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State shapes on highway signs

Started by golden eagle, August 09, 2010, 11:15:38 PM

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golden eagle

I wish Mississippi would do like the surrounding states (minus Tennessee) and outline the state's shape on its highways. The white circle with black numbers gets a little old. What are your opinions on state shapes on highways? I think the beehive on Utah's is ugly but unique.


corco

I like how Wyoming and Colorado use slightly mis-proportioned cutout state outlines, that's for sure

golden eagle

While looking at some past threads, I discovered one like this that was already made last year. This can be deleted if necessary.

Bickendan

At least link us to the old one first!

huskeroadgeek

My favorite general design of state highway shields are the state outline shields. The reason is that a state's outline is one of the most recognizable and unique things about each state and makes the shield easily identifiable. The exception of course is Colorado and Wyoming whose outlines look almost indistinguishable from each other. The plain black and white shapes without the state name or are my least favorite because some of them look identical to ones in other states and aren't easily identifiable.

Utah's beehive is an interesting one-when a friend and I were traveling through Utah back in the mid 90s, we discussed with each other what that shape was on the state highway signs. I don't think I figured out what it was until later when I heard Utah called "The Beehive State" and I figured out that must be what the outline is.


froggie

A couple relevant pages:

James Lin's state highway markers, showing the current route markers in use.  A quick count shows 15 states (plus DC) using the state outline in some form or another.  I don't count Colorado or Wyoming since both states are rectangular and these are square shields (though both states have other redeeming qualities on their route markers).

The Great International Highway Makeover, originally created by CC Slater...since hosted by RV Droz.  User-submitted ideas for new/redone route markers for every state, some Canadian provinces, and several countries.  My own proposals are listed for both Mississippi and Louisiana.

golden eagle

Quote from: froggie on August 10, 2010, 07:24:51 AM
My own proposals are listed for both Mississippi and Louisiana.


The Mississippi 40 sign is definitely similar to what I had in mind, but I was thinking of a black background and numbers with the state design being white rather than the other way around.

agentsteel53

Colorado is not rectangular.  Like Arizona's abstracted state outline, Colo takes liberties as well.  :pan:

I really do wish Arizona would bring back the correct Colorado River shape on the left side of the shield.  I do not know why they went away from it - it does make centering the number a bit easier, but given that the state name is not centered I don't see a problem.

live from sunny San Diego.

http://shields.aaroads.com

jake@aaroads.com

Rover_0

#8
I'd like to see Arizona return to a more correct Colorado River outline, as well, but I wouldn't mind seeing something like the simplified Colorado River outline.

As for Utah, I like the beehive symbol enough, though the shield could use a bit of a facelift to accommodate 3-digit numbers better, as well as using some amount of color.  I don't think that all states need to use state outlines for their shields; in a sense, that makes state route markers follow a relatively boring template, though it would be light years ahead of the circle and square, at least being unique.

What about using symbols from state flags?  Alaska does it (Big Dipper), Utah (Beehive), New Mexico (Zia Sun), South Carolina (Palmetto), Washington (Geroge Washington's head), Oregon (spade-shield), and others I can't think of right now.
Fixing erroneous shields, one at a time...

agentsteel53

something like what?  the 504 is the correct outline.
live from sunny San Diego.

http://shields.aaroads.com

jake@aaroads.com

Bryant5493

I like the route number inside of the outline of the state. It makes it more clear what state you're in, if you're going border to border on a certain route, that changes across state boundaries.


Be well,

Bryant
Check out my YouTube page (http://youtube.com/Bryant5493). I have numerous road videos of Metro Atlanta and other areas in the Southeast.

I just signed up on photobucket -- here's my page (http://s594.photobucket.com/albums/tt24/Bryant5493).

Brandon

I don't know if one necessarilly needs a state shape for a unique route marker.  Let's be honest, it just doesn't work well for Illinois or Indiana.  That's been tried and rejected.  I prefer unique shapes rather than circles or squares, or even stretched out state shapes made to fit around the numbers but don't resemble the state in any shape or form or alternate reality.
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg

TheStranger

Quote from: Brandon on August 10, 2010, 06:01:39 PM
I prefer unique shapes rather than circles or squares

California's spade, New York's colonial seal, Pennsylvania's keystone, and Kansas's sunflower all work nicely to this effect - though it'd be nice if the latter three were still cutouts!
Chris Sampang

agentsteel53

Quote from: Brandon on August 10, 2010, 06:01:39 PM
I don't know if one necessarilly needs a state shape for a unique route marker.  Let's be honest, it just doesn't work well for Illinois or Indiana.  That's been tried and rejected.  I prefer unique shapes rather than circles or squares, or even stretched out state shapes made to fit around the numbers but don't resemble the state in any shape or form or alternate reality.

yep, Alabama stretched its state outline.  Illinois and Indiana need to come up with something better than that horrid square, though.
live from sunny San Diego.

http://shields.aaroads.com

jake@aaroads.com

KEK Inc.

I prefer unique shields as well.  Also Oregon's upside-down spade and Washington's head in Washington.  I don't think Washington ever used Cut-outs.  The cut-outs in Oregon were quite cool.



Apparently this sign no longer exists.  :(
Take the road less traveled.

agentsteel53

Quote from: TheStranger on August 10, 2010, 06:04:43 PM

California's spade, New York's colonial seal, Pennsylvania's keystone, and Kansas's sunflower all work nicely to this effect - though it'd be nice if the latter three were still cutouts!

the sunflower was never a cutout.  Think of the sawblade effect!  "Toto, I don't think my head is attached anymore."
live from sunny San Diego.

http://shields.aaroads.com

jake@aaroads.com

agentsteel53

Quote from: KEK Inc. on August 10, 2010, 06:32:19 PM
I prefer unique shields as well.  Also Oregon's upside-down spade and Washington's head in Washington.  I don't think Washington ever used Cut-outs.  The cut-outs in Oregon were quite cool.
Apparently this sign no longer exists.  :(

it does not, but there are some eagle shields left if you know where to look.  no more US cutouts as far as I know, though.  Oregon switched to black squares in 1974.  The newer Oregon looks like the head of a Grey Alien - they really to put that eagle back on the shield.

Washington indeed never used a cutout. 
live from sunny San Diego.

http://shields.aaroads.com

jake@aaroads.com

tdindy88

Quote from: agentsteel53 on August 10, 2010, 06:32:03 PM
Quote from: Brandon on August 10, 2010, 06:01:39 PM
I don't know if one necessarilly needs a state shape for a unique route marker.  Let's be honest, it just doesn't work well for Illinois or Indiana.  That's been tried and rejected.  I prefer unique shapes rather than circles or squares, or even stretched out state shapes made to fit around the numbers but don't resemble the state in any shape or form or alternate reality.

yep, Alabama stretched its state outline.  Illinois and Indiana need to come up with something better than that horrid square, though.

Funny, this is mentioned, because there is a sign in southern Bloomington, Indiana on what is locally called Walnut Street that is the shape of the state of Indiana. I know of a second shield that is located literally on top of the dam for Monroe Reservoir directing traffic toward SR 37. Not sure how it would look on three-digit numbers, but it looks great on two-digit numbers. Here's a Google Maps view of that sign:


http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Bloomington,+IN&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Bloomington,+Monroe,+Indiana&ll=39.107236,-86.531496&spn=0,0.019205&z=16&layer=c&cbll=39.107324,-86.531483&panoid=cvEHF_9OTQ6hVYagrjqqrQ&cbp=12,257.08,,0,5

The sign should be in the norhtwest corner of the intersection of Walnut and Church Lane.

ctsignguy

Old Indy and Illy shields....





as jake says, the shape of the State kinda makes reverting back to them rather difficult under current MUTCD regs...

Idaho has a nice solution to the problem tho...
http://s166.photobucket.com/albums/u102/ctsignguy/<br /><br />Maintaining an interest in Fine Highway Signs since 1958....

golden eagle

This is one ugly Georgia highway shield. But I do like the ones on the BGS's. While Michigan doesn't use a state outline, I do like the block M (similar to the University of Michigan M) on their signs.

KEK Inc.

Quote from: agentsteel53 on August 10, 2010, 06:36:04 PM
Quote from: KEK Inc. on August 10, 2010, 06:32:19 PM
I prefer unique shields as well.  Also Oregon's upside-down spade and Washington's head in Washington.  I don't think Washington ever used Cut-outs.  The cut-outs in Oregon were quite cool.
Apparently this sign no longer exists.  :(

it does not, but there are some eagle shields left if you know where to look.  no more US cutouts as far as I know, though.  Oregon switched to black squares in 1974.  The newer Oregon looks like the head of a Grey Alien - they really to put that eagle back on the shield.

Washington indeed never used a cutout. 
Last time I went to the Cheesecake Factory in Washington Square (Tigard), I think I saw a classic SR-217 shield.  Perhaps the next time I go to Togo's in the Portland Area, I'll take a photo.

The New Oregon shield looks like they just flipped the California shield, made it white and put it on a black bg sign. 
Take the road less traveled.

agentsteel53

Quote from: KEK Inc. on August 10, 2010, 10:09:16 PM
Last time I went to the Cheesecake Factory in Washington Square (Tigard), I think I saw a classic SR-217 shield.  Perhaps the next time I go to Togo's in the Portland Area, I'll take a photo.

The New Oregon shield looks like they just flipped the California shield, made it white and put it on a black bg sign. 

217 is one of the numbers that floats around.

an Oregon 66 looks much like a Hawaii 99.
live from sunny San Diego.

http://shields.aaroads.com

jake@aaroads.com

Eth

Quote from: golden eagle on August 10, 2010, 10:03:53 PM
This is one ugly Georgia highway shield. But I do like the ones on the BGS's. While Michigan doesn't use a state outline, I do like the block M (similar to the University of Michigan M) on their signs.

Believe me, Georgia has far worse.  I constantly wanted to throw up when I saw these showing up everywhere several years ago.  That 141 is a good one, though.

nyratk1

Quote from: Rover_0 on August 10, 2010, 01:05:59 PM
What about using symbols from state flags?  Alaska does it (Big Dipper), Utah (Beehive), New Mexico (Zia Sun), South Carolina (Palmetto), Washington (Geroge Washington's head), Oregon (spade-shield), and others I can't think of right now.

New York has a simplified version of their flag's shield.

Scott5114

Quote from: TheStranger on August 10, 2010, 06:04:43 PM
Quote from: Brandon on August 10, 2010, 06:01:39 PM
I prefer unique shapes rather than circles or squares

California's spade, New York's colonial seal, Pennsylvania's keystone, and Kansas's sunflower all work nicely to this effect - though it'd be nice if the latter three were still cutouts!

Kansas was never a cutout.
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef



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