Florida

[realjd]

Given that they have two interchangeable seemingly-randomly-chosen standards (florida outline black or red) I can see them keeping the green TOLL on some signs.

Is it random? It seems the OOCEA uses the red Florida outline while FDOT/FTE/MDX/everyone else use the black outline. At least that's the pattern I've noticed.

FWIW, I liked the look of the yellow signs. They really stood out.

[rickmastfan67]

There's been a few "red" shields posted by FDOT.

[NE2]

And some black ones for OOCEA roads, I believe.

Here's a red SR 618: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=27.949687,-82.448777&spn=0.003971,0.0103&t=k&z=18&layer=c&cbll=27.949895,-82.448796&panoid=KtNijbAUUjL32f2F1HNkpw&cbp=12,353.57,,0,-4.8

[realjd]

The 618 is maintained by THCEA.

I've seen a few red toll shields on FDOT roads, like on I-95 NB at 528, but those are usually the larger OOCEA-style shields rather than the smaller ones typical of FDOT. As part of the construction, they replaced all of those with black-outline, smaller shields, except for the one on the C/D road which wasn't part of the construction.

I've noticed that the outlines on the reassurance markers also change from red to black when maintenance changes to FTE, for instance 528 west of Sand Lake Road, or 417 through Seminole County.

My absolute least favorite toll shield is the one on EB I-4 at the 417: http://goo.gl/FYGiN  It's all compressed, and you can barely read the numbers when driving by at highway speeds.

I like the red shields better, except they seem to fade quickly when compared to the black ones.

[florida]

I've noticed that the outlines on the reassurance markers also change from red to black when maintenance changes to FTE, for instance 528 west of Sand Lake Road, or 417 through Seminole County.

There is only one black 408 shield, which replaced an OOCEA-type, on northbound SR 436 at SR 552 (Curry Ford). The old sign was larger than the current one.

[NE2]

I've noticed that the outlines on the reassurance markers also change from red to black when maintenance changes to FTE, for instance 528 west of Sand Lake Road, or 417 through Seminole County.

Yet the trailblazers on Universal Boulevard at SR 528 are all red. If there's a standard it's not being followed.

[realjd]

I've noticed that the outlines on the reassurance markers also change from red to black when maintenance changes to FTE, for instance 528 west of Sand Lake Road, or 417 through Seminole County.

Yet the trailblazers on Universal Boulevard at SR 528 are all red. If there's a standard it's not being followed.

Ok, I did some digging. Here's what I found:

FDOT Standard: http://www.dot.state.fl.us/rddesign/rd/rtds/10/17355.pdf (PDF page 9)
OOCEA Standard: http://www.expresswayauthority.com/Corporate/oursystem/assets/AuthGuidelinesSigning05.pdf (PDF page 87)

OOCEA seems to follow it religiously, FDOT not so much. It may have to do with the local contractors in the Orlando area just assuming red (actually orange apparently according to the spec above) outlines. Also, for city/county roads like Universal Blvd, I imagine the standards are less strictly followed anyway.

There was a note on the FDOT site that they are currently evaluating the current standards and making modifications for the new MUTCD. Nothing has been posted at this time, but it should soon they said.

[FLRoads]

If everyone is referring to the outline of Florida on the toll shields, the outline is actually orange in color and not red (though it may look red at a certain angle).

As most of the orange outline shields reside in central Florida, there is one located up here in Northwest Florida, for FL TOLL 293:

www.aaroads.com/shields/show.php?image=FL19912932

[NE2]

Apparently the westbound Nocatee Parkway has been open to US 1 for almost a month: http://jacksonville.com/community/shorelines/2010-10-23/story/nocatee-parkway-opens-westbound-traffic
I can't find anything else about the eastbound half, so it may not be open yet.

Here's a map of the new segment: http://www.openstreetmap.org/?lat=30.10433&lon=-81.45978&zoom=15&layers=M

[realjd]

On the open street map, I see a dotted line going south from where 9A curves. Is that going to be 9B? If so, it seems like a dumb road. Do they really need another freeway running parallel to 95 a few miles to the west? And the part east of 95 connecting with 9A doesn't seem like it really saves any time/distance.

They haven't renumbered 9A to 295-east yet, have they?

[rickmastfan67]

On the open street map, I see a dotted line going south from where 9A curves. Is that going to be 9B?

It is.

[NE2]

On the open street map, I see a dotted line going south from where 9A curves. Is that going to be 9B? If so, it seems like a dumb road. Do they really need another freeway running parallel to 95 a few miles to the west? And the part east of 95 connecting with 9A doesn't seem like it really saves any time/distance.

South of CR 210 is proposed CR 2209, a surface road. Much of this (including Nocatee Parkway) is being paid for by developers ("sprawl").

[jwolfer]

On the open street map, I see a dotted line going south from where 9A curves. Is that going to be 9B? If so, it seems like a dumb road. Do they really need another freeway running parallel to 95 a few miles to the west? And the part east of 95 connecting with 9A doesn't seem like it really saves any time/distance.

They haven't renumbered 9A to 295-east yet, have they?

Not yet. 

[CanesFan27]

Got this e-mail last week:

I was 10 when we moved here in 1961 and I remember the exit ramps on the Turnpike were painted orange.  Can you confirm this is true and do you have any pictures?  Or was it my imagination????

Figured I'd throw it out there for everyone

[realjd]

More updates on the Pineda Causeway interchange on I-95, as well as discussion on a future interchange with an extended Ellis Road in Melbourne:
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20101116/NEWS01/11160312/Pineda-I-95-interchange-nears-completion

[Alex]

Keys shields no longer there:

CR 18A south at FL 18 - gone, replaced with an CR-18 pentagon.
CR 18 west of FL 121 - gone, replaced with a pentagon; white guide sign still in place.
SW 44th Avenue north at FL-238 - gone, replaced with new FL 238 shield and CR 245 pentagon trailblazer.
CR 239A west at CR 239 - gone, no replacement

[Ian]

Not sure if I posted this, but the 2 keys C-209A shields at this intersection have been replaced by pentagon shields:
http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&hl=en&ll=30.056206,-81.747808&spn=0,0.038409&t=h&z=15&layer=c&cbll=30.056146,-81.747875&panoid=hQTd9vtKFbYCPex6j4qmRQ&cbp=12,65.38,,0,5.68

[florida]

^^Both posts above....At least we have clear pictures of some of them before they were replaced. I don't think anyone has pictures of any C-239 or C-241A signs in Union County. There were a couple C-239s near Oak Grove(?) Cemetery, but they were replaced with 239B pentagons....which is kind of acceptable.

[florida]

Had a chance to drive to Miami and did some exploring. FL 997 really needs to be widened (or at least resurfaced with turn lanes added); I was having flashbacks of how FL 5A in Daytona Beach used to be (the sections along the canal) before they widened it...and why my grandmother said it used to be called "Slaughter Road". It is the most neglected state route in Miami-Dade County and possibly the worst state road I have ever driven on in Florida.

The newest state route down there, SR 825 (the north section) is unsigned between US 41 and FL 836, but upon reaching it from westbound FL 836, there is a "trailblazer" assembly with just "North/South" tabs and arrows below them.

A lot of the cut-out signs along FL 826 and FL 874 are in their final days as there is a lot of construction going on. All of FL 874 is in the process of being widened and FL 826 had construction/widening going on between, at least, FL 836 and FL 874.

There is button-copy on Gateway Blvd, itself, in the West Palm area including a type of interstate guide sign that I can't remember seeing before. Also got some pictures of button-copy on Congress Avenue at its I-95 interchange.

It really would be helpful if District 4 would correctly sign US 1 northbound at FL 704. To still tell a motorist that "To North US 1" continues east on FL 704 and then have no other corresponding signage is extremely poor. US 1 was also resurfaced from FL 80 to FL 704 so guess what??! No more black US 98 shield on southbound US 1, instead there is a JCT US 98/FL 80 sign. RIP

These are some random photos to start off...


The shield has a year of 1991 but the JCT tab is dated 1976. The font looks different than other types used and Agentsteel should enjoy this.


Looking west at the western terminus of FL 9336, just in case anyone wanted to know what it looks like.


Looking east from the western terminus of FL 9336. The first reassurance is just ahead.


This is on Miramar Parkway eastbound...which hasn't been state-maintained for quite a few years.

[florida]

Eastbound on the Congress Avenue connector.


Southbound on Congress Avenue, itself.


Westbound on Gateway Blvd.


Eastbound on Gateway Blvd.


This is the sign which I don't believe I've ever seen another type of....it was westbound on Gateway Blvd on the non-widened/spruced-up section as it does have a counterpart on eastbound Gateway Blvd which is just a normal BGS. (Thanks Palm Beach County for not upgrading Gateway Blvd east of I-95!)

[Ian]

No more black US 98 shield on southbound US 1, instead there is a JCT US 98/FL 80 sign. RIP

Good thing I got a few photos of it when I was down there!

[Alps]

Looking east from the western terminus of FL 9336. The first reassurance is just ahead.

I presume you were going an unsafe speed until that point?

[florida]

*picture*
Looking east from the western terminus of FL 9336. The first reassurance is just ahead.

I presume you were going an unsafe speed until that point?

Hah, sadly I turned around in the turn-off area, immediately behind the camera, and didn't have enough time to go 50 in a 35 zone (speed limit in the park) to get the night's dinner stuck on my front bumper. Maybe next time....if I feel adventurous to drive down to Flamingo. The pavement in that section of the park was awesome, as if you traveled 60 years into the past.

[FLRoads]

While doing my rounds this evening, I came across this article in the Orlando Sentinel:

East-West Expressway interchange with GreeneWay will be overhauled

So, in going to the OOCEA website I found their page on the reconstruction, including a simple diagram showing what everything will look when construction is complete.

The main highlights of the project include removing the section of roadway connecting eastbound Florida 408 with northbound Florida 417 and southbound 417 with westbound 408, including the current interchange with Valencia College Lane, the widening of the 408 in the project area (from Goldenrod Road to the Econ Trail), and the addition of two new ramps at the current partial interchange between the 408 and the 417, thus making that interchange complete. The project will be completed near the end of 2012.

Some opponents of the project say that the removal of the Valencia College Lane interchange will cause more congestion in the area, as most students at nearby Valencia Community College use this interchange to access the school. This interchange is part of the original section of the 408 when the expressway ended at Florida 50 (Colonial Drive)(current Exit 34 on the 417).

[NE2]

Thanks for the link. It's not clear from the diagram how the VCL connector will tie in at Chickasaw. I don't buy the explanation that they're doing it to get rid of left exits - when FDOT rebuilt I-4 in Tampa a few years ago they added left exits.

Interestingly, VCL was an at-grade intersection when SR 408 first opened.