Construction zone signs in Alberta: orange signs, flag persons and fines
Orange diamond signs give construction area information. Signs are posted well before a construction zone to warn you of a lane reduction, a lane closure or workers ahead. Be prepared to slow down and stop if required. Here are the construction signs in the Driver’s Guide, the rules for construction zones, and the signs you see on slow-moving vehicles and wide loads.p. 25p. 86p. 37
Checked against the Driver’s Guide (Spring 2026) on .
The short version
- An orange diamond gives construction area information.p. 25
- Obey the construction zone speed limit at all times, even when no people or equipment are working: hazards such as bumps, fresh oil and loose gravel may still be there.p. 37
- When workers are present, the fines for speeding in a construction zone are doubled.p. 86
- Obey the flag person’s signal, and be prepared to slow down and stop if required.p. 37
- A slow-moving vehicle sign is on the back of vehicles that travel less than 40 km/h. Be prepared to reduce your speed.p. 37
What orange signs mean
A sign’s shape and colour change with the type of message. Construction area information comes on an orange background, in a diamond shape, with words or a picture.p. 25
The Driver’s Guide calls them warning signs about road construction. Signs are posted well before a construction zone to warn you of a lane reduction, a lane closure or workers ahead.p. 37p. 86
All the sign shapes and colours side by side: Alberta road signs by shape and colour. The yellow signs that warn of other hazards: Warning signs in Alberta.
Construction zone signs
These are some of the warning signs about road construction that the Driver’s Guide shows.p. 37
People working. In a construction zone, the fines for speeding are doubled when workers are present.Orange diamondp. 37p. 86p. 25
Flag person (the guide also labels it Obey flag person): obey the flag person’s signal, and be prepared to slow down and stop if required.Orange diamondp. 37p. 86p. 25
Survey crew ahead: a warning sign about road construction.Orange diamondp. 37p. 25
Uneven pavement: a warning sign about road construction. Construction zones can have bumps, fresh oil and loose gravel, even when people and equipment are not working.Orange diamondp. 37p. 25
Detour next ___ km: a warning sign about road construction.p. 37
Construction zone ends: you are leaving the construction zone.p. 37
Doubled fines and narrowing lanes
The guide’s part on maintenance and construction vehicles shows these signs for work zones. In construction zones, observe the posted speed and obey the flag person.p. 86
Speed fines double when workers are present: in a construction zone, the fines for speeding are doubled while workers are there. The speed limit itself must be obeyed at all times.p. 86p. 37
Lane ends or narrows: a lane ahead ends or becomes narrower. Signs like this are posted well before a construction zone.Orange diamondp. 86p. 25
The rules in a construction zone
- Obey the speed limit at all times, even when no people or equipment are working. Hazards such as bumps, fresh oil and loose gravel may be there.p. 37
- If workers are present, the fines in these areas are doubled.p. 37
- Obey the flag person’s signal, and be prepared to slow down and stop if required.p. 37
- You are required to obey all traffic control devices and the directions of flag persons.p. 86
Signs on slow-moving vehicles and wide loads
The guide lists these under other signs. You see them on vehicles.p. 37
Slow moving vehicle: placed on the back of vehicles that travel less than 40 km/h, such as farm tractors, machinery or construction equipment. It warns you to be prepared to reduce your speed.p. 37
Oversized load (wide load): a wide load is being transported. Use caution when passing a vehicle that shows this sign.p. 37
Every sign in the guide on one page: Alberta road signs and their meanings. Test yourself on signs: road signs practice test.
Learners ask
What colour are construction signs in Alberta?
Most construction signs are orange. Construction area information comes in a diamond shape, with words or a picture on an orange background. The Driver’s Guide calls them warning signs about road construction. Some, like Detour next ___ km and Construction zone ends, are orange rectangles, and the speed fines sign is white.p. 25p. 37
Do I have to slow down in a construction zone when nobody is working?
Yes. The speed limit in a construction zone must be obeyed at all times, even when people and equipment are not working. Hazards such as bumps, fresh oil and loose gravel may still be there.p. 37
Are speeding fines doubled in construction zones in Alberta?
Yes, when workers are present. In construction zones you must observe the posted speed, and when workers are present the fines for speeding are doubled.p. 86
What do you do when a flag person signals you in a construction zone?
Obey the flag person’s signal, and be prepared to slow down and stop if required. You are required to obey all traffic control devices and the directions of flag persons.p. 37p. 86
What does a slow-moving vehicle sign mean?
It is placed on the back of vehicles that travel less than 40 km/h, such as farm tractors, machinery or construction equipment. It warns you to be prepared to reduce your speed.p. 37