photos of old signs on the internet

[froggie]

Just noticed this I-95 shield recently.  It's one of three (2 eastbound, 1 westbound) along Franconia Rd (SR 644) approaching Van Dorn St (SR 613).  I believe the sign dates from 1977...that's the year I-95 was moved onto the Beltway and from what little I've gathered, this segment of Franconia Rd was already widened by then (the bridge over the Blue Line and the CSX tracks about a mile west was built in 1974).

Not sure what the spec year is on this shield.

[agentsteel53]

that shield is '57 spec.

[Alps]

That I-95 is fairly standard for Virginia - obviously not their newest spec, but not exactly rare yet.

[agentsteel53]

That I-95 is fairly standard for Virginia - obviously not their newest spec, but not exactly rare yet.

only for 95, though, does it seem particularly common.  64 isn't too rare, but good luck finding an 81.  there are a couple of '61 spec 21x18 I-81s left but I can't think of a '57 spec offhand.  And I've never seen a 77 or 85.

[Alps]

only for 95, though, does it seem particularly common.  64 isn't too rare, but good luck finding an 81.  there are a couple of '61 spec 21x18 I-81s left but I can't think of a '57 spec offhand.  And I've never seen a 77 or 85.

What are the specs of:
www.alpsroads.net/roads/va/us_11/n58.jpg
www.alpsroads.net/roads/va/us_11/nto77.jpg
www.alpsroads.net/roads/va/us_11/n77l.jpg
www.alpsroads.net/roads/va/us_11/n77r.jpg
www.alpsroads.net/roads/va/us_11/sto.jpg
www.alpsroads.net/roads/va/us_11/sto60.jpg

[Roadsign199qc]

403'd.

[froggie]

The last one is definitely non-standard.  I believe the second-to-last is the same.

[Ian]

Here are a few old Chester, PA signs...

[Alps]

403'd.

Yes, you have to copy the link and paste it in the browser.  It's hotlink protection and unfortunately I can't control it for cold links like these.

[shadyjay]

Here's a classic, coming EB off the Mid Hudson Bridge in Poughkeepsie, NY - photo by myself, 11/11/10:

[CanesFan27]

Mike Natale found at least what seems rare to me a  blue on white Pennsylvania decorative geographical sign.  I've only seen these signs as Yellow on Blue.

http://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2010/11/mike-natale-finds-pennsylvania-sign.html

[Ian]

Mike Natale found at least what seems rare to me a  blue on white Pennsylvania decorative geographical sign.  I've only seen these signs as Yellow on Blue.

http://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2010/11/mike-natale-finds-pennsylvania-sign.html

Neat find. I found a few of the gold on blue signs in West Pottsgrove Township (including 2 on US 422):

[Alex]

Don't know if these were posted yet, but found two US 99W cutout photos from Portland, Oregon:

http://vintageportland.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/a2005-001-82-n-broadway-south-on-larrabee-1937.jpg
http://vintageportland.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/a2005-001-318-n-interstate-ave-and-albina-ave-1945.jpg

[CanesFan27]

A rather interesting find that one of my 'contacts' on flickr took:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bluebird218/5227425657/in/faves-15530177@N05/

[agentsteel53]

yep, still around... it's in Tazewell, so if anyone wants to steal it and replace it with one that is up to spec, please do so.

[hbelkins]

As many times as I have been through Tazewell, I have never seen that sign. Is it located on 25E or on a side street somewhere?

[PAHighways]

The Historic Pittsburgh Image Collection, maintained by the University of Pittsburgh Library, has numerous road-related pictures from the metropolitan area spanning the past 100 years.

Sign directing traffic to US 22/US 30 (which was a block to the east on Liberty Avenue) at the intersection of Penn Avenue and Barbeau Street, which looks like this today.

Old signals and a sign for the Point and Manchester Bridges in 1950, where the fountain in Point State Park now sits.

[agentsteel53]

wow, a precursor to the custom Pennsylvania font we know and love ... as early as 1941!

[CanesFan27]

The only "custom" fonts I am aware is/was the Pittsburgh Department of Public Works - which both of the signs in the photos were installed by - and the Allegheny County Sign Shop.  I don't recall/know of anything being distinctive for Pennsylvania as a whole.

[agentsteel53]

Pennsylvania custom digits - most notable in digit "2"

[CanesFan27]

ah...never really thought those as a statewide custom font.

[agentsteel53]

PA seemed to be pretty consistent in their use for a while.  And I have not seen them elsewhere, except... one random DC-US shield!



the 4 is federal standard, the 0 is indistinguishable, and the 2... distinctly Penna!

[Ian]

I think until recently, Quebec used a somewhat similar font on their province route shields. I also recall seeing a few mile markers along I-95/JFK Highway in Maryland in the font.

[Dr Frankenstein]

Yes, the '2' definitely rings a bell about Quebec's older shields here.

[kurumi]

Did DC use different colors for different US routes?