The Best of Road Signs

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Willmar, MN

If you look very very closely, you can see the remains of a "WEST" tab above the US 12 shield, so my guess is this sign goes back to when the US 12 "bypass" of downtown first opened, and maybe the west half of the reroute opened before the east half did.

[Kniwt]

US 89, Orderville UT, taken today:

[theline]

^^ Thanks for posting that. It is very similar to signs I remember from my childhood in the '50s, the first time I rode on an interstate, other than one of the turnpikes. I recall looking out the back window of Dad's Pontiac, probably on I-75 near Lima, OH, and seeing those odd signs that were erected parallel to the travel lanes. I asked Dad about them, and he said that they were required by law to notify anyone who wanted to build a driveway that they couldn't do so along these roads. I can see in those days when "limited access" was a new concept some farmer just building a road from his field to the edge of the interstate.

[Rover_0]

US 89, Orderville UT, taken today:

I thought I noticed those. Anyways, there are a couple others a mile or so south of this one around Mt. Carmel and Mt. Carmel Junction (US 89/UT 9 junction), with one faded enough that it's revealed as a "No U Turn" sign.

[Mapmikey]

North Carolina used to post right-of-way signs on all classes of roads.  This one was on a secondary road near Mt. Airy in Apr 2007:



Some old-style limited access signs are still along I-40/85 between Greensboro and Efland.  These may go back to when the route was built as part of US 70 in the 1950s.

https://goo.gl/maps/sqnNeq8GEgE2

[Mergingtraffic]

These are still there at the NJ Turnpike/Garden State Parkway interchange. I didn't see any new foundations around either.  With the sign replacement projects underway I surprised to see it.  Look at the US shields.






and this for good measure:

[formulanone]

I didn't have my camera with me when I passed by this one, so enjoy this 1960s-spec white-bordered US 31 sign in Alabama.

[freebrickproductions]

I didn't have my camera with me when I passed by this one, so enjoy this 1960s-spec white-bordered US 31 sign in Alabama.

I need to get down to the crossing just up the street anyways, so I'll have to photograph it when I'm down there!

[mwb1848]

These BGS's installed in the past couple of years around the Alamogordo Relief Route (bypass, to non-New Mexicans) are better than any I've ever seen on New Mexico's interstates. While it's always difficult to find any discernable pattern in how or why New Mexico handles signage, these signs don't follow the NM convention of outlining US shields on New Mexico BGS's. Also, everything on the signs is abnormally well-placed.


At the end of U.S. 82 westbound as it descends from the Sacramento Mountains into the northeastern outskirts of Alamogordo.


At the end of a ramp carrying US 70 eastbound to its relatively new "Relief Route" alignment west of Alamogordo.


At the end of the new alignment, where US 54 joins its old alignment south of town en route to El Paso.


An auxiliary sign that looks like it was plucked from neighboring Arizona.


Northbound traffic on US 54 and eastbound traffic on US 70 turns right here to avoid traversing Alamogordo. Westbound 70 turns left at the next light. NMDOT has added some additional signs (not pictured) pointing traffic to US 82 which meets with 54/70 north of Alamogordo at the end of the Relief Route.

My guess is NMDOT standards are so poorly written that contractors have more leeway than they would in other states. Meaning a good contractor can do better-than-average work or worse-than-average work and NMDOT doesn't really get too worked up in either direction.

I couldn't bring myself to take a picture, but NMDOT also slapped some very poorly proportioned signs pointing to Ruidoso below some of these BGS's.

[roadfro]

... While it's always difficult to find any discernable pattern in how or why New Mexico handles signage, these signs don't follow the NM convention of outlining US shields on New Mexico BGS's. Also, everything on the signs is abnormally well-placed.


At the end of U.S. 82 westbound as it descends from the Sacramento Mountains into the northeastern outskirts of Alamogordo.

Things do seem to be laid out well for NM, but there are still some issues. "Tularosa" letter spacing seems compressed. And, technically speaking, MUTCD guidance would place the destinations in order as straight—left—right (instead of the left—right—straight used here).

[Takumi]

Utterly ancient SR 602 sign near VA 199's west end outside Williamsburg. Hard to tell if it was originally white border or black border.
https://goo.gl/maps/4UGBJsJq6DL2

[Mapmikey]

Utterly ancient SR 602 sign near VA 199's west end outside Williamsburg. Hard to tell if it was originally white border or black border.
https://goo.gl/maps/4UGBJsJq6DL2

The 2016 GMSV (on opposite direction of SR 646) shows a completely faded sign that it is unknowable what kind of sign it is.  The 2012 GMSV (near view) shows it was not white border, which is also supported by the fact that this intersection did not exist until the very late 1970s - SR 646 and I-64 was just a regular at-grade intersection (was still VA 168) and there was no need for the frontage road/SR 602 to run parallel to what is now the interstate.  White border signs stopped being used statewide by VDOT on new assemblies around 1970.

[TravelingBethelite]

I just love this sign. I think it's also one of my best photos, what with the sign and its perch next to the road it represents. Without further ado...




P.S. In this thread does old = good, or is it something else? 

[formulanone]

I didn't discover it (thanks, Shield Gallery!), but I stopped by this classic in the Quad Cities last Friday...good to know it's still around:

[Takumi]

Utterly ancient SR 602 sign near VA 199's west end outside Williamsburg. Hard to tell if it was originally white border or black border.
https://goo.gl/maps/4UGBJsJq6DL2

The 2016 GMSV (on opposite direction of SR 646) shows a completely faded sign that it is unknowable what kind of sign it is.  The 2012 GMSV (near view) shows it was not white border, which is also supported by the fact that this intersection did not exist until the very late 1970s - SR 646 and I-64 was just a regular at-grade intersection (was still VA 168) and there was no need for the frontage road/SR 602 to run parallel to what is now the interstate.  White border signs stopped being used statewide by VDOT on new assemblies around 1970.

Gotcha. I did some exploring in that area the other day and that was about it for old stuff. At some point after SR 646 narrows and goes into James City County (i.e. away from I-64), some To I-64 trailblazers appear directing you to SR 606 and eventually SR 607. It is the way from the campgrounds and VA 199 to York River State Park, but it just seems odd that you would direct people away from 199 if they're looking to get back to I-64.

[Kacie Jane]

P.S. In this thread does old = good, or is it something else? 

I tend to think of "old" as being worth extra bonus points.  Old alone does not make a sign good, but it does make a good sign better.

[1995hoo]

This was ahead of us on US-1 just south of Crystal City this morning. My wife noticed it before I did, which was a surprise because she doesn't normally notice signs. (If it doesn't display, try again later....Photobucket seems to be horribly slow tonight.)

[Jim]

I classify this as "best" because of "old".  Route 100 in Whitingham, Vermont.

[J N Winkler]

My guess is NMDOT standards are so poorly written that contractors have more leeway than they would in other states. Meaning a good contractor can do better-than-average work or worse-than-average work and NMDOT doesn't really get too worked up in either direction.

NMDOT does not have a guide sign design manual, though it has a SHSM supplement.  Construction plans sets for contract work do have sign panel detail sheets and it has been my experience that the contractors do fabricate the signs exactly as designed.  Judging from the finished plans sets, however, QA/QC is very weak at the design stage.  There is also a sign shop at the NMDOT offices on Cerrillos Road in Santa Fe that handles nearly all of the small guide signing for two-lane rural state highways, and I suspect it is responsible for NM oddities like multiple route numbers stacked in a single shield.

[freebrickproductions]

Took a trip down to Florida last week. Here's some of what I saw:

Button-copy in Birmingham (with a button-copy shield!):
Button-copy Signage by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 90 shield in Mariana, FL:
Old US 90 Shield by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Old US 90 Shield by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Keys shield in Cypress, FL:
FL C-275 Keys Shield by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Another old US 90 shield in Sneads, FL:
Old US 90 Shield by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Old US 90 Shield by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 98 shield in Port St. Joe, FL:
Old US 98 Shield by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Old US 98 Shield by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Old US 98 Shield by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Keys shield in Port St. Joe, FL:
FL C-384 Keys Shield by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
FL C-384 Keys Shield by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
FL C-384 Keys Shield by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Keys shield just SE of Port St. Joe, FL:
FL C-30 Keys Shield by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
FL C-30 Keys Shield by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
FL C-30 Keys Shield by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Keys shield in Mexico Beach, FL:
FL 386 Keys Shield by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
FL 386 Keys Shield by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
FL 386 Keys Shield by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Old US 231 shield in Panama City, FL:
Old US 231 Shield by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Old US 231 Shield by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Old US 231 Shield by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Keys shield in Highland City, FL. This sign has the date of 10-29-1974 on the back of the arrow sign, so it's in great shape for being over 40 years old!
FL 389 Keys Shield by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
FL 389 Keys Shield by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
FL 389 Keys Shield by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Big thanks to Alex for helping me with finding the locations of some of these shields!

[Mergingtraffic]

Great signs Freebrick!  Some Baltimore signage! Baltimore is one of my favorite cities to road-geek in.

City maintained section of I-83 on first pic:



Original non-reflective button copy. Baltimore, MD. Note: if you look real close at the I-70 shield you can see a "ghost" "N."  This sign dates to when I-70 was called I-70N. Ingleside Ave. Baltimore, MD.

Original non-reflective button copy on MD-295. Baltimore-Washington Parkway. Baltimore, MD.

Baltimore, MD.

[seicer]

Whats with the odd exit tab? Was it renumbered?

[DevalDragon]

Found this gem in East Chicago Indiana. It has since been replaced.

[formulanone]

It's been over a month since the last entry, so a dual Keys Shield entry will do:

[mapman1071]

It's been over a month since the last entry, so a dual Keys Shield entry will do:

2 of many Florida Negative Highway Numbers