The Worst of Road Signs

[roadfro]

OK's DOT pretty obsessively signs clearances (one of their few redeeming values, imo), and there are some signed over 20 feet on the Bailey/Turner Turnpike.

Signing every clearance, when most of them don't really need to be signed if they're not low, seems like it would diminish the warning value of such signs for those instances when legitimate low clearance notification is warranted.

[STLmapboy]

OK's DOT pretty obsessively signs clearances (one of their few redeeming values, imo), and there are some signed over 20 feet on the Bailey/Turner Turnpike.

Signing every clearance, when most of them don't really need to be signed if they're not low, seems like it would diminish the warning value of such signs for those instances when legitimate low clearance notification is warranted.

Admittedly yes, and some of that money could go to not having crappy signage elsewhere (eg crAiG cOunty)

[kphoger]

OK's DOT pretty obsessively signs clearances (one of their few redeeming values, imo), and there are some signed over 20 feet on the Bailey/Turner Turnpike.

Signing every clearance, when most of them don't really need to be signed if they're not low, seems like it would diminish the warning value of such signs for those instances when legitimate low clearance notification is warranted.

Admittedly yes, and some of that money could go to not having crappy signage elsewhere (eg crAiG cOunty)

I thought Oklahoma contracted its sign fabrication out to small firms.  Am I wrong about that?

In which case, it isn't the same people putting up clearance signs as making crappy signage elsewhere.

[empirestate]

The sign construction must be by a Monty Python fan.

It also lacks shrubbery.

Didn't they just replace this sign? I think it only until recently said "ni".

[CoreySamson]

I'm more intrigued by the fact that an 18'5" clearance is even signed. Per MUTCD, clearance only need be signed when it's 12" or less than the statutory maximum vehicle height, which I assume is less than 17 feet...

I've seen higher - there is a bridge on WYO 374 (a relatively minor frontage road to I-80) with a signed clearance of 22' 3". IIRC, the same clearance is signed on mainline I-80.

There's two higher than these that I know of in my county alone (I think Texas is even more bonkers with signing height clearances than Oklahoma is).

CR 288 at CR 220, 23 ft 9 in:
https://www.google.com/maps/@29.1241721,-95.4304302,3a,15y,3.5h,92.67t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sO0MCnHjnhTkVrKbYZ1tLEw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

TX 36 at TX 288, 23 ft 1 in:
https://www.google.com/maps/@28.9463224,-95.3768631,3a,15y,136.7h,94.3t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sm9Qkov8DA-KV2Dssv-lzOA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

I've personally driven underneath both of these bridges.

While we're on the topic of worst clearance signs, here I present what's probably the derpiest looking zero I've seen on any sign:
https://www.google.com/maps/@30.2496116,-95.7705825,3a,15y,187.78h,94.66t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sTF8ldYiQLIKYvtO273kdNA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

[ErmineNotyours]

While we're on the topic of worst clearance signs, here I present what's probably the derpiest looking zero I've seen on any sign:
https://www.google.com/maps/@30.2496116,-95.7705825,3a,15y,187.78h,94.66t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sTF8ldYiQLIKYvtO273kdNA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Pan to the left and there's an operator wanted posted as a road sign.  Granted, it's in construction orange.  I've never seen that before.

[STLmapboy]

While we're on the topic of worst clearance signs, here I present what's probably the derpiest looking zero I've seen on any sign:
https://www.google.com/maps/@30.2496116,-95.7705825,3a,15y,187.78h,94.66t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sTF8ldYiQLIKYvtO273kdNA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Pan to the left and there's an operator wanted posted as a road sign.  Granted, it's in construction orange.  I've never seen that before.

...God that is a crazy construction site.

[Scott5114]

While we're on the topic of worst clearance signs, here I present what's probably the derpiest looking zero I've seen on any sign:
https://www.google.com/maps/@30.2496116,-95.7705825,3a,15y,187.78h,94.66t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sTF8ldYiQLIKYvtO273kdNA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

It looks like that was an 8 at some point, and the top loop was sheared off, for whatever reason.

OK's DOT pretty obsessively signs clearances (one of their few redeeming values, imo), and there are some signed over 20 feet on the Bailey/Turner Turnpike.

Signing every clearance, when most of them don't really need to be signed if they're not low, seems like it would diminish the warning value of such signs for those instances when legitimate low clearance notification is warranted.

Admittedly yes, and some of that money could go to not having crappy signage elsewhere (eg crAiG cOunty)

I thought Oklahoma contracted its sign fabrication out to small firms.  Am I wrong about that?

In which case, it isn't the same people putting up clearance signs as making crappy signage elsewhere.

It depends on the sign. Most of the signage on conventional roads–mostly standard signs, but designable ones too–is made by the ODOT Sign Shop in Oklahoma City. Most of these signs aren't terrible. You can identify them by having a date stamp of the form "ODOT 0620" for a sign being made this month.

BGSes are usually contracted out. I think one-off replacement signs are done by ODOT, but they're usually no better than the contractor garbage.

[STLmapboy]

NM manages to misspell "industrial."

I-10 near Las Cruces by Samuel Cox, on Flickr

[thenetwork]

NM manages to misspell "industrial."

I-10 near Las Cruces by Samuel Cox, on Flickr

New Mexico's signing practices are so FUBARed to begin with,...doesn't suprise me at all.

[webny99]

Wow, stumbled across this disaster on I-75 north of Knoxville. Seriously, it's dead centered over the wrong lane, and then they make an attempt to compensate for it by angling the arrow, which is terrible enough in its own right. I can't even begin to imagine how that got installed like that. Everything about it screams "something's wrong!" - even the length of the crossbars, for a single-sign install, ought to have been a red flag.

Are there any other examples of overhead placement that are that horrific??

[csw]

It's not THAT bad...the way your post reads, I was expecting a craig county-type sign. Coming around the curve farther back, the sign looks like it's over the right lane. They attempted to fix the gantry being too long by angling the arrow. Plus it should be obvious that an "Exit Only" tab means that it's the right lane that is exiting.

While dancing arrows are heinous and especially common in Tennessee, this is a pretty minor offense.

[webny99]

OK, maybe I got a little worked up. But it's certainly a disaster by NY standards. I honestly believe there are no signs in the entire state of NY that are that bad (but I'm open to counters to that!  ).

Also, I knew right away the sign was over the wrong lane, even from much further back. I thought they just totally messed up on the lane placement. Right about here, you really do start to think they're telling you the middle lane is going to exit until you get closer and see the arrow. You and I both know there's not going to be a middle lane exit, but the average non-roadgeek might not, not to mention that they might not look closely enough to associate the angled arrow with a different lane.

[amroad17]

^ That particular sign has been there for around 15-20 years.  I believe it is still in its original placement before I-75 was widened to 3 lanes in that area.  It was an effort by TN DOT to let a motorist know that the right lane is going to be the exit lane.  Further up is a sign placed over the correct lane.

In this case, I do not believe an EXIT ONLY tab is needed on the 1 MILE advance sign.  A small yellow THIS LANE EXIT ONLY (2 lines) sign with a downward left arrow placed before the next sign should suffice.

[roadfro]

It's not THAT bad...the way your post reads, I was expecting a craig county-type sign. Coming around the curve farther back, the sign looks like it's over the right lane. They attempted to fix the gantry being too long by angling the arrow. Plus it should be obvious that an "Exit Only" tab means that it's the right lane that is exiting.

While dancing arrows are heinous and especially common in Tennessee, this is a pretty minor offense.

It's not always obvious that an exit only panel refers to the right lane though. That sign was pretty centered–exit tab not withstanding, that could've been a left exit.

The dancing arrow situation could have been somewhat alleviated by putting the arrow to the right of the "exit only" legend. Or, you know, properly positioning the sign on the support–I'd rather see the sign over the correct lane and have a too-long gantry than this example which didn't have to be this way.

^ That particular sign has been there for around 15-20 years.  I believe it is still in its original placement before I-75 was widened to 3 lanes in that area.  It was an effort by TN DOT to let a motorist know that the right lane is going to be the exit lane.  Further up is a sign placed over the correct lane.

In this case, I do not believe an EXIT ONLY tab is needed on the 1 MILE advance sign.  A small yellow THIS LANE EXIT ONLY (2 lines) sign with a downward left arrow placed before the next sign should suffice.

This confirms my initial suspicion that the sign location was probably set after a widening. If they are going to have the exit only notice this far upstream though, then they should have also started the dotted line marking that far back.

Having "exit only" notice overhead is preferable in practically any instance. If not an option, a better post-mounted sign option would be a "RIGHT LANE EXIT ONLY AHEAD" black on yellow sign.

[CtrlAltDel]

I'm more intrigued by the fact that an 18'5" clearance is even signed. Per MUTCD, clearance only need be signed when it's 12" or less than the statutory maximum vehicle height, which I assume is less than 17 feet...

I've seen higher - there is a bridge on WYO 374 (a relatively minor frontage road to I-80) with a signed clearance of 22' 3". IIRC, the same clearance is signed on mainline I-80.

There's two higher than these that I know of in my county alone (I think Texas is even more bonkers with signing height clearances than Oklahoma is).

CR 288 at CR 220, 23 ft 9 in:
https://www.google.com/maps/@29.1241721,-95.4304302,3a,15y,3.5h,92.67t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sO0MCnHjnhTkVrKbYZ1tLEw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

TX 36 at TX 288, 23 ft 1 in:
https://www.google.com/maps/@28.9463224,-95.3768631,3a,15y,136.7h,94.3t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sm9Qkov8DA-KV2Dssv-lzOA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

I've personally driven underneath both of these bridges.

This overpass at exit 26 on I-40 in Gallup, New Mexico, is signed as 26 ft 3 in:

[STLmapboy]

I found this steaming POS logo sign on I-40 outside Gallup in (shocker!) New Mexico...
https://www.google.com/maps/@35.4987917,-108.8432926,3a,43.1y,109.31h,97.23t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s3APGbqcKRmG1g5D11Icypg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

[roadfro]

I found this steaming POS logo sign on I-40 outside Gallup in (shocker!) New Mexico...
https://www.google.com/maps/@35.4987917,-108.8432926,3a,43.1y,109.31h,97.23t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s3APGbqcKRmG1g5D11Icypg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Don't know that I'd call that sign a "steaming POS"... The logo panels are off-center, but other than the sign itself is not terrible. More of a candidate for the "Faded beyond recognition" thread given the state of four of those panels.

[STLmapboy]

I found this steaming POS logo sign on I-40 outside Gallup in (shocker!) New Mexico...
https://www.google.com/maps/@35.4987917,-108.8432926,3a,43.1y,109.31h,97.23t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s3APGbqcKRmG1g5D11Icypg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Don't know that I'd call that sign a "steaming POS"... The logo panels are off-center, but other than the sign itself is not terrible. More of a candidate for the "Faded beyond recognition" thread given the state of four of those panels.

Look back a few years and the logos were just slightly faded. Even for a desert-like area the decline is pretty bad.

And a few miles down the road you have this 4-year old sign that looks like it's taken a bit of a burn.

[STLmapboy]

Anyone else think the font CA uses on I-5 San Clemente new signs is a bit squished?

The crown jewel  being this sign at the CA-1/I-5 split. The first letter size in particular is agonizing.

[Brandon]

Anyone else think the font CA uses on I-5 San Clemente new signs is a bit squished?

The crown jewel  being this sign at the CA-1/I-5 split. The first letter size in particular is agonizing.

They're bad, but for this thread...

Post the worst, most ineptly put together pieces of crap in your state. Not just "oh, it's in Clearview", "wrong type of shield", or "it's a bubble shield" or anything like that. We're talking pure, unadulterated suck here. Stuff that makes you wonder what they were thinking. Stuff that should only result from a night of binge drinking at the sign shop. Like this!

Again, "Post the worst, most ineptly put together pieces of crap in your state. Not just "oh, it's in Clearview", "wrong type of shield", or "it's a bubble shield" or anything like that. We're talking pure, unadulterated suck here. Stuff that makes you wonder what they were thinking. Stuff that should only result from a night of binge drinking at the sign shop."

[csw]

Anyone else think the font CA uses on I-5 San Clemente new signs is a bit squished?

If you think this is problematic, then never visit Georgia.

[roadman]

I found this steaming POS logo sign on I-40 outside Gallup in (shocker!) New Mexico...
https://www.google.com/maps/@35.4987917,-108.8432926,3a,43.1y,109.31h,97.23t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s3APGbqcKRmG1g5D11Icypg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Huh?  Apart from the huge gap between LODGING and the exit number, that panel actually looks better than some I've seen in Massachusetts.

[hotdogPi]

I found this steaming POS logo sign on I-40 outside Gallup in (shocker!) New Mexico...
https://www.google.com/maps/@35.4987917,-108.8432926,3a,43.1y,109.31h,97.23t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s3APGbqcKRmG1g5D11Icypg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Huh?  Apart from the huge gap between LODGING and the exit number, that panel actually looks better than some I've seen in Massachusetts.

The problem is that four of the six panels are brown.

[Big John]

Anyone else think the font CA uses on I-5 San Clemente new signs is a bit squished?

If you think this is problematic, then never visit Georgia.

They are phasing those out, if there are any left.