Nonstandard taxiway signage.

Attributes
ACN	321420
Time
Date	199511
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bwi
State Reference	MD
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
ASRS Report	321420
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

Bwi airport has installed the new type signs for txwys but there are errors which cause a lot of confusion for pilots. Bwi continues to use outer and inner designations on its signs in violation of new standards. A sign on the outer proceeding eastbound at intersection O and intersection P just southeast of the firehouse shows taxiway 'O/P' continuing eastbound to cross runway 4/22 (on the taxi chart this appears to change to taxiway U). In fact, taxiway O turns northeast at this point. A pilot cleared to the D concourse area via the outer would be led to believe he should follow the outer across runway 4/22 if he only followed the signs. In fact, there have been several runway incursions at this point due to poor signage.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NONSTANDARD TXWY SIGNAGE.

Narrative: BWI ARPT HAS INSTALLED THE NEW TYPE SIGNS FOR TXWYS BUT THERE ARE ERRORS WHICH CAUSE A LOT OF CONFUSION FOR PLTS. BWI CONTINUES TO USE OUTER AND INNER DESIGNATIONS ON ITS SIGNS IN VIOLATION OF NEW STANDARDS. A SIGN ON THE OUTER PROCEEDING EBOUND AT INTXN O AND INTXN P JUST SE OF THE FIREHOUSE SHOWS TXWY 'O/P' CONTINUING EBOUND TO CROSS RWY 4/22 (ON THE TAXI CHART THIS APPEARS TO CHANGE TO TXWY U). IN FACT, TXWY O TURNS NE AT THIS POINT. A PLT CLRED TO THE D CONCOURSE AREA VIA THE OUTER WOULD BE LED TO BELIEVE HE SHOULD FOLLOW THE OUTER ACROSS RWY 4/22 IF HE ONLY FOLLOWED THE SIGNS. IN FACT, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL RWY INCURSIONS AT THIS POINT DUE TO POOR SIGNAGE.

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.