A couple of signage issues in central Illinois

[A.J. Bertin]

Last week I was on a county-collecting trip in western and southern Illinois, and there were a couple of occasions where I did (or almost did) get turned around because of inadequate signage. I thought I'd mention them here in case anyone else has or hasn't noticed... or maybe I overlooked a sign or two while I was driving.

The first issue... outside of Springfield IL on northbound IL 4 as you're approaching IL 29. My route was to take IL 4 north to IL 29 north, and I missed my turn onto IL 29 because of this sign: https://www.google.com/maps/@39.8328021,-89.666753,3a,75y,68.63h,90.65t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sZ1o63oJjgHjTwTgGFtiBpw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

It says that IL 29 (aka J. David Jones Pkwy.) is "ahead". While that's technically correct, there is no signage saying that you need to turn left to go north on 29. So I passed that intersection and discovered that I should have turned left, so I had to turn around. That was annoying and could have been avoided if the signage for 29 was adequate.

The second issue... just past the town of Beardstown IL on northbound U.S. 67 after crossing the Illinois River. I was getting ready to turn left onto IL 103 but I swore I could not find any signage for IL 103... only IL 100. (If you turn right, you go north on IL 100 but if you turn left, you go west on IL 103.) A Street View image on Google Maps from 2016 shows that there is an advance sign that mentions IL 103 but I don't remember seeing it when I was out there. I'm just wondering if anyone is familiar with that area and can provide any insight. Fortunately it didn't cause any problems for me but it almost did.

I guess I could have posted this topic in either the Ohio Valley board or the Midwest board because these issues are in central Illinois. I was thinking these places were farther south in Illinois than they really are.

[mrsman]

Another reason that the regional boards should not break states into more than one region.

Nexus 5X

[A.J. Bertin]

I wonder if I should post this topic in the Midwest board.

[edwaleni]

Last week I was on a county-collecting trip in western and southern Illinois, and there were a couple of occasions where I did (or almost did) get turned around because of inadequate signage. I thought I'd mention them here in case anyone else has or hasn't noticed... or maybe I overlooked a sign or two while I was driving.

The first issue... outside of Springfield IL on northbound IL 4 as you're approaching IL 29. My route was to take IL 4 north to IL 29 north, and I missed my turn onto IL 29 because of this sign: https://www.google.com/maps/@39.8328021,-89.666753,3a,75y,68.63h,90.65t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sZ1o63oJjgHjTwTgGFtiBpw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

It says that IL 29 (aka J. David Jones Pkwy.) is "ahead". While that's technically correct, there is no signage saying that you need to turn left to go north on 29. So I passed that intersection and discovered that I should have turned left, so I had to turn around. That was annoying and could have been avoided if the signage for 29 was adequate.

The second issue... just past the town of Beardstown IL on northbound U.S. 67 after crossing the Illinois River. I was getting ready to turn left onto IL 103 but I swore I could not find any signage for IL 103... only IL 100. (If you turn right, you go north on IL 100 but if you turn left, you go west on IL 103.) A Street View image on Google Maps from 2016 shows that there is an advance sign that mentions IL 103 but I don't remember seeing it when I was out there. I'm just wondering if anyone is familiar with that area and can provide any insight. Fortunately it didn't cause any problems for me but it almost did.

I guess I could have posted this topic in either the Ohio Valley board or the Midwest board because these issues are in central Illinois. I was thinking these places were farther south in Illinois than they really are.

At bottom of the sign it says "Passenger Terminal" with a left turn notification.  Seems fairly clear to me.  Granted it could have been more broken out, but I understood it at first look.

As for the US67/IL-100/IL-103 intersection, I think you were looking for this sign. But as you can see, it is attached to a lightpole in the right turn lane. Not helpful when you think you need to turn left.

[sparker]

The second issue... just past the town of Beardstown IL on northbound U.S. 67 after crossing the Illinois River. I was getting ready to turn left onto IL 103 but I swore I could not find any signage for IL 103... only IL 100. (If you turn right, you go north on IL 100 but if you turn left, you go west on IL 103.) A Street View image on Google Maps from 2016 shows that there is an advance sign that mentions IL 103 but I don't remember seeing it when I was out there. I'm just wondering if anyone is familiar with that area and can provide any insight. Fortunately it didn't cause any problems for me but it almost did.

As for the US67/IL-100/IL-103 intersection, I think you were looking for this sign. But as you can see, it is attached to a lightpole in the right turn lane. Not helpful when you think you need to turn left.

Signage crew foreman:

"...........OK, Steve, grab the posthole digger..........Whatta you mean, we don't have one?  Hey, Ricky, didn't you pick one up at the yard?.................The Meredosia guys got the last one?  So where the fuck we're supposed to put this assembly?...........You really think we should just screw it on to that lamppost way over there?  How's anybody gonna see the damn thing?...............yeah, you're right, that's not our problem.  We got some quarter-inch hexhead woodies?  Good; let's get this over with so we can head home....................."