Utility work ahead sign: what it means
The UTILITY WORK AHEAD sign warns of utility work, such as on power, water or phone lines, on or next to the road ahead.
What does the UTILITY WORK AHEAD sign mean?
MUTCD Section 6H.24 says the UTILITY WORK (W21-7) sign may be used instead of the ROAD WORK sign for utility operations on or next to a highway. The distance may read XX FEET, XX MILES or AHEAD.
Quick quiz
What does the sign at the top of this page mean?
- The work zone ends here.
- Utility crews are working ahead.
- The road is closed at the distance shown.
Show answer
B. Utility crews are working ahead. It warns of utility work on or next to the road (MUTCD Section 6H.24). Source: MUTCD 11th Edition, Part 6, Temporary Traffic Control: Section 6H.24, FHWA; MUTCD 11th Edition, FHWA
Where will you see it?
Before utility trucks and crews working at the roadside.
What should you do?
Slow down and watch for workers, trucks and cones. Follow any flagger.
What do people get wrong?
Treating it as less serious than ROAD WORK. The crew is just as close to traffic.
Common questions
Is it a work zone?
Yes. Utility work uses the same orange work zone signs.
Will there be a flagger?
Sometimes. Watch for a Flagger sign and follow the flagger’s signals.
Compare with
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 6H.24.
- MUTCD 11th Edition, Part 6, Temporary Traffic Control: Section 6H.24, 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.