Unique, Odd, or Interesting Signs aka The good, the bad, and the ugly

[SD Mapman]

Regarding two directions on one sign, there's a sign on eastbound I-66 approaching Exit 60 in Virginia that has the Route 123 shield with the words "SOUTH" and "NORTH" stacked atop each other (South on top) to the right of the shield.

Posting via iPhone so no Street View link. I'll add one later if nobody beats me to it.

You mean this?

-photo-

The even more odd sign is the "BEGIN HERE TO EXIT". What's so hard about that?

I think it's to try to prevent people from being in that lane earlier, as the lane is still there before that sign (but I'm not from that area, so I'm not exactly sure).

[riiga]

Regarding two directions on one sign, there's a sign on eastbound I-66 approaching Exit 60 in Virginia that has the Route 123 shield with the words "SOUTH" and "NORTH" stacked atop each other (South on top) to the right of the shield.

Posting via iPhone so no Street View link. I'll add one later if nobody beats me to it.

You mean this?

-photo-

The even more odd sign is the "BEGIN HERE TO EXIT". What's so hard about that?

I think it's to try to prevent people from being in that lane earlier, as the lane is still there before that sign (but I'm not from that area, so I'm not exactly sure).

That's what the solid white line is for, no?

[Mapmikey]

Regarding two directions on one sign, there's a sign on eastbound I-66 approaching Exit 60 in Virginia that has the Route 123 shield with the words "SOUTH" and "NORTH" stacked atop each other (South on top) to the right of the shield.

Posting via iPhone so no Street View link. I'll add one later if nobody beats me to it.

You mean this?

-photo-

The even more odd sign is the "BEGIN HERE TO EXIT". What's so hard about that?

I think it's to try to prevent people from being in that lane earlier, as the lane is still there before that sign (but I'm not from that area, so I'm not exactly sure).

That's what the solid white line is for, no?

This sign is there because during times that are not the afternoon rush hour that right lane is the shoulder and VDOT is telling you where the shoulder stops and the exit lane area begins.  Note the reddish pavement just before this sign - this is the shoulder that is open to traffic during the afternoon rush...

Mike

[jeffandnicole]

In case we're not entirely clear here, the shoulder is used as a travel lane during the rush hour...although the time the shoulder is open is more like 1/4 of the day now.  Even though signage may indicate what time the lane is open, the arrows above the lane are the actual indication of the lane's valid use.  One trip not too long ago, it was about 8:45pm and the shoulder was still open, even though the signage say the shoulder should have been open only until 8pm.  Anyway...This "Begin to Exit Here" sign is used to simply note the beginning of the traditional decal lane.  In other words, don't ride the shoulder for a mile during offpeak periods.

[1995hoo]

That's actually eastbound, so the shoulder is normally open as a lane on weekday mornings (5:00—11:00; westbound they do the same from 14:00—20:00). Since they added more sophisticated lane-control signals a year or so ago they've been opening the shoulder more often, though. I've seen it open to traffic on weekends more than once over the course of this past winter.

None of this prevents the self-important MFFY types from using the shoulder whenever traffic speeds don't suit their taste, of course. I think it's a $75 fine if you drive there when the red "X" is illuminated.

[tckma]

The even more odd sign is the "BEGIN HERE TO EXIT". What's so hard about that?
[/quote]

The shoulder of I-66 is used as an extra lane during rush hours when HOV restrictions are in place for the left lane.  This drops the acceleration/deceleration lanes for on- and off-ramps.  Hence, "Begin to exit here."

[noelbotevera]

So after this ramp, does the shoulder materialize out of nowhere again to form a travel lane, or is there a "BEGIN TO EXIT HERE" sign at the next onramp?

[1995hoo]

So after this ramp, does the shoulder materialize out of nowhere again to form a travel lane, or is there a "BEGIN TO EXIT HERE" sign at the next onramp?

The shoulder/part-time lane is the one in the reddish-brown color in this satellite view. This discussion has been focusing on the side of the road towards the bottom of the image. The colored portion ends at the point where people are to cut across it to exit, then resumes again after that point. Note it does the same thing for entering traffic on the other side of the road, though of course there is no "BEGIN TO EXIT" sign when it's an entrance.

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.8670828,-77.3176037,366m/data=!3m1!1e3

(The image will be clearer if you turn off labels.)

[Sam]

Port Jervis, NY:
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.3581705,-74.6831238,3a,44.6y,189.76h,89.39t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s_VIgPTc4IqfQsu_T5ZikXw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

And a Pennsylvania "Blue Detour" sign just east of there. Not unique, not odd, just interesting. Obviously directing traffic back to I-84, but I've never seen one in New York before.

[PHLBOS]

Poster child for the notion that combining picture messages (pedestrian & bicycle crossing) into one single sign isn't always a good idea.  The cyclist appears to be hitting the pedestrian with his front wheel and also appears to be attempting to do a wheelie in the process. 

[jakeroot]

Poster child for the notion that combining picture messages (pedestrian & bicycle crossing) into one single sign isn't always a good idea.  The cyclist appears to be hitting the pedestrian with his front wheel and also appears to be attempting to do a wheelie in the process. 

Certainly a unique sign (+1), though the construction is of poor-quality (-1). I still like the sign, though. Gets the "multi-modal" point of the sign across.

[Ian]

Poster child for the notion that combining picture messages (pedestrian & bicycle crossing) into one single sign isn't always a good idea.  The cyclist appears to be hitting the pedestrian with his front wheel and also appears to be attempting to do a wheelie in the process. 

I think this may be a MdSHA standard sign actually. I've seen it elsewhere throughout the state.

[tckma]

I think this may be a MdSHA standard sign actually. I've seen it elsewhere throughout the state.

I live in Maryland, and drive extensively in the Baltimore/DC areas, and I have never seen one of these.

[Mapmikey]

I think this may be a MdSHA standard sign actually. I've seen it elsewhere throughout the state.

I live in Maryland, and drive extensively in the Baltimore/DC areas, and I have never seen one of these.

There are definitely other Maryland locations with a ped and bike on one sign, though maybe not so much with the ramming nature...

https://goo.gl/maps/SHNGCZJKjaD2 (off MD 355 at NIH)
https://goo.gl/maps/2D4Eo9VtWHu (MacArthur Blvd in Glen Echo)

https://goo.gl/maps/oYCcH6VLTCU2 (Jones Br Rd in Bethesda, with the ramming version)

Mike

[jeffandnicole]

Usually I would post this on my 295/76/42 contruction thread, but felt it was interesting enough for here...

Temporary 295 over South over 42 narrow signage. Former signage used to be wider where 42 shield was next to 295's shield.

[Zeffy]

Are there multiple fonts on this sign?
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.5357556,-74.5774322,3a,15y,18.34h,88.41t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s7JAKqHcW8yOp-nvyIZcIYg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

[Ian]

This is certainly a first for me. It's along ME 156 near Farmington Falls, ME (and yes, at the bridge is a sign like the one depicted on this one).

[cl94]

Some stencil font along NY 9N in Sabbath Day Point. There's plenty more of that in the area. Not bad enough to be "worst of", but far from acceptable.

[Zeffy]

This sign seems like it's referencing a street that is 15 miles away.
https://www.google.com/maps/@30.5614905,-87.3739143,3a,15y,4.34h,89.7t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sqXeVOV8gVakEPJeGxVq6ZQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

I like the design of this one, minus the Clearview:
https://www.google.com/maps/@30.6633163,-87.8519393,3a,15y,296.54h,111.13t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1ssC3s8EbUeG-C94nmDNtC1A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[Eth]

This sign seems like it's referencing a street that is 15 miles away.
https://www.google.com/maps/@30.5614905,-87.3739143,3a,15y,4.34h,89.7t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sqXeVOV8gVakEPJeGxVq6ZQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Yep, that's the next exit (there's a whooooole lot of nothing along much of I-10 in Florida, and I guess part of Alabama in this case). Standard Florida practice (at least in rural areas) is to put the next exit on a mileage sign like that shortly after the previous exit.

I like the design of this one, minus the Clearview:
https://www.google.com/maps/@30.6633163,-87.8519393,3a,15y,296.54h,111.13t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1ssC3s8EbUeG-C94nmDNtC1A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

The empty Interstate shield bugs me. Here's one with an empty US shield. Put a number in it (US 80 here) and I'd like it.

[formulanone]

The empty Interstate shield bugs me. Here's one with an empty US shield. Put a number in it (US 80 here) and I'd like it.

It's an Alabama practice, so it's on many overpasses. The missing numbers bug me, too...why are the blank shields even there?

At least the road crossing over gets the right shield and numbers.

[freebrickproductions]

The empty Interstate shield bugs me. Here's one with an empty US shield. Put a number in it (US 80 here) and I'd like it.

It's an Alabama practice, so it's on many overpasses. The missing numbers bug me, too...why are the blank shields even there?

At least the road crossing over gets the right shield and numbers.

It's probably a way ALDOT saves money on making those signs. A lot easier to use a template design without the numbers than it is to add numbers for each route.

[kkt]

I still don't get it.  Why would the motorist care about it being a US route if they don't know which one?  They could save even more money by not putting a shield on at all.

[freebrickproductions]

I still don't get it.  Why would the motorist care about it being a US route if they don't know which one?  They could save even more money by not putting a shield on at all.

Because ALDOT.
Though maybe they could use money that they'd save from not using any shields to get the street names on them correct... (Should be Sparkman ^Dr/Bob Wallace ^Ave in the first link, and Old Madison ^Pike in the second link)

[SD Mapman]

Found in Fayette, MO:
This was weird.


Old punch-out speed limit sign.


Is blue the preferred color for noise ordinance signs?