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Stop Sign Street [Blade] Colors

Started by TheArkansasRoadgeek, February 13, 2018, 10:15:48 PM

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TheArkansasRoadgeek

My grandmother and I were heading to Fort Smith when we started talking about the street [blades] on stop signs within the state and I would like to further my knowledge on the subject. I have a question regarding other states and local areas. For reference: (All colors, due to uncertainty are only Arkansas specific) Red is private road, Blue is unknown, White might be state related, and Green is general use or county roads. Like I say, I have found something of interest I will need time to check the specifications for Arkansas, but I would still like to see what others say regarding their state and/or local area!

Thanks!
Well, that's just like your opinion man...


hotdogPi

Here, each town chooses its color (slightly more than half are the standard green), but color doesn't depend on road type unless it's some type of historic marker.
Clinched, minus I-93 (I'm missing a few miles and my file is incorrect)

Traveled, plus US 13, 44, and 50, and several state routes

I will be in Burlington VT for the eclipse.

jeffandnicole

We're talking about the street name blades, right?  (Most states don't attach them to stop signs).

At least the states I'm familiar with, the colors mean nothing other than local preference. Here in NJ, most are white on green, but there are variations in some towns/cities.

freebrickproductions

Huntsville, AL has a small color-coded system:
White on Green: Normal Public Street
White on Brown: Cummings Research Park or Historic District (with the latter getting some kind of symbol next to the street name on the sign)
White on Blue: Private Road

Other parts of Alabama choose what they want, though white on green is the most common (with a few towns choosing white on black for their "downtown" areas).
It's all fun & games until someone summons Cthulhu and brings about the end of the world.

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(They/Them)

MNHighwayMan

#4
Quote from: jeffandnicole on February 14, 2018, 06:16:17 AM
We're talking about the street name blades, right?  (Most states don't attach them to stop signs).

Really? Because it seems to me like an easy way to install them with minimal additional effort. I'd estimate, here in Des Moines, that probably around 40 percent of them are on stop signs. The other 60 percent are divided between independent posts and mounted to streetlamps/utility poles/traffic signal mast arms.

Then again, maybe municipalities have different practices from state and county departments of transportation. Can't say I've given it much attention outside the city here.

Edit to answer the question in the OP:
In Des Moines:
Green is the standard color.
Blue is for main thoroughfares and designated truck routes.
Black on white is used when the city posts street blades for private roads, which is rare.
Brown on white is used for honorary street names.

TheArkansasRoadgeek

I was also just generally curious about what a non-MUTCD compliant state/municipality did. From what I've gathered it does vary! :bigass: :awesomeface:

Cool! I would like to post my findings, soon!

I don't recall seeing brown used on our stop signs. There are blue blades in a Rye Hill neighborhood of Fort Smith on Rye Hill Rd.
Well, that's just like your opinion man...

DaBigE

Quote from: MNHighwayMan on February 14, 2018, 07:40:59 AM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on February 14, 2018, 06:16:17 AM
We're talking about the street name blades, right?  (Most states don't attach them to stop signs).

Really? Because it seems to me like an easy way to install them with minimal additional effort. I'd estimate, here in Des Moines, that probably around 40 percent of them are on stop signs. The other 60 percent are divided between independent posts and mounted to streetlamps/utility poles/traffic signal mast arms.

Then again, maybe municipalities have different practices from state and county departments of transportation. Can't say I've given it much attention outside the city here.

It may be easy and convenient, and seem logical, but some DOTs are quite stringent on what they allow or maintain. For example, WisDOT generally does not allow other things to be mounted to their sign posts. While they will mount street name signs to state-owned signal structures, as I've been told by other engineers, "they're not in the street name business". Street names are developed locally, therefore most all aspects are maintained locally. Street name signs are supposed to be mounted on a separate post for stop controlled intersections, but that hasn't stopped some entities from coming back later and affixing the signs atop the stop sign.
"We gotta find this road, it's like Bob's road!" - Rabbit, Twister

TheArkansasRoadgeek

Quote from: DaBigE on February 14, 2018, 12:48:22 PM
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on February 14, 2018, 07:40:59 AM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on February 14, 2018, 06:16:17 AM
We're talking about the street name blades, right?  (Most states don't attach them to stop signs).

Really? Because it seems to me like an easy way to install them with minimal additional effort. I'd estimate, here in Des Moines, that probably around 40 percent of them are on stop signs. The other 60 percent are divided between independent posts and mounted to streetlamps/utility poles/traffic signal mast arms.

Then again, maybe municipalities have different practices from state and county departments of transportation. Can't say I've given it much attention outside the city here.

It may be easy and convenient, and seem logical, but some DOTs are quite stringent on what they allow or maintain. For example, WisDOT generally does not allow other things to be mounted to their sign posts. While they will mount street name signs to state-owned signal structures, as I've been told by other engineers, "they're not in the street name business". Street names are developed locally, therefore most all aspects are maintained locally. Street name signs are supposed to be mounted on a separate post for stop controlled intersections, but that hasn't stopped some entities from coming back later and affixing the signs atop the stop sign.
This reminds me, Van Buren, Arkansas does this and they put the post on the opposite end of the street! So, sometimes you don't know what street you're on and they leave the stop signs without any street blades. Terrible!
Well, that's just like your opinion man...

US71

Quote from: TheArkansasRoadgeek on February 14, 2018, 12:15:21 PM
I was also just generally curious about what a non-MUTCD compliant state/municipality did. From what I've gathered it does vary! :bigass: :awesomeface:

Cool! I would like to post my findings, soon!

I don't recall seeing brown used on our stop signs. There are blue blades in a Rye Hill neighborhood of Fort Smith on Rye Hill Rd.

Blue is standard for Ft Smith city streets. Green is private (such as for Pine Hollow Ct)

Fayetteville is Green for city streets, blue for private (maybe an occasional red near campus)

Springfield, MO is green for city, brown for historical districts.
Like Alice I Try To Believe Three Impossible Things Before Breakfast

Eth

Whether mounted to stop signs or not, white on green is pretty much the universal standard around here.

A few notable exceptions:

mrcmc888

In my local area, each city gets to pick its street sign blades.  Knox County, TN's standard street sign colors are white on green and Knoxville uses the same except on Gay Street where they're white on blue.  Farragut uses white on blue, and Maryville black on white.  I don't think they really have any special meaning to them, as neighborhoods get to choose what colors of signs to use for their private street markers as well.

Scott5114

It should be noted that as of the 2009 MUTCD, the only allowed colors are green, blue, brown, and white, all of these with white text, except for white, which must have black text. Red, orange, and yellow, which some municipalities used–especially red–are no longer allowed.

It's my experience that much of the time the central city in a metro area uses green blades, and then one or more adjoining suburbs uses one of the other colors (usually blue but sometimes white) to differentiate.
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef

TheArkansasRoadgeek

Quote from: Scott5114 on February 15, 2018, 12:25:04 AM
It's my experience that much of the time the central city in a metro area uses green blades, and then one or more adjoining suburbs uses one of the other colors (usually blue but sometimes white) to differentiate.
So, would they be in violation of some code or policy?


iPhone
Well, that's just like your opinion man...

Scott5114

No. Green/blue/brown/white are OK. Other colors are not OK.
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef

roadfro

Nevada:

Las Vegas/Henderson/Unincorporated Clark County metro:
*Default - White on green
*Private street - white on brown (usually also has "privately maintained" written small under the directional prefix)
*Honorary street name - white on brown, half the size of a standard blade and posted below the standard blade

North Las Vegas:
*Default - white on blue
*Private street - blue on white

All other areas (to my knowledge):
*Default - white on green. Some older signs in rural towns use a variety of styles in older standards.
Roadfro - AARoads Pacific Southwest moderator since 2010, Nevada roadgeek since 1983.

Anthony_JK

Quote from: Scott5114 on February 15, 2018, 12:25:04 AM
It should be noted that as of the 2009 MUTCD, the only allowed colors are green, blue, brown, and white, all of these with white text, except for white, which must have black text. Red, orange, and yellow, which some municipalities used–especially red–are no longer allowed.

It's my experience that much of the time the central city in a metro area uses green blades, and then one or more adjoining suburbs uses one of the other colors (usually blue but sometimes white) to differentiate.

They must have made an exception for Lafayette, because the blades around the ULL campus are actually red/black trim on white...and aren't the blades in the River Ranch development white on brown??

Scott5114

The red blades are either pre-2009 installs, or Lafayette is willfully ignoring the MUTCD. (The brown are OK.)

Norman's mastarm signage had to go from red to green to satisfy the MUTCD. (Our blade signs had already made the same transition in the 2000s.)
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef

cl94

New York, like the New England states, lets towns choose their colors. White on green is most common, but we have some exceptions.

Anything in Adirondack Park: gold on brown (Saratoga Springs did this as well before they adopted Clearview). NYSDOT got a waiver from the feds to keep this going, but had to switch elsewhere.
Anything in Catskill Park: white on brown (older signs are gold on brown)
Buffalo, Rochester, a few other cities: white on blue
Albany: gold on black (may have stopped recently)
A few others I can't place: black on white
Please note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of my employer or any of its partner agencies.

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roadman

Quote from: TheArkansasRoadgeek on February 14, 2018, 12:15:21 PM
I was also just generally curious about what a non-MUTCD compliant state/municipality did.

North Reading, MA street signs are bright yellow legend on green background.  Apparently, somebody doesn't understand the concept of proper contrast.
"And ninety-five is the route you were on.  It was not the speed limit sign."  - Jim Croce (from Speedball Tucker)

"My life has been a tapestry
Of years of roads and highway signs" (with apologies to Carole King and Tom Rush)

mrcmc888

Quote from: TheArkansasRoadgeek on February 15, 2018, 12:55:37 AM
Quote from: Scott5114 on February 15, 2018, 12:25:04 AM
It's my experience that much of the time the central city in a metro area uses green blades, and then one or more adjoining suburbs uses one of the other colors (usually blue but sometimes white) to differentiate.
So, would they be in violation of some code or policy?


iPhone
No, if they're separate municipalities.  Most suburbs color their street blades differently as an easy way of letting you know where you are.



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