Neon lights in guide signs according to MUTCD

[D-Dey65]

I've seen my share of weigh station signs as well as rest area signs that have the addition of neon lights telling drivers whether they're open or closed, but I don't see anything about those features anywhere within the MUTCD. Is there something I missed about them?

[Revive 755]

I think the MUTCD was left somewhat vague to not rule out viable options for blank out messages.

A changeable message sign (CMS) is a traffic control device that is capable of displaying one or morev alternative messages. Some changeable message signs have a blank mode when no message is displayed, while others display multiple messages with only one of the messages displayed at a time (such as OPEN/CLOSED signs at weigh stations).

[Pink Jazz]

Neon signs were never very common for early DMS.  Far more common were those electromechanical rotating drum signs which could blank out or change the message by rotating an electromechanical drum.

[D-Dey65]

For the record, these are the kinds of signs I've been talking about.

This one is in Florida (although other states have it too):
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:WB_I-4_Weigh_Station_Open_from_McIntosh_too.jpg


And this one is in Virginia:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:04-SB_I-95_Carson,_VA_Weight_Station.jpg

[Henry]

Nowadays, new installations will more likely have either eggcrate or dot matrix-type displays, but I do remember the old neon lights on weigh station signs.

[Pink Jazz]

Nowadays, new installations will more likely have either eggcrate or dot matrix-type displays, but I do remember the old neon lights on weigh station signs.

I haven't seen installations of new eggcrate DMS in years; all installations basically now are LED.  Eggcrate displays use a matrix of incandescent bulbs. Eggcrate DMS were supplanted by flip-dot and fiber-optic, which in turn were supplanted by LED.

[jeffandnicole]

The grand example of neon VMSs would be what the NJ Turnpike used. https://images.app.goo.gl/hVshmeAJ1DAcRtCg8

[D-Dey65]

Upon closer examination of the one on the I-4 on ramp, that's actually LED.

Try this one on I-95 in South Carolina:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NB_I-95_St_George_Truck_Weigh_Station_Left_Neon.jpg

The ones in North Carolina are below the signs, rather than built into them:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NB_I-95_Halifax_Co_Weigh_Station_is_Open.jpg

[Pink Jazz]

I do know that the High Rise Bridge on I-64 in Chesapeake, VA once used neon signs to indicate the draw was open, meanwhile the Berkeley Bridge on I-264 in Norfolk instead used rotating drum signs. Both have since been replaced by LED DMS.

[ErmineNotyours]

Since removed as this ramp is turning into a light rail line.  The smaller lettering is testing the limits of legibility for neon.  Probably installed about 1990 for the Seattle I-90 floating bridge.

[Scott5114]

Nowadays, new installations will more likely have either eggcrate or dot matrix-type displays, but I do remember the old neon lights on weigh station signs.

I haven't seen installations of new eggcrate DMS in years; all installations basically now are LED.  Eggcrate displays use a matrix of incandescent bulbs. Eggcrate DMS were supplanted by flip-dot and fiber-optic, which in turn were supplanted by LED.

I haven't seen an eggcrate display in use on a road. Any pics?