Two-Way Left Turn Only Sign: Meaning and What to Do
The white rectangle reading CENTER LANE and ONLY, with two curved arrows pointing in opposite directions, marks a shared center turn lane. Drivers traveling in either direction may enter the lane to turn left, and only to turn left; the lane is not for passing, for through travel, or for merging into traffic after a turn from a side street.
Two-Way Left Turn Only Sign
On the pavement the lane is bordered by a solid yellow line outside and a broken yellow line inside on each edge, which is the marking pattern every state manual teaches alongside this sign. The lane gives left-turning drivers somewhere to wait without blocking through traffic behind them.
What to do when you see the two-way left turn only sign
Signal, move fully into the center lane shortly before your turn, slow there rather than in the through lane, and complete the turn when there is a gap. Watch for a driver from the opposite direction entering the same stretch of lane to turn the other way. Never drive along the lane for more than a short distance, and never use it to pass.
The signs it is confused with
Tests contrast it with a left-turn lane at a signal, which serves one direction only, and with the Reversible Lane sign, which changes the travel direction of a lane by time of day. The opposing arrows on one sign face are the giveaway.
Signs are one topic of ten on every test
Every state practice test covers signs, signals, and markings among its ten topics, with every answer explained. Pick your state and see how its exam asks about signs like this one; it is free, with no sign-up.
Choose your stateQuestions about the two-way left turn only sign
What does the two-way left turn only sign mean?
The center lane is shared by drivers from both directions for left turns only. You may enter it to turn left and for nothing else.
Can I use the center lane to pass a slow car?
No. Passing, through travel, and driving along the lane to reach a distant turn are all prohibited. It is a turning lane only.
May I turn from a side street into the center lane and then merge?
Some states allow a brief use of the lane to enter traffic after a left turn from a side street; others do not. Your state manual states its rule, and our state banks test it.
What are the yellow lines around the center lane?
A solid yellow line on the outside and a broken yellow line on the inside of each edge. You cross the broken line to enter the lane.
How does this sign appear on the written test?
In lane-use questions asking what the center lane may be used for, with passing and through travel as the tempting wrong answers.