01I saw this on the street. What is it?
The short version: Search or browse everything in this guide by what it looks like, not by what it is called. Type what you saw - "blue paint", "green hydrant cap", "triangle manhole", "bumpy yellow tiles", "blue light on the signal" - and jump straight to the explanation. The decoders below turn the street's color codes into plain words.
206 things you might see
The street's color codes at a glance
The same handful of colors mean different things depending on what they are painted on. Pick a system to decode it. The full explanations live in sections such as utility paint and hydrant colors.
Same color, different meaning
Pick what the color is painted on.
US / Canada utility locate colors (APWA code)
Electric power lines, cables, conduit and lighting cables
Telecommunications, alarm or signal lines, cables or conduit
Gas, oil, steam, petroleum or other flammable material
Sewers and drain lines
Potable (drinking) water
Reclaimed water, irrigation and slurry lines
Temporary survey marks and unidentified facilities
Proposed excavation limits or route
NFPA 291 flow classes (US recommended practice; many cities differ)
1,500 gallons per minute or more
1,000 to 1,499 gallons per minute
500 to 999 gallons per minute
Under 500 gallons per minute
US pavement marking colors (MUTCD 11th edition)
Separates traffic going in opposite directions; left edge of divided roads and one-way streets
Separates traffic going the same way; right edge; most words, symbols and arrows
Raised markers for truck escape ramps, or lanes you must not enter from the side where red shows
Supplements white lines at accessible (disability) parking spaces
Toll lanes for registered electronic toll accounts
Bike lane and bike box surfacing
US sign colors (MUTCD)
Stop, yield, Do Not Enter, Wrong Way
Warning signs (not temporary ones)
Pedestrian, bicycle and school warnings
Work zones and temporary traffic control
Incident management: crashes and emergencies
Guide and information signs
Traveler services and evacuation routes
Recreation and cultural points of interest
Electronic toll collection
One-way, night speed limit and truck signs
California Vehicle Code 21458 (other places differ or use none)
No stopping, standing or parking
Stop only to load or unload passengers or freight
Stop only to load or unload passengers or deposit mail
Time-limited parking
Parking only for disabled persons and disabled veterans