coordinated so they operate uniformly, and the MUTCD prohibits certain combinations, such as a green arrow shown to both directions over the same lane at once.
Our advice: if you see a yellow X over your lane, signal and move to a lane with a green arrow as soon as it is safe. Never stay in a lane under a red X.
From the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), 11th Edition with Revision 1, Section 4T.04, read November 4, 2026. The advice in the last paragraph is our own.
Other places you may see lane-use control signals
The MUTCD says lane-use control signals can also show whether a lane is open or closed where no lane reversal is involved, for example:
Freeway merges
Closing certain lanes at certain hours to help traffic merge from a ramp or another freeway.
Lane ends
Showing a lane that ends near the end of a freeway.
Blocked lanes
Showing a lane temporarily blocked by a crash, breakdown, construction or maintenance on a freeway or long bridge.
Garages and toll plazas
Opening or closing access lanes at facilities such as parking garages, and controlling lanes at toll plazas.
From the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), 11th Edition with Revision 1, Section 4T.01, read November 4, 2026.
Keep your vehicle ready for the road
The Works® at Ford of Peoria includes a synthetic blend oil change, tire rotation and pressure check, brake inspection, Multi-Point Inspection, fluid top-off, battery test, and a filter, belts and hoses check.
Schedule service online and see our service specials first. Ford of Peoria is at 2211 W. Pioneer Pkwy. in Peoria. Get directions.
Ford of Peoria service hours
| Days | Hours |
|---|---|
| Mon-Fri | 7 a.m.-5:30 p.m. |
| Sat | 8 a.m.-noon |
| Sun | closed |
From Ford of Peoria's website, November 4, 2026. Holiday hours can differ.
Reversible lanes FAQ
What is a reversible lane?
A lane whose direction of travel changes at different times. The MUTCD says a reversible lane may carry through traffic in alternating directions during different periods of the day, and may be used for left turns only during other periods.
What does a red X over a lane mean?
The lane is closed to traffic in the direction you are traveling. Under the MUTCD, a steady red X lane-use control signal means the lane under it is closed to vehicle traffic in the direction viewed by the road user.
What does a yellow X over a lane mean?
The lane is about to close to traffic in your direction. The MUTCD says a steady yellow X is followed by a steady red X, either in the same signal face or in one farther down the road. Our advice: move out of the lane as soon as it is safe.
What does a green arrow pointing down at a lane mean?
The lane under the downward green arrow is open to travel in your direction.
What do white turn arrows over a center lane mean?
White two-way left-turn arrows mean the lane is open for left turns from either direction, but not for through travel. A single white left-turn arrow means the lane is open for left turns in your direction only, also not for through travel.
How are reversible lanes marked on the pavement?
The MUTCD requires a broken double yellow line on each side of a reversible lane. Signs, lane-use control signals, or both must be used with those markings.
Are lane-use control signals only used for reversible lanes?
No. The MUTCD says they are most commonly used for reversible lanes, but they can also show whether a lane is open or closed on a freeway or long bridge, mark a lane that ends near a freeway terminus, or control lanes at toll plazas and at entrances to facilities such as parking garages.
What does The Works at Ford of Peoria include?
The Works® at Ford of Peoria includes a synthetic blend oil change, tire rotation and pressure check, brake inspection, Multi-Point Inspection, fluid top-off, battery test, and a filter, belts and hoses check.
Book a routine checkup
Book The Works, which includes a brake inspection, tire rotation and pressure check, and battery test, at Ford of Peoria.
Sources
Lane signal, sign and marking meanings are from the Federal Highway Administration's Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, 11th Edition with Revision 1 (PDF updated February 12, 2026), read November 4, 2026. This page is a plain-language summary of national standards, not legal advice; state law sets the rules of the road where you drive. Service details, address and hours are from Ford of Peoria's own website, checked the same day. Photo is illustrative.
- Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), 11th Edition with Revision 1 (Sections 2B.34, 3B.04, 4T.01, 4T.02, 4T.04), Federal Highway Administration, PDF updated February 12, 2026, read November 4, 2026
- General service: The Works, Ford of Peoria, November 4, 2026
- Address and service hours (structured data), Ford of Peoria, November 4, 2026