FADED Beyond Recognition

[PHLBOS]

Last fall, MassDOT replaced many of the 90s-vintage faded button-copy I-shields on the northbound I-95 interchange signage for the Canton I-93 interchange.

1-mile advance sign showing the replacement I-95 shield but the old faded I-93 shield remains

Not sure why that one I-93 shield on that sign wasn't changed; unless such was done after Nov. 2019.

[Scott5114]

At least there is one legible "Do Not Enter" sign there
Also, inappropriate shape to the sign

https://goo.gl/maps/xDGLwHQtunX1a9Wf8

That's because there's a stop sign on the other side of it, and they don't want to obscure the octagonal shape of the stop sign with the square shape of a Do Not Enter sign on the other side of it.

[roadfro]

At least there is one legible "Do Not Enter" sign there
Also, inappropriate shape to the sign

https://goo.gl/maps/xDGLwHQtunX1a9Wf8

But also the shape is possibly "ahead of its time". Guidance added to the 2009 MUTCD [2B.10p08] states that a sign placed back to back on the same post with a stop/yield sign should stay within the edges of the stop/yield sign. (Although the suggestion there is to increase the size of the stop/yield sign so the other sign can remain in its edges.)

I rather like this though. If it weren't so faded, I think we'd see the full red "do not enter" circle and it would still have white surrounding it. Since "do not enter" signs don't have a border, nothing is really lost by using a stop sign blank instead of a square.

[ErmineNotyours]

Not a road sign, but it is faded.

[STLmapboy]

The shields are fine but the words are awful.

[PHLBOS]

While not a traffic control device; this ancient sign at a park entrance once listed the park's hours (in better days).  At present, one can only decipher PARK HOURS in red letters at the top.

[US71]

The shields are fine but the words are awful.

Shields were probably replaced, but not the whole sign.

[SidS1045]

Last fall, MassDOT replaced many of the 90s-vintage faded button-copy I-shields on the northbound I-95 interchange signage for the Canton I-93 interchange.

1-mile advance sign showing the replacement I-95 shield but the old faded I-93 shield remains

Just drove through there today.  Nothing has changed since your post.

[roadman65]

These shields here have a lot to be desired.


Hardeeville, SC on US 17 N Bound.

[JoePCool14]

These shields here have a lot to be desired.


Hardeeville, SC on US 17 N Bound.

After driving around a bit in SC, I feel like this problem is rather common on some of their newer (Clearview) signs, I wonder why.

[D-Dey65]

On the Montauk Point State Parkway (part of NY 27), the signs approaching the East Overlook are in terrible condition.

Especially eastbound:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:EB_NY_27_in_Montauk;_Old_Overlook_1000_Ft_Sign.jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:EB_NY_27_in_Montauk;_Old_Overlook_Directional_Sign.jpg

These are the westbound signs:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:WB_NY_27_in_Montauk;_Old_Overlook_1000_Ft_Sign.jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:WB_NY_27_in_Montauk;_Old_Overlook_Directional_Sign.jpg

NYSDOT Region 10 had enough sense to replace the ones for the West Overlook with brown signs, but they're too small.

What do we use to get to the Tappan Zee and Albany again?
https://www.google.pl/maps/@40.9362422,-73.8555645,3a,61.8y,-8.57h,105.54t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sPM1vYuq0ak9BFD2b02C1lg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

We don't use close-up shots of asphalt, that's for sure.
https://www.google.pl/maps/@40.9359346,-73.8556313,3a,75y,48.08h,89.99t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sglD-SPVpV86K1su0cDeUKg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192
Besides replacing that sign, Region 8 should use that big space on the sign gantry for an NY 100 pull through sign.

[ozarkman417]

At first, I thought there was no number here at all, but at this angle, there is a very faint number next to the US. I'll assume the "missing" number here is 49. I'm not even sure if this was faded, it was probably defaced.

AR 91 at I-555 US-63 in Jonesboro

[US71]

At first, I thought there was no number here at all, but at this angle, there is a very faint number next to the US. I'll assume the "missing" number here is 49. I'm not even sure if this was faded, it was probably defaced.

AR 91 at I-555 US-63 in Jonesboro

Hard to tell, but almost looks like it was never there

[Finrod]

This "Roswell Next Right" on the 120 Marietta loop in Cobb GA looks even worse now than it does in this GSV shot from about a year ago:

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.954858,-84.4969392,3a,75y,32.89h,79.49t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sscrDl4podwJCCPM2iQIBcg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

[US71]

This one is close

[hbelkins]

2018 west-central KY route-clinching trip Day 2 - 155 by H.B. Elkins, on Flickr

There were a bunch of similarly-faded route markers on guide signs on the two-lane portion of the Mountain Parkway in Wolfe County, but they were replaced last fall as part of a pavement and bridge rehab project.

[Dirt Roads]

There were a bunch of similarly-faded route markers on guide signs on the two-lane portion of the Mountain Parkway in Wolfe County, but they were replaced last fall as part of a pavement and bridge rehab project.

That's a pretty normal sized BGS.  Does Kentucky still have any of its famous/infamous supersized BGSs?

[Billy F 1988]

https://www.google.com/maps/@46.8687388,-113.9830435,3a,15y,312.5h,93.76t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sgLmPXxpy6iwggSs5HphKxw!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo3.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DgLmPXxpy6iwggSs5HphKxw%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D101.7046%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192

It's amazing how the left sign with the old style US 12 shield has stood the sun beating all this time whereas the other one on the right is pretty much completely sun beaten beyond visibility. It's even crazier when the I-Business shield still reflects when driving by it. I can't determine the build date on the right sign that's completely faded, but I think the build date on the left one had to have been around '75.

GMaps location: Van Buren St. and E. Broadway Street looking west towards Madison Street/US 12.

[hbelkins]

There were a bunch of similarly-faded route markers on guide signs on the two-lane portion of the Mountain Parkway in Wolfe County, but they were replaced last fall as part of a pavement and bridge rehab project.

That's a pretty normal sized BGS.  Does Kentucky still have any of its famous/infamous supersized BGSs?

At least one, on the Mountain Parkway westbound approaching Exit 33.

[Rothman]

There were a bunch of similarly-faded route markers on guide signs on the two-lane portion of the Mountain Parkway in Wolfe County, but they were replaced last fall as part of a pavement and bridge rehab project.

That's a pretty normal sized BGS.  Does Kentucky still have any of its famous/infamous supersized BGSs?

At least one, on the Mountain Parkway westbound approaching Exit 33.

That's too bad.  It's been too long since I have driven the Mountain Parkway.  I didn't know the signs had shrunk.

[Dirt Roads]

There were a bunch of similarly-faded route markers on guide signs on the two-lane portion of the Mountain Parkway in Wolfe County, but they were replaced last fall as part of a pavement and bridge rehab project.

That's a pretty normal sized BGS.  Does Kentucky still have any of its famous/infamous supersized BGSs?

At least one, on the Mountain Parkway westbound approaching Exit 33.

Gosh, its been 35 years since I last made one of several camping trips to Natural Bridge State Park.  Hiked every bit of it.  Almost as nice as Breaks Interstate.  Glad to hear the old sign is still there.

[csw]

Old overhead showing its age near Charlottesville, VA.


At least the sign 1/4 mile down the road is legible. Emporia, VA.

[Scott5114]

There were a bunch of similarly-faded route markers on guide signs on the two-lane portion of the Mountain Parkway in Wolfe County, but they were replaced last fall as part of a pavement and bridge rehab project.

That's a pretty normal sized BGS.  Does Kentucky still have any of its famous/infamous supersized BGSs?

At least one, on the Mountain Parkway westbound approaching Exit 33.

Gosh, its been 35 years since I last made one of several camping trips to Natural Bridge State Park.  Hiked every bit of it.  Almost as nice as Breaks Interstate.  Glad to hear the old sign is still there.

Is this what you're referring to? https://www.google.com/maps/@37.7976161,-83.6692054,3a,20.3y,274.67h,90.79t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sXyoM0ZXtCek8nbZQvYBlMg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

[Dirt Roads]

There were a bunch of similarly-faded route markers on guide signs on the two-lane portion of the Mountain Parkway in Wolfe County, but they were replaced last fall as part of a pavement and bridge rehab project.

That's a pretty normal sized BGS.  Does Kentucky still have any of its famous/infamous supersized BGSs?

At least one, on the Mountain Parkway westbound approaching Exit 33.

Is this what you're referring to? https://www.google.com/maps/@37.7976161,-83.6692054,3a,20.3y,274.67h,90.79t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sXyoM0ZXtCek8nbZQvYBlMg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

That's it.  But the ones on the Mountain Parkway are up close to the pavement.  I seem to recall that the supersize ones along I-64 and I-75 were set back way further to give them the appearance of the smaller fonts on reassurance signs.  Back to topic, this one for Exit 33 still looks great.  I figured that any supersized signs would be long faded by now.

[tolbs17]

Here are some faded signs on a BGS.

Practically unreadable now.

https://goo.gl/maps/9xieKS4fjHwWKg9T8