Caltrans External Exit Tabs & 240 Inch Tall Overhead Signs

[SeriesE]

Am I the only one who doesn't care about the alignment of the exit tab?  Doesn't matter one bit to me.

If the exit tab alignment was consistently followed based on the side of the exit, then there's no need for those stupid LEFT plaques/tabs for left exits that have been popping up recently.

[jakeroot]

Am I the only one who doesn't care about the alignment of the exit tab?  Doesn't matter one bit to me.

If the exit tab alignment was consistently followed based on the side of the exit, then there's no need for those stupid LEFT plaques/tabs for left exits that have been popping up recently.

I am extremely skeptical that drivers have any concept of the reasoning behind exit tab placement.

To answer kphoger: I couldn't care less. WSDOT continues to install full-width centered exit tabs (that are, design wise, seemingly part of the main sign panel), and they're as readable and intuitive as any exit tab out there. WSDOT uses an inset "LEFT" banner to the left of the exit and number, and that works perfectly in the extremely rare occasion of a left exit (at least in WA).

[Occidental Tourist]

Am I the only one who doesn't care about the alignment of the exit tab?  Doesn't matter one bit to me.

If the exit tab alignment was consistently followed based on the side of the exit, then there's no need for those stupid LEFT plaques/tabs for left exits that have been popping up recently.

Nope.  Watching Caltrans try to figure out whether to place left, right, or center exit tabs for an exit with diverging ramps is like watching the opening of History of The World, Part I.

[SeriesE]

WSDOT uses an inset "LEFT" banner to the left of the exit and number, and that works perfectly in the extremely rare occasion of a left exit (at least in WA).

That's my preference as well if LEFT has to be used. However, this has been officially banned in the latest MUTCD revision. LEFT needs to be in its own line above the exit number.

[kphoger]

Am I the only one who doesn't care about the alignment of the exit tab?  Doesn't matter one bit to me.

If the exit tab alignment was consistently followed based on the side of the exit, then there's no need for those stupid LEFT plaques/tabs for left exits that have been popping up recently.

Am I the only one who doesn't care about LEFT plaques?  Don't bother me one bit.

[SeriesE]

Am I the only one who doesn't care about the alignment of the exit tab?  Doesn't matter one bit to me.

If the exit tab alignment was consistently followed based on the side of the exit, then there's no need for those stupid LEFT plaques/tabs for left exits that have been popping up recently.

Am I the only one who doesn't care about LEFT plaques?  Don't bother me one bit.

The old Caltrans internal tabs didn't bother me either, but it did bother a lot of people on this forum and FHWA. 

[TheStranger]

The old Caltrans internal tabs didn't bother me either, but it did bother a lot of people on this forum and FHWA. 

I'm 100% on board with your point of view too.

What amuses me is how CalTrans in SF has installed the new external tabs for two I-80 left exits westbound into SF (complete with the LEFT label above the exit number) but in the last few months, ALSO has installed new internal-tabbed signs on US 101/Bayshore Freeway just a mile or two from that same area!

[Alps]

I'm not a fan of LEFT worded tabs myself but that only works with a properly aligned tab on every sign. Too often that doesn't happen, and that gave us what we have now.

[cl94]

What amuses me is how CalTrans in SF has installed the new external tabs for two I-80 left exits westbound into SF (complete with the LEFT label above the exit number) but in the last few months, ALSO has installed new internal-tabbed signs on US 101/Bayshore Freeway just a mile or two from that same area!

If Caltrans is anything, they're consistently inconsistent.

I'm not a fan of LEFT worded tabs myself but that only works with a properly aligned tab on every sign. Too often that doesn't happen, and that gave us what we have now.

Or you get the states that insist on using centered or full-width tabs...

[jakeroot]

When 99.5% of your freeway exits on the right, there is really nothing to be gained from justified exit tabs. The half dozen left exits can have those "LEFT"  plaques to the left of "EXIT" .

I get why the FHWA is mental about this. Some states have a ridiculous number of left exits. Washington is not one of those states.

[SeriesE]

Or you get the states that insist on using centered or full-width tabs...

Speaking of which, there was a period where the exit tab was full width like this (as an alternative implementation):
https://www.google.com/maps/@37.4482066,-121.9215058,3a,75y,352.25h,83.37t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sR8Aa9GfNS2FDSYcs2FGHuA!2e0!5s20160201T000000!7i13312!8i6656

This pretty much functions like a full width tab but with context of which side the exit is on. I wonder if the people from other states had beef with this design.

[stevashe]

I've seen Caltrans use signs like that in a few places. They're not my favorite because I'm not a fan of the borderless dead space in the upper left, it just looks sloppy.

Also I'd say this is really just a modified version of the internal tab design (since it's the same exact design, just with the main sign border drawn below the exit tab instead of at the outside edge of the sign).

[Scott5114]

Or you get the states that insist on using centered or full-width tabs...

Speaking of which, there was a period where the exit tab was full width like this (as an alternative implementation):
https://www.google.com/maps/@37.4482066,-121.9215058,3a,75y,352.25h,83.37t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sR8Aa9GfNS2FDSYcs2FGHuA!2e0!5s20160201T000000!7i13312!8i6656

This pretty much functions like a full width tab but with context of which side the exit is on. I wonder if the people from other states had beef with this design.

I personally don't care for that approach when I've seen it in other states. It does nothing to differentiate the silhouette of the sign between left and right exits, which is useful in certain low-light situations.

The one time I passed through downtown Columbus, it was on I-70 westbound near sunset. They had a bunch of signs like that at the time, and it made lane choice noticeably more challenging since I couldn't tell the difference between left- and right-tabbed signs as easily as I was accustomed to.

[Bobby5280]

I get why the FHWA is mental about this. Some states have a ridiculous number of left exits. Washington is not one of those states.

Oklahoma has a few left exits on its Interstates, some of which can be real doozies.

The one I hate the most is in the Tulsa area, Exit 221 on WB I-44 going out the SW side of Tulsa.
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.076141,-96.0527673,3a,75y,236.29h,94.62t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sBVojKs_FSkQH01FNVGLl8g!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en

That exit really sucks because it can be very deceptive if your brain is running the slightest bit on auto-pilot. On two different occasions driving through there I've mistakenly gone left when I should have gone right. I was really pissed off the second time I did it. You have to drive 4 miles down OK-66 (and thru 5 traffic signals) to get another crack at getting on the I-44 turnpike Westbound. One problem is the left exit for OK-66 is 2 lanes wide; it shifts downward and to the left under a bridge. It looks like that's where the Interstate is going. Plus there is a right exit ramp for 57th W. Avenue. The two main lanes for I-44 follow in the direction of that right exit ramp. The highway split looks like the Interstate goes to the left when it really goes right. The signs are the critical clue, but the three different panels aren't big at all and they're all crammed close together.

[SeriesE]

I get why the FHWA is mental about this. Some states have a ridiculous number of left exits. Washington is not one of those states.

Oklahoma has a few left exits on its Interstates, some of which can be real doozies.

The one I hate the most is in the Tulsa area, Exit 221 on WB I-44 going out the SW side of Tulsa.
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.076141,-96.0527673,3a,75y,236.29h,94.62t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sBVojKs_FSkQH01FNVGLl8g!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en

That exit really sucks because it can be very deceptive if your brain is running the slightest bit on auto-pilot. On two different occasions driving through there I've mistakenly gone left when I should have gone right. I was really pissed off the second time I did it. You have to drive 4 miles down OK-66 (and thru 5 traffic signals) to get another crack at getting on the I-44 turnpike Westbound. One problem is the left exit for OK-66 is 2 lanes wide; it shifts downward and to the left under a bridge. It looks like that's where the Interstate is going. Plus there is a right exit ramp for 57th W. Avenue. The two main lanes for I-44 follow in the direction of that right exit ramp. The highway split looks like the Interstate goes to the left when it really goes right. The signs are the critical clue, but the three different panels aren't big at all and they're all crammed close together.

So many things wrong with that area:
1. Lack of short and thick dashed line to the right of lane 1 to indicate an exiting lane
2. Guidance sign for exit 221B not using up arrows and lack of "exit only" plaques
3. Guidance sign for exit 221A posted too early. It either needs to be removed or that particular sign should have "1/4 mile" instead of the up arrow. Main exit guidance sign should be posted at the gore of exit 221A.

[kphoger]

And dancing arrows.  Yuck.

[Bobby5280]

On the bright side of things ODOT and/or OTA are in the early stages of construction to modernize that interchange as well as widen I-44 in that area. I think the end result will be WB OK-66 no longer having a left exit off WB I-44, but rather a 2-lane exit to the right with a new overpass to go over I-44 to get to New Sapulpa Road. I haven't seen the final schematic, but I'm wondering if that existing right exit to 57th W Avenue will get eliminated by the new OK-66 off ramp and overpass.

The I-40/I-44 interchange in OKC has four left exit ramps. They're in close proximity to right exit ramps. At least that interchange isn't as confusing, but traffic weaving conflicts are an issue. That interchange is pretty old and should be replaced with a modern 4-level directional stack design.

[Scott5114]

Of course that particular interchange design probably dates to when US-66 into Sapulpa was the through movement, and bearing right would put you on the brand-new unnumbered Turner Turnpike. What is an Interstate?

[Techknow]

I drove to Santa Cruz today and found another left exit external exit tab on CA 1/CA 17 at the "fishhook" interchange! It's also on GSV since this September, but the prior streetview to that was in 2019 so it's unclear when new signs were installed.

Compared to the left exit tabs in I-80 in SF, the LEFT yellow area is centered and the sign has rounded corners. These small differences could have to do with this sign being in Caltrans District 5

[jakeroot]

Wow. That is hideous.

[vdeane]

What's wrong with it?  I think it looks nicer than what's been typical in the past of CalTrans signage.

[Bobby5280]

It's not a perfect layout by any means (too short a panel for the "Ocean St Beaches" message; cramped line spacing). But the overhead sign definitely looks a lot better than a bunch of the patch-job looking junk all too plentiful on California's highways.

[roadfro]

What's wrong with it?  I think it looks nicer than what's been typical in the past of CalTrans signage.

The exit tab is hideously oversized, for one thing. Way wider than it needs to be. It's hard to tell, but I think the text on the tab is larger than standard as well.

[jakeroot]

What's wrong with it?  I think it looks nicer than what's been typical in the past of CalTrans signage.

The exit tab is hideously oversized, for one thing. Way wider than it needs to be. It's hard to tell, but I think the text on the tab is larger than standard as well.

I noticed the same things. Everything about it seems way oversized.

[Techknow]

I wasn't sure what to think of it because I haven't seen much examples of left exit external tabs so I decided to do some research...

Here are some photos of left exit external tabs at the I-95/PA Turnpike interchange

Looking at those photos especially the I-95/I-276 split, I think those signs got a lot of things right. I do think the Exit 442 tab is oversized, but the "LEFT" text is still aligned with the "EXIT" text which makes it better than the internal left exit tabs I have seen. But the sign right below could have been better. The yellow exit rectangle shape should have taken up the whole width of the sign, and the CA 1 sign has the same problem too.

So... baby steps I guess?