Which of the following is NOT one of the specific tapers used in traffic control?

In traffic control, taper designs are crucial for guiding vehicles safely through work zones or altered road conditions. Each type of taper serves a specific purpose in ensuring smooth traffic flow and reducing the risk of accidents.

The merging taper is used to guide vehicles from a travel lane into a new lane, allowing for safe integration into the flow of traffic. The lane-shift taper provides a transition when a lane is shifted to maintain continued movement while accommodating construction or obstacles. The downstream taper helps direct traffic as it approaches the end of the work zone or modified traffic configuration.

On the other hand, a detour refers to a rerouting of traffic around a construction area or road closure rather than a specific taper design. Detours are typically longer-term solutions when an entire road or section needs to be closed, in contrast to the short-term guidelines that tapers provide for transitioning traffic smoothly through changing conditions. Therefore, it is accurate to say that "detour" is not one of the specific tapers used in traffic control, while the other options are standard taper types aimed at improving traffic safety and efficiency.