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Author Topic: Signs in Odd Areas Mainly Because of Driver Confusion  (Read 5944 times)

JoePCool14

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Re: Signs in Odd Areas Mainly Because of Driver Confusion
« Reply #25 on: May 15, 2022, 09:59:54 AM »

I have to imagine driver confusion is the reason this sign exists.

"Gee, it seems like we've been driving through corn fields for a long time, are you sure we haven't passed the exit for Cedar Rapids?"
Not as bad as the Genoa Rd exit in Belvidere IL being signed 22 miles away: https://www.google.com/maps/@42.1183826,-88.4243482,3a,19.6y,299.93h,98.21t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sNMU8CvC6ETBiEg2VvbKgzA!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DNMU8CvC6ETBiEg2VvbKgzA%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D151.68112%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192

And Genoa Rd isn't a major exit by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, I'd say it's the second least important exit on I-90 in Illinois, after nearby Irene Rd.

Signing the next two exits is standard practice for ISTHA. When those signs went up, Genoa Road was the third exit. Now, IL-23 is the third exit, so that sign should have been replaced.

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Re: Signs in Odd Areas Mainly Because of Driver Confusion
« Reply #26 on: May 15, 2022, 03:48:01 PM »

Don't forget that there are no southbound exit signs along I-79 anywhere between Morgantown and Sutton, WV, for US 19, to eliminate anyone who's looking for Corridor L (Summersville/Beckley) getting off on one of the other exits.

Those exits originally had US-19 shields on the BGS.  I can still remember them being taken down after an article in the Charleston Daily Mail mentioned that several people were confused trying to use the Roanoke (WV) exit to get to Corridor L.  They thought they were heading towards Roanoke (VA).

Another one in West Virginia that nobody notices (since you weren't supposed to):  Exit 34 Hurricane on I-64 has never been posted for WV-34.  The next exit is Exit 39 (now) Teays Valley, which is the main exit for the WV-34 shortcut over to Winfield.  Locals have always surmised that this was a way that Winfield (the county seat) was trying to suppress Hurricane (which back then both were tiny little towns*).  That certainly didn't work**, as the proximity to I-64 made Hurricane much larger than Winfield by 1970. 

* Hurricane (pop 1,970, 1960) and Winfield (pop 318, 1960)
** Hurricane (pop 3,751, 1980) and Winfield (uhh, not big enough to make the 1980 Census)
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Nacho

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Re: Signs in Odd Areas Mainly Because of Driver Confusion
« Reply #27 on: May 15, 2022, 06:24:19 PM »

Some "To I-64 continue straight" signs on southbound IN state routes at where they intersect IN 64:

- https://goo.gl/maps/h4Jx4ii9BcQAP3YH6
- https://goo.gl/maps/kRPbQcW7K75uNV6a6
- https://goo.gl/maps/jLrN1VF781fWEGFS7
- https://goo.gl/maps/tXH5BoZzAEWQDnkb6

I immediately recognized the intersection in the first picture from having been there so often while visiting in-laws in Hungtingburg.

Those signs make particular sense since SR 64 runs almost parallel to I-64 and is quite nearby. All of those intersections are less than 10 miles from I-64.
« Last Edit: May 16, 2022, 11:24:32 AM by Nacho »
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formulanone

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Re: Signs in Odd Areas Mainly Because of Driver Confusion
« Reply #28 on: May 15, 2022, 07:17:51 PM »

Some "To I-64 continue straight" signs on southbound IN state routes at where they intersect IN 64:

- https://goo.gl/maps/h4Jx4ii9BcQAP3YH6
- https://goo.gl/maps/kRPbQcW7K75uNV6a6
- https://goo.gl/maps/jLrN1VF781fWEGFS7
- https://goo.gl/maps/tXH5BoZzAEWQDnkb6

I immediately recognized the intersection in the first picture from having been there so often while visiting in-laws in Hungtingburg.

Those signs make particular sense since SR 64 runs almost parallel to I-64 and is quite nearby. All of those intersections are fewer than 10 miles from I-64.

Likewise, on I-64 at IN 64:

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hbelkins

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Re: Signs in Odd Areas Mainly Because of Driver Confusion
« Reply #29 on: May 15, 2022, 07:56:14 PM »

Don't forget that there are no southbound exit signs along I-79 anywhere between Morgantown and Sutton, WV, for US 19, to eliminate anyone who's looking for Corridor L (Summersville/Beckley) getting off on one of the other exits.

Those exits originally had US-19 shields on the BGS.  I can still remember them being taken down after an article in the Charleston Daily Mail mentioned that several people were confused trying to use the Roanoke (WV) exit to get to Corridor L.  They thought they were heading towards Roanoke (VA).

Another one in West Virginia that nobody notices (since you weren't supposed to):  Exit 34 Hurricane on I-64 has never been posted for WV-34.  The next exit is Exit 39 (now) Teays Valley, which is the main exit for the WV-34 shortcut over to Winfield.  Locals have always surmised that this was a way that Winfield (the county seat) was trying to suppress Hurricane (which back then both were tiny little towns*).  That certainly didn't work**, as the proximity to I-64 made Hurricane much larger than Winfield by 1970. 

* Hurricane (pop 1,970, 1960) and Winfield (pop 318, 1960)
** Hurricane (pop 3,751, 1980) and Winfield (uhh, not big enough to make the 1980 Census)

West Virginia's practice of putting route numbers on exit signs has never really made sense. Both the Milton and Hurricane exits are at county routes, but only Hurricane is signed with the actual route that intersects I-64. The route number at Milton is US 60.
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Dirt Roads

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Re: Signs in Odd Areas Mainly Because of Driver Confusion
« Reply #30 on: May 15, 2022, 09:08:39 PM »

Don't forget that there are no southbound exit signs along I-79 anywhere between Morgantown and Sutton, WV, for US 19, to eliminate anyone who's looking for Corridor L (Summersville/Beckley) getting off on one of the other exits.

Those exits originally had US-19 shields on the BGS.  I can still remember them being taken down after an article in the Charleston Daily Mail mentioned that several people were confused trying to use the Roanoke (WV) exit to get to Corridor L.  They thought they were heading towards Roanoke (VA).

Another one in West Virginia that nobody notices (since you weren't supposed to):  Exit 34 Hurricane on I-64 has never been posted for WV-34.  The next exit is Exit 39 (now) Teays Valley, which is the main exit for the WV-34 shortcut over to Winfield.  Locals have always surmised that this was a way that Winfield (the county seat) was trying to suppress Hurricane (which back then both were tiny little towns*).  That certainly didn't work**, as the proximity to I-64 made Hurricane much larger than Winfield by 1970. 

West Virginia's practice of putting route numbers on exit signs has never really made sense. Both the Milton and Hurricane exits are at county routes, but only Hurricane is signed with the actual route that intersects I-64. The route number at Milton is US 60.

Sorry to drift from the theme somewhat, but I think that "driver confusion" is a reason for that WVDOH signage practice to place shields for parallel routes on their BGS.  On I-64, a number of exits on side roads were posted for US-60.  There used to be two of these arrangements on I-79.  One of those was for Exit 146 between Fairmont and Morgantown that was originally posted for parallel WV-73 (which was later commissioned).  (There's two of these on the West Virginia Turnpike, another one on the northern segment of I-77 plus one more on the eastern segment of I-64 that doesn't quite make the cut here).

The other one brings us back to the main topic.  One exit that you eluded to on I-79 was Exit 62 for a side road at Flatwoods that was originally posted for US-19/WV-4 in both directions.  If I recall correctly, when Corridor L was completed, the southbound BGS for Exit 62 kept the US-19 shield (and if you were confused and got off of the exit, you were immediately confronted with a sign for US-19 north turn left and US-19 south straight arrow to put you back on the ramp for I-79 southbound.  There must have been a bunch of folks getting off on Exit 62, because the US-19 shield on the southbound BGS got pulled off a few weeks later.  Which brings me back to the off-topic connection.  The northbound BGS still showed parallel WV-4 (consistent with the WVDOH convention) until WV-15 was extended to Flatwoods in 1991.  (I believe that WV-15 ends at WV-4, but BGS signage for WV-15 no longer serves a parallel route).
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kphoger

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Re: Signs in Odd Areas Mainly Because of Driver Confusion
« Reply #31 on: May 16, 2022, 02:30:24 PM »


On UT 143, where you'll be if you miss the 90-degree turn in Panguitch, Utah:



https://goo.gl/maps/MPuHpi4aUpm7xZS1A

Now its a black on white US shield!

But the real question is, why is it a regulatory sign?
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JoePCool14

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Re: Signs in Odd Areas Mainly Because of Driver Confusion
« Reply #32 on: May 16, 2022, 03:52:56 PM »


On UT 143, where you'll be if you miss the 90-degree turn in Panguitch, Utah:



https://goo.gl/maps/MPuHpi4aUpm7xZS1A

Now its a black on white US shield!

But the real question is, why is it a regulatory sign?

"This is NOT US-89... or else you're getting a ticket!"
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ethanhopkin14

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Re: Signs in Odd Areas Mainly Because of Driver Confusion
« Reply #33 on: May 16, 2022, 04:00:27 PM »


On UT 143, where you'll be if you miss the 90-degree turn in Panguitch, Utah:



https://goo.gl/maps/MPuHpi4aUpm7xZS1A

Now its a black on white US shield!

But the real question is, why is it a regulatory sign?

"This is NOT US-89... or else you're getting a ticket!"

It is written into law that this highway is NOT US-89!
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bulldog1979

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Re: Signs in Odd Areas Mainly Because of Driver Confusion
« Reply #34 on: May 16, 2022, 05:44:44 PM »


On UT 143, where you'll be if you miss the 90-degree turn in Panguitch, Utah:



https://goo.gl/maps/MPuHpi4aUpm7xZS1A

Now its a black on white US shield!

But the real question is, why is it a regulatory sign?

"This is NOT US-89... or else you're getting a ticket!"

Road Guy Rob for the win!
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JoePCool14

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Re: Signs in Odd Areas Mainly Because of Driver Confusion
« Reply #35 on: May 16, 2022, 06:25:35 PM »


On UT 143, where you'll be if you miss the 90-degree turn in Panguitch, Utah:



https://goo.gl/maps/MPuHpi4aUpm7xZS1A

Now its a black on white US shield!

But the real question is, why is it a regulatory sign?

"This is NOT US-89... or else you're getting a ticket!"

Road Guy Rob for the win!

Every time I see a black and white sign that should be a different color, I repeat that phrase now.  :-D
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Hot Rod Hootenanny

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Re: Signs in Odd Areas Mainly Because of Driver Confusion
« Reply #36 on: May 16, 2022, 06:56:50 PM »

Surface road in Toledo, OH, opposite to a diamond half-interchange with I-475.

Note that unusual One Way sign in the background.

I am more confused by the sealed up nice looking pedestrian bridge with no pedestrian access.

State paid for the bridge, the city (Toledo, or one of its suburbs) hasn't ponied up the cash to build the sidewalk to said structure.
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US 89

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Re: Signs in Odd Areas Mainly Because of Driver Confusion
« Reply #37 on: May 16, 2022, 07:18:42 PM »


On UT 143, where you'll be if you miss the 90-degree turn in Panguitch, Utah:



https://goo.gl/maps/MPuHpi4aUpm7xZS1A

Now its a black on white US shield!

But the real question is, why is it a regulatory sign?

"This is NOT US-89... or else you're getting a ticket!"

It is written into law that this highway is NOT US-89!

Ironically, this is in fact true since Utah writes their route designations into state law, this is legally SR 143, and no legislative designations overlap  :spin:

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Re: Signs in Odd Areas Mainly Because of Driver Confusion
« Reply #38 on: May 18, 2022, 11:46:59 PM »

There's so much blank space on this exit sign for Nicollet Ave because when the sign was first put up, there was a shield for Hennepin-52.

The exit for US-52 is still several miles away.  :-D

https://www.google.com/maps/@44.8618544,-93.2836889,3a,75y,101.1h,91.01t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sxeJ-E4idWNiF_2LeyuBaqA!2e0!5s20220301T000000!7i16384!8i8192
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Re: Signs in Odd Areas Mainly Because of Driver Confusion
« Reply #39 on: May 19, 2022, 01:14:28 AM »

There's so much blank space on this exit sign for Nicollet Ave because when the sign was first put up, there was a shield for Hennepin-52.

The exit for US-52 is still several miles away.  :-D

https://www.google.com/maps/@44.8618544,-93.2836889,3a,75y,101.1h,91.01t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sxeJ-E4idWNiF_2LeyuBaqA!2e0!5s20220301T000000!7i16384!8i8192

I had actually asked froggie about this and he indicated it was more likely done in anticipation of a (still as of yet) unsuccessful turnback of CSAH 52. If you really think about it, the CSAH 35s on Portland Avenue would make more sense to green out being only a couple miles from I-35W, but those remain.

However, the greening out and subsequent post-2006 non-mentions of CSAH 5 at I-494 and Minnetonka Blvd was done due to driver confusion with MN 5.
« Last Edit: May 19, 2022, 01:19:06 AM by TheHighwayMan394 »
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ethanhopkin14

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Re: Signs in Odd Areas Mainly Because of Driver Confusion
« Reply #40 on: May 23, 2022, 04:39:45 PM »

This one is down the street from my house.  I totally forgot about it since I only saw it for the first time a few months ago.  The next road if traveling west is Trautwein.
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ethanhopkin14

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Re: Signs in Odd Areas Mainly Because of Driver Confusion
« Reply #41 on: June 30, 2022, 11:07:58 AM »

This sign seems odd because the next exit is for SH-12.  I saw it this past weekend and thought it was so random, but then realized the exit after the next exit is for FM-105.
« Last Edit: June 30, 2022, 11:16:20 AM by ethanhopkin14 »
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Re: Signs in Odd Areas Mainly Because of Driver Confusion
« Reply #42 on: July 04, 2022, 01:24:04 AM »

Here is one on I-95 at Exit 132 in North Carolina.  It simply shows a sign that says NC TO (NC shield) 58. https://goo.gl/maps/SFYTR7qz9RVDckgE7

This is probably done to avoid confusion with US 58, 60 miles to the north of this point.  There is a same sign heading SB on I-95 also.
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Re: Signs in Odd Areas Mainly Because of Driver Confusion
« Reply #43 on: July 04, 2022, 02:34:01 AM »

Spotted in DFW on US 75 south.

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.4389118,-96.5984494,3a,75y,168.34h,91.32t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sakl_l70PijbOB4dEDEKlSg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Considering the fact that the sign was recently erected means that too many people made this mistake before.
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Re: Signs in Odd Areas Mainly Because of Driver Confusion
« Reply #44 on: July 04, 2022, 11:45:20 PM »

Spotted in DFW on US 75 south.

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.4389118,-96.5984494,3a,75y,168.34h,91.32t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sakl_l70PijbOB4dEDEKlSg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Considering the fact that the sign was recently erected means that too many people made this mistake before.
This is because the interchange the driver is approaching is for FM 121.  Exit 38C is for TX SH 121.  Similar to MD 68/I-68 sign posted before.

Just a way to lower motorist confusion.
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Joe The Dragon

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Re: Signs in Odd Areas Mainly Because of Driver Confusion
« Reply #45 on: July 05, 2022, 09:28:04 AM »

This one is down the street from my house.  I totally forgot about it since I only saw it for the first time a few months ago.  The next road if traveling west is Trautwein.
odd that the driveway at the new light does not have an light pointing at it or an left trun sign.
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Re: Signs in Odd Areas Mainly Because of Driver Confusion
« Reply #46 on: July 06, 2022, 07:30:34 PM »

How about these two almost identical signs leading in different directions? The only significant difference is "To" is in slightly different places above I-70.
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Re: Signs in Odd Areas Mainly Because of Driver Confusion
« Reply #47 on: July 06, 2022, 09:39:45 PM »

Here is one on I-95 at Exit 132 in North Carolina.  It simply shows a sign that says NC TO (NC shield) 58. https://goo.gl/maps/SFYTR7qz9RVDckgE7

This is probably done to avoid confusion with US 58, 60 miles to the north of this point.  There is a same sign heading SB on I-95 also.
Also NC-58 crosses I-95 just south of there with no interchange.
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Re: Signs in Odd Areas Mainly Because of Driver Confusion
« Reply #48 on: July 06, 2022, 10:35:25 PM »

Here is one on I-95 at Exit 132 in North Carolina.  It simply shows a sign that says NC TO (NC shield) 58. https://goo.gl/maps/SFYTR7qz9RVDckgE7

This is probably done to avoid confusion with US 58, 60 miles to the north of this point.  There is a same sign heading SB on I-95 also.

I don't understand why the redundancy is also on the SB sign though; also, perhaps a better solution would be to have "Sandy Cross St. TO <58>" on the exit signs and then have a supplementary sign NB say "(us shield 58) 60 mi".
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Re: Signs in Odd Areas Mainly Because of Driver Confusion
« Reply #49 on: July 06, 2022, 11:02:17 PM »

How about these two almost identical signs leading in different directions? The only significant difference is "To" is in slightly different places above I-70.

The two roadways meet up again a bit down the way.
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