This sign shows
- there is a construction zone ahead ✓
- the end of a construction zone
- the start of a construction zone
- there is construction and you must detour
Answer: A. there is a construction zone ahead
The sign means there is a construction zone ahead, so slow down and get ready for it.
Why this is the answer
The handbook tells drivers to scan ahead and look for construction zones before they reach them, and to watch for construction signs, traffic control persons and equipment once inside the zone. That fits a warning placed before the work area so you have time to react. It also says construction zones often need lane closures, so you may have to change lanes, which is exactly the kind of thing you want to know about early rather than suddenly.
Why the other answers are wrong
- B. the end of a construction zone — Nothing in the passages describes a sign marking the end of a construction zone; the passages only talk about obeying signs from the start to the end of the zone.
- C. the start of a construction zone — A warning of this kind is meant to be seen ahead of the work area, giving you time to slow down and plan, rather than standing at the point where the zone begins.
- D. there is construction and you must detour — The passages mention lane closures that may require you to merge early, but they never describe a sign ordering you onto a detour.
Remember it
Treat construction signs as an early heads-up: ease off the gas and start looking for workers, equipment and lane changes before you get there.