Requires drivers to keep to the left side of a divider, obstruction, or channelizing island — passing on the left-hand side of the device.
MUTCD-style sign reference illustration. Always verify against the official CA MUTCD and Caltrans sign charts.
| Sign code | R3-7b |
|---|---|
| Federal code | R3-7b |
| Name | Keep Left |
| Category | Regulatory Signs |
| Shape | Rectangle (Vertical) |
| Color | White background, black legend and arrow |
| California status | Used in California per CA MUTCD |
| Typical CA minimum size | Per CA MUTCD minimum for the roadway type |
Download this sign or open the official MUTCD reference.
Official source: FHWA Standard Highway Signs, 2024 (11th Edition) — Regulatory signs.
Source: FHWA Standard Highway Signs — Public Domain. California: CA MUTCD 2026 (effective Jan 18, 2026).
Files linked from FHWA are official government publications in the public domain. CA MUTCD and Caltrans links open official government websites. Always verify against the current edition.
Requires drivers to keep to the left side of a divider, obstruction, or channelizing island — passing on the left-hand side of the device.
Requires drivers to keep to the left side of a divider, obstruction, or channelizing island — passing on the left-hand side of the device. In the field, R3-7b Keep Left is typically positioned at the advance warning area, ahead of the work. Common deployments include nose of a channelizing island or barrier where traffic passes left; temporary lane reversals and left-side diversions; median and barrier layouts directing traffic left. Always confirm its size, retroreflective sheeting, spacing, and placement against the CA MUTCD 2026 and the reviewing agency before finalizing the traffic control plan.
Used in California work zones at the nose of channelizing islands, barrier segments, and lane diversions where the open path is to the left of an obstruction.
Common field deployments
Agency review note
StreetsLA, LA County DPW, and Caltrans District 7 may require larger sizes or additional devices. Verify with the reviewing agency before finalizing the TCP.
Typical minimum: Per CA MUTCD minimum for the roadway type.
Sizes are CA MUTCD minimums and vary by roadway classification and speed. Verify against the CA MUTCD 2026 (CA MUTCD Part 2B (Regulatory Signs)), Caltrans sign specifications, and the reviewing agency.
Where it sits: Advance warning area, ahead of the work.
CA MUTCD reference: CA MUTCD Part 2B (Regulatory Signs).
In Los Angeles, temporary regulatory changes (speed, one-way, turn or entry restrictions) generally involve LADOT review, and on state highways Caltrans District 7. Regulatory authority cannot be created by signing alone — confirm the change is authorized by the agency with jurisdiction over the roadway.
Confirm the sign faces approaching traffic and is consistent with the open lane direction on the TCP. Public Ready reviews channelization signing for left-diversion setups.
These signs are typically deployed alongside R3-7b on a California TCP.
Need KEEP LEFT (R3-7b) for a channelizing island or diversion? Public Ready can supply it for your work zone.
Free official resource — opens official government website
Free official resource — opens official government website
Free official resource — opens official government website
Free official resource — opens official government website
Educational reference only. This is not an official Caltrans, FHWA, or local agency publication and is not legal or engineering advice. Always verify sign selection, size, placement, spacing, and application against the current CA MUTCD 2026, Caltrans sign specifications, Standard Plans, project documents, and the reviewing agency’s requirements.
To understand the bigger picture around permits, agency review, lane closures, and pedestrian access for work zones using R3-7b Keep Left, visit WorkZoneCompliance.com.
Public Ready can help with R3-7b Keep Left — including sign rental or purchase, California-compliant signs and traffic control plan support, and agency-review support for Caltrans District 7, the City of Los Angeles, and LA County.
