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National Boards => General Highway Talk => Topic started by: xonhulu on October 28, 2009, 12:41:42 AM

Title: State Route symbols on State Highway Maps
Post by: xonhulu on October 28, 2009, 12:41:42 AM
What symbols do various states use on their own highway maps to depict their state routes?

Washington state uses circles or ovals for their state routes.  Oregon also did for a long time, but in recent years they use the "acorn" shape of the actual shields for state routes on the map.  Interestingly, they also use the acorn for the neighboring states' routes.

I seem to remember California uses the green miner's spade for state routes on their map.  How many other states actually attempt to depict their shield on the map?  I guess this isn't very interesting if their shield is just a square or rectangle...
Title: Re: State Route symbols on State Highway Maps
Post by: corco on October 28, 2009, 01:06:46 AM
As far as the western US

Idaho- whose map is under contract from Rand McNally- uses rectangles

Wyoming uses circles

Utah uses the beehive (circles for neighboring states)

Nevada and Arizona both use their respective state outlines (but not for neighboring states)

Montana does as well, using rectangles for the primary and the standard arrowhead for their secondaries (rectangles for neighboring states)

Colorado uses rectangles

New Mexico actually uses the circle with Zia deal

Nebraska uses the upside down trapezoid but without "Nebraska" or the covered wagon, and labels links as Lxxx and spurs as Sxxx (ovals for neighboring states)

Kansas and Missouri use circles

Iowa uses a circle for 2dis and ovals for 3dis
Title: Re: State Route symbols on State Highway Maps
Post by: Scott5114 on October 28, 2009, 02:23:02 AM
Oklahoma continues to use the circle on its maps. Older state maps use the diamond (without any text) that was used in OK before the 50s.

Some internal MoDOT maps use the outline of Missouri.

I have seen some KDOT PDF maps that used a golden-colored circle to mimic the appearance of the sunflower.
Title: Re: State Route symbols on State Highway Maps
Post by: froggie on October 28, 2009, 07:05:41 AM
Adding a few more...

Alabama, Mississippi, and North Carolina all use circles for 2-digit routes and ovals for 3-digit routes.

MnDOT uses squares for routes within Minnesota, and ovals for neighboring states.

Maryland uses a variant of the state route shield, omitting the state name, and uses circles/ovals for neighboring states.

Virginia uses the state route shield, with circles/ovals for neighboring states.
Title: Re: State Route symbols on State Highway Maps
Post by: Roadgeek Adam on October 28, 2009, 09:12:49 AM
New Jersey uses the circles.

New York, whose DOT doesn't even produce the map, so its the tourism department with an outsource to Map Works Inc., which does good work with shield design.

Pennsylvania actually uses square boxes rather than keystones to fit it all
Title: Re: State Route symbols on State Highway Maps
Post by: rawmustard on October 28, 2009, 09:21:01 AM
Starting with the 2008 edition, Michigan uses diamonds to mark its state trunklines (circles or ovals for neighboring states).
Title: Re: State Route symbols on State Highway Maps
Post by: US71 on October 28, 2009, 09:34:47 AM
Arkansas: circles and ovals
Back in the 40's & 50's they used state outlines.

Missouri: circles and ovals for Primary Routes, grey squares or rectangles for Secondary Routes
As late as the 50's they used state outlines.
Title: Re: State Route symbols on State Highway Maps
Post by: hbelkins on October 28, 2009, 10:38:58 AM
Kentucky uses its standard circles, both for in-state and neighboring state routes.

Back in the 1950s, Kentucky actually used the neighboring states' symbols. State outlines for Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri, triangles for Tennessee, shields for Virginia and squares for West Virginia.

West Virginia uses the squares/rectangles.

Tennessee uses squares for primaries and triangles for secondaries.
Title: Re: State Route symbols on State Highway Maps
Post by: exit322 on October 28, 2009, 01:33:13 PM
Ohio uses the Ohio shape for its state routes.
Title: Re: State Route symbols on State Highway Maps
Post by: PAHighways on October 28, 2009, 07:55:35 PM
Quote from: Roadgeek_Adam on October 28, 2009, 09:12:49 AMPennsylvania actually uses square boxes rather than keystones to fit it all

Boxes for Pennsylvania routes and circles for bordering state routes.
Title: Re: State Route symbols on State Highway Maps
Post by: bugo on October 28, 2009, 07:58:03 PM
Quote from: US71 on October 28, 2009, 09:34:47 AM
Arkansas: circles and ovals
Back in the 40's & 50's they used state outlines.

AHTD county maps still use (a bastardized) state outline.
Title: Re: State Route symbols on State Highway Maps
Post by: Greybear on October 28, 2009, 08:34:31 PM
Texas uses circles and ovals for its state highways. It also uses squares and rectangles for FM/RM/UR roads as well as loops and spur routes.
Title: Re: State Route symbols on State Highway Maps
Post by: ctsignguy on October 28, 2009, 08:47:41 PM
Quote from: exit322 on October 28, 2009, 01:33:13 PM
Ohio uses the Ohio shape for its state routes.

At one time (dont know about now), they used ovals to denote multiple routes on the same stretch of road....
Title: Re: State Route symbols on State Highway Maps
Post by: Riverside Frwy on October 30, 2009, 06:50:04 PM
I think California's State Route Shield being the Gold Rush miner's spade is the most "original", instead having just the shape of California pasted on a sign and calling it a state route shield or worse, just a plain white box.
Title: Re: State Route symbols on State Highway Maps
Post by: Scott5114 on October 30, 2009, 11:30:48 PM
Quote from: Riverside Frwy on October 30, 2009, 06:50:04 PM
I think California's State Route Shield being the Gold Rush miner's spade is the most "original", instead having just the shape of California pasted on a sign and calling it a state route shield or worse, just a plain white box.

This topic is about the shapes used to denote shields on maps.
Title: Re: State Route symbols on State Highway Maps
Post by: wytout on October 31, 2009, 06:30:19 AM
While at the Big E last month, I picked up the latest official state maps from each of New England's State buildings as I do every year.

So here's the Rundown for the New England States.

-Connecticut official state Tourism Map: Circles for 1 and 2 di's, Ovals for 3+ di's.

-The state of mass confusion, I mean the state of MASSACHUSETTS, sorry: Official Transportation Map uses ovals for all routes on the main map but some of the inset closeups use circles for 1 and 2 digit routes.

-Maine Official Highway Map: Ovals for all state routes.

-Official Vermont Road Map: They use a shape similar to the shape of their route marker, a rectangle with rounded bulging left and right side.

-Official New Hampshire Highway Map: Circles are used for all routes 1 to 4 digits, no ovals, just a smaller font number with 3 digits or 3 digit plus auxiliary, etc.

-Rhode Island Official State Map: NEW JERSEY ALERT, NEW JERSEY ALERT! The map is plastered with NJ style route shields marking the routes.  They are black shields with a white circular field (elongated with oval fields for the 3 digit) and black numerals.
Title: Re: State Route symbols on State Highway Maps
Post by: wytout on October 31, 2009, 06:40:31 AM
Quote from: Riverside Frwy on October 30, 2009, 06:50:04 PM
....instead having just the shape of California pasted on a sign and calling it a state route shield or worse, just a plain white box.

OUCH, you are pouring salt in my wounds. Here in CT, I'd give anything to have even a shield with the UNoriginal shape of the state over OUR plain white box.  If they held national awards for ugliest state route marker EVAR, currently CT would take the grand prize. no doubt.
Title: Re: State Route symbols on State Highway Maps
Post by: hbelkins on October 31, 2009, 08:13:43 PM
Quote from: wytout on October 31, 2009, 06:40:31 AM
Quote from: Riverside Frwy on October 30, 2009, 06:50:04 PM
....instead having just the shape of California pasted on a sign and calling it a state route shield or worse, just a plain white box.

OUCH, you are pouring salt in my wounds. Here in CT, I'd give anything to have even a shield with the UNoriginal shape of the state over OUR plain white box.  If they held national awards for ugliest state route marker EVAR, currently CT would take the grand prize. no doubt.

Actually it would tie with Massachusetts and West Virginia, and also Kentucky, New Jersey, Iowa and Delaware.
Title: Re: State Route symbols on State Highway Maps
Post by: wytout on October 31, 2009, 08:16:39 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on October 31, 2009, 08:13:43 PM
Quote from: wytout on October 31, 2009, 06:40:31 AM
Quote from: Riverside Frwy on October 30, 2009, 06:50:04 PM
....instead having just the shape of California pasted on a sign and calling it a state route shield or worse, just a plain white box.

OUCH, you are pouring salt in my wounds. Here in CT, I'd give anything to have even a shield with the UNoriginal shape of the state over OUR plain white box.  If they held national awards for ugliest state route marker EVAR, currently CT would take the grand prize. no doubt.

Actually it would tie with Massachusetts and West Virginia, and also Kentucky, New Jersey, Iowa and Delaware.

Oh no, CT is so much worse.  Even worse than WV which is the closest in appearance, but at least they always use elongated signage for 3 di's.
Title: Re: State Route symbols on State Highway Maps
Post by: hbelkins on October 31, 2009, 08:19:13 PM
Quote from: wytout on October 31, 2009, 08:16:39 PM

Oh no, CT is so much worse.  Even worse than WV which is the closest in appearance, but at least they always use elongated signage for 3 di's.


Which I hate. I'd much rather see the square for 3-digit route numbers. I'd love to see Kentucky lose the ovals/ellipses and use circles for all routes.
Title: Re: State Route symbols on State Highway Maps
Post by: Riverside Frwy on November 01, 2009, 10:26:46 PM
Heh, I didn't mean like that....guess it came out meaner than I wanted it to.

About maps, I'd imagine it would be easier to use ovals or boxes than try using the State shields with the state's shape.
Title: Re: State Route symbols on State Highway Maps
Post by: corco on November 03, 2009, 08:57:54 PM
I forgot about Quebec- that's a really interesting one. For their own area they use very realistic autoroute shields with the fleur de lis. For regular routes they use a green shield shaped correctly but with no fleur de lis. Neighboring states/provinces use ovals for regular routes and US routes. US interstates use the interstate shield. The interesting part, though, is that Ontario's 400-series roads ALSO use the US interstate shield.
Title: Re: State Route symbols on State Highway Maps
Post by: Scott5114 on November 03, 2009, 10:45:10 PM
All discussion regarding the procurement of state highway maps has been split off to a new thread (https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=1919.msg42516). Please help keep threads on-topic–if you want to post something that might cause a secondary discussion to commence, please do start a new thread. Thank you!
Title: Re: State Route symbols on State Highway Maps
Post by: froggie on November 04, 2009, 06:51:26 AM
(off-topic)  Scott, could you use a font other than purple for these announcements?  Shows up very poorly on the grey background of the HighWay theme...I had to highlight the text with the cursor just to read it.
Title: Re: State Route symbols on State Highway Maps
Post by: Tom on November 04, 2009, 07:17:27 PM
Quote from: rawmustard on October 28, 2009, 09:21:01 AM
Starting with the 2008 edition, Michigan uses diamonds to mark its state trunklines (circles or ovals for neighboring states).

From at least the mid-1930's through 1968, diamonds were used for the state highways.  Circles were used for 1 and 2 digit highways, and ovals for 3 digit highways from 1969 through 2007. :coffee: