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Wood

3 (6.4%)

Metal

29 (61.7%)

Both

13 (27.7%)

Duct Tape

2 (4.3%)

Total Members Voted: 29

Voting closed: February 09, 2012, 11:35:29 PM

[BigMattFromTexas]

Texas, at least every part I've been to, uses metal poles, but when I go to Iowa i see mostly wood on the smaller roads and both on I-35.
Your state?
 BigMatt

[agentsteel53]

New Mexico nowadays uses square metal posts.



however, there are plenty of U-channel posts still around, which for the most part are painted dark olive green.



I do not know how often these round metal posts were used - this photo is from 1968.  The signs are braced with U-shaped metal loops through double mounting holes.  This is the only photo I have with this configuration.


This is another 1968 photo and it shows the classic wooden pickets, painted silver, that NM used well into the 1950s.  The pickets have a flat top, as opposed to the pyramid top used in various other states.  Sometimes they stick out past the top sign, other times they do not. 



Also note the double mounting holes on the 66, versus the single ones in the 10.  I do not know the significance of such a mounting hole arrangement - dang near all of the NM signs I have seen have single mounting holes; the only two counterexamples I know of are shown above!

[BigMattFromTexas]

Texas uses the round poles

[agentsteel53]

historically, Texas has used white pickets:



and here is a rare U-channel post.  TXDOT 1993 installation, and was still around in 2006.  That is old by Texas standards! 



but the round poles have been around since the early 1950s:

[BigMattFromTexas]

Im not sure if you know how much I would pay for that old I sheild. But it would have to be for sale, and I'd have to have money

[agentsteel53]

Im not sure if you know how much I would pay for that old I sheild. But it would have to be for sale, and I'd have to have money

are you looking specifically for a 30 shield, or any Texas interstate?

[myosh_tino]

Texas, at least every part I've been to, uses metal poles, but when I go to Iowa i see mostly wood on the smaller roads and both on I-35.
Your state?
 BigMatt

If you want to see more wooden posts, come to California.  The vast majority of signs (guide, warning, regulatory) on our freeways are mounted on wooden posts.  Some reassurance route markers (mostly in urban areas) are mounted on the metal street lighting poles.

[BigMattFromTexas]

Im not sure if you know how much I would pay for that old I sheild. But it would have to be for sale, and I'd have to have money

are you looking specifically for a 30 shield, or any Texas interstate?

Any Texas interstate, shoot any Interstate...

[agentsteel53]

Any Texas interstate, shoot any Interstate...

you can get one on eBay for about 30 bucks if you're not particular about which state

[US71]

Arkansas uses predominantly metal U posts intermixed with square posts.

Missouri uses a lot of wood posts and metal square posts.

[ctsignguy]

Ohio used primarily u-channel posts until recent years when they started using more square tubing

They also toyed around in the 80s with round tubing for signposts, but they never were used very widely...

Connecticut also uses u-channels..i dont see too many of other styles there (there is that Yankee conservatism again!)

[wytout]

Connecticut also uses u-channels..i dont see too many of other styles there (there is that Yankee conservatism again!)

Yup, and until u-channel posts absolutely cannot do the job anymore, they will be the norm.  We don't change here in CT.  Even most of our Exit signs on interstates and other limited access highways which are ground mounted, at the exit in the "V" use flat sign stock mounted on uchannel. Also some other minor ground mounted signs on these high volume roads ,green signage, brown signage, are flat sign stock mounted on uchannel posts, instead of breakaways like the bigger ground mounted BGS's.  I guess they figure instead of using big break aways for lighter signs, "BEND AWAY" uchannel will suffice 

[Truvelo]

Here in the UK we use round metal poles but I've never seen U posts here. There are old wooden fingerposts to be found primarily in rural areas.

[rawmustard]

In Michigan, all the MDOT regions except Superior still use U-channel posts for most of the non-freeway signs. Some of the wider guide signs and more complex marker assemblies tend to be posted on wooden breakaway posts. In the Superior region, practically all of the non-freeway sign are on these wooden posts. On freeways, most of the ground-mounted BGSes use breakaway metal posts, while reassurance markers and pretty small guide signs are posted on wood, with mile-markers on U-channel. There are some square posts on some MDOT assemblies, but these are exceptions rather than the rule. (Of course, counties and municipalities have different methods, too, and I'm not about to expound on all of them here, but most use U-channel posts for a majority of signs.)

[Brandon]

I've seen U channel, square metal, wood (usually rural), and round yellow metal poles used in Illinois.  U channels are rare, while the round yellow ones are used extensively in IDOT district 1.

[hbelkins]

Kentucky is phasing out both wood and U-channel metal posts. There are a few (very few) wooden signposts left, but they are usually replaced when the sign that's on them needs replacing.

About the only new U-channel installations done for surface-level signage is done by contractors. Kentucky has gone to the square-tube metal posts for all new sign installations.

[cu2010]

New York typically uses the U-channel metal posts, with the signs braced with "z-bars".  New York also uses double posts on many installations (particularly along expressways).

[leifvanderwall]

Florida uses the round metal posts which I like, however the DOT workers do not stick the posts deep enough into the ground. So when a minor wind storm comes, the poles get tilted and it really looks shoddy. I saw this phenomenon in Calhoun County.

[Roadmaestro95]

New York...especially in Suffolk County...will use both metal and wood. Many of the newer signs I've seen are now on wooden poles across Brookhaven and the Hamptons

[Takumi]

Virginia uses mostly metal, but a few weeks ago a new assembly appeared on a wooden pole in downtown Petersburg at the intersection of Crater Road and the one-way Washington Street, where westbound US 460 Business and VA 36 swap streets. 36 westbound goes from Washington to northbound Crater, while 460 Business westbound goes from Crater to Washington.

[agentsteel53]

Yup, and until u-channel posts absolutely cannot do the job anymore, they will be the norm.  

why are they expected to not be able to do the job in the future?  generally, signs aren't getting heavier.  I think we've managed to standardize to particular sizes of aluminum signage around 1970 or so.

[Mapmikey]

Virginia uses mostly metal, but a few weeks ago a new assembly appeared on a wooden pole in downtown Petersburg at the intersection of Crater Road and the one-way Washington Street, where westbound US 460 Business and VA 36 swap streets. 36 westbound goes from Washington to northbound Crater, while 460 Business westbound goes from Crater to Washington.

Virginia seems to allow their transportation districts (there are 9) to have their own preferred way of posting signs, including the posts.  Within that incorporated towns and independent cities do their own thing, too.

District 8 loves skinny yellow metal poles and tiny square shields at junctions, for example.  Plus they are the predominant users of the modern mini-SR rectangle shields

The Town of Orange uses wood posts painted dark green for most signs.

Small metal poles were common statewide decades ago before whitewashed posts became fashionable in Virginia.

Lots of unpainted wood posts still around...

Mapmikey

Rocky Mount and Galax still use a lot of whitewashed wood posts.

[formulanone]

You see all types in Florida, but usually just poles on the interstates and newest intersections. U-channels, wooden posts, and box posts vary from area to area.

[Scott5114]

In Oklahoma, you will see round metal poles, square metal perforated poles, and the occasional U-channel (most frequently on county roads). As is typical for Oklahoma, there's no standard!

[twinsfan87]

Mn/DOT really likes using u-channel poles unless the pole is in concrete (in which case they use the square metal posts). Mn/DOT also likes using "kicker poles" which are u-channel poles attached to the ground diagonally (for wind support). Here's a typical example on a freeway guide sign: http://g.co/maps/b39a7. The city of Minneapolis almost exclusively used round metal poles for almost any sign installation, and I think the city of St. Paul uses the round ones as well. I don't think I've ever seen a Mn/DOT pole installation that is wood. I don't know that I've seen the kicker poles used in any other state that I've been to...

WisDOT uses wood poles quite frequently, especially in rural areas. I know the city of Madison uses the round metal poles as well.