Best/Worst looking highway signage

[74/171FAN]

I already posted this in another thread but for those that didn't go after it's ugliness there can now do it here 

[deathtopumpkins]

I don't like the wording. Seems too much like something a person would say, not what a road sign would say. I think that it would be better said "NO PARKING
HERE ALWAYS" or "DO NOT PARK HERE".

"No Parking Anytime" works. 

@74/171: Where on earth is that? 

[74/171FAN]

@74/171: Where on earth is that? 

On VA 144 NB in Colonial Heights

[wytout]

What pesters me on these Georgia highway signs is that Connector is posted as "Conn", and of course can be confused with Connecticut.

I think anyone who sees that sign and thinks they are in Connecticut, has major problems and probably shouldn't be driving! 

Whoa!    when i first saw the image, I thought it was someone playin.

[wytout]

"No Parking Anytime" works. 

@74/171: Where on earth is that? 

I do believe the Red Zone, don't even think..... signs are a NYCDOT exclusive.

[Scott5114]

I don't like the wording. Seems too much like something a person would say, not what a road sign would say. I think that it would be better said "NO PARKING
HERE ALWAYS" or "DO NOT PARK HERE".

That's sort of the point. I'm guessing NYCDOT intentionally worded the sign like that to get their point across stronger. It also gets your attention more than a typical bland legend would. Somewhat like the time a work zone contractor around here posted a speed limit of 52.... just to get people's attention.

[Duke87]

A different alternative no parking sign. Churches are fond of using these:


It's hilarious the first time you see one, but then when you realize they're everywhere, it gets boring.

[agentsteel53]

Oddly, I have never seen one of those.

do they exist in embossed form?  if so I'd be more likely to note them!

[wytout]

Here's a worst of the worst for you!
CT20 Expressway EB to I-91 N & S
Sorry it's blurry, but you get the point, totally uncentered route number, Odd coloring, it's CT so it should have the state Name emblazoned on the shield.

Must have been placed by some contractor and is just further proof that road contractors don't give a hoot about the quality of signage.  We have some much contractor placed signage in CT and I don't think one piece of it has ever been true to ConnDOT standards.

[architect77]

North Carolina's signage rocks...Arguably the best in the country. (IMHO)

[agentsteel53]

their green signs aren't too bad, but they do need more state-named surface-level shields.

[Truvelo]

The signs are visible by looking at Google Street View although the sun is causing blur on some of them. The capitalized S Main St is clearly visible.

[juscuz410]

RM,
As a fellow Ohioan, nothing irks me more than driving on our state's hwys/frwys and noting the inconsistencies of the signage. I was driving down I-77 from Canton towards Cambridge yesterday, lots of buttons, some newer signage, more buttons, then clearview, then back to buttons. Ugh!!

Architect,
NC does have some killer signage. There is always room for improvement though. Could use some better over/underpass signage like their neighbors to the north (and much like OUR neighbors to the north ). It would help both locals and travelers alike.

Wytout,
I need an excedrin after that pic!

[roadfro]

North Carolina's signage rocks...Arguably the best in the country. (IMHO)

Some well designed signs. I have to question the Greensboro one though...did there used to be something else on this sign? If not, that's a huge waste of space on what could be a much smaller sign.

[Big Dave]

For shields I am partial to Wisconsin, although I like Hawai'i, California, North Dakota, Kansas, New Mexico, Ohio, Colorado, Michigan, North Carolina, and Alabama.  I like the plain circles (i.e. old Oklahoma, Iowa, etc.) but not the plain squares (i.e. Illinois, Connecticut, Indiana, Maryland barely gets a pass here).  I do not like the new South Carolina, I really don't like Vermont, or Idaho.  Sorry Idaho, I like the rest of you pretty well.

[juscuz410]

RoadMaster,
That's ODOT at its best. The older signs are more correct. The newer signs, although more visually appealing get screwed up. The most popular of all goofups is the mixup of state & U.S. route shields on BGS signage.

ADD-on Road Master,
County Road signage is another issue with Ohio signage. Some signs bear the traditional blue pentagon with yellow trim, lettering and numbering; others with a more simple white square with the black trim, lettering, numbering (much like state signage in IN & IL) and others are just written out in full. There is NO consistency with Ohio's signage!

Merged posts. In the future, please use the modify button. -DTP

[OracleUsr]

That Greensboro Exit (120) has since been changed out; that sign is from before the link between I-85 and I-40 was built (and was at one time I-40).  The idea was that you could get to West I-40 (now North I-73 thanks to the new signage) from I-85 North to go to Winston-Salem.  Now you have Exit 120A for Business I-85 North, which now accesses I-40 proper in Death Valley, then Exit 120B for I-73/US 421 North, which goes to Winston-Salem, and I think that is now the second control city on the sign (I don't normally use I-85 going through southern Greensboro, so I can't say for sure)

[leifvanderwall]

I have complained about Michigan roads, but as far as signage goes Michigan is at the top. The state roads are well signed; even the interstate business loops. I think the brown state park signs should be bigger, but that's only a small problem.

I think Florida is one of the best also, but the Sunshine State is lazy on county route signage, especially in Orange County and some of the poles are crooked.

I think Illinois is the worst because it uses a lot of small signs and the control cities on the Chicago area freeways are to states instead of destinations

[Brandon]

Nah, I have little complaint about the use of states as control cities around Chicago.  Wisconsin is North, Indiana is East, and Iowa is West.  I also like how the expressway name is on the bgs's.  Now, for bad signage, those pictures of California signage come to mind.  Some of them should not be shown to children.

[SSOWorld]

Nah, I have little complaint about the use of states as control cities around Chicago.  Wisconsin is North, Indiana is East, and Iowa is West.  I also like how the expressway name is on the bgs's.  Now, for bad signage, those pictures of California signage come to mind.  Some of them should not be shown to children.

Examples?  Are you talking about ones with bullet holes in them?

[hbelkins]

I think Illinois is the worst because it uses a lot of small signs and the control cities on the Chicago area freeways are to states instead of destinations

The states used in Illinois make sense, although I wonder if there's something more suitable along I-80 west besides "Iowa."

Especially for the eastbound routes, the states make sense. When you get into Indiana, you're assaulted by Indianapolis, Detroit and Toledo. Just put "Indiana" on the westbound guide signs and let the motorists figure out where they want to go when they get to Indiana.

Interesting that the non-toll road signs for I-80 mention Toledo, but entrances to the toll road give you choices of "Chicago" or "Ohio" and no mention of Toledo.

[flowmotion]

Nah, I have little complaint about the use of states as control cities around Chicago.  Wisconsin is North, Indiana is East, and Iowa is West.  I also like how the expressway name is on the bgs's.  Now, for bad signage, those pictures of California signage come to mind.  Some of them should not be shown to children.

Examples?  Are you talking about ones with bullet holes in them?

Probably all California's cruddy looking old button-copy signs covered with greenout patches. The bullet holes and razor wire don't help either. 

[Rover_0]

The thing I like (at least on Big Green Signs) in Utah is the black trim on the US and State Route Shields;  it really makes them stick out.

[golden eagle]

Though, the best bit of novelty but functional signage I've seen is not actually signage, but pavement marking. Southbound on the NYS Thruway, approaching Exit 8 (the eastern 87/287 split), NYSTA after they redid the interchange painted I-87 and I-287 shields in the appropriate lanes (in color!) in addition to employing diagrammatic overheads. This sort of thing is apparently quite commonplace in Europe, but not here. We should do it more often. Only other place I've seen it is after the GW Bridge where NJDOT painted a NJ 4 shield in the exit only lane for it.

I saw this on I-10 yesterday in New Orleans. It's the first time I ever saw this.

Added missing close-quote tag - Alex

[barcncpt44]

it is also done in texas too! i think it is a great idea a long time coming.