CA reassurance shields w/o direction banners

[Quillz]

Kind of an oddball question/observation, but I've noticed several California highways seem to consistently lack directional banners with the spades. For example, CA-25 and CA-198 almost never have directional banners (for the latter, at least west of I-5). In some instances, I can understand why this might be the case, such as CA-18 which doesn't have a clear direction, but something like 25 is interesting because it's very clearly a south-north route.

[coatimundi]

Never thought about it, but you're right. Seems like they're only used on expressways and freeways, while at-grade roadways get nothing.

[Max Rockatansky]

Speaking of 198, there often isn't even directional signage east of 198 either.  I don't recall seeing much on surface routes in the central part of the state pretty much anywhere at all.

[sparker]

The portion of CA 84 between I-680 and I-580 never featured any directional signs along its original alignment through downtown Livermore; but E-W banners were applied to the Isabel Ave. realignment that ran N-S between Pleasanton & Livermore, probably to reassure drivers using that route as a cutoff to & from the San Jose or Fremont areas that they were indeed on a route that would eventually take them either west or, in the case of eastbound, to a route (580) that would take them farther east. 

[Max Rockatansky]

I can confirm 201, 198, 63, and 216 east of 99 have missing directional banners.  43 was lacking them also, basically anything with a surface route didn't really have them.

[Quillz]

The 46 has very few west of the 5.

[TheStranger]

Route 82/El Camino Real throughout the Peninsula generally doesn't have them in most spots but some cities have the cardinal directions diligently signed (South San Francisco and Daly City in particular).

[Exit58]

Routes 83 and 142 come to mind. I used to frequent both of these traveling from Orange County to the I.E. and I don't think any of the reassurance shields have directionals.

[andy3175]

SR 29-175 in Lake County near Kelseyville comes to mind as having no cardinal direction banner. I think the overlap of SR 29-128 is also without cardinal directions, as well as SR 12-29 and SR 29-121. I've not visited that area in a few years, so perhaps this has changed.

[mrsman]

One possible theory as to why directions aren't signed on surface roads is that many routings (especially through cities) tend to travel on streets that are signed in a different direction from the highway.

An example is PCH which is CA-1.  This is largely a north=south highway, but certain sections are largely east-west by compass direction and by street patterns.  In Long Beach, PCH is signed and addressed like parallel east-west streets, even though CA-1 is part of a larger north-south highway.

[Max Rockatansky]

Didn't see much of any on 68 and 218 thus far this weekend.

[coatimundi]

Didn't see much of any on 68 and 218 thus far this weekend.

There's one on 68 just west of Reservation Road. Again, on the freeway portion. I pass this one all the time. The other 68 signs I can recall, on the non-freeway portions, do not have directional banners.

[Max Rockatansky]

Didn't see much of any on 68 and 218 thus far this weekend.

There's one on 68 just west of Reservation Road. Again, on the freeway portion. I pass this one all the time. The other 68 signs I can recall, on the non-freeway portions, do not have directional banners.

I want to say that they were there on the multiplex with CA 1 through Monterey.  I had a slow truck in front of me as I was trying to get off the freeway and didn't think to look.  I'll have to see tomorrow morning if I can swing by and see if there is some directional signage.  Sure seems like this is mainly something that is limited to freeways and expressways.

[Quillz]

One possible theory as to why directions aren't signed on surface roads is that many routings (especially through cities) tend to travel on streets that are signed in a different direction from the highway.

This makes some sense, but then you've got routes like CA-25. Which almost exclusively travels in a relatively straight line (well, more of a southeast to northwest line), yet it lacks directional banners.

[Max Rockatansky]

Guess what DID get a directional banner? 

[coatimundi]

Guess what DID get a directional banner? 

Oh, c'mon now, that's a temporary detour route. That doesn't count.
Who needs a detour for 269, BTW? Is there that big of a rush for this highway that we're going to get people lost in the almond fields without a proper redirection?

[Max Rockatansky]

^^^

The really amusing apart is that at least from 198 there is no detour signage at the junction for 269 at all but it is clear that neither route was deserving of that directional banner. 



The detour was actually all the way at El Dorado Avenue.  On the westbound 198 freeway there is a VMS sign near near the Kings River telling people to use Avenal Cutoff as a detour for 269.  I guess if you work in corrections it might be a big deal?

[BakoCondors]

43 was lacking them also, basically anything with a surface route didn't really have them.

There are a couple of them on CA-43 in Shafter and down at 43's southern terminus at CA-119 west of Bakersfield.

[Max Rockatansky]

43 was lacking them also, basically anything with a surface route didn't really have them.

There are a couple of them on CA-43 in Shafter and down at 43's southern terminus at CA-119 west of Bakersfield.

I'm wondering if it has something to do with what district you're actually in.  I was up at Yosemite about a week ago and CA 140 and 49 had plenty of directional signage in District 10:




But then again most of the stuff I've talked about have been in District 6 which would include Kern County...so go figure. 

[kkt]

I'm wondering if it has something to do with what district you're actually in.  I was up at Yosemite about a week ago and CA 140 and 49 had plenty of directional signage in District 10:

140 and 49 are both major tourist routes, so maybe they try a little harder.

[coatimundi]

I'm wondering if it has something to do with what district you're actually in.  I was up at Yosemite about a week ago and CA 140 and 49 had plenty of directional signage in District 10:

140 and 49 are both major tourist routes, so maybe they try a little harder.

That's also a junction assembly instead of a reassurance marker, which seems to go against the original question in the OP.
But I think you're on for the 140 marker. Those unfamiliar with a road are likely to turn the wrong way on a route. Though knowing which direction they need to be traveling is, from my experience, a bit much to expect from most people.

[Max Rockatansky]

I'm wondering if it has something to do with what district you're actually in.  I was up at Yosemite about a week ago and CA 140 and 49 had plenty of directional signage in District 10:

140 and 49 are both major tourist routes, so maybe they try a little harder.

That's also a junction assembly instead of a reassurance marker, which seems to go against the original question in the OP.
But I think you're on for the 140 marker. Those unfamiliar with a road are likely to turn the wrong way on a route. Though knowing which direction they need to be traveling is, from my experience, a bit much to expect from most people.

Kind of both actually, there isn't much in the way of junction markers in the central part of the state either.  At best you usually get some directional arrows with the state route number but not all those directional banners to go with it. 

The funny thing about 140 is that there is literally nowhere else asides from Briceburg to turn off of it and get lost westbound to Mariposa.  I suppose you're probably right about it being there to aid tourists but out of the three major routes going into Yosemite 140 has the least amount of roadway you could go off course from. 

[SeriesE]

I think most urban at-grade routes don't have direction banners (if signed at all)

[Quillz]

Up here in the North Coast for a week, and found that many state highways here lack directional banners, too. Most of US-101 north of the CA-1 terminus don't have any banners (which is actually not very helpful since a good portion of US-101 heads northwest beyond this point). CA-20 through the Coast Ranges doesn't appear to have any, either. I was on CA-116 briefly and also don't recall seeing any.