Highway Gothic (FHWA) is different on various signs

[tolbs17]

I was never a fan of the stretched out font which most newer signs have. They make the sign uglier. I like the older more condensed ones.

especially the lowercase a.

https://goo.gl/maps/PNavaw8wFUx1wrjx7

https://goo.gl/maps/sEhDQjScUSFDragU9

Letter A is more condensed on this sign compared to the left sign. - https://goo.gl/maps/vXD3MxpD4Rf37FwM6

Older sign and the letter a is more stretched out and the font was more expanded. - https://goo.gl/maps/CjDACFx9cv6PH2Vq5

Weird lowercase a's. Glad NCDOT did not use those because they look ugly! - https://goo.gl/maps/Ytb6svaChpjE6Pp29

[JoePCool14]

Tolbs, you really need to get outside more. I know this sort of thing is what usually goes on here, but this is beyond even that. The difference on those a's is so miniscule, basically no one is going to notice it.

[US 89]

I literally can't see the difference between any of those.

[Henry]

Agreed, they all look the same to me. But if by "stretched out font" you are referring to Series F (similar to what was used by NYSDOT), then you're right, it is the only one of the FHWA variants that can make a sign look ugly. In fact, I'd take Clearview over that particular font.

[Scott5114]

Typical variance between font vendors. Nothing to be done for it.

For what it's worth, the official a is this one:

[ozarkman417]

When it comes to difference in A's being nearly (if not) impossible to spot, nothing needs to be done because the general motoring public couldn't care less, and differences are even harder to spot when driving at 70+ MPH.
My opinion: So long as a sign sticks to a single font whenever possible, I approve of it (except when the font itself is unacceptable). Reason why I said "whenever possible" is that the E & E Modified-series may not work for some larger names, such as in this case where "Black Canyon City" is in Series D whereas "Rest Area" and "Phoenix" are in Arizona's standard Series E.

An example of a Control City failing to stay the same font with all letters (taken 3/9/22 by me):

[J N Winkler]

Some versions of the SignCAD font resource file have had lowercase a in Series E Modified with a top stroke slightly narrower than that shown in the Standard Alphabets.  But this difference is pretty subtle, and not at all as glaring as, say, s and w in various versions of mixed-case Series D, or Series C 2 in the vanilla and PennDOT versions.

The StreetView links show signs in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia.  NCDOT has standardized on GuideSign and Georgia DOT on SignCAD.  I think Tennessee DOT uses GuideSign (at least that appears to be what they are using for the I-55/Crump Boulevard plans set), but it is difficult to tell because so few of their signing plans have been pattern-accurate until very recently.

[odditude]

Reason why I said "whenever possible" is that the E & E Modified-series may not work for some larger names, such as in this case where "Black Canyon City" is in Series D whereas "Rest Area" and "Phoenix" are in Arizona's standard Series E.

nitpick: those are two variants of Clearview, not FHWA.

An example of a Control City failing to stay the same font with all letters (taken 3/9/22 by me):
(image snipped)

GLObe - now THAT's Worst-worthy!

[JoePCool14]

An example of a Control City failing to stay the same font with all letters (taken 3/9/22 by me):

Don't tell me that's new. ADOT isn't OKDOT. They're better than that.

[ozarkman417]

An example of a Control City failing to stay the same font with all letters (taken 3/9/22 by me):

Don't tell me that's new. ADOT isn't OKDOT. They're better than that.

This isn't new. It dates back to at least 2009 when it was first captured captured on GSV. This error has been mentioned in this forum already, though I can't find the post right now..

[JoePCool14]

An example of a Control City failing to stay the same font with all letters (taken 3/9/22 by me):

Don't tell me that's new. ADOT isn't OKDOT. They're better than that.

This isn't new. It dates back to at least 2009 when it was first captured captured on GSV. This error has been mentioned in this forum already, though I can't find the post right now..

Yeah, I just checked myself. I wasn't sure because of the large exit tab. But I know ADOT uses "E(M) modified" not the old E(M) on their signs now. Still, that's ugly.

[machias]

I was never a fan of the stretched out font which most newer signs have. They make the sign uglier. I like the older more condensed ones.

especially the lowercase a.

https://goo.gl/maps/PNavaw8wFUx1wrjx7

https://goo.gl/maps/sEhDQjScUSFDragU9

Letter A is more condensed on this sign compared to the left sign. - https://goo.gl/maps/vXD3MxpD4Rf37FwM6

Older sign and the letter a is more stretched out and the font was more expanded. - https://goo.gl/maps/CjDACFx9cv6PH2Vq5

Weird lowercase a's. Glad NCDOT did not use those because they look ugly! - https://goo.gl/maps/Ytb6svaChpjE6Pp29

Don't drive on Interstate 8 in Arizona. There's a whole bunch of newer guide panels in Series F instead of Series EEm and you'd lose your mind.



These signs are fully functional and the average motorist isn't going to notice much difference from Series EEm but there's something that does feel just a little bit off when you first glance at them.

[Henry]

Don't drive on Interstate 8 in Arizona. There's a whole bunch of newer guide panels in Series F instead of Series EEm and you'd lose your mind.



These signs are fully functional and the average motorist isn't going to notice much difference from Series EEm but there's something that does feel just a little bit off when you first glance at them.

As far as signage goes, I'd nominate this as the ugliest freeway in America!

Even Clearview looks better than that.

[SkyPesos]

Have you looked at the infamous Craig County sign yet? That answers your entire thread on one sign.

[Scott5114]

As far as signage goes, I'd nominate this as the ugliest freeway in America!

"What freeway has the ugliest signage as a whole" seems like it'd be an interesting thing to discuss.

I nominate I-235 (OK). Sometimes you even get Clearview and FHWA Series as part of the same word there.