Colorado traffic control plan requirements
Colorado adopts the federal MUTCD as amended by the Colorado Supplement. Taper length, channelizing device spacing and advance warning sign placement come from Part 6; individual cities layer their own submittal checklists on top.
What governs in Colorado
Colorado SupplementColorado adopts the federal MUTCD as amended by the Colorado Supplement.
Effective January 18, 2026.
- Adopted by the Transportation Commission of Colorado on December 17, 2025, effective January 18, 2026.
- Part 6 of the Supplement revises only flagging (6D.03, 6D.04) and pavement markings (6J.01, 6J.03). Taper and advance warning sign calculations are the federal ones.
Taper length for Colorado work zones
Enter the posted speed and the width of the lateral offset. The base length L comes from MUTCD 11th Edition Table 6B-4, with the taper-type criterion from Table 6B-3.
Posted speed limit, off-peak 85th-percentile speed prior to work starting, or anticipated operating speed.
How far traffic is moved sideways — usually the width of the closed lane.
Merging taper length
245ft
L = W × S² ÷ 60 = 12 × 35² ÷ 60 = 245.0 ft
MUTCD 11th Ed, Tables 6B-3 and 6B-4 — at least L
Plan view
8 devices at 35 ftLength is to scale; the lateral offset is exaggerated so the taper is legible.
All taper types at these conditions
MUTCD 11th Ed, Tables 6B-3 and 6B-4Merging taper
at least L
245 ft
Shifting taper
at least 0.5 L
125 ft
Shoulder taper
at least 0.33 L
85 ft
One-lane, two-way traffic taper
50 ft min, 100 ft max
50 ft
Downstream taper
50 ft min, 100 ft max
50 ft
Channelizing devices
MUTCD 11th Ed, Section 6K.01Maximum spacing in this taper
1 × 35 mph
35 ft
Devices required
One at each end, evenly spaced between
8