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

[US71]

Bovina, MS (old US 80)


Gulf Coast Florida

[Zeffy]

Gulf Coast Florida

This is very similar to a sign that says "ROAD MAY BE FLOODED" on NJ 29 in Hopewell, NJ. I like to joke around and read it as "the road may be - possibly - just a slight chance - flooded." 

[noelbotevera]

Gulf Coast Florida

This is very similar to a sign that says "ROAD MAY BE FLOODED" on NJ 29 in Hopewell, NJ. I like to joke around and read it as "the road may be - possibly - just a slight chance - flooded." 

Clearly northern NJ always gets flooded. Or it was a kindergartener prank gone into a sign.

[1995hoo]

Gulf Coast Florida

This is very similar to a sign that says "ROAD MAY BE FLOODED" on NJ 29 in Hopewell, NJ. I like to joke around and read it as "the road may be - possibly - just a slight chance - flooded." 

Both are still better than a sign that used to be on Woodburn Road in Fairfax County, Virginia. Back in the days of the old one-lane bridge (prior to about the mid-1980s), the road flooded frequently. The warning sign, which was meant to be turned sideways when not needed but never was turned, said "ROAD CLOSED HIGH WATER." Having that sign in place permanently kind of defeated the purpose of having the sign.

[jeffandnicole]

Gulf Coast Florida

This is very similar to a sign that says "ROAD MAY BE FLOODED" on NJ 29 in Hopewell, NJ. I like to joke around and read it as "the road may be - possibly - just a slight chance - flooded." 

29 in that area suffers from the mountains along the Delaware River further north in Jersey, PA and NY.  I'm not sure why it happens - maybe it's low-level land; maybe the river narrows slightly, or whatever, but that area can flood on a perfectly sunny day, because of heavy rains have occurred a few days prior especially in the mountains as mentioned above.

Other low-lying areas near tidal waters can suffer the same flooding, which possibly has something to do with the signage in the picture above.  Moon phases that bring higher than normal high tides can cause flooding on otherwise peaceful days as well.

[thefraze_1020]

interesting use of a full colour VMS in Minneapolis:

This should go in the "Best of Road Signs" thread.

But I have to wonder, why not just put up a sign for that exit?

[ChezeHed81]

This is one of four of these gems that were put up along Delaware Route 1, Southbound, approaching Route 273 sometime Wednesday night or Thursday.  The route shield does look blue in person.  I'm don't know whether to consider it some variation of "Floridachrome" (US-90 & US-92 were white on blue), a lengthy detour to Nevada, or a serious downgrade of one of the east coast's most heavily used traffic corridors.

[noelbotevera]

This is one of four of these gems that were put up along Delaware Route 1, Southbound, approaching Route 273 sometime Wednesday night or Thursday.  The route shield does look blue in person.  I'm don't know whether to consider it some variation of "Floridachrome" (US-90 & US-92 were white on blue), a lengthy detour to Nevada, or a serious downgrade of one of the east coast's most heavily used traffic corridors.

Maybe the contractor was born in Florida, raised in Nevada, then got a job in Delaware as a contractor...THEN he failed.

[TEG24601]

interesting use of a full colour VMS in Minneapolis:

This should go in the "Best of Road Signs" thread.

But I have to wonder, why not just put up a sign for that exit?

Likely couldn't get a narrower VMS without it being too narrow for MNDOT's rules. 


Just a supposition from GSV - It appears that the sign changes depending on traffic.  The current GSV also adds exits for Cedar Ave, and 5th St., without an exit number, but an "Exit Only" designator.  However Exit 235A is not "Exit Only", but 234 B-C is.  It seem that when traffic is heavy, the VMS changes to get people going to 234B-C to enter at this point, along with those going to 235A to avoid the backups, then when traffic is light, it reverts to the image above.

[Alex4897]

This is one of four of these gems that were put up along Delaware Route 1, Southbound, approaching Route 273 sometime Wednesday night or Thursday.  The route shield does look blue in person.  I'm don't know whether to consider it some variation of "Floridachrome" (US-90 & US-92 were white on blue), a lengthy detour to Nevada, or a serious downgrade of one of the east coast's most heavily used traffic corridors.

I've seen some terrible construction signage in conjunction with that interchange project, but this takes the cake.  Strange though, I drove through there Wednesday night and didn't see this at all.

[freebrickproductions]

This is one of four of these gems that were put up along Delaware Route 1, Southbound, approaching Route 273 sometime Wednesday night or Thursday.  The route shield does look blue in person.  I'm don't know whether to consider it some variation of "Floridachrome" (US-90 & US-92 were white on blue), a lengthy detour to Nevada, or a serious downgrade of one of the east coast's most heavily used traffic corridors.

I don't care if people think it's ugly and erroneous, but I like that shield.

[UCFKnights]

interesting use of a full colour VMS in Minneapolis:

This should go in the "Best of Road Signs" thread.

But I have to wonder, why not just put up a sign for that exit?

We got this full color, sign dispaying VMS in Orlando:

https://www.google.com/maps/@28.5380638,-81.3608361,3a,15.1y,255.37h,94.38t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sFd79eMd6o9B0Ruk2gl--hg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

All the Orlando toll roads have digital arrow signs that seem to never ever change, including when they've closed all of the lanes for construction in the past.


I've never seen it change. However, they are just starting a revamp of the interchange so its possible within the next few years, it will finally display a new message. Hopefully the old message isn't burned into the sign for displaying the same sign for the past several years. Orlando's also got a bunch of digital number signs displaying exit numbers that never change, except for when they seem to go into test mode a few times a day.

[vtk]

That came out wrong. Being from the northeast, shooting signs is, well, not heard of in my parts of the woods. I'm not judging Alabama; my statement was based off of Alabama ranking high on the "most violent states" lists published by various websites. I'm sure there are nice places in Alabama, much like every state despite what people think.

Really? Because I'm from the northeast, and I've seen my share of it. Aside from using the sign as target practice, and the non-standard colors, what attracted my curiosity is the "Emergency 911" caption underneath.

That "E" does stand for "Emergency," right?

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enhanced_9-1-1

Part of E-911 is  automatic reporting of caller location. Many rural areas,, when  implementing E-911, had to assign addresses to places, and names to roads, which never had them before. I'm pretty sure that's why this sign exists.

[D-Dey65]

interesting use of a full colour VMS in Minneapolis:

My first thought; why even bother with a VMS sign?

[jbnv]

My first thought; why even bother with a VMS sign?

Try looking upstream.

[D-Dey65]

My first thought; why even bother with a VMS sign?

Try looking upstream.

I saw that already, but it still seems pointless. It's like one line of cars gets to see the first version, and only the ones behind it and/or in front of it get to see the other.

[SignGeek101]

I don't know how common these are, but I haven't seen them prior to this month. They look new too.


'Begin Odometer Check' Sign by Sign Geek, on Flickr


'Begin Odometer Check' Sign by Sign Geek, on Flickr


Example of Odometer Marker Sign by Sign Geek, on Flickr

Anyone else seen this type of sign elsewhere?

[Big John]

^^ Wisconsin used to have something similar with small mile check signs (for 4-10 miles) on certain expressways prior to the standard mile markers being installed on those roads.

[SignGeek101]

^^ Wisconsin used to have something similar with small mile check signs (for 4-10 miles) on certain expressways prior to the standard mile markers being installed on those roads.

Perhaps these ones were installed prior to the kilometre markers here. There are kilometre markers there, so why this sign?

[noelbotevera]

^^ Wisconsin used to have something similar with small mile check signs (for 4-10 miles) on certain expressways prior to the standard mile markers being installed on those roads.

Perhaps these ones were installed prior to the kilometre markers here. There are kilometre markers there, so why this sign?

I-5 in San Diego near the border had them, but they were in miles. I forgot what their purpose was.

[SidS1045]

Massachusetts had them too.  They were signed as "Begin Measured Mile" and "End Measured Mile."

[hotdogPi]

Massachusetts had them too.  They were signed as "Begin Measured Mile" and "End Measured Mile."

MA 125 still has a set near mile markers 1-2.

[PHLBOS]

Massachusetts had them too.  They were signed as "Begin Measured Mile" and "End Measured Mile."

Oregon has used such as well.

Gulf Coast Florida

Talk about optical illusions.  If one gave that photo a quick glance (and if all location-specific signs & references were deleted); one would think that they were looking at snow rather than white sand.

[kkt]

^^ Wisconsin used to have something similar with small mile check signs (for 4-10 miles) on certain expressways prior to the standard mile markers being installed on those roads.

Perhaps these ones were installed prior to the kilometre markers here. There are kilometre markers there, so why this sign?

I-5 in San Diego near the border had them, but they were in miles. I forgot what their purpose was.

They're for calibrating your odometer and speedometer, for people who have installed nonstandard size tires.  When you complete the measured mile in 60 seconds at an indicated 60 mph, you've calibrated it correctly.  It's easiest with the passenger operating the stopwatch.

[xcellntbuy]

Massachusetts had them too.  They were signed as "Begin Measured Mile" and "End Measured Mile."

Oregon has used such as well.

Gulf Coast Florida

Talk about optical illusions.  If one gave that photo a quick glance (and if all location-specific signs & references were deleted); one would think that they were looking at snow rather than white sand.

I had the same reaction the first time I saw the photo.