Bridge ices before road sign: what it means
The BRIDGE ICES BEFORE ROAD sign warns that the bridge ahead can be icy even when the road leading to it is not.
What does the BRIDGE ICES BEFORE ROAD sign mean?
MUTCD Section 2C.30 says the sign may be used in advance of bridges to advise users of winter weather conditions, and may be removed or covered in seasons when its message does not apply.
Quick quiz
What does the sign at the top of this page mean?
- The road can be slippery when wet.
- The bridge may be icy before the road is.
- The bridge ahead is narrower than the road.
Show answer
B. The bridge may be icy before the road is. It advises of winter conditions on the bridge ahead (MUTCD Section 2C.30). Source: MUTCD 11th Edition, Chapter 2C, Warning Signs and Object Markers: Section 2C.30, FHWA; MUTCD 11th Edition, FHWA
Where will you see it?
Before bridges and overpasses in areas with freezing weather.
What should you do?
In cold weather, slow down before the bridge and avoid sudden braking or steering on it.
What do people get wrong?
Judging the bridge by the road. The road can be wet while the bridge is icy.
Common questions
What should I do on a bridge in freezing weather?
Slow down before it and avoid sudden braking, steering or speeding up while you are on it.
Is the sign there all year?
Section 2C.30 says it may be removed or covered when its message is not relevant.
Compare with
Slippery when wet signThe road can be slippery when wet.
Narrow bridge signThe bridge ahead is narrower than the road.
Want to test someone else? Play a road-sign quiz with friends and family.
Sources
Checked on 4 November 2026 against the MUTCD 11th Edition (FHWA), Section 2C.30.
- MUTCD 11th Edition, Chapter 2C, Warning Signs and Object Markers: Section 2C.30, FHWA
- MUTCD 11th Edition, FHWA. FHWA lists the current version as the 11th Edition with Revision 1, dated December 2025
Sign pictures are our own simplified drawings of the MUTCD designs, which are in the public domain (MUTCD Section 1D.06). Sources and image credits.