Warning signs
Right Lane Ends sign
The lane you are in is about to disappear. Check your mirrors and merge left before the lane runs out.
- Diamond
- Yellow
- MUTCD W4-2R
Shape and background first
Federal designation W4-2R in the MUTCD, the national standard every state signs to. Posted well before a highway merge point or wherever a multi lane road drops back to one lane in each direction, usually with a second sign closer to the actual taper.
What the MUTCD specifies
Designation: W4-2R
MUTCD Section 2C.47
Conventional road size: 36 x 36 in
Source: Federal Highway Administration, MUTCD 11th Edition (December 2023), Part 2, Table 2C-1; Table 2C-3, Condition A, verified 2026-09-26.
Where you will see it
Suggested advance placement distance by posted speed (MUTCD guidance, MUTCD 11th Edition (December 2023), Part 2, Table 2C-1; Table 2C-3, Condition A, verified 2026-09-26):
- 35 mph: 565 ft
- 45 mph: 775 ft
- 55 mph: 990 ft
What the test wants you to know
The mistake people make
The arrow on this sign shows exactly which lane is closing, so read the picture rather than assuming it is always the right one. Riding the ending lane to the front of the merge and forcing your way in at the last second is the behavior examiners mark down hardest.
The sign people confuse it with
Right Lane Ends gets mixed up with Lane Ends more than any other pairing in this category. Put them side by side and the difference is obvious, which is exactly why it is worth doing once rather than meeting them cold in the exam.
Right Lane Ends
The lane you are in is about to disappear.
Lane Ends
The road narrows ahead and one lane will disappear.
