Your Favorite State Route Sheild?

[empirestate]

Call me biased, but I like my home state of New York's. It's simple, unique, dignified and authoritative. The one characteristic it lacks is being an easily recognizable symbol of the state, for which reason I also like Pennsylvania's at least as much.


iPhone

[ColossalBlocks]

Hawaii Shields are spades like California.

Yeah, i noticed. Kinda surprised Hawaii even has state routes.

[jakeroot]

Hawaii Shields are spades like California.

Yeah, i noticed. Kinda surprised Hawaii even has state routes.

I don't get this. They are wider down below than up top, but that doesn't make them spades. Spades have sharp corners. Both Hawaii and Oregon's shields have exceptionally round, three-cornered designs, not at all like spades.

[vdeane]

I've always liked New York, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Washington DC, Florida, Alaska, as well as the Ontario King's Highway reassurance shield (not the guide sign or "to" versions) and the Québec Autoroute shield.  I guess I'd pick Alaska as my favorite.

[oscar]

^^ Hawaii is also my favorite, but because I like the design (guitar-pick looking thing, sort of like Oregon's reversed version), not its meaning. I like simple designs that can be used as cutouts.

Of course, Hawaii stopped using cutouts for non-Interstates almost a half-century ago (which is why most or all of the surviving ones have rust stains). Any new or replaced markers are white teardrops painted on black square blanks, with only one (on HI 72 in southeast Oahu) with the state name. I would be shocked if Hawaii ever went back to non-Interstate cutouts.

[MikeSantNY78]

Call me biased, but I like my home state of New York's. It's simple, unique, dignified and authoritative. The one characteristic it lacks is being an easily recognizable symbol of the state, for which reason I also like Pennsylvania's at least as much.


iPhone

The only thing about the NY shield is that on BGS's, the shield is too wide when they do some 2d and 3d routes; they can do an enlarged 1d or 2d street-level sign, and not make the numbers so wide, and it'll work nicely...

[paulthemapguy]

My favorite is either Minnesota's or California's.  I would never vote for a shield that's only black and white.  California has enough beauty of its own, so their shield had better speak to that.  And Minnesota has its beauty--it's not as widespread as California's though.  Minnesota's shield is probably the most interesting especially considering it's just a Midwestern state.  It has three colors, two of which aren't neutral colors.  In fact, I wish Illinois did something with their shields instead of the boring state name in the black and white square.

Also who the hell voted for NJ 

[cpzilliacus]

Nobody has mentioned Virginia's primary system shield.  An "upside-down" spade, it is dignified and distinctive, as long as a contractor or a municipality does not butcher it.

[busman_49]

I had to choose biasly...  I like Ohio's, as long as it's done properly.

[kphoger]

I voted for Kansas.

Runner-up would be Minnesota.
Most of the others are so-so.
The ones with tiny numbers (Utah, I'm looking at you) need to go.

[sbeaver44]

My top 5:
Minnesota
Idaho
New Mexico
Alaska
Maryland

[Jim]

I voted for Alaska.  Generally, my preferences are ranked by:

1) Interesting distinctive shapes like Alaska, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico

2) Less interesting but still distinctive shapes like Michigan, California, New York and Pennsylvania

3) State outlines like Georgia, Florida, Ohio, etc.

4) At least some kind of color like Minnesota and Vermont

5) Plain squares with state name like Illinois and Indiana

6) Plain squares and circles like Massachusetts and New Jersey

[StogieGuy7]

Minnesota = best

Rhode Island = worst

Minnesota's shield is great when newly installed.  Then the gold fades and it looks like crap.  Too many in the wild (no pun intended, hockey fans) look like the latter type.

I voted for Utah's beehive, for it's uniqueness; nearly voted for Kansas - for it's simply, yet unique and colorful style.  That was a close call.  I'd like California's spade a lot better had they not made it that shade of green.  On BGS', it appears as an outline - a style I never cared for.  The original spade (pre-1960) with the bear was really beautiful and would have been my vote here if it were still in use.

Lastly, I'm not a fan of the circles, yet I prefer them to the even duller plain square.  Taking a white square and placing a number in it is not distinctive in the least.  I do wish that IL, IN, CT, MA, MT or TX would redesign their primary state shields.  But I won't hold my breath.  And adding some color to the dull square does help - but not enough to put any of them in my top 10. 

[1995hoo]

Nobody has mentioned Virginia's primary system shield.  An "upside-down" spade, it is dignified and distinctive, as long as a contractor or a municipality does not butcher it.

Unless it's a cutout, I've always found Virginia's to be rather boring.

(BTW, notwithstanding my prior comment about Hawaii, my actual vote was for DC's.)

[FrCorySticha]

My favorite isn't a primary route shield, but Montana's arrowhead secondary route shield:


Personally I wish they would adopt that as the primary shield and relegate the boring square primary shield to secondary routes.

[corco]

I like Wyoming's- mainly because it is a cutout state shape shield (though somewhat stylized like most shape outlines), the gold sticks out in snow, and the buckinghorse adds a nice flair.

[busman_49]

My favorite isn't a primary route shield, but Montana's arrowhead secondary route shield:
<SNIP>

Personally I wish they would adopt that as the primary shield and relegate the boring square primary shield to secondary routes.

I would tend to agree with you on that one.  Montana definitely got that one backwards... 

[J N Winkler]

I voted for Kansas.

Runner-up would be Minnesota.

I like the Minnesota design as well, but I think gold should be disallowed on shields because it is not a MUTCD color.  I feel the same about cream where it is used on California historic landmark signs, much as I like the appearance of these signs.

I like the Kansas design, but like all circular designs, it has message-space problems.

I dislike the Colorado design.  It has message-space problems (the flag takes up too much space vertically) and violates the rule of tincture.

Much as I like the Alaska route marker, "ALASKA" in italics (and not, IME, in a consistent typeface) is a no-no.

I don't particularly care for designs where fading of process inks noticeably changes the appearance of the sign, as is the case with the Zía sun symbol on the New Mexico route marker, which is always silkscreened in red ink rather than traced out in red-background sheeting.

The ones with tiny numbers (Utah, I'm looking at you) need to go.

Amen.  The Washington state route marker is especially bad for this.  In general, I look with suspicion on any marker design that does not allow the route number to appear in Series D digits at half shield height with normal kerning and an adequate amount of negative space both left and right.  From this standpoint, the California state route marker is one of the very best designs that is not actually a square and does not have a rectangular message space (like the Minnesota route marker).

[CYoder]

I don't mind the TN secondary shield even though spacing can be tight.  It would be nice to place the "TN" back at the bottom of the triangle.  I don't care for TN primary shields -- besides the primary/secondary designation being completely useless in this state, the design isn't all that interesting, and the design isn't even done all that consistently around here.  I've seen the word "Tennessee" in Times New Roman, Clarendon, and I think Bookman Old Style?

My favorite isn't a primary route shield, but Montana's arrowhead secondary route shield:


Personally I wish they would adopt that as the primary shield and relegate the boring square primary shield to secondary routes.

Seconded!

[paulthemapguy]

I like Wyoming's- mainly because it is a cutout state shape shield (though somewhat stylized like most shape outlines), the gold sticks out in snow, and the buckinghorse adds a nice flair.

Actually this is making me want to recant and wish I voted for Wyoming instead XD.  Eh, I'll call Wyoming a second-place spot.
Third is California
4th might be Colorado.

[Brandon]

Might as well list which ones I like and don't like, and why.  I'm kind of curious as to everyone's opinion on each state's (and province's for that matter) route shield.

AL: While the state shape, it does seem to be distorted in so many god-awful ways.  That's an unfortunate problem many "tall" states seem to have.
AK: While simple, on a square, it does scream Alaska with the dipper, and is rather pleasant to look at.
AR: One of the better state-shape route shields out there, IMHO.  Even when stretched a bit east-west, it's not anywhere remotely as bad as the Alabama shield for that.
AZ: Yet another way not to do a state shape.  Funny enough, the older Arizona shields had a better state shape and looked much nicer.  Would it kill them to us the actual Colorado River on the western border?
CA: Very nice, very identifiable, and every easy on the eyes, even the older black-and-white ones.
CO: Just a square, but it's sometimes what one does with that square that makes all the difference (see Wyoming as well).  Uses the state flag to make it identifiably Colorado at a distance.
CT: Ugh, the first of the boring square states.  These and the circles are the worst, if only because many states use them, and they are not identifiable as coming from those states.
DE: The first of the horrible circle states.
FL: A nice square blank and a good way to (usually) render that state outline.  Helps that the state shape usually plays well with the numbers.
GA: Same issues as Alabama.
HI: The Diamond Head (rain drop) is always and only Hawai'i.  Nice, simple, yet elegant.
ID: Another good solution to the odd shaped state and a state outline shield.
IL: How can you tell it apart from Indiana other than the state name on top of the square?
IN: How can you tell it apart from Illinois other than the state name on top of the square?
IA: Another fricking circle!?!
KS: Now this is how you use a circle, folks!  The sunflower is always and easily notable as Kansas.
KY: Another fucking circle!?!  Get some imagination.
LA: Even though the numbers are small, when done right (there's an example of not done right in the worst sign thread) it looks pretty good.
ME: Can you think of anything but a square?
MA: How can you tell you're in Connecticut, Maine, or Massachusetts?  There's not even a state name on the fricking square!
MD: At least they use a line on the square to make it stand out, but I can't say much else for it.
MI: A very nice, simple, but identifiable diamond, with the block 'M' at the top since 1918.
MN: Colorful, with the name and shape on a square blank.  Yet another example (see Colorado and Wyoming) of how to do a square properly.
MO: Like Arkansas, one of the better state shape ones out there.
MS: Yet another boring circle.  Sigh.
MT: Why, oh why didn't they make the secondary route shield the primary route shield!?!  Otherwise, it's yet another boring square.
NE: A simple, yet different flowerpot shape.  Distinctly Nebraska with the pioneer wagon at the bottom.  Very nice to look at, IMHO.
NV: Not a bad state shape shield.  Not as good as Missouri or Arkansas, but better than Alabama or Georgia.
NH: The best New England shield on the block!  Even though the Old Man in the Mountain is gone, his image is distinctly a New Hampshire symbol.
NJ: Yet another circle. 
NM: If you're going to have a circle, this is the way to do it.  Use a symbol that's unique to your state, in this case, the Zia.  I like it, and wish it were the only circle out there.
NY: Nice.  It's uniquely New York.
NC: A very nice diamond, not as nice as Michigan's, but still good.  I do wish they had kept the NC at the top.
ND: The new one, a state shaped shield is nice, but a bit generic.  The old one, the headdress, was uniquely North Dakota.  Sigh, the whitewashing of history continues...
OH: Again, one of the better state shapes out there (even if the state itself isn't).  It's only issue is that it looks like the US highway shield from a distance.
OK: Well, this state just can't win.  From a circle to a so-so state outline.  The meat cleaver doesn't play well with numbers, IMHO.  Doesn't help that Oklahoma does some of the worst sign layouts out there (see Craig County for more).
OR: Very nice, very Oregon.  One of my favorites.
PA: Again, a unique shape that screams Pennsylvania.
RI: Another square.  At least they went the Illinois route and put the state at the top.  That's about all I can say for it.
SC: Not bad.  A better attempt than the boring square they had.  The color and state shape at the top make it look nice, in a Minnesota kind of way.
SD: The state shape is good, and it works for the numbers they have.  I like one of the older ones they had with Mount Rushmore and the state shape better.
TN: Their older shield (now the secondary shield) was nice and unique.  This is also good, and a good way to incorporate the state shape.
TX: Like Montana, why isn't the FM/RM shield the primary shield!?!  Almost every Texan I've met is crazy about the state shape.  It should be used instead of that boring square.
UT: The beehive is very Utah, going back to the early days or Mormon settlement.  It's a fine shape when used right (unlike those "beehives" on the button copy signs).
VT: Well, at least they dumped the circle.  It's not bad, but a bit generic when compared to New York and New Hampshire next door.  Still, it's in the upper half, IMHO.
VA: A very nice shield, and unique to Virginia.  Stands out against all its neighbors.
WA: I like the bust of Washington.  It's a fun way to play off their state's namesake.
WV: The state of the boring nameless square.
WY: Now this is yet another way to do a square if you have a square.  The cowboy and horse at the bottom and the color make it stand out.
WI: Again, a wonderful, unique shape that lets you know you're in Wisconsin.  Like Ohio, the only drawback is a similarity to the US highway shield from a distance.
DC: Only one route, but a decent way to use the district's outline.

[sparker]

According to my cousin, who's a retired Caltrans employee, the principal reason the CA state shield was changed to white-on-green in 1964 was that FHWA was getting on the Division of Highways' ass about the use of white outlined state shields on green BGS's; they demanded that the signs be redone, with the then-standard black numbers on a white background.  About 20-25% of the BGS signage with state shield had been replaced with the compliant signs by the end of 1963 -- but the Division decided that since a statewide renumbering was also taking place at the time, that the stand-alone shields should be green-on-white, so the remaining white-outline BGS shields would be then compliant (assuming the route number displayed hadn't changed!).  The slight difference of green shades (somewhat darker on the BGS's) was deemed close enough to be technically compliant.

Of course, it took the Division, and Caltrans after 1973, about four decades to completely replace the remaining but relatively small number of BGS black-on-white shields; the '64 renumbering took care of about half of those immediately.   

[vdeane]

Anyone want to add Puerto Rico to the poll?
https://goo.gl/maps/m6B2nfYvatm

Yes, that IS street view!

[kphoger]

Following in the footsteps of @Brandon...

AL:  Ugly shield.  It looks like a malformed square with dangling testicles, yet in an unattractive cartoon sort of way.
AK:  For a white square, it still manages to be unique.  It's still a white square, though.
AZ:  Barely better than a white square.  The black space is too imbalanced, with almost none on the right side.
AR:  Similar issue as AZ above, but still manages to look decent (for single and double digits only).
CA:  Am I the only one not thrilled with the CA spade?  I just don't like green for a shield color.  The old B&W bear shield was worlds better.
CO:  Not bad, but the digits end up being too small to read well.
CT:  A decent black border does elevate this plain white square a tiny bit above zero.
DE:  There is no design.  White circle is the default.  There's nothing to grade here.
FL:  It only looks decent with double digits.  Let's be honest:  the state shape doesn't work on a shield.  And Florida should have something more colorful or unique.
GA:  It looks OK on a BGS, but there's too much black on the reassurance marker.
HI:  Not a fan.  It looks like an egg or a cone head or something.  I do, however, like the old cutout shield with the state name at the top.
ID:  As with FL above, this state shape does not belong on a shield.  I'm also not a fan of white on black for anything but nighttime regulatory signs.
IL:  The state name at the top elevates this white square two tiny bits above zero.
IN:  Same as IL above.
IA:  Same as DE above.  If it switched to a state outline, it would have the same problem as GA above.
KS:  I like it.  Colorful, unique, and plenty of room for the number.
KY:  Same as DE above, nothing to grade.  (And the parkway markers suck too, BTW.)
LA:  I should hate it for similar reasons as some other states, yet somehow I end up liking it (the B&W version).
ME:  A white square with barely a border.  Basically a zero.
MI:  Stylish with good symmetry, yet the number ends up too small.  Diamonds look good but don't work.
MN:  It looks good.  Almost too good.  It looks more like an Interstate shield than it does a US route shield, which confuses me on some level when I'm driving in MN.
MS:  Same as DE above, nothing to grade.
MO:  Not too bad.  The state shape lends itself well to a shield.  The white squares for secondaries at least have a decent border, and white squares are more appropriate for secondaries anyway.
MT:  A decent border plus the state name elevate the plain white square three tiny bits above zero.  The secondary shield is very unique, well balanced, and the smaller numbers are appropriate for secondaries.  The two should not be switched:  larger digits for more-important roads.
NE:  Good looking, unique, but the numbers are a bit too small.  Looks best with single digits.
NV:  Don't like the imbalanced black space, don't like the state name plaque, don't like the small digits.
NH:  Unique, but it looks like something ate part of the square (meaning I don't like it).
NJ:  Same as DE above, nothing to grade.
NM:  A red circle should mean a restriction, not a route number.  Double digits is pushing it on legibility, triple digits is way too small.
NY:  My favorite B&W design.  Simple, uncluttered, symmetrical, and classy, with plenty of room for the number.
NC:  Like MI above, except without the unique touch.
ND:  The old headdress one wasn't too bad, even if it looked like a porcupine.  The new one absolutely sucks:  white on black legend, plus it looks like part of the white "rectangle" peeled off.
OH:  Pretty good, on the same level as MO except that it looks funny stretched out for three digits.  It also looks too much like a US route shield.
OK:  You ditched the plain circle, and this is what you came up with?  White on white looks too washed-out.
OR:  Better than HI, not as good as NY.  A middle-of-the-road B&W design, barely better than a circle.
PA:  Not too bad for B&W.  Put "PENN" or something at the top, and it would be even better.
RI:  Same as IL above.
SC:  I really like the new one, as long as there are three digits to fill the white space.  For one and two digits, they need a narrower variant.
SD:  The green border is weird for me, but it's not terrible.  Meh.
TN:  The state shape on the primaries looks amateur.  The secondaries shield is too uneven with black space and shoves the number way up to the top.  Triangles don't work (similar to HI's rounded triangle).
TX:  Almost everything I said about MT above.  And just to reiterate:  the two (primary & secondary) should not be switched:  larger digits for more-important roads.
UT:  Unique, but there's too much black space, and the digits are too small.
VT:  As with SD, the green border is kind of weird.  Green numbers make it even more so.  I feel like this could be tweaked to make it better, but I don't know exactly how.
VA:  Basically what I said about OR above.  It looks a lot better as a cutout.
WA:  A good idea, but the digits end up being too small.  And there's just something about a number on George's head:  it's like he has a giant tattoo, or else we're reading his mind, or something.
WV:  Same as CT above.
WI:  Admit it, the triangle didn't work.  So stop trying to pretend a big square on top of it works any better.  It ends up looking way too much like a U.S. route shield, except not as stylish.
WY:  What KS is for circles, WY is for squares–a way to elevate the simple.  Colorful and unique.  The numbers end up a bit cramped because of the horse, but that could be tweaked.

District of Columbia:  As with FL above, the district shape doesn't belong on a shield.

Puerto Rico:  I like the primaries shield.  The urban primaries one looks a bit like OR or VA but better.  A blue pentagon for secondaries keeps messing with me for obvious reasons.  And maybe we finally found a good spot for plain white circles:  tertiary roads.

American Samoa:  Lame.  Really bad.  Please, remove all pictures of it from the internet.
Guam:  Definitely not like the rest.  I dig it.
Northern Marianas:  They tried, but it ended up looking like a fat lady wearing a really tight belt.
Virgin Islands:  Like DE above, nothing to grade.

[7/8]

I voted for Vermont, but I may be a bit biased since I'm looking forward to skiing at Jay Peak tomorrow . My current wallpaper on my iPad is VT 243 and it fits well, since I like using my iPad horizontally (I'm sure I'm not the only person who uses shields and flags for wallpapers).

Some other shields I like include Minnesota, Wyoming, Kansas, Michigan, and New York.