Here's How Much Businesses Pay To Get On Those Big Blue Exit Signs

[ZLoth]

From Jalopnik:

Here's How Much Businesses Pay To Get On Those Big Blue Exit Signs

Drive down any major interstate in the U.S., and you'll see big blue signs decorated with business logos near most exits. Here's who decides which businesses make it on the signs, and how much it all costs.

Called interstate logo signs or specific service signs, these ubiquitous big blue billboards are godsends to weary travelers searching for gas, food, or lodging close to the highway. Unsurprisingly, the signs aren't solely there to help out motorists, as they also provide monetary benefit to businesses and, crucially, to the state.

FULL ARTICLE HERE

[Takumi]

Wow, they managed to write two whole paragraphs without an F-bomb.

[briantroutman]

These are just a few examples, but on average, it looks looks like if you want your business on a big blue highway sign, expect to shell out about a grand per direction.

The article seems to make logo signage seem much less expensive than it truly is. I couldn't find where the article mentioned up-front costs, but they can be significant. PennDOT charges $14,500 for the initial installation at a full interchange–not including additional trailblazer signs, if needed.

And I'd have a hard time believing that PennDOT's charging much more than other states, at least in the Northeast.

[formulanone]

Wow, they managed to write two whole paragraphs without an F-bomb.

I've noticed the quality of Jalopnik's articles depends on the skill of the individual writer; some are engaging, others are a bit more pandering.

Some articles are thorough and informative, others seem have been squeezed out in 5 minutes before the deadline, and some assume you've been following a particular saga endlessly over the past three years.

[jeffandnicole]

These are just a few examples, but on average, it looks looks like if you want your business on a big blue highway sign, expect to shell out about a grand per direction.

The article seems to make logo signage seem much less expensive than it truly is. I couldn’t find where the article mentioned up-front costs, but they can be significant. PennDOT charges $14,500 for the initial installation at a full interchange—not including additional trailblazer signs, if needed.

And I’d have a hard time believing that PennDOT’s charging much more than other states, at least in the Northeast.

Some additional fabrication amounts are near the end of the story.  And being the story originated from the central/western part of the US, they tended to focus in that area of the country where costs tend to be lower.  Florida, mentioned in the story, is probably more similar to the Northeast in terms of the higher prices we would expect.

While some people are a bit miffed at the 'low' costs the states charge, they're really meant to be a convenience to a traveler.  Charge too much, and businesses will resist this type of advertising.  Sure, McDonalds, Pilot, etc with the deep pockets will always advertise.  But your smaller restaurant chains may not have as much of an incentive.  If a traveler wants something other than McDonalds, charging too much for the sign would hurt, rather than help, those travelers.

I'm glad they included a perspective of how large these signs can be.  Most people have no idea, and wonder why someone can't just go out with a screwdriver and put up a sign by themselves.  Want to know what it takes 3 or 4 people to put up a sign?  There you go.

[Takumi]

Wow, they managed to write two whole paragraphs without an F-bomb.

I've noticed the quality of Jalopnik's articles depends on the skill of the individual writer; some are engaging, others are a bit more pandering.

Some articles are thorough and informative, others seem have been squeezed out in 5 minutes before the deadline, and some assume you've been following a particular saga endlessly over the past three years.

I stopped reading Jalopnik late last year. After several months of saying "man, they're getting unreadable", I thought "you know, I keep saying this but I still keep reading it." So I stopped then and there and haven't been back. But the likes of Kristen Lee and Justin Westbrook seemed to be paid by the swear word. Not that I have a problem with profanity, I just don't think it should be in, you know, the lede of a car review.

[ZLoth]

I stopped reading Jalopnik late last year. After several months of saying "man, they're getting unreadable", I thought "you know, I keep saying this but I still keep reading it." So I stopped then and there and haven't been back. But the likes of Kristen Lee and Justin Westbrook seemed to be paid by the swear word. Not that I have a problem with profanity, I just don't think it should be in, you know, the lede of a car review.

My criteria for sharing articles goes along the lines of "do I find this interesting/fascinating?" followed by "do I think other people would find this interesting/informative as well?" According to my archive of saved URL-shortened links, this is only the third jalopnik article, and the first since February 2014. That is out of 2073 saved links. I'll let you make your determination from that.

[roadman]

These are just a few examples, but on average, it looks looks like if you want your business on a big blue highway sign, expect to shell out about a grand per direction.

The article seems to make logo signage seem much less expensive than it truly is. I couldn’t find where the article mentioned up-front costs, but they can be significant. PennDOT charges $14,500 for the initial installation at a full interchange—not including additional trailblazer signs, if needed.

And I’d have a hard time believing that PennDOT’s charging much more than other states, at least in the Northeast.

In Massachusetts, costs of fabricating and installing the initial signs at an interchange (usually 2 mainline signs and 2 ramp signs) are fully paid for by the applicant (in exchange for this outlay, the annual "rental" fee of $1,200 per interchange is waived for a period of time to recoup the costs).  Typical costs are between $9K and $12K for all the required signs with supports (excluding any necessary trailblazers between the interchange and the facility).  So it appears that the PennDOT costs quoted are on the high end of the range.

Applicants in Massachusetts who want to get their LOGO on an existing sign have a slightly better deal in terms of short term expense.  Their initial outlay is only the cost to fabricate their LOGOs, plus a small fee ($250 per sign) for MassDOT crews to attach their LOGOs to the signs.  However, the business then has to pay the $1,200 per interchange annual "rental" fee.

And, at least for a national chain, the expenses involved are not a "write off".  I was once told that, for a national chain like McDonalds, the restaurant will normally recoup their out of pocket costs for a full LOGO sign installation (the $9K to $12K installation noted above) in approximately 4 to 6 months due to increased sales.

[Takumi]

I stopped reading Jalopnik late last year. After several months of saying "man, they're getting unreadable", I thought "you know, I keep saying this but I still keep reading it." So I stopped then and there and haven't been back. But the likes of Kristen Lee and Justin Westbrook seemed to be paid by the swear word. Not that I have a problem with profanity, I just don't think it should be in, you know, the lede of a car review.

My criteria for sharing articles goes along the lines of "do I find this interesting/fascinating?" followed by "do I think other people would find this interesting/informative as well?" According to my archive of saved URL-shortened links, this is only the third jalopnik article, and the first since February 2014. That is out of 2073 saved links. I'll let you make your determination from that.

It used to be one of my most frequently visited sites until it went downhill. I still contribute to its user-run offshoot Oppositelock (under the username interstate366, after the inside joke here), but I haven't gone onto Jalopnik itself in months.

[formulanone]

Wow, they managed to write two whole paragraphs without an F-bomb.

I've noticed the quality of Jalopnik's articles depends on the skill of the individual writer; some are engaging, others are a bit more pandering.

Some articles are thorough and informative, others seem have been squeezed out in 5 minutes before the deadline, and some assume you've been following a particular saga endlessly over the past three years.

I stopped reading Jalopnik late last year. After several months of saying "man, they're getting unreadable", I thought "you know, I keep saying this but I still keep reading it." So I stopped then and there and haven't been back. But the likes of Kristen Lee and Justin Westbrook seemed to be paid by the swear word. Not that I have a problem with profanity, I just don't think it should be in, you know, the lede of a car review.

This was one of their better articles — I usually skip the comments anyhow — but some of their shadetree writers need to know the power of a "tactical F-bomb" rather than dumbing down discussion with expletive overuse, or succumbing to the hyperbole of the moment.

[Henry]

My suspicions have now been confirmed! Apparently, that's where most of their advertising dollars go to.

[sparker]

I know we're dealing with a "closed-loop" situation here (state-erected signs on state easement), but I have to wonder if the bigger chains (McD; Carl's/Hardees; B-King; Wendy's.....etc......) have been able to obtain quantity discounts from the DOT's, effectively shutting out smaller chains or independents.  And, on a corollary note, might a particular state DOT tend to favor companies that have their corporate offices (and tax ID's) within that state?  While a few select state signage criteria have been cited, it might be interesting to do a more robust survey to see just which companies within each service category have deployed the most (a) national aggregate signage or (b) signage within a particular state (for the time being I'll assume McDonald's may swamp the initial "n" in the food-service area, all else considered).   

[Pink Jazz]

My suspicions have now been confirmed! Apparently, that's where most of their advertising dollars go to.

It actually depends on the state.  Some states have negotiated deals with the contractor that are more favorable to the state.  For example, in Florida, I know FDOT gets 80% of the revenue.

Also, states that operate their logo sign programs in-house (such as Arizona) get 100% of the revenue.