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

[kphoger]

As an aside, I do like that California has simplified markers for BGS, though. Omitting the state name, for example. Do other states do something similar, where they'll drop the state name on their BGS to account for smaller icons? I'm thinking of states like Wyoming that have both the state name and a logo on their shields.

Besides California, Maryland, Nebraska, Nevada, and indeed Wyoming (the cowboy doesn't appear on guide-sign shields), there are also New Mexico, Texas (multiple shield series), Louisiana, and Michigan.

I seem to remember you saying once that having different guide-sign and post-mounted shields was deprecated in the MUTCD.  Do I remember correctly?

[J N Winkler]

I seem to remember you saying once that having different guide-sign and post-mounted shields was deprecated in the MUTCD.  Do I remember correctly?

I do remember the MUTCD having language to that effect, but it appears to have been dropped in the current (2009) edition.

[Quillz]

I seem to remember you saying once that having different guide-sign and post-mounted shields was deprecated in the MUTCD.  Do I remember correctly?

I do remember the MUTCD having language to that effect, but it appears to have been dropped in the current (2009) edition.

Oh, is that why Idaho recently switched to a standardized version? I kind of like how they used a white background for BGS and black background for independent mount. I thought it had something to do with white backgrounds offering better visibility on green signs. (As California's "outline shields" were granted an exception when they switched from black to green). Something about positive contrast working better at larger sizes closer to the driver, negative contrast working better at smaller sizes farther away, explaining why black-on-white was seen on BGS but independent shields could be their own thing.

Although I might have just invented all that. Not really sure, but I thought that was the original logic behind why Idaho did that.

[Quillz]

As an aside, I do like that California has simplified markers for BGS, though. Omitting the state name, for example. Do other states do something similar, where they'll drop the state name on their BGS to account for smaller icons? I'm thinking of states like Wyoming that have both the state name and a logo on their shields.

Besides California, Maryland, Nebraska, Nevada, and indeed Wyoming (the cowboy doesn't appear on guide-sign shields), there are also New Mexico, Texas (multiple shield series), Louisiana, and Michigan.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/54480415@N08/52419694672/in/dateposted-public/

I like the way Caltrans here uses  " Junction"  on the exit sequence sign here.  Many other mileage signs for next 3 exits just display the shield only.

Oklahoma does that a lot and it drives me nuts. If there was no junction, it wouldn't be listed on the sign!

California has historically had different rules for using shields on interchange sequence signs.  Where most states will use a shield 24" high with 13.3" UC/10" LC copy and often isolate it on its own line, Caltrans has traditionally required that the shield be sized so that digit height matches lowercase loop height.  I believe it also used to require that the shield be positioned so that the digits vertically aligned with lowercase letters on the same line that did not have ascenders or descenders.  "Jct" (or any other mixed-case copy, such as a street name) thus functioned as an alignment control.  For purposes of calculating space padding, the shield was also treated as if it were not present, so that a three-line sign without shields would be the same height as a three-line sign with shields.

Nowadays, Caltrans has backed away from these practices somewhat, so recent signing plans have had details for interchange sequence signs with shields isolated on their own lines, and the digits often don't match the height of or align with the lowercase letters in any mixed-case copy used on the same line.

In terms of other states' unusual practices with interchange sequence or mileage signs, I like Nebraska's use of the word "EXIT" next to the shield and a town name to indicate that the distance is to the exit rather than to the town proper (example).

Interesting, I didn't know that at all about how they aligned the digits within shields. I'll have to look on the shield gallery and see if I can find an example. I have noticed some interstate shields that seem to have numbers oddly aligned, but now this might explain why.

[Amaury]

I just noticed these unique reassurance shields in Lewis County, Washington:

• https://goo.gl/maps/BbCeSFoNToi6X7wD6
• https://goo.gl/maps/QzgU7wowXYgjJKEVA
• https://goo.gl/maps/MzGurjAiyQ5Wi2QT6

Heading northbound on Interstate 5, the signs return to normal when the concurrency with US Route 12 ends at Exit 88. Heading southbound on Interstate 5, the signs return to normal after Exit 63. However, on the northbound side, the unique signs don't start until the concurrency with US Route 12 begins at Exit 68.

(On a somewhat off-topic side note, at Exit 68, where the US Route 12 concurrency begins (northbound) and ends (southbound), I'm rather intrigued as to why they designed the Interstate 5 entrance ramp for the southbound lanes as a sharp curve instead of being consistent and keeping it straight like the southbound exit ramp and the northbound entrance and exit ramps.)

[kkt]

I just noticed these unique reassurance shields in Lewis County, Washington:

• https://goo.gl/maps/BbCeSFoNToi6X7wD6
• https://goo.gl/maps/QzgU7wowXYgjJKEVA
• https://goo.gl/maps/MzGurjAiyQ5Wi2QT6

Heading northbound on Interstate 5, the signs return to normal when the concurrency with US Route 12 ends at Exit 88. Heading southbound on Interstate 5, the signs return to normal after Exit 63. However, on the northbound side, the unique signs don't start until the concurrency with US Route 12 begins at Exit 68.

(On a somewhat off-topic side note, at Exit 68, where the US Route 12 concurrency begins (northbound) and ends (southbound), I'm rather intrigued as to why they designed the Interstate 5 entrance ramp for the southbound lanes as a sharp curve instead of being consistent and keeping it straight like the southbound exit ramp and the northbound entrance and exit ramps.)

Perhaps as simple as Avery Rd. to I-5 south is a low-traffic ramp so a 180-degree loop would be sufficient, and a landowner for the land SW of Avery and I-5 didn't want to sell?

[zachary_amaryllis]

I like this map sign of the carpool lots on the 400 between Bond Head and Barrie, ON (this one is the lot at CR 88):
--image snipped--

What's the sign under it? No open tin cans?

[kphoger]

What's the sign under it? No open tin cans?

No littering–tin cans or otherwise.

[JoePCool14]

A non-typical, slapped together set of signs in southwest Wisconsin. Not sure if there was some utility work going on here or if there was a nasty accident. My bet is on the later. You can see the same kind of signs posted across the road in the background.



I also just noticed the two US-18 shields are of slightly different specs.

[roadman65]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/54480415@N08/52425775481/in/dateposted-public/
Interesting that engineers did not yellow out the yellow sign but instead whited out the original cash price for the toll ahead.

[roadman65]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/54480415@N08/52435389837/in/dateposted-public/
A rare back lit sign assembly.

[7/8]

Exit for Wellington Street on ON 85 NB in Kitchener.
1) There's two arrows (which is redundant), an up-right arrow on the sign and a down arrow below the sign
2) The down arrow is white-on-green, instead of black-on-yellow

[wanderer2575]

^^  Ontario is weird with pull-through arrows.  Sometimes they're internal to the sign and sometimes they're external tabs.

[plain]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/54480415@N08/52435389837/in/dateposted-public/
A rare back lit sign assembly.

What I would love to see is a pic of the sign (or the one in NY or the ones in WV) at night when it's lit. I've driven past all the NY/WV ones but it's always been during the daytime.

[ClassicHasClass]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/54480415@N08/52435389837/in/dateposted-public/
A rare back lit sign assembly.

There's gotta be a story on this one because it's one of a kind, as far as I know. I've never seen another one like that in California.

[roadman65]

^^  Ontario is weird with pull-through arrows.  Sometimes they're internal to the sign and sometimes they're external tabs.

I'm thinking the two Highway 8 shields are interesting over the arrows.   I know one is a Provincial designation and the other is Regional Highway.

[J N Winkler]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/54480415@N08/52435389837/in/dateposted-public/

A rare back lit sign assembly.

There's gotta be a story on this one because it's one of a kind, as far as I know. I've never seen another one like that in California.

There is another not far away, at Fifth and Bryant in San Francisco pointing toward the on-ramp for eastbound I-80.  Sadly, it is badly faded.

I-80 East/Bay Bridge/Oakland

[7/8]

^^  Ontario is weird with pull-through arrows.  Sometimes they're internal to the sign and sometimes they're external tabs.

Interesting that the Highway 8 exit uses the white-on-green arrows. My understanding is that it should be black-on-yellow as an exit, but as my previous example shows, maybe it's a common mistake.

I'm thinking the two Highway 8 shields are interesting over the arrows.   I know one is a Provincial designation and the other is Regional Highway.

The reason for that is the former provincial highway 8 was routed on King Street, and when the new Highway 8 freeway was built parallel to King Street, the Region re-designated King Street as "Regional Road 8". On one hand, RR8 is helpful as it connects the two separate provincial highway 8 segments between Kitchener and Cambridge.* On the other hand, it can be confusing to those who aren't familiar with the different shield types, and therefore not realize which one is the proper "Highway 8" (I remember some relatives getting lost because of this when visiting our new house for the first time).

* Having said this, Google is currently saying it's 2 minutes faster to use the 401 and Franklin Blvd (RR36) instead. Going in to fictional territory, I think it would be awesome if this route was signed as Highway 8 to make it easy to find your way between the two segments.

[roadman65]

https://goo.gl/maps/yzMdHgZPpP2S9wyV9
I've seen much better Welcome to PA signs.

https://goo.gl/maps/rRFBLhUWKp7XhAj48
Interesting to see the text form of US 206 to be written as Rt. 206.

https://goo.gl/maps/iLTYHwuQZL2DrHRs8
Glad to see the button copies survived into 2019 though.

[hbelkins]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/54480415@N08/52435389837/in/dateposted-public/
A rare back lit sign assembly.

What I would love to see is a pic of the sign (or the one in NY or the ones in WV) at night when it's lit. I've driven past all the NY/WV ones but it's always been during the daytime.

I drove through the one at Beckley on the WV Turnpike southbound during dark hours once and was disappointed that the sign was not lit up.

[wanderer2575]

I came across this one in Bennington, VT last month.  I like the specificity.

[roadman65]

This is interesting.


The gantry used here is sheets of metal over the skeleton.

[PurdueBill]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/54480415@N08/52435389837/in/dateposted-public/
A rare back lit sign assembly.

What I would love to see is a pic of the sign (or the one in NY or the ones in WV) at night when it's lit. I've driven past all the NY/WV ones but it's always been during the daytime.

I drove through the one at Beckley on the WV Turnpike southbound during dark hours once and was disappointed that the sign was not lit up.

There were a few random backlit signs at US 30 and OH 696 (to I-75) from 1999 when the new interchange/extension to OH 235 was built, but the last of them was replaced last year, with the one on US 30 itself replaced much earlier (about 2007 iIrc).  Drove through there many times at night over the years; never saw any lit up.  The lighting may have been a casualty of the trend of removing lighting on Ohio signs in general.

The one on US 30 EB for the left-hand OH 696 exit did not say 696 (it showed I-75) and had a pointy cutout shield mounted atop. That backlit sign, replaced in 2007, has been replaced three times since then.  They really got to stop replacing things that don't need replacing--it's a bad look.

[ClassicHasClass]

The gantry used here is sheets of metal over the skeleton.

Caltrans used that gantry type for at least a couple decades. Not at all unusual, lots of surviving examples in the Bay Area and in San Diego, just to name a couple regions.

[J N Winkler]

The gantry used here is sheets of metal over the skeleton.

Caltrans used that gantry type for at least a couple decades. Not at all unusual, lots of surviving examples in the Bay Area and in San Diego, just to name a couple regions.

I think "closed box truss" is the technical term.