However, all sorts of other potential destinations can be selected as control city, such as states and regions, frequently visited objects, and names of prominent intersecting roads. Other than major towns in a country or region, towns close to major intersections or the end of a particular route are often selected as control city. Mostly towns and cities are used as control cities. While a control city may not appear on the signs of every single junction, the control city would at least appear on major junctions. Accordingly, local destinations on a sign, which only appear incidentally, would in a number of countries not be considered control cities. In most countries, control cities are perceived to be the destinations on signs that aid longer-distance traffic, as opposed to local traffic.

Where a sign contains a number of destinations for a particular direction, not all of those destinations may be considered a control city. They are also typically used on distance signs.ĭifferent countries have different practices as far as focal points on directional signs are concerned, and the term control city is not used globally. Such cities appear on signs at junctions to indicate where the intersecting road goes and where the road ahead goes. Together with route numbers and cardinal directions, these focal points aid the motorist navigating along a highway system.

City on traffic signs A sign in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma lists control cities of Wichita, Kansas and Fort Smith, Arkansas for Interstate 35 and Interstate 40, respectively.Ī control city is a city, locality, or other location posted on a series of traffic signs along a particular stretch of road indicating destinations on that route.

Global cities are control centers