Ugliest route marker?

[bugo]

For me, it's the New Jersey turnpike trailblazer, by far.  Whoever thought that thing was a good idea must have been smoking the reef.

[hotdogPi]

Oversized or Clearview numerals.

[Zeffy]

For me, it's the New Jersey turnpike trailblazer, by far.  Whoever thought that thing was a good idea must have been smoking the reef.

It's supposed to be a cube apparently. It's nowhere near the ugliest. But I would have to say I'm biased, being from New Jersey and all.

Now, if this is actually the route marker for American Samoa, then it gets my vote.



Honestly, it looks like the tip of a penis. No offense to whoever drew up the vector, I'm just unsure if this is actually a route marker. I hope not. If it isn't a real marker, then nothing gets my vote that isn't horribly manufactured.

Oversized or Clearview numerals.

If there is Clearview anything in a route shield assembly there is a pretty good indication right there that whoever made it is either high as hell or doing crack.

[NE2]

Honestly, it looks like the tip of a penis. No offense to whoever drew up the vector, I'm just unsure if this is actually a route marker. I hope not. If it isn't a real marker, then nothing gets my vote that isn't horribly manufactured.

I think this one's pretty ugly.

[theline]

Honestly, it looks like the tip of a penis.

Well, that's either the widest or shortest one ever, except maybe for mine.

Q: Does he mean widest or shortest?

A: I'm not telling.

[hotdogPi]

With the darker green (real-life picture) it's much less obvious.

[Zeffy]

Well, that's either the widest or shortest one ever, except maybe for mine.

Q: Does he mean widest or shortest?

A: I'm not telling.

Well, if you remove the horizontal black line at the bottom and extend the outline to fill... well... yeah, that's pretty much it. I want to say that I don't think it's that wide... but uh... this is going into a suggestive topic.

With the darker green (real-life picture) it's much less obvious.

I would hope if I was driving I would ignore everything but the route number since it's the only information I really need to know, but with my dirty mind, who knows...

[cpzilliacus]

For me, it's the New Jersey turnpike trailblazer, by far.  Whoever thought that thing was a good idea must have been smoking the reef.

I strongly disagree. 

The N.J. Turnpike's trailblazer/shield is timeless, distinctive and clear - and the shape is unique. 

My only gripe is the green color, which sometimes tends to "blend in" on BGS panels.

[NE2]

With the darker green (real-life picture) it's much less obvious.

Some of that is probably the lighting.

[Dr Frankenstein]

I'm not a big fan of the NJTP marker either, but it's not the ugliest.

[Big John]

My question for Am. Samoa - Why are there leading zeroes on those signs?

[NE2]

My question for Am. Samoa - Why are there leading zeroes on those signs?

Because Florida.

[Mapmikey]

Also because Virginia...



Mapmikey

[english si]

some rule about all route numbers having three digits to not convey importance by number length?

E roads in Eurasia have leading zeros. 01, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08 and 09 are 2-digit routes and have them (when they do have them: Spain, Norway, Sweden and Finland certainly drop them, leaving France, Ireland and maybe Portugal actually signing them with the zero) so as to not be single-digit routes and seen as superior. The 001-019 series of 3 digit routes in Asia are basically as they wouldn't fit the zonal pattern of other 3 digit routes. And like 2-digit odd routes 101+, they are later additions (though certainly a few of those are valid - certainly up to 105).

[hbelkins]

Kentucky's boring circle and the new parkway signage both qualify.

[CNGL-Leudimin]

European rectangles are also damn boring. I want to see some American-like shields in this side of the pond...

[hotdogPi]

European rectangles are also damn boring. I want to see some American-like shields in this side of the pond...

At least the colors are still different. (In the United States, most state routes and US routes are white.)

[sammi]

European rectangles are also damn boring. I want to see some American-like shields in this side of the pond...

At least the colors are still different. (In the United States, most state routes and US routes are white.)

Well, the American and European systems differentiate between route classes differently. American uses marker shapes, European uses colors.

[theline]

With the darker green (real-life picture) it's much less obvious.

Some of that is probably the lighting.

Tell me there's a 007. It would be licensed to kill.  (I checked Google and don't see one.)

[bulldog1979]

Now, if this is actually the route marker for American Samoa, then it gets my vote.



Honestly, it looks like the tip of a penis. No offense to whoever drew up the vector, I'm just unsure if this is actually a route marker. I hope not. If it isn't a real marker, then nothing gets my vote that isn't horribly manufactured.

I think that's supposed to be a native hut indigenous to the islands...

[briantroutman]

For me, it's the New Jersey turnpike trailblazer, by far.  Whoever thought that thing was a good idea must have been smoking the reef.

I strongly disagree. 

The N.J. Turnpike's trailblazer/shield is timeless, distinctive and clear - and the shape is unique. 

I strongly disagree with your strong disagreement.

Yes, the NJTP shield is unique, but from a design standpoint, it's at best questionable. The shield shape is supposed to be a cube (according to multiple sources–and why a cube?...a cube has no relevance as far as I can tell), yet the oblique projection does not seem to impact any of the other design elements. The interplay between the T and P is mildly interesting, but as a combined form, their interaction with the shield shape is not particularly interesting. The N and J appear tacked on–like an afterthought–and splitting them on opposite sides of the shield weakens the concept of "NJ" being a unit. And as a final insult, "TURNPIKE" cutting through the "TP" adds nothing to the composition, is probably unreadable on anything smaller than the giant ground-mounted signs, and just dilutes a feeble design even further.

So in summary, the NJTP shield is a melange of mixed metaphors, poor composition, and incomplete creative thinking. It's iconic–yes; a symbol of the people of New Jersey–yes. But it's also graphic design approaching its nadir.

Kentucky's boring circle and the new parkway signage both qualify.

At least a boring circle is well proportioned and, usually, well executed.

I'm not familiar with all of the Kentucky Parkway signage, but I can't say that I like any that I've seen–current or past. The current signage is an outright embarrassment in all regards. But in all cases (as far as I've seen), the shields are too complex and too wordy. People are flying by at 70+ MPH–a 24 or 36-inch shield is not the place to be showing people detailed line drawings of the state capital dome or spelling out people's names.

[bugo]

For me, it's the New Jersey turnpike trailblazer, by far.  Whoever thought that thing was a good idea must have been smoking the reef.

I strongly disagree. 

The N.J. Turnpike's trailblazer/shield is timeless, distinctive and clear - and the shape is unique. 

I strongly disagree with your strong disagreement.

Yes, the NJTP shield is unique, but from a design standpoint, it's at best questionable. The shield shape is supposed to be a cube (according to multiple sources–and why a cube?...a cube has no relevance as far as I can tell), yet the oblique projection does not seem to impact any of the other design elements. The interplay between the T and P is mildly interesting, but as a combined form, their interaction with the shield shape is not particularly interesting. The N and J appear tacked on–like an afterthought–and splitting them on opposite sides of the shield weakens the concept of "NJ" being a unit. And as a final insult, "TURNPIKE" cutting through the "TP" adds nothing to the composition, is probably unreadable on anything smaller than the giant ground-mounted signs, and just dilutes a feeble design even further.

So in summary, the NJTP shield is a melange of mixed metaphors, poor composition, and incomplete creative thinking. It's iconic–yes; a symbol of the people of New Jersey–yes. But it's also graphic design approaching its nadir.

Agreed 100%.

[formulanone]

The NJTP shield does vaguely convey the direction of the route; the forward-facing vertices at the top-right of the cube point diagonally north, and the bottom-left points somewhat towards the opposite direction. At least, that's how I've interpreted it. Unique, but then again, since the other choices in New Jersey are circular (except for the obvious), anything else will stand out.

The current Kentucky parkway signs are quite muddled. Since not many of the parkways intersect, you probably can't confuse them too easily, but as I've read before, they're the product of compromise. Maybe there's a few places where multiple "To foo/bar parkway" signs exist, though.

[Alps]

I'd agree with KY parkway signs. Then you have Australia, where the route markers are now just a green rectangle with the route number in yellow. It's not particularly ugly, but signing the whole system that way really doesn't do the roads any favors.

How about Kentucky's "teardrop" US shield style? Are we allowed to use shield shape variants as "ugliest of"?

[hbelkins]

How about Kentucky's "teardrop" US shield style? Are we allowed to use shield shape variants as "ugliest of"?

Be my guest. Please. I hate that thing. I don't know where the idea for it came from. Maybe I should ask.

The current Kentucky parkway signs are quite muddled. Since not many of the parkways intersect, you probably can't confuse them too easily, but as I've read before, they're the product of compromise. Maybe there's a few places where multiple "To foo/bar parkway" signs exist, though.

In Jackson, where I work, I pass a set every day. I'm pretty sure I have a photo.

There might also be some other possibilities in Elizabethtown (BG and WK), Owensboro (Audubon and Natcher) and south of Madisonville (Pennyrile and WK). And I know I've seen "To WK Parkway" signs near where US 68 crosses the Purchase Parkway.

EDIT: Forgot Henderson, with the Audubon and Pennyrile.