City street suffix signage

[TheStranger]

An extension of this thread - https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=12467.0 - over in the Central States section...

Most places identify "Avenue/Boulevard/Street" (or any other appellation) rather commonly on their street name blades.  One major exception that that thread reminded me of?

San Francisco!  OTHER than the numbered avenues and streets (which are in two separate areas of the city with no crossover whatsoever), most street names are labeled simply by their first name, no suffix, i.e.

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/large/3313049.jpg (older sign)
http://www.simplifiedbee.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Elle+Decor+San+Francisco+St+Francis+Blvd+Street+Sign5B35D.png (style from the 1970s to about 2010)
http://sfbay.ca/home/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/street01-844x563.jpg (the currently-in-use mixed case)

There are times on the green advanced-street signage that the suffix is noted (if the street name is only 5 or fewer characters) but this is rare.  Also, in the 1920s, the more conventional name/suffix signage WAS in use in SF, as opposed to what is now considered traditional:
http://38.106.4.205/index.aspx?page=1397

When the suffixes are noted on blades for non-numbered streets, it's a pretty unusual occasion:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nJfXp1ioQGg/TvlXdMXO7fI/AAAAAAAATpw/OtzJCFPtNT4/s1600/mcdowell-road-van-ness-ave-end-aquatic-park.jpg

Besides SF and Wichita, is there anywhere else that has this practice?

An addendum:

It almost seems like most street suffixes are in place entirely based on tradition, with zero identifiers as to what they are otherwise (i.e. Golden Gate Avenue).  Geary in particular changes three times (Boulevard, Expressway, Street) with the presumption that the "street" segment is the one-way portion; Turk in the Richmond district is apparently a "Boulevard".

[Zeffy]

I believe a few places in Los Angeles do this.

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.043651,-118.309018,3a,15.5y,43.35h,96.17t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sjZ1wmK-3Da72ewHLid2IMQ!2e0

[Brandon]

Besides SF and Wichita, is there anywhere else that has this practice?

Detroit and some of its suburbs.

Examples:

Evergreen and Schoolcraft (with two different styles in the street view)

Grand River and Hawthorne

Eight Mile and John R

Cherry Hill and York

Southfield and Joy

[roadfro]

Street name signs in most areas of Nevada have almost always had the street suffix at minimum. Most newer signs (say 1980s vintage or newer) in the urban areas nearly always include the direction and block number of the street at that point.


Lighted street name signs on traffic signals in the Las Vegas area for a while, probably mid 1990s to mid 2000s, omitted the street suffix though. The SNS just said the name of the intersecting street in all caps, with no suffix, direction or block number. The rare exception would be if the sign was for a minor, uncommon street, and there was room for the suffix on the sign without compressing the text. Here's a Street View example, with a supplemental block sign to aid navigation.

They then went to making them more like normal street name signs, including all extra information but still putting the name of the street in all-caps. Here's a Street View example of this style (clearly replacing the previous style, as the supplemental block sign is still there). This is likely mid-late 2000s vintage.  At some point, this style switched to mixed case on the street name.

Here's a Street View of the current style (at least within the City of Las Vegas proper), where the lighted SNS lacks a border but uses a mixed-case street name (somewhat bolded).

[pianocello]

Peoria, IL generally omits the suffix on signs mounted on stoplights, but not on street blades. (Example) Most stoplights have a newer style of sign on the lights, still without suffix.

New Orleans doesn't use the suffix on any sign. IIRC, San Antonio doesn't either.

[cpzilliacus]

Nearly all street signs in the District of Columbia have the quadrant as a suffix.  Some of the signs for the Capitol streets (North Capitol, East Capitol, South Capitol) omit a suffix, as do some street signs on roads maintained by the National Park service.

[Zeffy]

Nearly all street signs in the District of Columbia have the quadrant as a suffix.  Some of the signs for the Capitol streets (North Capitol, East Capitol, South Capitol) omit a suffix, as do some street signs on roads maintained by the National Park service.

Miami does this as well, except instead of the quadrant being a suffix, it's a prefix, so if it would be 14th St SE in DC, it would be SE 14th St in Miami.

[1995hoo]

I recall the street signs in Ottawa bearing simply the street name (Wellington, Colonel By, etc.). I've always assumed it's in part to eliminate posting a French prefix and an English suffix (e.g., "rue Wellington St"), although I also recall the BGSs in the area using both the French and English with sometimes-amusing results ("Av Maitland Ave" is the one I always remember).

In several places I've lived, using just the street name would be a recipe for disaster due to street name similarity. I recall in Durham there was Duke Street, Duke University Road, University Drive, Chapel Hill Street, Chapel Drive, Durham—Chapel Hill Boulevard....

[empirestate]

I believe a few places in Los Angeles do this.

Yes; certainly all over Orange County I've been hard pressed to find a single suffix (or "descriptor") posted. A common exception, though, is if the descriptor is in Spanish, e.g.: http://goo.gl/maps/e8CCn

[bing101]

http://sfbay.ca/home/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/street01-844x563.jpg


Polk Street in Highway Gothic.

[right_said_ted]

For the most part, no suffixes in Cleveland (at least on blade signs...overhead-mounted signs don't seem to be as consistent). The only time a suffix will be included is for a "Place", "Court", or the odd "Boulevard". Streets, Avenues, and Roads, though, are never identified as such. Here's an example around the corner from my place:

http://goo.gl/maps/kFUpl

The Denison Avenue sign says merely "DENISON", while the West 22nd Place sign includes the suffix. If that were West 22nd Street, then the sign would simply say "W. 22"

The newer, mixed-case blade signage follows almost the same conventions, except the "Street" suffix is now included for numbered streets only. Go figure

http://goo.gl/maps/01mIv

[Brandon]

By contrast, Chicago always uses the suffix.  There can be two parallel streets carrying the same numeric name, half a block away from each other.  Otherwise, there is no way to tell 22nd Place from 22nd Street or 96th Avenue from 96th Court.

[Urban Prairie Schooner]

Peoria, IL generally omits the suffix on signs mounted on stoplights, but not on street blades. (Example) Most stoplights have a newer style of sign on the lights, still without suffix.

New Orleans doesn't use the suffix on any sign. IIRC, San Antonio doesn't either.

Typically New Orleans leaves off the suffix if the road in question is a "street" (which includes most named streets in the city). Other suffixes (blvd, dr, ave, etc) are generally added to signs.

[pianocello]

Typically New Orleans leaves off the suffix if the road in question is a "street" (which includes most named streets in the city). Other suffixes (blvd, dr, ave, etc) are generally added to signs.

Ah, okay. When I was there for a church mission trip a couple years ago, we stayed in the Downtown/French Quarter area, so I assumed that signs all around the city were the same.

[maplestar]

I recall the street signs in Ottawa bearing simply the street name (Wellington, Colonel By, etc.). I've always assumed it's in part to eliminate posting a French prefix and an English suffix (e.g., "rue Wellington St"), although I also recall the BGSs in the area using both the French and English with sometimes-amusing results ("Av Maitland Ave" is the one I always remember).

I grew up near Ottawa and I don't recall any street signs there omitting the French prefix/English suffix. Example of typical Ottawa signage showing "rue Queen St": https://www.google.com/maps/@45.423115,-75.694977,3a,37.5y,305.01h,99.4t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sdGvSW5zfdwe1dgHEnt6pHw!2e0

On the ceremonial route, there is special signage which emphasizes the street name, but includes the bilingual prefix/suffix in smaller print. Example of "RUE WELLINGTON ST": https://www.google.com/maps/@45.421876,-75.701755,3a,47.5y,347.04h,103.44t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sZrQiL0gk4gbxIgiHfJrn6w!2e0

[golden eagle]

Memphis tends to do this, particularly on signs next to traffic signals.

[mrsman]

I believe a few places in Los Angeles do this.

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.043651,-118.309018,3a,15.5y,43.35h,96.17t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sjZ1wmK-3Da72ewHLid2IMQ!2e0

I believe we have to make a distinction between street blades in LA, where there is always a suffix, versus the big blue signs at signals where 99% of the time, there is no suffix.

THe big blue signs are at almost every signalized intersection in LA.  They are usually under the overhead traffic signal hanging on the mast arm.  In other instances where there is no mast arm, they are usually just over the traffic signal on the right side of the street.

You see here: http://goo.gl/maps/jgs7p

This is the same corner of Venice and Western that you presented earlier.  The big blue sign only has ":Western", but the sign under the green light says "Venice Bl" and on the second line address numbers "2300 W"

[1995hoo]

I recall the street signs in Ottawa bearing simply the street name (Wellington, Colonel By, etc.). I've always assumed it's in part to eliminate posting a French prefix and an English suffix (e.g., "rue Wellington St"), although I also recall the BGSs in the area using both the French and English with sometimes-amusing results ("Av Maitland Ave" is the one I always remember).

I grew up near Ottawa and I don't recall any street signs there omitting the French prefix/English suffix. Example of typical Ottawa signage showing "rue Queen St": https://www.google.com/maps/@45.423115,-75.694977,3a,37.5y,305.01h,99.4t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sdGvSW5zfdwe1dgHEnt6pHw!2e0

On the ceremonial route, there is special signage which emphasizes the street name, but includes the bilingual prefix/suffix in smaller print. Example of "RUE WELLINGTON ST": https://www.google.com/maps/@45.421876,-75.701755,3a,47.5y,347.04h,103.44t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sZrQiL0gk4gbxIgiHfJrn6w!2e0

Might depend on the part of town. I remember the signs downtown and in the surrounding area not using such designators. I'll try to find Street View later today–don't know of a way to get such a link on an iPad. I clearly recall the signs near the Chateau Laurier not using suffixes (or prefixes, as to the French).

The signs I recall did not look like the one you posted, though.

[roadman65]

In Tampa Florida for Dale Mabry Highway the guide signs on I-275 omit the "Highway" and just refer to it as "Dale Mabry" which is what locals call the road anyway.  Other guides on US 41 and TOLL FL 568 do have the descriptor written out however.

In Kissimmee, FL we do have many places that leave off the descriptor  on overhead signal signs such as Vine St. (US 192) being Vine and roads like Hoagland Boulevard as "Hoagland" as well.