The Best of Road Signs

Started by Mergingtraffic, September 21, 2010, 06:36:08 PM

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apeman33

Quote from: brownpelican on September 18, 2011, 10:04:19 PM
Classic street blades - Amite City, La.:







The first and third signs were made by the company that made the ones that were up in Garden City, Kan., (my hometown) when I was growing up. Then the city got cheap whenever they needed to replace them.


vtk

If I had to guess, I'd say those guide signs legends for San Bernadino are set in C Modified.  Which I didn't know even existed.
Wait, it's all Ohio? Always has been.

agentsteel53

that is standard CM.  those signs were originally made without any reflectors at all: they were just plain white on green porcelain, lit up at night by incandescent lighting.  so it looks funny when they added the post-1973 energy-saving reflectors, but for 1962 or whenever, it was very much standard.

CM and DM are not used often on guide signs in CA; there is a DM one for the Santa Monica Fwy on I-5 if I recall correctly.  but when it is necessary to squeeze in the text, then CM/DM (instead of EM) was what they went with.  it is a standard.
live from sunny San Diego.

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architect77

#453
I spotted this gem on Lenox Rd in Atlanta. It's from Atlanta's freeway heyday in the 80's. Button copy reflectors and old school thick numbers.
I'll try to snap a better pic when i can.

agentsteel53

Quote from: architect77 on September 19, 2011, 08:59:52 AM
I spotted this gem on Lenox Rd in Atlanta. It's from Atlanta's freeway heyday in the 80's. Button copy reflectors and old school thick numbers.

[photo]

I'll try to snap a better pic when i can.

please do!

that shield has DM numbers.
live from sunny San Diego.

http://shields.aaroads.com

jake@aaroads.com

hbelkins

It's probably the same as these...






Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

OCGuy81

QuoteFunny you mention that, I took this shot before it because the font did look odd, but it really just looks "compressed". (I'm not a big road sign font guru - I can't remember the "series" - but I tend to notice if anything looks "out of place".)

Speaking of out of place, I find California freeway guide signs unique in that they're such a "patchwork" as of late.  You have older signs, faded in the sun, with a nice, new green exit number usually added to a corner.

formulanone

Driving around the LA area, I totally understand why a lot of old signs are in use...the older ones don't get washed out in direct sunlight, compared to those that use reflective sheeting, which seem to be unreadable at close distances. Of course, that might not be the exact reason, but darn if it works.

agentsteel53

Quote from: formulanone on September 20, 2011, 10:44:08 AM
Of course, that might not be the exact reason, but darn if it works.

it's not the reason.  California being cheap is the reason.
live from sunny San Diego.

http://shields.aaroads.com

jake@aaroads.com

formulanone

#459
Quote from: agentsteel53 on September 20, 2011, 02:15:24 PM
Quote from: formulanone on September 20, 2011, 10:44:08 AM
Of course, that might not be the exact reason, but darn if it works.

it's not the reason.  California being cheap is the reason.

That's what I was alluding to, I've heard California was bankrupt before bankruptcy was cool. :-P

architect77

Quote from: hbelkins on September 19, 2011, 10:49:16 PM
It's probably the same as these...





Yep, the one on Lenox Rd looks exactly like these.

Brandon

Quote from: formulanone on September 20, 2011, 03:38:02 PM
Quote from: agentsteel53 on September 20, 2011, 02:15:24 PM
Quote from: formulanone on September 20, 2011, 10:44:08 AM
Of course, that might not be the exact reason, but darn if it works.

it's not the reason.  California being cheap is the reason.

That's what I was alluding to, I've heard California was bankrupt before bankruptcy was cool. :-P

You must've heard of Illinois.  X-(
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg

Hot Rod Hootenanny

Quote from: Brandon on September 20, 2011, 09:01:25 PM
Quote from: formulanone on September 20, 2011, 03:38:02 PM
Quote from: agentsteel53 on September 20, 2011, 02:15:24 PM
Quote from: formulanone on September 20, 2011, 10:44:08 AM
Of course, that might not be the exact reason, but darn if it works.

it's not the reason.  California being cheap is the reason.

That's what I was alluding to, I've heard California was bankrupt before bankruptcy was cool. :-P

You must've heard of Illinois.  X-(

And New York City.
Please, don't sue Alex & Andy over what I wrote above

Duke87

Opposite sides of the same assembly (Windsor, VT):




Though, the treatment of I-91 could also go under worst...
If you always take the same road, you will never see anything new.

ctsignguy

Ohhh.....Old VAOT TV shields!  Cool!
http://s166.photobucket.com/albums/u102/ctsignguy/<br /><br />Maintaining an interest in Fine Highway Signs since 1958....

Ian

I need to go up to Vermont more often...
UMaine graduate, former PennDOT employee, new SoCal resident.
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Alex

Since we are discussing Vermont today, something that is long gone, but worth seeing again:



Taken by Jeff Royston in February of 1999 (extracted from the old AA Gallery).

Ian

Ancient button copy on I-95 southbound approaching the Bruckner Interchange in The Bronx. I took these photos back in April, so I have no idea if they're alive right now:


UMaine graduate, former PennDOT employee, new SoCal resident.
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1995hoo

I find the shiny new I-678 shield in the first photo amusing for some reason.
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

Duke87

Quote from: PennDOTFan on September 26, 2011, 05:17:25 PM
Ancient button copy on I-95 southbound approaching the Bruckner Interchange in The Bronx. I took these photos back in April, so I have no idea if they're alive right now:

Both still there as of this morning.
If you always take the same road, you will never see anything new.

Ian

Quote from: Duke87 on September 26, 2011, 07:17:23 PM
Quote from: PennDOTFan on September 26, 2011, 05:17:25 PM
Ancient button copy on I-95 southbound approaching the Bruckner Interchange in The Bronx. I took these photos back in April, so I have no idea if they're alive right now:

Both still there as of this morning.

Good! May be they'll keep them up for a little while longer.
UMaine graduate, former PennDOT employee, new SoCal resident.
Youtube l Flickr

US71



Still there in 2008, but haven't checked on it since.
Like Alice I Try To Believe Three Impossible Things Before Breakfast

Ian

#472
On US 30 near Schellsburg (not old, just cool). Excuse the blurriness in the first photo, it was raining at the time.


UMaine graduate, former PennDOT employee, new SoCal resident.
Youtube l Flickr

NE2

Quote from: PennDOTFan on September 27, 2011, 07:18:09 PM
Button copy off PA Turnpike exit 57 in Monroeville:

If it were 30 years ago, this would probably be in the "worst" thread for how the shields are crammed in.
pre-1945 Florida route log

I accept and respect your identity as long as it's not dumb shit like "identifying as a vaccinated attack helicopter".

vtk

Quote from: NE2 on September 27, 2011, 07:55:59 PM
Quote from: PennDOTFan on September 27, 2011, 07:18:09 PM
Button copy off PA Turnpike exit 57 in Monroeville:

If it were 30 years ago, this would probably be in the "worst" thread for how the shields are crammed in.

Not to mention that Ohio and Harrisburg should be in mixed case, and the cardinal directions are presented improperly... okay, so the mixed-case thing wasn't a firm rule back then, but I still think there's enough wrong with that display that it doesn't qualify for "best".  The true best of road signs are aesthetically well-composed, and effective despite their age. 

On a side note, those I-76 shields are surprisingly large given their vintage.
Wait, it's all Ohio? Always has been.



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