Virginia

[mrsman]

I cleaned the last one up for you a bit:


These signs are a bit confusing for this Yankee! I'm from CT and have never been past Alexandria for Virginia.

I agree with an earlier commenter that Rocky Mount should be mentioned on this sign.  Even if it is mentioned on other signs, this sign being so prominent should have a sign for a city on each highway.  Norfolk/Rocky Mount - Richmond/Charlottesville would be sufficient for this sign, and any other supplemental cities like Petersburg, Williamsburg, or VA Beach should be on supplemental signs only.

[Beltway]

I agree with an earlier commenter that Rocky Mount should be mentioned on this sign.  Even if it is mentioned on other signs, this sign being so prominent should have a sign for a city on each highway.  Norfolk/Rocky Mount - Richmond/Charlottesville would be sufficient for this sign, and any other supplemental cities like Petersburg, Williamsburg, or VA Beach should be on supplemental signs only.

When I took these photos of the five miles of I-95 SB signs approaching I-295, I again saw how they pass in quick succession, Rocky Mount NC is on 4 signs including the one about 1/4 mile before the last sign (the topic of the sub-thread).  IMHO there is really no doubt about I-295 being used for traffic to Rocky Mount NC, so the setup is fully adequate.  All the signs are large enough to catch your attention.

[Pink Jazz]

Speaking of that interchange, when I lived in VA, I remember the days when Miami FL was signed at that interchange.  It was replaced by Richmond Airport in the early 2000s.

Are there any Miami signs remaining?  I know in 2015 Miami was removed from the I-95/I-85 interchange with a new Clearview APL sign, but Rocky Mount was still included on that sign.

[Beltway]

Speaking of that interchange, when I lived in VA, I remember the days when Miami FL was signed at that interchange.  It was replaced by Richmond Airport in the early 2000s.
Are there any Miami signs remaining?  I know in 2015 Miami was removed from the I-95/I-85 interchange with a new Clearview APL sign, but Rocky Mount was still included on that sign.

It has been some years since I recall seeing any Miami or Atlanta control cities on signs in the Richmond-Petersburg area.  I don't have the time details, maybe someone else does.

[Mapmikey]

Speaking of that interchange, when I lived in VA, I remember the days when Miami FL was signed at that interchange.  It was replaced by Richmond Airport in the early 2000s.
Are there any Miami signs remaining?  I know in 2015 Miami was removed from the I-95/I-85 interchange with a new Clearview APL sign, but Rocky Mount was still included on that sign.

It has been some years since I recall seeing any Miami or Atlanta control cities on signs in the Richmond-Petersburg area.  I don't have the time details, maybe someone else does.

The two in Richmond were removed between 1999-2007.

The two Miami signs in Petersburg remained until btw July 2014 and Jun 2015 per GMSV

[1995hoo]

As of mid-July 2016 there was still one Miami sign that I'd call an LGS on SB I-95 just south of I-85. I don't know if it's still there because I haven't been down that way since that trip.

[Mapmikey]

As of mid-July 2016 there was still one Miami sign that I'd call an LGS on SB I-95 just south of I-85. I don't know if it's still there because I haven't been down that way since that trip.

Still up in Nov 2016 - https://goo.gl/maps/WxVFYca4P3K2

[Takumi]

Still there yesterday.

[plain]

And I saw the one remaining Atlanta sign a few weeks ago. It's 2 miles out

http://maps.google.com/maps?layer=c&panoid=e7HvH_7VC1mcXbDcEaarPw&cbp=1%2C155.21442%2C%2C3.0%2C-2.225&cbll=37.251075%2C-77.39470299999999

[Beltway]

And I saw the one remaining Atlanta sign a few weeks ago. It's 2 miles out
http://maps.google.com/maps?layer=c&panoid=e7HvH_7VC1mcXbDcEaarPw&cbp=1%2C155.21442%2C%2C3.0%2C-2.225&cbll=37.251075%2C-77.39470299999999

Shows that I don't pay a lot of attention to overhead signs in my area.  I wonder if Charlotte feels slighted for being skipped on that sign?  They are closer than Atlanta and a lot larger than Durham.

[LM117]

My guess is that Atlanta was chosen because it's the hub of the Southeast and has much more recognition than Charlotte. VDOT could always add Charlotte as a third control city if they wanted.

[1995hoo]

We passed through Gordonsville this morning en route to Charlottesville. There are some new LGSs in advance of the roundabout and it appears, based on looking in the mirrors, that the cutouts on northbound VA-231 are gone. Too bad.

[WillWeaverRVA]

Speaking of cutouts, the traffic engineering department under the new mayoral administration in Richmond has made removing cutouts a priority, it seems, because the last VA 161 and VA 6 cutouts in the city are now gone. (I'm pretty sure the VA 161/VA 147 sign tree at Boulevard and Main/Ellwood is also gone - someone stole the VA 147 shield from it a while ago.)

The weird "To I-64" trailblazer on southbound US 1/301 just inside the city limits is also gone.

I haven't been on VA 147 to see if the two remaining eastbound cutouts (near VA 161, then on the VCU campus) are still there, but if they're gone too, then Richmond has no cutouts left.

[plain]

^ I used to live on the next block down from that I-64 shield. Sad to hear it's gone. The VA 147 shield near the Boulevard was still there when I drove down Cary street last week. I forgot all about the one at VCU, so I overlooked the hell out of it...I'll have to look for it sometime but as of now I don't know its status.

[1995hoo]

We passed through Gordonsville this morning en route to Charlottesville. There are some new LGSs in advance of the roundabout and it appears, based on looking in the mirrors, that the cutouts on northbound VA-231 are gone. Too bad.

Passed back through there in the other direction on the way home about two hours ago. The cutouts are definitely gone.  The new LGS replaced them. Too bad they didn't also get rid of that stupid stop sign at the northbound VA-231 entry to the roundabout.

Meanwhile, we saw at least one I-64 unisign along the brief segment of said road we use on football trips. I've seen a few of those here and there. Hopefully that trend doesn't spread.

[Beltway]

My guess is that Atlanta was chosen because it's the hub of the Southeast and has much more recognition than Charlotte. VDOT could always add Charlotte as a third control city if they wanted.

Kind of like Maryland omitting Philadelphia on northbound I-95 and using New York as a control city.

[1995hoo]

Regarding Atlanta versus Charlotte, don't forget that Charlotte's status as a financial hub and a reasonably prominent city is relatively recent. No doubt Atlanta was chosen for those signs at a time when Charlotte was much less prominent than it is today, although of course that would not have prevented VDOT from re-assessing it at sign replacement time.

[AlexandriaVA]

Regarding Atlanta versus Charlotte, don't forget that Charlotte's status as a financial hub and a reasonably prominent city is relatively recent. No doubt Atlanta was chosen for those signs at a time when Charlotte was much less prominent than it is today, although of course that would not have prevented VDOT from re-assessing it at sign replacement time.

What about also potential conflation of "Charlotte" and "Charlottesville"?

[1995hoo]

Regarding Atlanta versus Charlotte, don't forget that Charlotte's status as a financial hub and a reasonably prominent city is relatively recent. No doubt Atlanta was chosen for those signs at a time when Charlotte was much less prominent than it is today, although of course that would not have prevented VDOT from re-assessing it at sign replacement time.

What about also potential conflation of "Charlotte" and "Charlottesville"?

Interesting point. Hadn't thought about that. I assume they could clarify by putting "Charlotte NC," although I recall the last time I was down I-81 to I-77 the signs there just said "Charlotte" without the state reference (recognizing that's considerably further away from Charlottesville).

[WillWeaverRVA]

Regarding Atlanta versus Charlotte, don't forget that Charlotte's status as a financial hub and a reasonably prominent city is relatively recent. No doubt Atlanta was chosen for those signs at a time when Charlotte was much less prominent than it is today, although of course that would not have prevented VDOT from re-assessing it at sign replacement time.

What about also potential conflation of "Charlotte" and "Charlottesville"?

Interesting point. Hadn't thought about that. I assume they could clarify by putting "Charlotte NC," although I recall the last time I was down I-81 to I-77 the signs there just said "Charlotte" without the state reference (recognizing that's considerably further away from Charlottesville).

There is signage for I-40 in Virginia (I think on US 220), designed to eliminate confusion between I-40 and VA 40, so omitting Charlotte might have been based on similar logic.

[LM117]

Regarding Atlanta versus Charlotte, don't forget that Charlotte's status as a financial hub and a reasonably prominent city is relatively recent. No doubt Atlanta was chosen for those signs at a time when Charlotte was much less prominent than it is today, although of course that would not have prevented VDOT from re-assessing it at sign replacement time.

What about also potential conflation of "Charlotte" and "Charlottesville"?

Interesting point. Hadn't thought about that. I assume they could clarify by putting "Charlotte NC," although I recall the last time I was down I-81 to I-77 the signs there just said "Charlotte" without the state reference (recognizing that's considerably further away from Charlottesville).

There is signage for I-40 in Virginia (I think on US 220), designed to eliminate confusion between I-40 and VA 40, so omitting Charlotte might have been based on similar logic.

Yep. It's on US-220 South, just north of the VA-40 exit in Rocky Mount.

https://goo.gl/maps/bh69BPQ1Cz72

[OracleUsr]

And I saw the one remaining Atlanta sign a few weeks ago. It's 2 miles out

http://maps.google.com/maps?layer=c&panoid=e7HvH_7VC1mcXbDcEaarPw&cbp=1%2C155.21442%2C%2C3.0%2C-2.225&cbll=37.251075%2C-77.39470299999999

Seeing as that's in Clearview, I would imagine it's going to stay there for a while.  VA hasn't done a lot of replacements of full-Clearview signage that I know of.

[cpzilliacus]

My guess is that Atlanta was chosen because it's the hub of the Southeast and has much more recognition than Charlotte. VDOT could always add Charlotte as a third control city if they wanted.

Kind of like Maryland omitting Philadelphia on northbound I-95 and using New York as a control city.

Also (IMO) no excuse for that - in Maryland (or, for that matter, in Virginia, which is where the first mention of New York can be found on I-95 northbound).  At least not with the completion of I-95 in Bristol Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania starting to draw near after all those years of PennDOT and PTC doing little or nothing.

There's exactly one mileage sign on I-95 in Maryland that mentions Philadelphia, just north of the North Laurel Rest Area.  That is it. 

I would prefer to see the first control city as New York (at least it's better than "N J Turnpike", which is what MDTA used for years on the tolled JFK Highway section of I-95), and then the second control city alternate between Wilmington and Philadelphia (though it does not comply with MUTCD, I would love to see all three). 

Mileage signs can certainly show all three, though Maryland usually puts two entries on such signs, but I have seen three.

[kendancy66]

WTVR (Richmond) posted a very interesting story & video today, the 25th anniversary of the toll removal on the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike

http://wtvr.com/2017/06/29/25-years-ago-the-last-toll-paid-on-interstate-95-in-virginia/

Thanks for sharing this.  Having driven all of the  RPT when  it was a real turnpike, it brought back memories.  Mostly  I drove the northern section, as far south  as Broad Street (Exit 74C today). I think  the coin drop toll there might have been 10¢ or maybe 25¢ (not sure now), but I also drove the entire Pike sometimes, as far as the last toll plaza on I-85 in Petersburg (IIRC, the toll on I-85 was a little higher than the other mainline barriers (at some point maybe 30¢ instead of 25¢)).

Here is what I recall:

The I-85 toll was 20 cents

I rarely crossed the southernmost I-95 barrier toll. I remember it being 15 cents though

The three other barrier tolls were 25 cents

So starting from I-85 the toll total was .95  Just like the route number

I remember that the l-85 barrier toll was removed first  and the other three barrier tolls after increased from 25 to 50 cents

SAMSUNG-SGH-I747

[WillWeaverRVA]

Speaking of cutouts, the traffic engineering department under the new mayoral administration in Richmond has made removing cutouts a priority, it seems, because the last VA 161 and VA 6 cutouts in the city are now gone. (I'm pretty sure the VA 161/VA 147 sign tree at Boulevard and Main/Ellwood is also gone - someone stole the VA 147 shield from it a while ago.)

The weird "To I-64" trailblazer on southbound US 1/301 just inside the city limits is also gone.

I haven't been on VA 147 to see if the two remaining eastbound cutouts (near VA 161, then on the VCU campus) are still there, but if they're gone too, then Richmond has no cutouts left.

Did a field check yesterday and the VA 147 cutouts are still up, although the misprinted one between VA 161 and VCU (a reused VA 5 shield) is gone. The Boulevard/Ellwood cutout sign tree for VA 161 and VA 147 is actually still up, I must've missed it the first time (it's kind of hidden).