The Federal Highway Administration's Minnesota Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MMUTCD) identifies basic principles that govern the design and usage of traffic control devices for all public streets and highways. City of Mankato traffic signage systems follow requirements set forth in the MMUTCD for design, reasonableness, installation and maintenance. See information on warrants for stop signs, multi-way stop signs, yield signs, and children at play or disabled person signs.

Warrant for stop signs
Stop signs should only be used where warranted because studies have shown that motorists tend to ignore stop signs when the signs are not placed appropriately. Factors taken into consideration for stop sign placement include pedestrian and vehicle traffic, traffic speed, traffic volume, visibility, accident history, and the distance between proposed sign and other stop signs or traffic signals.

Warrant for multi-way stops
Multi-way stops are useful as safety measures at some locations. They should ordinarily be used when traffic volume at intersecting roads is approximately equal. A traffic control signal is better for an intersection with heavy traffic.

Warrant for yield signs
Yield signs should not be placed to control the major flow of traffic at an intersection.

Warrants for children at play signs or disabled person signs
"Children at play" and "disabled person" signs are no longer approved by the Federal Highway Administration as official traffic control devices. See Mankato’s traffic calming program for more information on special purpose signs.

Service signs
Information about service signs is available online.

Request a sign
To request a sign, contact engineering staff at 507-387-8637. Traffic engineeers will investigate and evaluate the situation and make a recommendation about sign installation. The Site Plan/Traffic Advisory Committee will forward requests and recommendations to the City Council, which is the final authority on traffic safety matters. Further review of the same or similar requests is at the City Council's discretion.