Sign changes submitted to DOT by roadgeeks that actually got changed

Started by FLRoads, March 21, 2009, 01:20:20 PM

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FLRoads

Recently, Alex and I wrote our county DOT and FDOT about various errors on signage in our area, such as a directional guide sign that had Tallahassee misspelled with only one 'e' at the interchange with CR 89 and Interstate 10, and two trailblazers for U.S. 90 that had a 'NORTH' banner instead of a 'TO' banner at the interchange of Interstate 10 and TOLL FL 281. On our way back from Alabama yesterday we drove by both of these locations to find that the erroneous signage had been corrected. Apparently FDOT received our inquiries and actually applied the necessary changes.

This is just one example where we have inquired to DOT about erroneous signs and actually had them corrected. I know that I wrote FDOT back in like 2003 and had them change some erroneous U.S. 301 signs that were shown as FL 301 signs at the interchange with Interstate 75 in Ellenton. I also wrote them about some U.S. 68 shields that were streamlined down FL 68 in Fort Pierce and they corrected those as well.

Alex has written them as well about adding a 'TO' banner on signage along westbound Interstate 4 at the Memorial Boulevard interchange in Lakeland and also about adding FL 295 and FL 296 signage along Interstate 110 in Pensacola. FDOT adhered to his emails as well and applying those changes.

So do any of you guys have any stories you wish to share?


Bryant5493

Well, I write to my local DOTs (GDOT, Clayton County Department of Transportation and Development, College Park Public Works, etc.). They've changed a lot of signage.

Ex. 1: US 19/41 on the I-75 access road from I-285 East was signed as "To US 19/GA-41."

Ex. 2: SR 54 along University Avenue in Downtown Atlanta was unsigned at its interchange with I-75/85. GDOT posted end signage at the I-75/85 South ramp and begin signage at the I-75/85 North ramp.

Ex. 3: Traffic light-mounted street name signage was placed on SR 6 in East Point and College Park, as well as unincorporated South Fulton County.


These are the ones that I can recall off of the top of my head. There are many more, however.


Be well,

Bryant
Check out my YouTube page (http://youtube.com/Bryant5493). I have numerous road videos of Metro Atlanta and other areas in the Southeast.

I just signed up on photobucket -- here's my page (http://s594.photobucket.com/albums/tt24/Bryant5493).

Revive 755

Only signs I'm sure were changed as a result of my contacting the DOT are a few speed limit sign in Missouri on Rte A in Jefferson County; called and got MoDOT to study the speed limit, and they eventually raised it to from 55 to 60.  I've tried to get a few other signs changed, but didn't have any luck; one was the speed limit on US 61 north of US 24, another was the guide signs on EB US 40 near I-270.  The latter I tried to get MoDOT to have EB US 40 to NB I-270 use an optional (white arrow) lane setup instead of funneling all EB traffic wanting to exit to I-270 briefly into one lane.

ComputerGuy

OOh...I tried to get some Snohomish County, WA signs fixed...I saw a US-99 shield still up in Marysville!

un1

Moderator of the Canada and Off Topic boards.


Thunder Bay Expressway - Highway 61 and 11/17 Ontario - Thunder Bay, Ontario

bugo

I inadvertently got two error OK 82 shields removed from US 59 south of Sallisaw.  On a newly completed section of expressway, ODOT placed US 59/OK 82 shields on mainline 59.  I was perplexed, and emailed my ODOT contact, and they replied that the signs were placed in error and would be removed.  Next time I drove through they were gone.  Now I wish I had just kept quiet.

Voyager

I got Caltrans to fix the US 101 entrance shield that was missing it's numbers at SFO once. At least I think it was me that brought it's attention to them.
Back From The Dead | AARoads Forum Original

WillWeaverRVA

I managed to get the US 157 shields at Gaskins Road and Quioccasin Road (which are VA 157) fixed, as well as the long-standing US 161 in Richmond along US 33/250.
Will Weaver
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"But how will the oxen know where to drown if we renumber the Oregon Trail?" - NE2

corco


Alex

I definitely agree with you on some of that, but other aspects, I will write, especially if the number is wrong. One thing I wrote about earlier this year is a JCT US 90 shield posted on US 90 westbound ahead of US 98. The sign of course should display Jct US 98, but even better should display Jct US 98/FL 289, so I wrote about it.

elsmere241

I wouldn't know where to start with DelDOT.  Right now (for instance) they're Clearvuing the DE 141 freeway, and not only are all the signs carbon-copy, some of them have new spelling mistakes.

vdeane

About 10 years ago the exit gore sign for I-590 exit 3 went away in the winter, probably due to an accident.  It remained gone for three years until I mentioned it in an email to the DOT.

Around this time I was invited to visit the region 4 DOT office and got to learn about the 490 reconstruction project (the one that is being completed this year; also got to visit the reconstruction/widening of I-490 in Victor being done at the time as well as the Troop-Howell Bridge reconstruction three years later).  They mentioned that the ramps at I-490 exit 11 (westbound) for Ames St and Child St were being split.  They weren't sure how they were going to number the exits at the time.  I suggested 11A and 11B.  Guess what they're numbered now... ;-)
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

mightyace

QuoteThey weren't sure how they were going to number the exits at the time.  I suggested 11A and 11B.  Guess what they're numbered now...

I'm glad to see you made a difference.

Of course, they wouldn't have had that problem had they gone to mileage-based exit numbering.  :-D
My Flickr Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mightyace

I'm out of this F***KING PLACE!

Bryant5493

deanej said:
They weren't sure how they were going to number the exits at the time.  I suggested 11A and 11B.  Guess what they're numbered now...

Bryant5493 says:
That's awesome.


Be well,

Bryant
Check out my YouTube page (http://youtube.com/Bryant5493). I have numerous road videos of Metro Atlanta and other areas in the Southeast.

I just signed up on photobucket -- here's my page (http://s594.photobucket.com/albums/tt24/Bryant5493).

Alex

QuoteI wouldn't know where to start with DelDOT.  Right now (for instance) they're Clearvuing the DE 141 freeway, and not only are all the signs carbon-copy, some of them have new spelling mistakes.

Oh do tell!

PennDotfan took some photos two weekends ago of some of the most recent carbon copied signs. I see that MUST EXIT is now in Clearview...

Scott5114

I'm compiling a list of Oklahoma sign errors on my site right now. After I "finish" my site, ODOT will be welcome to have at it. They have quite a job, though...I have 50ish errors so far...
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef

cjk374

Pardon my ignorance...What is clearview?  What are gore signs?
Runnin' roads and polishin' rails.

Bryant5493

^^ Gore signs are signs located in the gore area of, say, a freeway (ex., exit signage). The gore is a painted triangular shape between the regular travel lane and the exit lane. It's also illegal to pass over this shape, due to visibility issues.


Be well,

Bryant
Check out my YouTube page (http://youtube.com/Bryant5493). I have numerous road videos of Metro Atlanta and other areas in the Southeast.

I just signed up on photobucket -- here's my page (http://s594.photobucket.com/albums/tt24/Bryant5493).

Duke87

And Clearview is a new font that's started popping up on signs in the past few years, different from the traditional FHWA fonts. Some people at a couple universities apparently did a study and determined that the traditional fonts sometimes suffered from visibility issues in certain conditions, so they came up with a new font to correct those problems, and now some DOTs have started using it.

Personally, I think they discovered a theoretical problem that really isn't much of a problem practically. Besides, the new font they came up with just doesn't look right.

By comparison, traditional font on the left, Clearview on the right:


Hideous, no?
If you always take the same road, you will never see anything new.

Bryant5493

^^ I prefer the one of the left. It looks better to me.

I like the mileage post next to both of the BGSs.

Be well,

Bryant
Check out my YouTube page (http://youtube.com/Bryant5493). I have numerous road videos of Metro Atlanta and other areas in the Southeast.

I just signed up on photobucket -- here's my page (http://s594.photobucket.com/albums/tt24/Bryant5493).

deathtopumpkins

Ick... Clearview is so hideous... Duke, you summed it up perfectly by saying "it just doesn't look right." That is exactly how I feel.
Disclaimer: All posts represent my personal opinions and not those of my employer.

Clinched Highways | Counties Visited

cjk374

Runnin' roads and polishin' rails.

Tarkus

Clearview is indeed hideous.  It's not clear at all.  Quite frankly, I think some of the FHWA's recent suggestions/changes in the MUTCD are a step in the wrong direction.

There's a few misspelled and incorrect signs here in Oregon.  The one nearest to me is the OR-99W shields on OR-99 on the new Hilyard Street alignment, that was built last year.  I've been meaning to report those.  They also consistently screw up with OR-223 north of Dallas.

Some of the other ones are the result of ODOT not bothering to re-sign spots where they've re-adjusted routes, particularly around the "Willy Wonka Zone" near the Ross Island Bridge in Portland.

-Alex (Tarkus)

roadfro

A couple items I brought up to the City of Las Vegas were indeed changed:

*When the city expanded a park near my house, cars were parking on the main road into my subdivision to go to baseball games and such.  These drivers were quite careless in their parking maneuvers and would walk in the middle of the street to get to their cars.  A little while after I contacted the city, they striped a bike lane along the road and erected no parking signs, prompting more people to actually use the parking provided in the park.
*When the city was installing a traffic signal at Rainbow Blvd & Gowan Rd, they inadvertently mixed up the block numbers on the illuminated street name signs.  The signs were changed within two weeks.

One thing I pointed out to NDOT was never changed.  Some exit numbers on US 95 in northwest Las Vegas are different from where their mileage-based numbers should be.  This would be every exit north of Craig Road (exit 85).  There is about one mile to the next interchange at Rancho Dr & Ann Road, it should be exit 86 but has been signed as exit 90 since opening.  Each Las Vegas exit north of Craig Road is numbered about 4 miles higher than what it should be.  When I emailed NDOT about this several years ago, I was told they'd look into it--I never received another response and the numbers haven't changed.
Roadfro - AARoads Pacific Southwest moderator since 2010, Nevada roadgeek since 1983.

Bryant5493

Check out my YouTube page (http://youtube.com/Bryant5493). I have numerous road videos of Metro Atlanta and other areas in the Southeast.

I just signed up on photobucket -- here's my page (http://s594.photobucket.com/albums/tt24/Bryant5493).



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