Signage pet peeves

[Quillz]

A few more...

-3-digit sized route shields for a 2/1-digit route. South Carolina's new state route shield and Tennessee's state route shields have that for all their routes, and they don't look good in my opinion.

I'm not a fan of wide shields in general, but I do think the '61 3di shield looks okay for 1- and 2-di:

[mjb2002]

The all uppercase street signs in my home county because they use a totally inappropriate font (Arial) on them.

The FHWA Series fonts are the only proper usage of all uppercase on street signs. But, it is a moot point now because all signs have to be mixed case. (And quite frankly, I am glad.)

Richland County, S.C. uses the FHWA series C, as does Augusta-Richmond County, Ga.

[agentsteel53]

Two Way Traffic Sign with arrows reversed (telling you to drive on wrong side)

is that possible??  If you hang a sign with two arrows upside down, it will end up as the same sign.  180 degree rotational symmetry.

in a similar vein, but significantly worse: ONE WAY sign hung upside down.  You cannot tell if it was installed in reverse, or if someone grabbed the wrong direction from the shop and decided to install it upside down  so the arrow pointed in the right way.

[agentsteel53]

also: '70 spec signage.  '61 spec is a whole hell of a lot nicer looking.

[NE2]

Two Way Traffic Sign with arrows reversed (telling you to drive on wrong side)

is that possible??  If you hang a sign with two arrows upside down, it will end up as the same sign.  180 degree rotational symmetry.

Misprint. I've seen the occasional center right-turn lane sign in the US. It's something to laugh at the first few times, then ignore.

[Alps]

JCT the route you're already on.  Connecticut seems to be the worst offender, but I found out Kentucky will do it every time the route you're on makes a turn, so maybe they'll take over as worst.

[rawmustard]

Two Way Traffic Sign with arrows reversed (telling you to drive on wrong side)

is that possible??  If you hang a sign with two arrows upside down, it will end up as the same sign.  180 degree rotational symmetry..

Quite possible. For some reason, the sign shop reflects the correct image.

Misprint. I've seen the occasional center right-turn lane sign in the US. It's something to laugh at the first few times, then ignore.

Oddly enough, I have one of these as well.

[agentsteel53]

[honest to goodness upside down double-arrow sign]

well I'll be damned.  Looks like they put the screen backwards when printing or something.

[hbelkins]

JCT the route you're already on.  Connecticut seems to be the worst offender, but I found out Kentucky will do it every time the route you're on makes a turn, so maybe they'll take over as worst.

Actually, it's not that common in Kentucky. You must have encountered several aberrations. Illinois, however, is terrible for that.

[US71]

JCT the route you're already on.  Connecticut seems to be the worst offender, but I found out Kentucky will do it every time the route you're on makes a turn, so maybe they'll take over as worst.

Actually, it's not that common in Kentucky. You must have encountered several aberrations. Illinois, however, is terrible for that.

Tennessee does it a lot. Missouri does it occasionally. I've seen Arkansas do it once or twice, but hardly ever.

[mightyace]

^^^^

Hmm, for some reason I can't remember seeing any errant junction signs with one exception.  I'm not saying they aren't there, I just don't recall seeing any.

The sign where hidden TN-7 leaves US 31 in Columbia to be an independent route, technically an error but not as far as the average driver is concerned.

[KEK Inc.]

Did the hire a British intern to make the signs or something? 

My biggest pet peeve is exit tabs used on the wrong side.  California is notorious as well as Washington in Cowlitz County.  A lot of left exits in Northern California still have right exit tabs.  Meanwhile, normal (right) exits in Cowlitz County, WA, have left exit tabs.

[brownpelican]

JCT the route you're already on.  Connecticut seems to be the worst offender, but I found out Kentucky will do it every time the route you're on makes a turn, so maybe they'll take over as worst.

Louisiana is now guilty of that...they've done it when they replaced the old signs with the new black/white ones.

[kurumi]

On preview, a lot of things bug me

Big Green Signs:

• Gantries where all panels are the same height, regardless of content (California)
• Exit "tabs" formed by taking a corner of a sign panel by eminent domain (California)
• Jamming route markers wherever they'll fit (...)
• Omitting route markers on a BGS for an intersecting route (e.g. I-84, exit 41, "secret" CT route 173)
• Button copy outline shields (instead of black on white) for CT routes (examples)
  

Non-BGS sign assemblies:

• Cardinal directions omitted (no east, west, etc) (examples)
• Shortcuts such as one shield for both directions, or a double arrow instead of separate arrows (examples)
• Mismatched or inappropriate fonts

[Mergingtraffic]

When on a two lane exit, with an optional lane and the BGS signs don't recognize the optional lane.  They only sign one lane as an "exit only" when there are two lanes that can exit (including the option lane).  They make drivers unfamiliar with the area change lanes for no reason.

[rte66man]

Two Way Traffic Sign with arrows reversed (telling you to drive on wrong side)

is that possible??  If you hang a sign with two arrows upside down, it will end up as the same sign.  180 degree rotational symmetry..

Quite possible. For some reason, the sign shop reflects the correct image.

Misprint. I've seen the occasional center right-turn lane sign in the US. It's something to laugh at the first few times, then ignore.

Oddly enough, I have one of these as well.

It makes you wonder what kind of supervision is goinig on in the sign shop. Surely there is some sort of review before the sign goes out for installation. Or "shudder" the DESIGN was wrong to begin with....

[deathtopumpkins]

When on a two lane exit, with an optional lane and the BGS signs don't recognize the optional lane.  They only sign one lane as an "exit only" when there are two lanes that can exit (including the option lane).  They make drivers unfamiliar with the area change lanes for no reason.

There's one interchange here that is really bad with that. the BGS just has one diagonal white arrow, where in fact the right lane is exit only and there is an optional lane: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=37.237423,-76.634228&spn=0.001249,0.00327&t=k&z=19

[huskeroadgeek]

Some of mine are repeats of others, although maybe stated in a somewhat different way:

I agree about not always signing US routes on interstate highways-if a highway is going to have a long unsigned concurrency with an interstate, then there's almost no point in maintaining the same number on both sides of the concurrency. On the same issue, I also don't like it when states feel they have to move every US route onto an interstate going through large cities. Indianapolis is probably the worst example of this-where every US route(and one state route) that go through the city are put on I-465. In that particular case, it's understandable why they don't sign all of the concurrent routes because signing all of them would probably be more confusing.

I have several that have to do with destination and mileage signs:

-Lack of destination signage at junctions: States sign most rural road junctions with destination signs, but often don't do so inside cities. I understand in some highly built-up places such signs may not feasible, but in many places you don't see them at all inside cities, even in lightly built-up or residential areas.

-No mileage on destination signage at junctions: This just varies state-to-state-some states sign mileage on destination signage at junctions while others just have the destinations without mileage.

-No mileage signs after road junction or after going through a city

-No destination or mileage signs at surface road junction with interstate or other freeway: You see some kind of destination signage at most such junctions, but sometimes there will be nothing except the route signs. There should be some kind of destination signage at such junctions and it's better to have mileage as well.

-Too much information on exit signs: In most cases, there should not be any more than a road name(and these are often unnecessary in rural areas) and two destinations(one for each direction) on an exit sign. Anything more is too cluttered. Also, non-place name destinations(such as tourist attractions) should be kept off exit signs and put on secondary signs unless the primary reason that the exit exists is to reach such a place.

-No control cities at freeway junctions: Every freeway should have a control city that is associated with it. I especially dislike the practice of some places(like Minnesota in the Twin Cities) of not signing any control cities with the 3di loops.

[national highway 1]

Some of mine are repeats of others, although maybe stated in a somewhat different way:

I agree about not always signing US routes on interstate highways-if a highway is going to have a long unsigned concurrency with an interstate, then there's almost no point in maintaining the same number on both sides of the concurrency. On the same issue, I also don't like it when states feel they have to move every US route onto an interstate going through large cities. Indianapolis is probably the worst example of this-where every US route(and one state route) that go through the city are put on I-465. In that particular case, it's understandable why they don't sign all of the concurrent routes because signing all of them would probably be more confusing.

I have several that have to do with destination and mileage signs:

-Lack of destination signage at junctions: States sign most rural road junctions with destination signs, but often don't do so inside cities. I understand in some highly built-up places such signs may not feasible, but in many places you don't see them at all inside cities, even in lightly built-up or residential areas.

-No mileage on destination signage at junctions: This just varies state-to-state-some states sign mileage on destination signage at junctions while others just have the destinations without mileage.

-No mileage signs after road junction or after going through a city

-No destination or mileage signs at surface road junction with interstate or other freeway: You see some kind of destination signage at most such junctions, but sometimes there will be nothing except the route signs. There should be some kind of destination signage at such junctions and it's better to have mileage as well.

-Too much information on exit signs: In most cases, there should not be any more than a road name(and these are often unnecessary in rural areas) and two destinations(one for each direction) on an exit sign. Anything more is too cluttered. Also, non-place name destinations(such as tourist attractions) should be kept off exit signs and put on secondary signs unless the primary reason that the exit exists is to reach such a place.

-No control cities at freeway junctions: Every freeway should have a control city that is associated with it. I especially dislike the practice of some places(like Minnesota in the Twin Cities) of not signing any control cities with the 3di loops.

I happen to agree with these, too.

One of my pet peeves with signage is when they replace perfectly good old button copy/porcelain BGSs with dodgier, more ghastly signs. If the State DOT wants to replace the signs, they should do so accurately.
Another is where major city (surface-street) arterials don't have state route markers. It kinda helps navigation if you're unfamiliar with the city's surroundings.

I also hate assemblies like this:

I'd prefer this:

[realjd]

Am I really the first to say sequential exit numbers?

[thenetwork]

More on Mile Markers (or in some states: Moron Mile Markers):

All mile markers on US or State Routes should use the same type of mile markers as those found on the Interstates.  This should be read to mean:

1) Mile markers should be based from either the western or southern terminus of the route and/or from the state line if and only if the route touches a state line.  
       (Not like US-163 with only 20-some physical miles in Arizona, but mile markers in the 300's!!!)

2) Mile markers should not look like eye charts (like New York State).

3) Mile markers should not be hidden in some secret code (like PA).

4) Mile markers should not be reset to zero every time you cross into a new county within the state (like OH).

[agentsteel53]

4) Mile markers should not be reset to zero every time you cross into a new county within the state (like OH).

or California.  combine that with the lack of exit numbers, and one ends up not knowing at all where they are.

[Brian556]

Oh yeah. Guess what else annoys me. Signs that have legends made from that cheap black film that shrinks and peels, and in gerneral makes a sign look like s***. It really does not make sense to use sheeting that last 10+ years with black film that barely lasts 2 years.

[national highway 1]

4) Mile markers should not be reset to zero every time you cross into a new county within the state (like OH).

or California.  combine that with the lack of exit numbers, and one ends up not knowing at all where they are.

Or Nevada.

[Laura]

- Stadium exits.  I can think of at least 8 college stadiums where the signed exit is not the best way to the stadium.  They take those following the signage out on some circuitious path and thus seperate them from those that know what they are doing.  Smart from a traffic management perspective, but at least cover the signs up the 358 days per year that there isn't a game.

How about College/University exits in general? On many occasions, the signed exit is in no way, shape, or form the best way to reach the school. My alma mater, Lynchburg College, is completely guilty of this. Exit 3A - Business US 501 (Kemper Street) is a STRAIGHT shot, yet they have spotty signage saying to continue to regular US 501...which is ridiculously out of the way and poorly signed. Even worse, Google Maps also shows US 501A (which is unsigned and perhaps decommissioned?) When I was a student ambassador (college tour guide for prospective students) people were constantly late because they would get severely lost in the city.

York College of PA is guilty of this, too. Exit 15 (Business 83) is a direct shot, but yet, the interstate signs the college at Exit 16, which is Queen St (PA 74.) This is not only an indirect shot, but reassurance signage completely disappears.

I'm sure there are other examples. It just seems silly to me to route people poorly around town when there are more or less direct routes straight to the front gates.