End road work sign: what it means
The END ROAD WORK sign marks the end of a work zone. After it, you can return to normal driving, following the usual signs.
What does the END ROAD WORK sign mean?
MUTCD Section 6H.36 says the END ROAD WORK sign should be placed near the end of the termination area. It is a temporary guide sign, so it is black on orange (Section 6I.01). A work zone runs to this sign or the last temporary device (Section 6B.02).
Quick quiz
What does the sign at the top of this page mean?
- Road work ahead.
- A detour onto another road ahead.
- The work zone ends here.
Show answer
C. The work zone ends here. It marks the end of the work zone (MUTCD Section 6H.36). Source: MUTCD 11th Edition, Part 6, Temporary Traffic Control: Sections 6B.02, 6G.08, 6H.36, 6I.01, FHWA; MUTCD 11th Edition, FHWA
Where will you see it?
At the far end of work zones.
What should you do?
Speed back up only to the posted limit for the road, and only once you have passed the sign and the road is clear.
What do people get wrong?
Speeding up as soon as the cones end. Workers and vehicles can still be near the road until the sign.
Common questions
Does END ROAD WORK mean the speed limit goes back up?
It marks the end of the work zone. Check for the next Speed Limit sign or an END WORK ZONE SPEED LIMIT sign (MUTCD Section 6G.08).
Why is this sign a rectangle?
It is a temporary guide sign, not a warning sign. Temporary guide signs are black on orange (MUTCD Section 6I.01).
Compare with
Want to test someone else? Play a road-sign quiz with friends and family.
Sources
Checked on 3 November 2026 against the MUTCD 11th Edition (FHWA), Sections 6B.02, 6G.08, 6H.36 and 6I.01.
- MUTCD 11th Edition, Part 6, Temporary Traffic Control: Sections 6B.02, 6G.08, 6H.36, 6I.01, 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.