MD88 captain expressed concern regarding confusing taxiway signage at phl.

Attributes
ACN	618765
Time
Date	200405
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phl.airport
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi ground : holding
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 13600 flight time type : 2800
ASRS Report	618765
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	incursion : taxiway non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Airport
Situations
Airport	markings : phl.airport signage : phl.airport

Narrative:

Landed runway 27R in phl and turned off at taxiway T to the north, and right on taxiway K to go to concourse. We were told to hold short of taxiway K4. Signage for taxiway K is on the left side of the taxiway and I was looking at the signs to see which crossing taxiway was K4. Passed taxiway right and saw that taxiway Q was next. I was proceeding and first officer mentioned that we were at K4. Stopped the aircraft at K4 intersection. The sign I was reading on the left indicated that I was on taxiway K at the intersection of taxiway Q. The layout of the field has taxiway Q on the left and taxiway K4 on the right. The signage on the left side of the taxiway did not indicate taxiway K4 to the right. It would be immensely helpful to crews not completely familiar with this situation or those taxiing at night or during poor visibility if either another part was added to the taxiway sign on the left side of the taxiway indicating K4 off to the right, or change taxiway Q to K4 for continuous flow.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD88 CAPT EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING CONFUSING TXWY SIGNAGE AT PHL.

Narrative: LANDED RWY 27R IN PHL AND TURNED OFF AT TXWY T TO THE N, AND R ON TXWY K TO GO TO CONCOURSE. WE WERE TOLD TO HOLD SHORT OF TXWY K4. SIGNAGE FOR TXWY K IS ON THE L SIDE OF THE TXWY AND I WAS LOOKING AT THE SIGNS TO SEE WHICH XING TXWY WAS K4. PASSED TXWY R AND SAW THAT TXWY Q WAS NEXT. I WAS PROCEEDING AND FO MENTIONED THAT WE WERE AT K4. STOPPED THE ACFT AT K4 INTXN. THE SIGN I WAS READING ON THE L INDICATED THAT I WAS ON TXWY K AT THE INTXN OF TXWY Q. THE LAYOUT OF THE FIELD HAS TXWY Q ON THE L AND TXWY K4 ON THE R. THE SIGNAGE ON THE L SIDE OF THE TXWY DID NOT INDICATE TXWY K4 TO THE R. IT WOULD BE IMMENSELY HELPFUL TO CREWS NOT COMPLETELY FAMILIAR WITH THIS SIT OR THOSE TAXIING AT NIGHT OR DURING POOR VISIBILITY IF EITHER ANOTHER PART WAS ADDED TO THE TXWY SIGN ON THE L SIDE OF THE TXWY INDICATING K4 OFF TO THE R, OR CHANGE TXWY Q TO K4 FOR CONTINUOUS FLOW.

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.