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Motor Cars Only Road Sign – R117

The Motor Cars Only road sign, designated R117, is a South African regulatory sign used to indicate that a public road or portion of a public road has been set aside for motor cars only.

R117 imposes a mandatory requirement that drivers of motor cars use the designated public road or portion of the road. Other classes of road users must not use the section indicated by the sign.

What Does the R117 Road Sign Mean?

R117 means MOTOR CARS ONLY. It identifies a road, lane or portion of a public road that has been specifically designated for motor cars.

As a regulatory command sign, R117 controls which class of road user may use the indicated facility. It should therefore not be confused with a general motor-vehicle warning sign or directional sign.

Where Is the R117 Sign Used?

R117 can be used where a public road or a defined portion of a public road has been reserved specifically for motor cars.

Depending on the traffic-management arrangement, applications may include:

• Motor-car-only sections of roadway
• Designated motor-car lanes
• Controlled-access road sections
• Special traffic-management arrangements
• Road sections where different vehicle classes are managed separately
• Other locations where access needs to be restricted to motor cars

The exact application should be determined according to the road layout, traffic conditions and applicable traffic-management requirements.

How Does the R117 Sign Work?

When an R117 sign is displayed, the indicated public road or portion of the public road is set aside for motor cars.

Drivers of motor cars are required to use the designated facility, while other classes of road users are excluded from the section indicated by the sign.

R117 Sign Placement

The R117 sign should be positioned where drivers can clearly identify the beginning of the motor-car-only facility.

Additional signs may be required along the designated section where the restriction needs to be repeated, particularly where other roads, entrances or traffic movements could cause uncertainty about which vehicles are permitted to use the facility.

Sign positioning should take account of visibility, road alignment, traffic movements and the applicable requirements for regulatory traffic signs.

R117 Sign Design and Appearance

The permanent R117 is a regulatory command sign with a blue retroreflective background and a white retroreflective border and symbol.

The retroreflective materials are part of the standard sign specification and assist with visibility under suitable illumination conditions.

The temporary version is designated TR117. It uses a yellow retroreflective background and outer border with a black semi-matt inner border and symbol.

R117 and Traffic Management

R117 can form part of a wider traffic-management system where different classes of road users need to be controlled or separated.

Other regulatory, warning or guidance signs may be required depending on the road layout and the reason for restricting access to motor cars. R117 should therefore be used as part of the overall traffic-management arrangement rather than as a general sign indicating the presence of cars.

R117 vs Other Vehicle-Only Signs

South African regulatory signs provide different commands for different vehicle classes. For example:

• R116 – Motor Cycles Only: reserves the indicated road or portion for motorcyclists.
• R117 – Motor Cars Only: reserves the indicated road or portion for motor cars.
• R118 – Taxis Only: reserves the indicated road or portion for taxis.
• R119 – Minibuses Only: reserves the indicated road or portion for minibuses.

The appropriate sign should be selected according to the class of vehicle that is permitted to use the designated facility.

R117 Is Not a Motor-Car Parking Sign

R117 identifies a motor-car-only road or portion of road. It should not automatically be used to indicate a parking area reserved for cars.

Where parking needs to be controlled or reserved, the appropriate parking signs, road markings and parking-management arrangements should be considered separately.

R117 for Commercial and Private Properties

Motor-car-only traffic arrangements may also be relevant within controlled environments such as shopping centres, office parks, residential developments, industrial properties, campuses and other large sites where vehicle access needs to be managed.

For private-property applications, the property owner, developer or site manager should consider the site's traffic-management plan and any applicable requirements when selecting and positioning regulatory signage.

Temporary Motor Cars Only Sign – TR117

The temporary version of R117 is TR117.

TR117 can be used where a temporary motor-car-only facility is required as part of temporary traffic management, such as during roadworks, construction or changes to normal traffic arrangements.

Temporary signage should be incorporated into an appropriate traffic-management arrangement that clearly communicates the temporary route and restrictions to road users.

R117 Sign Size

The size of an R117 sign should be selected according to the applicable SARTSM requirements for the particular road environment and application.

The official SARTSM provides specific dimensions for R117 in its regulatory-sign specifications rather than applying one universal size to every installation.

Benefits of Clearly Displayed R117 Signage

• Clearly identifies a road or road section reserved for motor cars.
• Communicates which class of vehicle is permitted to use the designated facility.
• Helps manage vehicle access where different traffic movements need to be controlled.
• Can form part of a wider traffic-management system.
• Helps reduce uncertainty about vehicle restrictions at the entrance to a designated road section.
• Can be used together with other applicable regulatory and guidance signs.

Motor Cars Only R117 Sign FAQs

What does the R117 road sign mean?

R117 means MOTOR CARS ONLY. It indicates that a public road or portion of a public road is set aside for motor cars only.

Can other vehicles use an R117 motor-car-only road?

R117 reserves the indicated public road or portion of the road for motor cars. The SARTSM states that no other class of road user shall use the public road or portion indicated by the sign.

What is the temporary version of R117?

The temporary version is TR117. It uses the applicable temporary regulatory-sign colour arrangement.

What colour is the permanent R117 sign?

The permanent R117 uses a blue retroreflective background with a white retroreflective border and symbol.

Is R117 a warning sign?

No. R117 is a regulatory command sign. It controls the class of road user permitted to use the indicated road or portion of road.

Is R117 the same as a car parking sign?

No. R117 identifies a road or portion of a road reserved for motor cars. A parking restriction or parking reservation requires the appropriate parking signs and markings for the particular application.

Can R117 be used on private property?

Motor-car-only traffic management can be used on private property where a dedicated facility has been provided, subject to the site's traffic-management requirements and any applicable regulations or authority requirements.

Get R117 Motor Cars Only Road Signs from Signs4SA

Signs4SA can assist with R117 Motor Cars Only road signs and temporary TR117 signage for designated motor-car facilities and controlled traffic-management applications.

Contact Signs4SA to discuss your R117 signage requirements, provide your specifications and request a quotation.

Motorcars only signs come in a variety of styles and formats, including danger signs, warning signs, and caution signs. Danger signs are used to indicate an immediate threat that could cause serious injury or death, such as high voltage areas or hazardous materials. Warning signs are used to indicate potential hazards that could cause injury, such as slippery floors or falling objects. Caution signs are used to indicate potential hazards that could cause minor injury, such as low ceilings or uneven surfaces. Another type of safety sign is the Motorcars only sign, which is used to provide guidance on safe behavior. These signs can include instructions on how to use equipment or machinery safely, as well as reminders to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) or follow specific safety protocols. Motorcars only signs can also be used to ensure compliance with safety regulations. For example, fire safety signs are required by law in most public buildings and workplaces. These signs indicate the location of fire exits, fire extinguishers, and other fire safety equipment.

More About Motorcars only

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