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A highway shield or route marker is a sign denoting the route number of a highway, usually in the form of a symbolic shape with the route number enclosed. As the focus of the sign, the route number is usually the sign's largest element, with other items on the sign rendered in smaller sizes or contrasting colors. Highway shields are used by travellers, commuters, and all levels of government for identifying, navigating, and organising routes within a given jurisdiction. Simplified highway shields often appear on maps.
Purposes
There are several distinct uses for the highway shield:
- Junction signs inform travelers that they are approaching an intersection with a numbered highway.
- Guide signs inform travelers which way to go at intersections, usually with an arrow pointing the way. These include:
- Directional assemblies, which combine highway shields with separate cardinal direction signs and arrow signs on the same post, and
- Direction, position, or indication signs, which include highway shields as part of the sign legend.
- Reassurance markers are used after major junctions and periodically in between to confirm the route and direction.
- Trailblazer assemblies are posted on other roadways to "blaze the trail" to the highway in question, usually with a "TO" banner plate above the shield
- Some jurisdictions place highway shields on highway location markers (kilometre or mile markers).
- At complex interchanges, route shield pavement markings help motorists get into the correct lane.
Comparison table
International (style may vary according to local country):
- Trans-African Highway network:
- International E-road network:
- Asian Highway Network:
- Arab Mashreq International Road Network:
- Pan-American Highway:
National:
| Controlled-access highway | Primary route (usually called National/Federal Highway/Route) | Other routes (usually called Regional/County/etc. Route) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andorra | Not present |  Carretera general
|
 Carretera secundaria
|
| Albania |  Autostrada
|
 Rruga shtetëtore
|
 Rrugë rrethi
|
| Armenia | Մ1 | Հ1 | |
| Argentina |  Ruta nacional
|
 Ruta provincial
|
|
| Austria |  Autobahn
|
 Schnellstraße  Bundesstraße
|
 Landesstraße
|
| Azerbaijan |  Magistrale
|
|
|
| Belarus |  Magistrale
|
|
|
| Belgium |  Autosnelweg
|
 N-weg
|
|
| Bolivia |  Ruta nacional
|
 Ruta departemental
|
 Ruta municipal
|
| Bosnia and Herzegovina |  Autoput
|
 Magistralna cesta Brze ceste
|
|
| Brazil | 
|
|
|
| Bulgaria |  Avtomagistrala
|
 Republikanski păt
|
|
| Cambodia | 
|
|
|
| Central African Republic | Not present |  Route nationale
|
 Route régionale
|
| Chile | .svg){kind=small} Autopista
|
.svg){kind=small} Ruta nacional
|
.svg){kind=small} Ruta regional
|
| China |  Gāosù Gōnglù
|
.svg){kind=small} Gònghéguó Guódào
|
.svg){kind=small}
|
| Colombia |  Ruta nacional
|
||
| Croatia | Autocesta
|
 Državna cesta
|
 Županijska cesta
|
| Cyprus |  Autokinītodromos
|
|
|
| Czech Republic |  Dálnice
|
 Silnice
|
|
| Denmark | Using E-road or primary route signs |  Primærrute
|
 Sekundærrute
|
| Ecuador | 
|
 Via Colectora
|
|
| Estonia |  Põhimaantee
|
 Tugimaantee
|
|
| Finland |  Valtatie
|
 Kantatie
|
 Seututie
|
| France |  Autoroute
|
Route nationale
|
 Route départementale Route territoriale
|
| Georgia | 
|
შ1 | |
| Germany |  Autobahn
|
 Bundesstraße
|
L 1 Landesstraße K 1 Kreisstraße |
| Ghana | 
|
|
|
| Greece |  Avtokinitodromos
|
 Ethniki Odos
|
|
| Hungary | _Otszogletu_kek_tabla.svg){kind=small} Autópálya
|
_Otszogletu_zold_tabla.svg){kind=small} Főút
|
|
| India |  National expressway
|
 National highway
|
 State highway
|
| Indonesia |  Jalan tol
|
 Jalan nasional
|
|
| Iran |  Azādrāh
|
 Bbzrkrah
|
Jadh
|
| Ireland |  Motorway
|
 National road
|
 Regional road
|
| Israel |  Kvīsh Arzī Roshī
|
 Kvīsh Ləʾummī
|
 Kvīsh Asōrī Kvīsh Mɘqōmī
|
| Italy |  Autostrada
|
 Strada statale
|
 Strada regionale Strada provinciale
|
| Japan |  Kōsokudōro
|
 Kokudō
|
 Kendō/Fudō/Todō
|
| Jordan | 
|
||
| Kazakhstan |  
|
|
|
| Kosovo |  Autostrada
|
 Magjistralja
|
|
| Laos | 
|
||
| Latvia |  Autoceļš
|
|
|
| Lithuania |  Automagistralė
|
 Krašto kelias
|
1 Rajoninai kelias |
| Luxembourg | _number.png){kind=small} Autoroute
|
 Route nationale
|
|
| Malaysia |  Lebuhraya
|
 Jalan persekutuan
|
|
| Mexico |  Carretera federal
|
.svg){kind=small} Carretera estatal
|
|
| Moldova | Not present |  Drum public național
|
|
| Montenegro |  Autoput
|
 Magistralni put
|
|
| Namibia | 
|
|
|
| Nepal | 
|
|
|
| Netherlands |  Autosnelweg
|
 Autoweg
|
|
| New Zealand |  State highway
|
 Provincial highway
| |
| North Macedonia |  Avtopat
|
 Polaavtopat
|
|
| Norway | Using E-road or primary route signs |  Riksvei
|
 Fylkesvei
|
| Pakistan | 
|
|
|
| Paraguay |  Ruta nacional
|
 Ruta departamental
|
|
| Peru | 
|
|
|
| Philippines | .svg) Expressway
|
.svg) National road
|
|