Unique, Odd, or Interesting Signs aka The good, the bad, and the ugly

[Pete from Boston]

I really wish I was on some kind of forum for OCD designers, who lose their lunch over things like this, but it fits just fine here too.

I am a bit OCD when it comes to sign designs, though I'm usually not one to "lose my lunch" as you say. However your picture does dis please me greatly as there are at least 5 major things wrong displayed within it, which is pretty ridiculous!

I was mostly focusing on the slight tilt to fit the text, which I'm sure some folks find absolutely maddening.

[Scott5114]

The most maddening thing about it is that it absolutely doesn't have to be that way, because the sign should be a white rectangle anyway!

[formulanone]

I really wish I was on some kind of forum for OCD designers, who lose their lunch over things like this, but it fits just fine here too.

I am a bit OCD when it comes to sign designs, though I'm usually not one to "lose my lunch" as you say. However your picture does dis please me greatly as there are at least 5 major things wrong displayed within it, which is pretty ridiculous!

I was mostly focusing on the slight tilt to fit the text, which I'm sure some folks find absolutely maddening.

It has the answers right, but the questions were wrong...

[US 89]

Taken on I-15 in Lehi, UT.

[Billy F 1988]

OK kids, you'll probably need your eye bleach for this one...


This is at the exit from a DART transit center-light rail station in Plano, TX.  More than a bit strange, as the Stop sign looking at the right-side corner is a regular we've-all-seen-it MUTCD kind, correct font and all.  I don't know why 1 Stop sign across all of DART's facilities is like the above, while the rest I've seen are the usual.  I don't even know where you'd get such a whacked-looking Stop sign from.  Anyway, hope your eyes recover... 

Somehow, this gives me more of a school bus stop sign feel with how weird the STOP characters look. I mean, it just spells putting that sign on a school bus.

[D-Dey65]

I'm pretty sure I've seen this before, because I've added some "Share the Road" signs on Wikimedia Commons, but not like this.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Grand_Boulevard_-_Greenwood_MS_-_Share_the_Road_Sign_(28308409758).jpg

[J3ebrules]

I'm pretty sure I've seen this before, because I've added some "Share the Road" signs on Wikimedia Commons, but not like this.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Grand_Boulevard_-_Greenwood_MS_-_Share_the_Road_Sign_(28308409758).jpg

Am I the only one who cannot read that sign without looking really hard at it, zooming in, and squinting? That sign can't be much more legible in person.

[formulanone]

I'm pretty sure I've seen this before, because I've added some "Share the Road" signs on Wikimedia Commons, but not like this.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Grand_Boulevard_-_Greenwood_MS_-_Share_the_Road_Sign_(28308409758).jpg

Am I the only one who cannot read that sign without looking really hard at it, zooming in, and squinting? That sign can't be much more legible in person.

It's also very green.

I took the photo in early daylight, so it's a little washed out.

[jakeroot]

Am I the only one who cannot read that sign without looking really hard at it, zooming in, and squinting? That sign can't be much more legible in person.

I can read it fine; maybe it's your monitor? It's just a white-on-green sign.

[J N Winkler]

I can read the message just fine on my screen without having to zoom or squint, but it doesn't surprise me Formulaone says it was taken in flat light--the background does seem a little burnt out.  With available light one has to be prepared to take some lumps.

[roadman65]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/54480415@N08/49606922288/in/dateposted-public/
Never heard of an Alternate Junction before.   Of course the ALT tab is in the wrong place as much as the US 27 shield.   Only US 27 is an ALT route as both 19 & 98 are mainline here in Old Town, FL.

[roadman65]

https://goo.gl/maps/BpSUfnjYmwPTnALWA
In this one GSV image, plenty of neat signs as well as a shocker (a 25 mph speed limit on a freeway) exists all in one vantage point.

[mrsman]

Here's an odd one from Detroit. Not sure by the meaning of "Second Two-Way"...

I think "Second" is being used as a street name here, and the sign is telling you that Second (Street? Avenue?) is a two-way street here.

I really like this and I wish more cities would do something similar.

Yes, it is telling us that Second Ave is changing from a one-way to a two-way and that it would be better for moving traffic to take a different route. Generally speaking, it is far easier to synchronize traffic signals on one way streets, so if you want to hit the green wave, you are better off taking their recommendation and driving on one of the other recommended streets.

The Detroit area is generally very good about optimizing surface streets for traffic flow.  Even some two-way surface streets like Woodward and Telegraph are optimized that can enable miles of travel with only getting a handful of red signals.

[D-Dey65]

I was going to start a whole new thread on this, but I changed my mind.

Does anybody see this sign here?
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:US-CO_-_Denver_-_Sign_-_North_America_-_Yellow_-_Road_Trip_-_Cutout_(4891803029).jpg

I just found out Canada has no such an equivalent:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_MUTCD-influenced_traffic_signs

I find that surprising, especially for a city like Toronto. Or would there be too many of them?

[roadfro]

I was going to start a whole new thread on this, but I changed my mind.

Does anybody see this sign here?
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:US-CO_-_Denver_-_Sign_-_North_America_-_Yellow_-_Road_Trip_-_Cutout_(4891803029).jpg

I just found out Canada has no such an equivalent:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_MUTCD-influenced_traffic_signs

I find that surprising, especially for a city like Toronto. Or would there be too many of them?

I'm pretty sure the *US* has no such equivalent, as I don't believe that first one is an MUTCD-compliant sign or symbol.

[mrsman]

I was going to start a whole new thread on this, but I changed my mind.

Does anybody see this sign here?
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:US-CO_-_Denver_-_Sign_-_North_America_-_Yellow_-_Road_Trip_-_Cutout_(4891803029).jpg

I just found out Canada has no such an equivalent:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_MUTCD-influenced_traffic_signs

I find that surprising, especially for a city like Toronto. Or would there be too many of them?

I'm pretty sure the *US* has no such equivalent, as I don't believe that first one is an MUTCD-compliant sign or symbol.

Corrrect, the standard symbol is the standard R X R.  No distinction made for light rail or trolleys, but probably a good argument to be made for new symbols for light rail.  They're faster, lighter, and more frequent than standard trains.  It is a different thing to watch out for.

And given the number of accidents between cars and light rail in such cities as L.A, it may be a good idea to have the warning.

[stevashe]

I was going to start a whole new thread on this, but I changed my mind.

Does anybody see this sign here?
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:US-CO_-_Denver_-_Sign_-_North_America_-_Yellow_-_Road_Trip_-_Cutout_(4891803029).jpg

I just found out Canada has no such an equivalent:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_MUTCD-influenced_traffic_signs

I find that surprising, especially for a city like Toronto. Or would there be too many of them?

I'm pretty sure the *US* has no such equivalent, as I don't believe that first one is an MUTCD-compliant sign or symbol.

According to the Wikipedia article, it's California only. Looks like it's part of their state MUTCD.

[Rothman]

Do not cross the Thruway.

[machias]

Do not cross the Thruway.

Indian Castle / Iroquois Service Areas? I think they tore that bridge down just to keep people from skipping Roy Rogers to go to Burger King on the other side.

[jakeroot]

I was going to start a whole new thread on this, but I changed my mind.

Does anybody see this sign here?
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:US-CO_-_Denver_-_Sign_-_North_America_-_Yellow_-_Road_Trip_-_Cutout_(4891803029).jpg

I just found out Canada has no such an equivalent:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_MUTCD-influenced_traffic_signs

I find that surprising, especially for a city like Toronto. Or would there be too many of them?

I'm pretty sure the *US* has no such equivalent, as I don't believe that first one is an MUTCD-compliant sign or symbol.

According to the Wikipedia article, it's California only. Looks like it's part of their state MUTCD.

We have a unique style in Tacoma, used only at driveway/trolley crossover points. There's a trolley symbol plus "LOOK BOTH WAYS". These would have been installed around 2002/2003.

[US 89]

I was going to start a whole new thread on this, but I changed my mind.

Does anybody see this sign here?
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:US-CO_-_Denver_-_Sign_-_North_America_-_Yellow_-_Road_Trip_-_Cutout_(4891803029).jpg

I just found out Canada has no such an equivalent:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_MUTCD-influenced_traffic_signs

I find that surprising, especially for a city like Toronto. Or would there be too many of them?

I'm pretty sure the *US* has no such equivalent, as I don't believe that first one is an MUTCD-compliant sign or symbol.

According to the Wikipedia article, it's California only. Looks like it's part of their state MUTCD.

We have a unique style in Tacoma, used only at driveway/trolley crossover points. There's a trolley symbol plus "LOOK BOTH WAYS". These would have been installed around 2002/2003.

That same style is used at some of the TRAX light rail crossings in Salt Lake City. Here's one example at the 1300 South crossing - these particular signs are new within the past couple years, but I'm fairly sure they've used these on at least a limited basis since the first lines went in around 2000.

[thenetwork]

Earlier this week, I came face-to-face with the biggest freeway sign I've ever seen in Salt Lake City.  The photo makes it look smaller than what it actually is.

When UDOT ever replaces that sign, I can probably make an all-aluminum 3-car garage out of it.

https://goo.gl/maps/aumy7DrErvPewdYEA

[US 89]

I knew exactly what this was going to be before I clicked the link. Here's a photo I have that might do a better job showing how big it is - compare to the size of the truck right beneath it:

[PHLBOS]

I knew exactly what this was going to be before I clicked the link. Here's a photo I have that might do a better job showing how big it is - compare to the size of the truck right beneath it:

Aye, ye, ye. 

Assuming that Belt Route is the street name for I-215; such should've not been included IMHO.  Elimination of that line would've reduced the overall panel height a tad.

Additionally, one could substitute the 2-line Salt Lake City International Airport legend for a single-line SLC Int'l Airport legend or equivalent.  Such a change would also reduce the panel height as well without loss of information.

Lastly, should the 15 SOUTH Salt Lake City portion of the APL even be included at all?  The shared-movement lane only applies for the Exit 312 (US 89 South) & 313 (I-215 South) movements.  Maybe a better approach for the I-15 South pull-through sign would be to utilize a separate & more sensible-sized panel with or without the three upward arrows or feature a black-on-yellow placard that reads LEFT 3 LANES.

Another solution would be to simply use the old-school downward arrows on three separate panels.

Maybe some of our sign gurus can take a stab at modifying/redesigning the above in the Redesign this! thread.

[roadman]

I knew exactly what this was going to be before I clicked the link. Here's a photo I have that might do a better job showing how big it is - compare to the size of the truck right beneath it:

Same control city (Salt Lake City) for two different Interstate routes on the same sign is a big no-no.