What does a red X over a lane on a highway sign mean?
Answer
Lane closed
A red X over a highway lane means the lane is closed to traffic. Drivers must not enter or remain in that lane and should move into an open lane when it is safe.
Red-X lane-control signals are used above individual lanes on highways, tunnels, bridges, toll plazas, and reversible-lane systems. They allow authorities to change lane availability without rebuilding the roadway. A green downward arrow normally means the lane is open, while a flashing yellow or amber indication commonly warns drivers to leave the lane promptly.
The red X is not the same as a “wrong way” or “do not enter” sign. Those signs regulate entry to a road or ramp, whereas a lane-control signal applies to the specific lane below it. It also does not mean “no passing”; passing restrictions are conveyed through signs and pavement markings.
On roads with reversible lanes, red X signals can indicate that a lane is reserved for traffic traveling in the opposite direction. In ordinary highway operations, however, the practical instruction is the same: do not use the lane until a permitted indication appears.