Narrative:

While taxiing clear of runway 30 at taxiway Q, I turned right and was instructed by ground to join taxiway M. A sign straight ahead indicate taxiway M as a half left turn. I saw on the taxi chart that taxiway microphone was parallel to and between runway 26L and another taxiway. I looked ahead and saw what I interpreted as two parallel txwys. I proceeded straight ahead to make the left turn depicted by the sign and the first officer said he did not think this was correct. I slowed and checked the taxi chart again. Then I saw the hold short markings straight ahead for runway 26L/8R. I turned immediately right, checked the runway (active) for traffic, saw none and taxied clear. I crossed the hold short line with the left wing as I made the right turn. I was not on the active runway, fortunately. The taxiway M half left turn sign that I had seen upon exiting runway 30 at taxiway Q was actually meant for traffic crossing or exiting runway 26L/8R at taxiway M1. From my vantage point it appeared that I should have turned half left to join taxiway M, which led me to nearly enter the active runway. I am grateful to have had a first officer who was paying attention and willing to speak up. I hope that this sign will either be re-aligned or at least made blind to traffic exiting runway 30 at taxiway Q. Supplemental from acn 624023: the signage at that particular point on the airport for someone who hasn't spent much time there is somewhat confusing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 CAPT CROSSES THE RWY HOLD LINE AFTER MISREADING THE TXWY SIGNAGE.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING CLEAR OF RWY 30 AT TXWY Q, I TURNED R AND WAS INSTRUCTED BY GND TO JOIN TXWY M. A SIGN STRAIGHT AHEAD INDICATE TXWY M AS A HALF L TURN. I SAW ON THE TAXI CHART THAT TXWY MIKE WAS PARALLEL TO AND BETWEEN RWY 26L AND ANOTHER TXWY. I LOOKED AHEAD AND SAW WHAT I INTERPRETED AS TWO PARALLEL TXWYS. I PROCEEDED STRAIGHT AHEAD TO MAKE THE L TURN DEPICTED BY THE SIGN AND THE FO SAID HE DID NOT THINK THIS WAS CORRECT. I SLOWED AND CHECKED THE TAXI CHART AGAIN. THEN I SAW THE HOLD SHORT MARKINGS STRAIGHT AHEAD FOR RWY 26L/8R. I TURNED IMMEDIATELY R, CHECKED THE RWY (ACTIVE) FOR TFC, SAW NONE AND TAXIED CLEAR. I CROSSED THE HOLD SHORT LINE WITH THE L WING AS I MADE THE R TURN. I WAS NOT ON THE ACTIVE RWY, FORTUNATELY. THE TXWY M HALF L TURN SIGN THAT I HAD SEEN UPON EXITING RWY 30 AT TXWY Q WAS ACTUALLY MEANT FOR TFC XING OR EXITING RWY 26L/8R AT TXWY M1. FROM MY VANTAGE POINT IT APPEARED THAT I SHOULD HAVE TURNED HALF L TO JOIN TXWY M, WHICH LED ME TO NEARLY ENTER THE ACTIVE RWY. I AM GRATEFUL TO HAVE HAD A FO WHO WAS PAYING ATTENTION AND WILLING TO SPEAK UP. I HOPE THAT THIS SIGN WILL EITHER BE RE-ALIGNED OR AT LEAST MADE BLIND TO TFC EXITING RWY 30 AT TXWY Q. SUPPLEMENTAL FROM ACN 624023: THE SIGNAGE AT THAT PARTICULAR POINT ON THE ARPT FOR SOMEONE WHO HASN'T SPENT MUCH TIME THERE IS SOMEWHAT CONFUSING.

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.