Exit Tabs & Gore Signage

[SkyPesos]

Which exit tab design does your state use, and do you have a favorite/preferred option?

My favorite type is this one that's large in size with a thicker border between the main panel and tab, rounded corners at an angle less than the main display. States that I have seen use this are Ohio, Missouri and Minnesota, with examples from all three below. Let me know if there are any other states that uses this style. Ohio also have a version with Clearview digits in early installations of this exit tab style, before switching back to Highway Gothic. This looks like a more recent design, as all three states used smaller exit tabs in the past not that long ago.

Ohio:


Missouri:


Minnesota:


My second favorite is what Michigan, Wisconsin and sometimes Indiana uses, with sharp corners connecting to the main panel. Michigan's version is in Clearview, while Indiana and Wisconsin uses Highway Gothic.

Michigan:


Wisconsin:


Indiana:


For the centered and full-length categories, I prefer Washington's for both types. Imo centered exit numbers work best on a full length tab.

[tolbs17]

I like the ones in New Jersey, Virginia, and Maryland where they are attached to the sign and not off.

I'm pretty sure NCDOT likes to have them cut off because incase they want to put new exit numbers without having to replace the whole sign.

https://www.google.com/maps/@36.1438128,-79.7350731,3a,37y,220.75h,102.41t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sBX4HNaTHkpBF8WALPlU1VA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

I like the oval ones though. They look nicer looking compared to the other states which hey are square. North Carolina has a few square ones (Typically at older freeways not overhead) with most to all being removed. Like this one. It will prolly get removed too and will probably just say Raleigh and Rocky Mount in the future.

I prefer Highway Gothic over Clearview btw.

[Ned Weasel]

My favorite option is to make the exit number as big and prominent as possible.

This: https://goo.gl/maps/AkKbGPjBkNMB6nR48 is way better than this: https://goo.gl/maps/1vY94Peg2ThqeKSQ9 , for reasons having nothing to do with Clearview.

[cbeach40]

Not bothering with the superfluous EXIT legend.

[Scott5114]

In their demountable-copy days, Kansas used to use a style that had a thin border on all sides but the bottom.


Oklahoma has always had the exit tab have its own border, much like the Ohio examples.

[Frafra Zoomer]

In California, the exit tabs are inset in the main sign.

[JoePCool14]

Here's IDOT, still using full-length tabs even on newer installations like this one on the Kennedy inbound.



Edit: Forgot to mention that IDOT used smaller, centered exit tabs on older signs outside of Chicagoland. Only D1 has always used the full-length tabs.

And here's ISTHA, who only actively started using exit numbers within the last decade, and unfortunately still doesn't post tabs on all the signs. There's are fairly vanilla tabs which I like more than IDOT's or even WisDOT's.



Finally, what may be the biggest (and in my opinion, ugliest) exit tab from IDOT.



All these screenshots are ripped from Street View.

[wanderer2575]

A couple other design characteristics that I think are unique to Michigan:

(1)  On newer signs for left exits, the LEFT is a separate tab above the exit number tab (not integrated in the exit number tab), and both tabs have the same width.  This puts the LEFT off-center in its tab, but I actually like the look.

(2)  On cantilevers and gantries, a full-width exit tab is used to increase the sign height if the sign otherwise wouldn't cover the front face of the structure.  It's an aesthetic thing.

Here's an example of both on one gantry in Southfield:

[SkyPesos]

My favorite option is to make the exit number as big and prominent as possible.

This: https://goo.gl/maps/AkKbGPjBkNMB6nR48 is way better than this: https://goo.gl/maps/1vY94Peg2ThqeKSQ9 , for reasons having nothing to do with Clearview.

I found some older signs exit tabs, and a lot of them are much smaller than what I had in the OP. Like this is Ohio's older style: a small square exit tab above the main panel.


And this was Indiana's old default exit tab style, with rounded corners at the same angle as the main panel. Looks like your bad Kansas example, which I both dislike


Did the 2009 MUTCD require exit tabs to be larger, since all of the larger exit tab installations I've seen came a couple of years after it, and the smaller sized ones were before it?

[JoePCool14]

Did the 2009 MUTCD require exit tabs to be larger, since all of the larger exit tab installations I've seen came a couple of years after it, and the smaller sized ones were before it?

If I had to guess, I'd say yes. If you see the examples in the latest edition, they feature a lot more green space, particularly on the sides of the text. North Carolina's newer exit tabs are essentially 2009 vanilla.

[SkyPesos]

I like the ones in New Jersey, Virginia, and Maryland where they are attached to the sign and not off.

I'm pretty sure NCDOT likes to have them cut off because incase they want to put new exit numbers without having to replace the whole sign.

https://www.google.com/maps/@36.1438128,-79.7350731,3a,37y,220.75h,102.41t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sBX4HNaTHkpBF8WALPlU1VA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

I like the oval ones though. They look nicer looking compared to the other states which hey are square. North Carolina has a few square ones (Typically at older freeways not overhead) with most to all being removed. Like this one. It will prolly get removed too and will probably just say Raleigh and Rocky Mount in the future.

I prefer Highway Gothic over Clearview btw.

From what I see, Virginia have exit tabs both attached and separate from the main panel. They mostly use square corners. Though that's what the MUTCD uses in their example diagrams.
Though I dislike Maryland's, for the main reason of the large spacing between the word 'EXIT' and the exit number.

[CtrlAltDel]

Slightly wider even is this:

[SkyPesos]

[img snipped]

Slightly wider even is this:

[img snipped]

IDOT needs to learn from Washington for Left Exit plaques with a full length exit tab.

[ran4sh]

The reason that exit tabs are larger today than they were in the past, in most/all states, is because of MUTCD standards. About 2 decades ago the standard was 24 inches, but at that time the standard was increased to 30 inches which it is today. (And it wasn't done as part of an overall MUTCD revision either, I think it was done shortly after the 2003 MUTCD)

And I disagree with centered legend on full length tabs. They're aligned to one side for a reason.

I like the NC and FL style of exit tab, the sign corners are rounded and the tab is actually separated. For tabs that are not separate from the main sign, I like designs which omit the bottom border of the tab and don't round the corner where the main sign and tab meet, such as AZ.

The CA design was an interesting solution to add exit numbers to existing signs, but it's been almost 2 decades now, there should be sign standards that allow for actual tabs.

[ran4sh]

[img snipped]

Slightly wider even is this:

[img snipped]

IDOT needs to learn from Washington for Left Exit plaques with a full length exit tab.

Both of them are noncompliant with the FHWA, considering that the FHWA disapproves of California doing a similar thing to avoid a "tab".

[machias]

Here's IDOT, still using full-length tabs even on newer installations like this one on the Kennedy inbound.



Edit: Forgot to mention that IDOT used smaller, centered exit tabs on older signs outside of Chicagoland. Only D1 has always used the full-length tabs.

I really like the look of IDOT's older centered tabs, though they do the full length tabs well, at least all the way down I-55 to St. Louis.

[SkyPesos]

The reason that exit tabs are larger today than they were in the past, in most/all states, is because of MUTCD standards. About 2 decades ago the standard was 24 inches, but at that time the standard was increased to 30 inches which it is today. (And it wasn't done as part of an overall MUTCD revision either, I think it was done shortly after the 2003 MUTCD)

And I disagree with centered legend on full length tabs. They're aligned to one side for a reason.

I like the NC and FL style of exit tab, the sign corners are rounded and the tab is actually separated. For tabs that are not separate from the main sign, I like designs which omit the bottom border of the tab and don't round the corner where the main sign and tab meet, such as AZ.

The CA design was an interesting solution to add exit numbers to existing signs, but it's been almost 2 decades now, there should be sign standards that allow for actual tabs.

For the 24'' to 30'' increase, is that the vertical length of the exit tabs, or the horizontal? I assume is vertical based on the context of the thread, but I don't know how large BGS signs really are as I only see them overhead or on the side in a vehicle, so they may look smaller to me than they actually are.

I just took a look at Arizona's exit tabs, and they look similar to my examples above of Indiana and Wisconsin's. So agree with you on that for good looking exit tabs.

[shadyjay]

quote author=wanderer2575 link=topic=28889.msg2589066#msg2589066 date=1616856739]
A couple other design characteristics that I think are unique to Michigan:

(1)  On newer signs for left exits, the LEFT is a separate tab above the exit number tab (not integrated in the exit number tab), and both tabs have the same width.  This puts the LEFT off-center in its tab, but I actually like the look.

Massachusetts does the same thing. 

[SkyPesos]

For left exit tabs, I actually prefer the 'LEFT' tab or banner off center from the 'EXIT' word below it. I see it centered most of the time, but that creates a large blank space left of the 'EXIT' word compared to a right side exit tab, which is a minor annoyance for me.

Or if centering is that important, a smaller 'LEFT' plaque could be used. There will still be a larger green space on the left of the word 'EXIT' compared to one without the 'LEFT' plaque, but it's less noticeable. Compare the two examples between Minnesota and Ohio (both use the same exit tab design as stated in the op) below. I prefer the former.

[andrepoiy]

Not bothering with the superfluous EXIT legend.

I believe Ontario advanced signs like these only have an "EXIT" square when the lanes are going to exit. In this case, you can see that they made a new lane for the exit, and thus there would be no need for the "EXIT" square.

[SkyPesos]

Not bothering with the superfluous EXIT legend.

I believe Ontario advanced signs like these only have an "EXIT" square when the lanes are going to exit. In this case, you can see that they made a new lane for the exit, and thus there would be no need for the "EXIT" square.

Didn't Ontario removed the 'EXIT' word to satisfy the French speakers in the province?

Also, I'm not sure how common this is state wide, but I took a look at 401 in Toronto, and half of the BGS (or is it called a BBS because it's blue?) either don't have an exit tab, or have a Caltrans style exit tab. Specifically the final overhead (normally non-APL) sign before the ramp split. However, the exit gore signs are consistent with including the exit number.

[andrepoiy]

Not bothering with the superfluous EXIT legend.

*Image redacted since it takes up too much space*

I believe Ontario advanced signs like these only have an "EXIT" square when the lanes are going to exit. In this case, you can see that they made a new lane for the exit, and thus there would be no need for the "EXIT" square.

Didn't Ontario removed the 'EXIT' word to satisfy the French speakers in the province?

Also, I'm not sure how common this is state wide, but I took a look at 401 in Toronto, and half of the BGS (or is it called a BBS because it's blue?) either don't have an exit tab, or have a Caltrans style exit tab. Specifically the final overhead (normally non-APL) sign before the ramp split. However, the exit gore signs are consistent with including the exit number.

No, bilingual "exit boxes" have "EXIT/SORTIE" on them.

Ontario's "final" exit signs are almost always pull-through signs with a yellow tab with arrows pointing down.

[kurumi]

Californians:

[vdeane]

Not bothering with the superfluous EXIT legend.

*Image redacted since it takes up too much space*

I believe Ontario advanced signs like these only have an "EXIT" square when the lanes are going to exit. In this case, you can see that they made a new lane for the exit, and thus there would be no need for the "EXIT" square.

Didn't Ontario removed the 'EXIT' word to satisfy the French speakers in the province?

Also, I'm not sure how common this is state wide, but I took a look at 401 in Toronto, and half of the BGS (or is it called a BBS because it's blue?) either don't have an exit tab, or have a Caltrans style exit tab. Specifically the final overhead (normally non-APL) sign before the ramp split. However, the exit gore signs are consistent with including the exit number.

No, bilingual "exit boxes" have "EXIT/SORTIE" on them.

Ontario's "final" exit signs are almost always pull-through signs with a yellow tab with arrows pointing down.

I believe he was talking about stuff like this.

[KCRoadFan]

What are some states that still use centered exit tabs as opposed to right-aligned ones? I remember seeing a lot of exit signs with centered tabs on I-35 in southern Minnesota - I'm not sure if that state still uses them for new installations.