Narrative:

Mdw was landing and taking off on runways 4R/left and runways 13. We were told to taxi to runway 4L via taxiway J and taxiway west. The usual way to taxi to runway 4L, in my experience, has been via taxiway Y and taxiway K. Other aircraft on frequency were told to taxi to runway 13C and there was confusion with these aircraft as to whether they were to taxi to runway 13C or runway 31C. On taxiway west, the aircraft was taxied across the hold short lines. Mdw ground was informed. We were told to inform mdw tower which then cleared us for takeoff. No incident occurred as far as we were informed. The hold short line and signs on taxiway west are deceptively far back. The runway signs can easily be hard to see due to grass, snow, etc. Has it ever been looked into raising the signs a few ft?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH RWY ENTRY BY TAXIING TFC.

Narrative: MDW WAS LNDG AND TAKING OFF ON RWYS 4R/L AND RWYS 13. WE WERE TOLD TO TAXI TO RWY 4L VIA TXWY J AND TXWY W. THE USUAL WAY TO TAXI TO RWY 4L, IN MY EXPERIENCE, HAS BEEN VIA TXWY Y AND TXWY K. OTHER ACFT ON FREQ WERE TOLD TO TAXI TO RWY 13C AND THERE WAS CONFUSION WITH THESE ACFT AS TO WHETHER THEY WERE TO TAXI TO RWY 13C OR RWY 31C. ON TXWY W, THE ACFT WAS TAXIED ACROSS THE HOLD SHORT LINES. MDW GND WAS INFORMED. WE WERE TOLD TO INFORM MDW TWR WHICH THEN CLRED US FOR TKOF. NO INCIDENT OCCURRED AS FAR AS WE WERE INFORMED. THE HOLD SHORT LINE AND SIGNS ON TXWY W ARE DECEPTIVELY FAR BACK. THE RWY SIGNS CAN EASILY BE HARD TO SEE DUE TO GRASS, SNOW, ETC. HAS IT EVER BEEN LOOKED INTO RAISING THE SIGNS A FEW FT?

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.