Cuomo Signs

[vdeane]

Meanwhile on the Thruway, it appears that even the large ones near Utica have been removed rather than overlayed with "Mohawk Valley Region".  The ones near Waterloo have a different region depending on which direction you're going - EB is "Central NY Region" while WB is "Finger Lakes Region".

[Mccojm]

Here is NYSDOT/ NYSTA Request to the FHWA for experimentation  the "Cuomo Signs" dated 9/18/18. There's a list of exact GPS coordinates where the signs will be and the program is suppose to conducted over two years and NYSDOT/ NYSTA agrees to remove signs that do not comply with the provisions of the MUTCD within 3 months following the end of the 2 year experiment time frame and at any time the participating agencies determine that hazards are both directly and indirectly tied to the experiment.

The ten region names that will be used are Capital Region, Central New York, Finger Lakes Region, Long Island, Mid-Hudson, Mohawk Valley, New York City, North County, Southern Tier, and Western New York.  These are based off Gov. Cuomo ten regional economic development councils created in 2011.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12qaFH3cSgqhQt8KjXVpI95ei3YQ5BOWR/view

[webny99]

Meanwhile on the Thruway, it appears that even the large ones near Utica have been removed rather than overlayed with "Mohawk Valley Region".  The ones near Waterloo have a different region depending on which direction you're going - EB is "Central NY Region" while WB is "Finger Lakes Region".

Seems about right, as that is a rough approximation of where one transitions from the Finger Lakes into Central NY.

[vdeane]

Meanwhile on the Thruway, it appears that even the large ones near Utica have been removed rather than overlayed with "Mohawk Valley Region".  The ones near Waterloo have a different region depending on which direction you're going - EB is "Central NY Region" while WB is "Finger Lakes Region".

Seems about right, as that is a rough approximation of where one transitions from the Finger Lakes into Central NY.

Well, it seems odd because I presume that they were originally put up for people taking vacations in the Finger Lakes.

[connroadgeek]

The ones on 95 at the CT-NY state line appear to be gone. They are doing some other construction there at the 287 ramps, and it looks like they are replacing the multiple signs with just one big one.

[seicer]

I've made my opinions known earlier about the usefulness of such signs, as gateways to a particular area, and my lack of enthusiasm for the "Attractions" service signs, but these Cuomo v. 2 signs are just ugly. I'd love to have seen the script font used on the National Forest signs used instead.

[connroadgeek]

On the Hutch, in the Bronx, they have one of the new big all in one signs, but the lower sign says "Mid-Hudson Region" instead of "New York City Region" that you find on the one just outside of LGA. Da fuq is NY doing with these signs? Goodness, you know what, just get rid of all of them at this point.

[kalvado]

On the Hutch, in the Bronx, they have one of the new big all in one signs, but the lower sign says "Mid-Hudson Region" instead of "New York City Region" that you find on the one just outside of LGA. Da fuq is NY doing with these signs? Goodness, you know what, just get rid of all of them at this point.

Nope, please enjoy seeing your taxes at work!

[machias]

I see the smaller signs along the Thruway have been relocated to nearby Service Areas, where they are installed side-by-side. Looks like a barricade.

[MNHighwayMan]

I see the smaller signs along the Thruway have been relocated to nearby Service Areas, where they are installed side-by-side. Looks like a barricade.

It looks like shitty, state-sponsored advertising. I fail to see what those three different signs tell me that a single one could not.

[kalvado]

I see the smaller signs along the Thruway have been relocated to nearby Service Areas, where they are installed side-by-side. Looks like a barricade.

It looks like shitty, state-sponsored advertising. I fail to see what those three different signs tell me that a single one could not.

IMHO this is just to convince Cuomo that FHWA didn't score a clear win. A sign at the rest area can include a web address, QR code, map, more information in a smaller font and what not. But reduce (as mandated by FHWA) and reuse - instead of recycle.

[MNHighwayMan]

I see the smaller signs along the Thruway have been relocated to nearby Service Areas, where they are installed side-by-side. Looks like a barricade.

It looks like shitty, state-sponsored advertising. I fail to see what those three different signs tell me that a single one could not.

IMHO this is just to convince Cuomo that FHWA didn't score a clear win. A sign at the rest area can include a web address, QR code, map, more information in a smaller font and what not. But reduce (as mandated by FHWA) and reuse - instead of recycle.

And TBH, I'm so glad that the FHWA clamped down on this as quickly and intensely as they did. This kind of thing just simply does not belong on the roads. Period.

Of course, I still think they're allowing too much. Even one sign (on the actual highway) with this nonsense is too much.

[kalvado]

I see the smaller signs along the Thruway have been relocated to nearby Service Areas, where they are installed side-by-side. Looks like a barricade.

It looks like shitty, state-sponsored advertising. I fail to see what those three different signs tell me that a single one could not.

IMHO this is just to convince Cuomo that FHWA didn't score a clear win. A sign at the rest area can include a web address, QR code, map, more information in a smaller font and what not. But reduce (as mandated by FHWA) and reuse - instead of recycle.

And TBH, I'm so glad that the FHWA clamped down on this as quickly and intensely as they did. This kind of thing just simply does not belong on the roads. Period.

Of course, I still think they're allowing too much. Even one sign (on the actual highway) with this nonsense is too much.

Frankly speaking, it wasn't that bad. And there is some sense in the idea behind - an app which concentrates tourism information and directing people towards that with the message "we got more than you think".
Now it came to the point where app is a junky one, signs cannot relay proper information at highway speed, and implementation - with signs being installed on weekends with crew overtime pay, replaced due to color mismatch, and ultimately patched and removed...

[MNHighwayMan]

I'm against the whole principle, in general. Road signs are not a place to put advertisements. I don't care how much they've streamlined the message, or who curated it.

Honestly, this thread kind of calls into question logo signs in general to me. I'm more willing to accept those, because their intention is to be a navigational aid, not a bare advertisement, but...

[seicer]

The app is terrible. It's not curated, contains junk / outdated information, and is buggy. A single panel sign would have sufficed, but now it seems that the rest areas or plazas are being junked with more clutter.

Instead of going through all of this, they should have used more effective branding methods - like the new I Love New York cut-out signs being installed at the gateway rest areas (e.g. I-81 northbound welcome center).

[empirestate]

I believe it's just the general idea of taking a trip through/to the state's various historic sites and attractions.

On another note, I was a bit surprised to actually see some of these signs deployed at a NYC subway station (42nd St—Bryant Park, I believe).

I can't imagine why, since there's enough history within the vicinity.

Oh, simply because we've been discussing them almost exclusively in the context of roads.

[Mccojm]

The app is terrible. It's not curated, contains junk / outdated information, and is buggy. A single panel sign would have sufficed, but now it seems that the rest areas or plazas are being junked with more clutter.

Instead of going through all of this, they should have used more effective branding methods - like the new I Love New York cut-out signs being installed at the gateway rest areas (e.g. I-81 northbound welcome center).

Do you have an example of this cutoff sign? Long Island has some signs on wb I-495 for the welcome center that uses enlarged lighthouse graphic from parkway signs, it looks pretty nice breaking up a boring giant blue panel.

[seicer]

I guess it's not really a sign but similar to the very popular Cleveland script signs installed at various skyline vantage points: https://www.alamy.com/corbettsville-ny-may-14-2018-i-love-ny-sign-at-the-new-york-southern-tier-welcome-center-image207622795.html

The Southern Tier Welcome Center on I-81 northbound is very nice. This is where the branding really shines. And while I drove by a bunch of the remaining Cuomo signs today, they really don't offer any value and I'm kind of walking back some of my earlier support.

[Michael]

Yesterday afternoon, I was on the Thruway in both directions between exits 34A and 33.  I saw the new version of the Cuomo Signs, and I think they looked much better.  The "motherboard" signs had the region name patched over the app name and URL on the bottom of the signs.  I think the most noticeable improvement was not having a string of bright blue signs close together.

[hbelkins]

Honestly, what's the difference between the Cuomo signs, and these, which used to be all over Oklahoma?

[hotdogPi]

Honestly, what's the difference between the Cuomo signs, and these, which used to be all over Oklahoma?

The Cuomo signs are advertising a website and an app.

[vdeane]

The Cuomo signs are advertising a website and an app.

They aren't now.  That portion has been replaced with the name of the economic development region the sign is in, and the little signs are gone*.

*Actually they were relocated to service areas, rest areas, and whatnot, but they're no longer on the highways.