Unique, Odd, or Interesting Signs aka The good, the bad, and the ugly

[JoePCool14]

Wish I could say I was on a road trip to Wisconsin. Unfortunately, this gem was found in Burr Ridge, IL.

Would anyone believe me if I said my father did the civil engineering design on the building next to this McDonald's?

[Rothman]

Wish I could say I was on a road trip to Wisconsin. Unfortunately, this gem was found in Burr Ridge, IL.

Would anyone believe me if I said my father did the civil engineering design on the building next to this McDonald's?

Should I?

[lstone19]

Wish I could say I was on a road trip to Wisconsin. Unfortunately, this gem was found in Burr Ridge, IL.

I mean, it's not wrong. That road does lead to WI 83 eventually...

I'll keep that in mind the next time (I mean first time) I'm trying to find my way to WI 83.

[amroad17]

Wish I could say I was on a road trip to Wisconsin. Unfortunately, this gem was found in Burr Ridge, IL.

I mean, it's not wrong. That road does lead to WI 83 eventually...

I'll keep that in mind the next time (I mean first time) I'm trying to find my way to WI 83.

Edgewood, KY has a similar, albeit less spec, sign coming out of a McDonald's also. https://goo.gl/maps/gryfhXs6ntvVJjM48

[jakeroot]

Wish I could say I was on a road trip to Wisconsin. Unfortunately, this gem was found in Burr Ridge, IL.

I mean, it's not wrong. That road does lead to WI 83 eventually...

I'll keep that in mind the next time (I mean first time) I'm trying to find my way to WI 83.

Edgewood, KY has a similar, albeit less spec, sign coming out of a McDonald's also. https://goo.gl/maps/gryfhXs6ntvVJjM48

Well, it's ugly, but it's more spec than a Wisconsin shield in Illinois!

[amroad17]

Wish I could say I was on a road trip to Wisconsin. Unfortunately, this gem was found in Burr Ridge, IL.

I mean, it's not wrong. That road does lead to WI 83 eventually...

I'll keep that in mind the next time (I mean first time) I'm trying to find my way to WI 83.

Edgewood, KY has a similar, albeit less spec, sign coming out of a McDonald's also. https://goo.gl/maps/gryfhXs6ntvVJjM48

Well, it's ugly, but it's more spec than a Wisconsin shield in Illinois!

I did not realize that this GSV was in Illinois--did not read the second sentence carefully enough, oops. 

[JoePCool14]

Wish I could say I was on a road trip to Wisconsin. Unfortunately, this gem was found in Burr Ridge, IL.

Would anyone believe me if I said my father did the civil engineering design on the building next to this McDonald's?

Should I?

Yes. He actually did. (It's just a fun fact, he had nothing to do with this sign I'm almost certain)

[formulanone]

Wish I could say I was on a road trip to Wisconsin. Unfortunately, this gem was found in Burr Ridge, IL.

I mean, it's not wrong. That road does lead to WI 83 eventually...

I'll keep that in mind the next time (I mean first time) I'm trying to find my way to WI 83.

Edgewood, KY has a similar, albeit less spec, sign coming out of a McDonald's also. https://goo.gl/maps/gryfhXs6ntvVJjM48

Well, it's ugly, but it's more spec than a Wisconsin shield in Illinois!

I did not realize that this GSV was in Illinois--did not read the second sentence carefully enough, oops. 

I had to look it up...nope, not even close to Wisconsin.

[Big John]

Horses 10: https://www.localmemphis.com/article/news/local/horses-10-speed-limit-signs-going-up-in-germantown-as-nod-to-history/522-cc37c6c1-3ecf-4062-b05c-5d8acdbde0d4

[JoePCool14]

If only they actually used Highway Gothic for those signs instead of Arial. They would've been cooler. </nitpitck>

[formulanone]

Horses 10: https://www.localmemphis.com/article/news/local/horses-10-speed-limit-signs-going-up-in-germantown-as-nod-to-history/522-cc37c6c1-3ecf-4062-b05c-5d8acdbde0d4

Forgot about that one.

[CoreySamson]

Found this gross sign on US 64 in Tulsa...
https://goo.gl/maps/UUukfqP3o4FJQD6w8

[Scott5114]

Found this gross sign on US 64 in Tulsa...
https://goo.gl/maps/UUukfqP3o4FJQD6w8

How does it feel to find your first ODOT Special™ in the wild?

In addition to having Helvetica in three different horizontal stretch levels, the S in ST is upside down.

[JoePCool14]

This one on US-41 north on Skokie Valley Rd definitely has some issues.
https://goo.gl/maps/aua7CLgRwXf7Vt3t6

The worst part is that the old sign was actually looked good. And now we have this mess.

[LilianaUwU]

This one on US-41 north on Skokie Valley Rd definitely has some issues.
https://goo.gl/maps/aua7CLgRwXf7Vt3t6

The worst part is that the old sign was actually looked good. And now we have this mess.

That's just as bad as the usual Oklahoma specials. Is this an IDiOT job?

[swake]

Nothing can ever be as bad as this on US-169 in Tulsa.

https://www.google.com/maps/@36.0249013,-95.872864,3a,23.7y,103.26h,108.29t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s0CJro2KR0pYDN0hQgd0o5Q!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

[machias]

This one on US-41 north on Skokie Valley Rd definitely has some issues.
https://goo.gl/maps/aua7CLgRwXf7Vt3t6

The worst part is that the old sign was actually looked good. And now we have this mess.

That sign looks like it might have been commissioned by the HOA of the housing development or something. The previous sign did pretty much meet MUTCD specs; that's a monstrosity. It boggles my mind how anyone designing or ordering a sign replacement can't look at the previous sign and use that as a guide. Where else in Chicagoland would you see the word "Exit" in mixed case like that after the destination.

[kirbykart]

Nothing can ever be as bad as this on US-169 in Tulsa.

https://www.google.com/maps/@36.0249013,-95.872864,3a,23.7y,103.26h,108.29t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s0CJro2KR0pYDN0hQgd0o5Q!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Could they have crammed any more information on that sign? Also I love how over half of the letters are improperly placed and/or sized.

And what is that font? Looks like someone tried to combine Clearview with Arial.

That belongs in the Worst of Road Signs. It takes considerable effort to make a sign that bad. That's worse than the average ODOT special for sure.

[Scott5114]

It's just Clearview with all of the letter spacing removed.

Oklahoma City has a similar one, though it's not quite as bad.

[vdeane]

It's just Clearview with all of the letter spacing removed.

Oklahoma City has a similar one, though it's not quite as bad.

CraIg cOuNtY may no longer be with us, but it's spirit clearly lives on.

[kirbykart]

It's just Clearview with all of the letter spacing removed.

Oklahoma City has a similar one, though it's not quite as bad.

Totally unrelated, but pan down just a bit. Is that a sign warning of an over 20- foot clearance?! Now that is unnecessary.

[Big John]

It's just Clearview with all of the letter spacing removed.

Oklahoma City has a similar one, though it's not quite as bad.

Totally unrelated, but pan down just a bit. Is that a sign warning of an over 20- foot clearance?! Now that is unnecessary.

16' is the standard.

[cjk374]

Nothing can ever be as bad as this on US-169 in Tulsa.

https://www.google.com/maps/@36.0249013,-95.872864,3a,23.7y,103.26h,108.29t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s0CJro2KR0pYDN0hQgd0o5Q!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

For some reason that particular clearview font reminds me of the sArCaSm FoNt you see in reddit posts & other places.

[JoePCool14]

This one on US-41 north on Skokie Valley Rd definitely has some issues.
https://goo.gl/maps/aua7CLgRwXf7Vt3t6

The worst part is that the old sign was actually looked good. And now we have this mess.

That sign looks like it might have been commissioned by the HOA of the housing development or something. The previous sign did pretty much meet MUTCD specs; that's a monstrosity. It boggles my mind how anyone designing or ordering a sign replacement can't look at the previous sign and use that as a guide. Where else in Chicagoland would you see the word "Exit" in mixed case like that after the destination.

I can assure you that that sign was almost certainly created by IDOT. I've seen that arrow used on a few exit gore signs in the area lately. The HOA of that neighborhood wouldn't have cared enough to update the old sign.

US-41 is home to several poor signs, some have been replaced, though some new ones have been added as well.

Here's an example of what most of the signs there looked like. I'm not saying it's the worst thing ever, but obviously it's not great either.

[CardInLex]

It's just Clearview with all of the letter spacing removed.

Oklahoma City has a similar one, though it's not quite as bad.

CraIg cOuNtY may no longer be with us, but it's spirit clearly lives on.

Kentucky's very own version of CraIg cOuNtY still exists after 5 years. "EXpreSSway"  https://maps.app.goo.gl/WE1MKPDFmmgVkDvp8?g_st=ic