Distance beacon

Distance beacon on the Bundesautobahn 66 near Wiesbaden-Erbenheim , Germany

As Entfernungsbake (also briefly Bake in Switzerland also Distanzbake called) is called a traffic sign , which serves the road users a level crossing or (in Germany) a highway exit to announce an early stage and exit on an expressway. It shows up to three horizontal stripes and usually indicates the distance. On motorways, the announcement beacon is only placed on the right-hand edge of the lane; at level crossings, the beacons can be placed on both edges of the lane. For beacons on the left, the strips are arranged from top left to bottom right.

Road traffic

Germany

In Germany, the beacons are set up as standard at a distance of around 80 m, 160 m and 240 m before the level crossing and 100 m, 200 m and 300 m before the motorway exit .

Announcement beacon (historical); Beacons were set up on motorways even before the Second World War
Sign 159-10 of the beacon in front of the level crossing with indication of the distance (160 m)
Sign 450-50 of the announcement beacon single-lane with a distance of 100 m (motorway)
Sign 450-51 of the announcement beacon in two lines with a distance of 200 m (motorway)
Sign 450-52 of the announcement beacon with three stripes indicating a distance of 300 m (motorway)
Sign 450-55 of the announcement beacon three-lane with a distance of 300 m (expressway)

Austria

In Austria, beacons are only used at level crossings. According to § 50 StVO they are set up by default at a distance of around 80 m, 160 m and 240 m in front of the level crossing .

Left-hand beacon with two bars - distance to the level crossing approx. 160 m
Right-hand beacon with two bars - distance to the level crossing approx. 160 m

Switzerland

The signals 1.15 and 5.12 are sufficient according to FEDRO , so the distance beacon was canceled in 2016.

In Switzerland, distance beacons were only used at level crossings and were set up there in accordance with Art. 10 of the Signaling Ordinance. These beacons are no longer mandatory since January 1, 2016, existing signals must be removed by December 31, 2020. The Federal Roads Office justified the repeal with the fact that other danger signals, which serve to warn of level crossings, are sufficient.

Signal 1.17: distance beacons

railroad

In the railway sector , advance signals are announced by so-called advance signal beacons. In poor visibility conditions , the driver is informed at an early stage of the distance at which a distant signal can be expected. In contrast to the way it is displayed in road traffic, the distant beacon can have up to five horizontal stripes.

In Germany and Austria there are usually three (up to five in places where visibility is poor) white boards with black stripes rising to the right. The last distant beacon with a strip in the direction of travel is 100 meters in front of the distant signal, the other beacons in front of it are each 75 meters apart.