Plastic road signs?

[BrianP]

https://www.thedailyjournal.com/story/news/2019/04/04/new-jersey-millville-garden-state-highway-products-ecostrate-bob-green-road-signs-plastic-aluminum/3335122002/

The company, located off Riverside Drive, is substituting a tough, flexible recycled plastic called EcoStrate for aluminum as the "substrate"  or foundation for a variety of signs.

[MNHighwayMan]

I'm all for it if it's cheap, and especially if it uses recycled plastic.

The one thing I'm curious about, however, is durability in sunlight. Is that plastic going to become brittle sitting out in the sun for five, ten years? If so, a broken sign that's missing pieces is even more useless than a bent one.

[Scott5114]

Aluminum is probably a better material. It's easier to recycle than plastic.

[kalvado]

Aluminum is probably a better material. It's easier to recycle than plastic.

Yes, but this stuff already went through a recycling loop.

[hbelkins]

Kentucky experimented for a time with some sort of plastic or fiberglass signs in the late 80s-early 90s. You could tell them by the black, not shiny metallic, background. They weren't as durable and the reflectivity on the sign surface wasn't as long-lasting. A few -- very few -- are still left, but not many at all.

[jakeroot]

IIRC, France uses some form of plastic road signs. They look almost playskool-like, but appear durable at the same time...very strange.

I'm not opposed to plastic signs, especially if they reduce the amount of visible screws (something the UK figured out long ago).

[MNHighwayMan]

I'm not opposed to plastic signs, especially if they reduce the amount of visible screws (something the UK figured out long ago).

I'd be surprised if switching to plastic signs makes any difference in reducing the number of visible mounts on the face of a sign. That is, with the way it'd get implemented in this country.

[Brian556]

In Texas, corrugated plastic is used for road work signs. Its thicker than the stuff used for illegal advertising signs.
Stop signs made like a plastic reflector were installed by Double Oak in the 90's.
Some small towns and counties use fiberglass for street name signs. They have non-reflective backgrounds

[bcroadguy]

Vancouver uses corrugated plastic for "keep right" signs in medians. Looks kinda cheap and flimsy, but I guess it gets the job done.
https://www.google.com/maps/@49.2812984,-123.056578,3a,45.4y,47.77h,76.31t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s2AmDSXcv-TptgkL6TzfCfQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

[jakeroot]

I'm not opposed to plastic signs, especially if they reduce the amount of visible screws (something the UK figured out long ago).

I'd be surprised if switching to plastic signs makes any difference in reducing the number of visible mounts on the face of a sign. That is, with the way it'd get implemented in this country.

Probably true. Though switching sign materials may call for a change in mounting methods. Maybe.

Vancouver uses corrugated plastic for "keep right" signs in medians. Looks kinda cheap and flimsy, but I guess it gets the job done.
https://www.google.com/maps/@49.2812984,-123.056578,3a,45.4y,47.77h,76.31t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s2AmDSXcv-TptgkL6TzfCfQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

I've seen those before, but never thought to give them a second look (never liked the non-cut-out borders). Here's a good view of the backside of the sign, which clearly shows that it's made of plastic.

[SoCal Kid]

Good if temporary, but if its meant to be permanent it might have issues with sunlight... I dont think a melted sign would be good...

[bzakharin]

What I want to know is, do any NJ county routes really use NJDOT-style mile markers like the ones in some of the photos? The county routes I've driven have small green ones if anything at all. Although the fact that Mile 1 of CR 537 is not in Burlington County, as seen in the photos, seems to suggest it's not a real sign.

[Kacie Jane]

It's been a while since I've been to New Jersey, and longer since I've lived there, but last I saw, the 500-series routes usually had the same markers as state highways (but none of them had the shield when I was last there).

The article says, "Burlington County will be ordering 2,000 mile markers, he said." So presumably the sign pictured is real and for that order.

[MNHighwayMan]

It's been a while since I've been to New Jersey, and longer since I've lived there, but last I saw, the 500-series routes usually had the same markers as state highways (but none of them had the shield when I was last there).

The article says, "Burlington County will be ordering 2,000 mile markers, he said." So presumably the sign pictured is real and for that order.

I think it's a sample they produced. I don't think he would be abusing an actual sign produced for a paying customer as a demonstration. (Or at least I hope not!)

Plus, as bzakharin said, that combination of route and mile marker doesn't actually exist in that county.

[formulanone]

I've seen some plastic road signs in use in some parking lots.

[UCFKnights]

I'm kind of more surprised we don't see more usage of plastic/vinyl sign posts. A few shopping centers and private businesses do around here, and they are generally cheaper and better looking then the standard cheap metal posts, and they don't seem to decay from the installs I've seen.