TCP Builder › Plan library › Shoulder Closure plans

Shoulder Closure Traffic Control Plans

Work on the shoulder, traffic stays in its lanes — you taper cones onto the shoulder and post advance warning, but nobody changes lanes.

Real MUTCD dimensions, a title block, and a printable sheet — no account, no cost.

Build this plan free — takes about 2 minutes

What this setup is

Shoulder work is the least disruptive setup in Part 6 and the one most often set up by feel. It still has dimensions: the shoulder taper is a third of a merging taper, the advance signs still sit at the table distance, and the buffer between the taper and the first worker is still the stopping sight distance for the posted speed. Getting those three right is most of the plan.

National MUTCD dimensions

Governing typical application: TA-3 — Work on the Shoulders. Assumptions: urban collector, 2 through lanes, 12 ft lanes, 8 ft lateral offset, 100 ft work space, short-term duration. Rule set MUTCD 11th Ed. + 50-state/DC adoption layer + ID/ACHD profiles, rule set 2026-08 rev 4. State pages below use the same engine with that state’s adopted rule set.

MUTCD 11th Edition Part 6 values computed by the TCP Builder engine.
Posted speed	Taper length (shoulder)	Advance signs A / B / C	Longitudinal buffer	Device spacing taper / tangent	Channelizing devices
25 mph	30 ft	100 ft / 100 ft / 100 ft	155 ft	25 ft / 50 ft	15
35 mph	55 ft	250 ft / 250 ft / 250 ft	250 ft	35 ft / 70 ft	13
45 mph	120 ft	350 ft / 350 ft / 350 ft	360 ft	45 ft / 90 ft	15
55 mph	150 ft	350 ft / 350 ft / 350 ft	495 ft	55 ft / 110 ft	14

Shoulder Closure plans by state

Questions people actually ask

How long does a shoulder taper have to be in your state?

MUTCD sets the shoulder taper at one third of the merging taper length for the same offset and posted speed. The table above shows the computed length at 25, 35, 45, and 55 mph for an 8 ft shoulder. Change the offset or the speed in the builder and the number recomputes.

Do I need a permit to close a shoulder?

Usually yes, and it depends entirely on who owns the road — state DOT, county, city, or a highway district. This tool records the agency information it can stand behind and says so where it cannot; it does not guess at a permit desk. Call the road authority for the segment you are working on.

Is a generated sheet good enough to submit?

It is a planning sheet, not an approved plan. It gives a reviewer real MUTCD dimensions and a governing typical application to check against, which is far better than a hand sketch — but a qualified person has to review it and adapt it to field conditions, and the permitting agency has the last word.

Real MUTCD dimensions, a title block, and a printable sheet — no account, no cost.

Build this plan free — takes about 2 minutes

DISCLAIMER — READ BEFORE USE

This traffic control plan was generated by an automated tool for planning and reference purposes only. It is based on the MUTCD 11th Edition Part 6 typical applications and the agency rule set selected above. It is not a certified, sealed, or professionally engineered document and has not been reviewed against actual field conditions at this site. It must be reviewed, adapted to field conditions, and approved by a qualified person — and, where required, by the permitting agency and/or a licensed Professional Engineer — before use. Field conditions govern. The user is solely responsible for work-zone safety, for conformance with all applicable federal, state, and local requirements, and for obtaining all required permits. PM Axsus disclaims all liability arising from use of this document.