New York State Thruway

[froggie]

What's the construction in the background?  Some SUNY expansion?

[Buffaboy]

What's the construction in the background?  Some SUNY expansion?

That's SUNY Poly's Albany campus. If you study nanoscale engineering (only about 100-300 students), you'd go there. Everyone else attends the other campus.

[thenetwork]

The lights have been in place west of Buffalo in several locations for over a year. I know this has been mentioned several times before. "Toll" assemblies on NY 77 went up no later than 2013, probably earlier.

White-on-Black TOLL banners???  That is....odd. 

[WNYroadgeek]

There are TOLL auxiliary signs on the route sign assemblies on NY 77. Those are the first of those I've seen anywhere.  (https://goo.gl/maps/J5Rvf, https://goo.gl/maps/ijXjd)

There's also some (properly rendered in white on blue) along US 20 in Pavilion (namely at its' intersections with NY 19 and NY 63).

[cl94]

Another round of new advances for Exit 9 is up along I-190. All FHWA. I stress that this is an NYSDOT project, but it certainly makes one wonder if NYSTA is preparing to drop Clearview.

[Buffaboy]

Another round of new advances for Exit 9 is up along I-190. All FHWA. I stress that this is an NYSDOT project, but it certainly makes one wonder if NYSTA is preparing to drop Clearview.

Why would they want to drop it? It's becoming the standard.

[cl94]

Another round of new advances for Exit 9 is up along I-190. All FHWA. I stress that this is an NYSDOT project, but it certainly makes one wonder if NYSTA is preparing to drop Clearview.

Why would they want to drop it? It's becoming the standard.

Because sources tell us that the FHWA is getting ready to rescind interim approval. I talked to a couple people from FHWA at TRB about it and they're preparing to pull the plug. The font is either equivalent to or worse than FHWA fonts depending on application and many states/agencies are blatantly violating some of the regulations.

[hbelkins]

many states/agencies are blatantly violating some of the regulations.

The fact that there are regulations about the use of fonts on signs... Oh wait, don't get me started. 

[Zeffy]

Because sources tell us that the FHWA is getting ready to rescind interim approval. I talked to a couple people from FHWA at TRB about it and they're preparing to pull the plug. The font is either equivalent to or worse than FHWA fonts depending on application and many states/agencies are blatantly violating some of the regulations.

My county, which was one of two counties in New Jersey to use Clearview for their street sign blades and signs, seems to have backpedaled on that. I've seen many new FHWA street blades in Somerset County which makes me think that they are dropping it as well. NJDOT has already said that the Clearview on I-295 and I-195 was an experiment, which ultimately failed.

If you use it like PennDOT / PTC does now (which is only used in the destination legend and nothing else), then Clearview is great. However, if you use it like MDSHA, NYSTA, or a number of state signing agencies, then you are impacting the legibility of the sign. Series EEM will become the new standard for destination legends as EM's main feature was a thicker stroke width to accommodate button copy reflectors. We don't use button copy (sadly) anymore, but the letterforms of Series E with the spacing of Series EM has proven to be just as legibile if not more than Clearview in a number of applications.

[vdeane]

All of the newer FHWA signs on the Thruway are all NYSDOT-style instead of NYSTA-style, so I'm guessing that they were made from the NYSDOT sign shop or a contractor rather than NYSTA's sign shop.

[Flyer78]

The lights have been in place west of Buffalo in several locations for over a year. I know this has been mentioned several times before. "Toll" assemblies on NY 77 went up no later than 2013, probably earlier.

Noticed ground mounted lights westbound for the 481 exit, as well as Exit 39 for 690. In both cases, it looked like the eastbound compliment was lit as well.

[cl94]

I-90 closing overnight in Cheektowaga at Exit 50A now through Wednesday night. Detour for through traffic is via NY 33 and NY 78, detour for I-290 traffic is NY 277. Steel is going up. Only full closure is Sunday night, others are directional. Weather dependent, of course.

[Zeffy]

I thought the Thruway Authority was better than this. Did NYSTA tone the Clearview down since these were put up? I've found a number of signs that feature negative contrast Clearview around the Nyack area.

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.096891,-74.0464077,3a,41y,274.54h,90.92t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s6n9SkrWxu2t9Wq-PlSvwvg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.0980071,-74.0392494,3a,15y,266.04h,94.6t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sWO-5PJ8zcsYVMALjmyCCjw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[Buffaboy]

I thought the Thruway Authority was better than this. Did NYSTA tone the Clearview down since these were put up? I've found a number of signs that feature negative contrast Clearview around the Nyack area.

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.096891,-74.0464077,3a,41y,274.54h,90.92t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s6n9SkrWxu2t9Wq-PlSvwvg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.0980071,-74.0392494,3a,15y,266.04h,94.6t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sWO-5PJ8zcsYVMALjmyCCjw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

I feel like I can't tell the difference between this and the Clearview I see around WNY.

[Zeffy]

I feel like I can't tell the difference between this and the Clearview I see around WNY.

From what I've seen, the Clearview in the Western half of New York looks to be everything but negative contrast use. Here, it's pretty much everywhere, though I haven't seen one in the shield numerals yet (and hope I don't). I thought NYSTA used it like PennDOT and TXDOT used to use it - everywhere but negative contrast situations.

EDIT: I spoke too soon. Look at what I found (ON A NEW JERSEY MARKER NO-LESS):
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.1196899,-74.1270413,3a,44.9y,290.05h,99.24t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sD6TwcXiMOYtMuCxL6xdB7g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[cl94]

I feel like I can't tell the difference between this and the Clearview I see around WNY.

From what I've seen, the Clearview in the Western half of New York looks to be everything but negative contrast use. Here, it's pretty much everywhere, though I haven't seen one in the shield numerals yet (and hope I don't). I thought NYSTA used it like PennDOT and TXDOT used to use it - everywhere but negative contrast situations.

EDIT: I spoke too soon. Look at what I found (ON A NEW JERSEY MARKER NO-LESS):
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.1196899,-74.1270413,3a,44.9y,290.05h,99.24t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sD6TwcXiMOYtMuCxL6xdB7g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

NYSTA uses it for everything. Negative contrast is everywhere and the Exit 55 advances have it in the shields.

[PurdueBill]

NYSTA uses it for everything. Negative contrast is everywhere and the Exit 55 advances have it in the shields.

That will be the undoing of Clearview...agencies using it in all sorts of unapproved applications.  I'm happy with Massachusetts and Indiana, two states I have association with, for not jumping on the bandwagon, and sad that Delaware, which I also have association with, went from having some of the better looking signs around to some of the worst in part due to botched Clearview.

[hbelkins]

agencies using it in all sorts of unapproved applications.

The idea that the feds can approve what fonts states use on signs, and how those fonts are used, still frosts my flakes.

[froggie]

Anyone got the milk for HB's flakes?

[empirestate]

agencies using it in all sorts of unapproved applications.

The idea that the feds can approve what fonts states use on signs, and how those fonts are used, still frosts my flakes.

So, you like the idea? That sounds like favorable imagery.


iPhone

[machias]

I feel like I can't tell the difference between this and the Clearview I see around WNY.

From what I've seen, the Clearview in the Western half of New York looks to be everything but negative contrast use. Here, it's pretty much everywhere, though I haven't seen one in the shield numerals yet (and hope I don't). I thought NYSTA used it like PennDOT and TXDOT used to use it - everywhere but negative contrast situations.

EDIT: I spoke too soon. Look at what I found (ON A NEW JERSEY MARKER NO-LESS):
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.1196899,-74.1270413,3a,44.9y,290.05h,99.24t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sD6TwcXiMOYtMuCxL6xdB7g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

NYSTA uses it for everything. Negative contrast is everywhere and the Exit 55 advances have it in the shields.

I frequently send emails and letters to the Thruway Authority complaining about their abuse of Clearview. I even print out the guidelines from the FHWA site and send along a brochure, complete with Thruway references where they're doing it wrong. 

They've never responded.

[PHLBOS]

EDIT: I spoke too soon. Look at what I found (ON A NEW JERSEY MARKER NO-LESS):
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.1196899,-74.1270413,3a,44.9y,290.05h,99.24t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sD6TwcXiMOYtMuCxL6xdB7g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Obviously, only the NJ 17 shield on that BGS is new.  The original NJ 17 shield must've either fallen off or became faded beyond recognition.

I frequently send emails and letters to the Thruway Authority complaining about their abuse of Clearview. I even print out the guidelines from the FHWA site and send along a brochure, complete with Thruway references where they're doing it wrong. 

They've never responded.

Even worse, the Thruway Authority doesn't even use reflectorized lettering & numerals for their newer BGS' w/Clearview (at least along the I-87/287 segment) thereby making them almost impossible to read at night from a distance.  Such litterally defeats the whole reason for using the Clearview font.

[Buffaboy]

I feel like I can't tell the difference between this and the Clearview I see around WNY.

From what I've seen, the Clearview in the Western half of New York looks to be everything but negative contrast use. Here, it's pretty much everywhere, though I haven't seen one in the shield numerals yet (and hope I don't). I thought NYSTA used it like PennDOT and TXDOT used to use it - everywhere but negative contrast situations.

EDIT: I spoke too soon. Look at what I found (ON A NEW JERSEY MARKER NO-LESS):
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.1196899,-74.1270413,3a,44.9y,290.05h,99.24t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sD6TwcXiMOYtMuCxL6xdB7g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

NYSTA uses it for everything. Negative contrast is everywhere and the Exit 55 advances have it in the shields.

I frequently send emails and letters to the Thruway Authority complaining about their abuse of Clearview. I even print out the guidelines from the FHWA site and send along a brochure, complete with Thruway references where they're doing it wrong. 

They've never responded.

Interesting how we as taxpayers fund these agencies and cannot correspond with any of them over concerns. I mean really, there can't be 20,000 people writing to the NYSTA a year over this.

[vdeane]

I'm pretty sure NYSTA is funded entirely through toll dollars... some of which go to NYSDOT and the canal, on top of Thruway needs.

[cl94]

I'm pretty sure NYSTA is funded entirely through toll dollars... some of which go to NYSDOT and the canal, on top of Thruway needs.

Correct. That's why the trucker's union is suing NYSTA. Personally, I think that the canal should be NYSDOT and taxpayer-supported (if not NYSTA as well), but they don't ask my opinion.