Signs With Interesting Facts

[Lightning Strike]

I recently embarked on a road trip to the UP of Michigan and I happen to come across an interesting sign denoting the 45th Parallel on US-131. Me being a geek, I took a picture of it, unfortunately I'm at work and will have to upload it later. I've also see on I-80 in Pennsylvania, only eastbound, I've never seen WB, a sign denoting the highest elevation east of the Mississippi River on I-80.

My question is are there more signs like these on the highway that you care to share or describe. They can be interesting, weird or unique; just curious since I've seen several in my travels. P.S. hope this hasn't been done before and I'm just making a redundant topic.

[J N Winkler]

I don't think it's a redundant topic.  45th Parallel signs are found in Idaho too; not sure about the other 45th Parallel states (Oregon, Montana, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine).

[SteveG1988]

On Burlington County Route 630 in pemberton is a sign that says the roads name is the Argonne Highway, i never actually stopped to read it but it is rather wordy and looks like it has a decent bit of info (passed it on a school bus every day i went to school)

Do you also count town entry signs that say "home of olympic gold medalist"

[cu2010]

I don't think it's a redundant topic.  45th Parallel signs are found in Idaho too; not sure about the other 45th Parallel states (Oregon, Montana, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine).

New York has one along Barnhart Island Road inside of Robert Moses State Park.

[2Co5_14]

I don't think it's a redundant topic.  45th Parallel signs are found in Idaho too; not sure about the other 45th Parallel states (Oregon, Montana, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine).

I remember a sign while driving on I-5 in Oregon - I looked on Google for a picture of it and saw all these others...

https://www.google.com/search?q=45th+parallel+sign&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=soz&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=imvns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&ei=ZX7ITpeeHMS7tweFzrHcCA&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=2&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=611

[tdindy88]

I recall the 45th Parallel sign on I-75 in Northern Michigan. I also remember a monument designating the 45th Parallel (or close to it) along US 41 (I think) between Marrinette and Green Bay in Wisconsin.

[Alex]

I don't think it's a redundant topic.  45th Parallel signs are found in Idaho too; not sure about the other 45th Parallel states (Oregon, Montana, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine).

I remember a sign while driving on I-5 in Oregon - I looked on Google for a picture of it and saw all these others...

https://www.google.com/search?q=45th+parallel+sign&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=soz&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=imvns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&ei=ZX7ITpeeHMS7tweFzrHcCA&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=2&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=611

There is one on Interstate 5 north:


And another along Interstate 89 north:

[hbelkins]

My brother took a photo of the sign on I-75 in Michigan and I will have to find it sometime. Meanwhile there are these:





On I-72 in Illinois:

[luokou]

There is one on Interstate 5 north:

That's the one! It's the same sign on the reverse, posted just after the Keizer exit ramp heading northbound.

More interesting facts on I-5, a little further south:

[The High Plains Traveler]

I don't think it's a redundant topic.  45th Parallel signs are found in Idaho too; not sure about the other 45th Parallel states (Oregon, Montana, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine).

I used to cross the 45th parallel twice a day commuting to and from work when I lived in the Twin Cities. There are no signs marking it there, nor elsewhere in Minnesota that I saw.

Continental Divide is pretty well marked in New Mexico, not so in Colorado. There are two Continental Divide signs on I-80 going across Wyoming, because the divide splits and there is a closed basin that the highway crosses. A surprising place to encounter a Continental Divide sign is North Dakota along I-94 - where you cross from the Hudson Bay (rivers that flow through Lake Winnipeg) to the Gulf of Mexico drainage basins.

I guess another set of trivia signs are found in California, where elevations at 1000 foot intervals - usually beginning at 2000 feet - are marked as you drive across the mountains. I think Arizona does this too to some extent. Colorado, where you would think this would be very interesting information especially as you go above 10,000 feet, does not mark elevations like that, and in fact will mark major mountain passes with only a single sign parallel to the road.

[shadyjay]

And another along Interstate 89 north:

Yup, one along I-91 North as well.  Never saw any on I-95 in Maine that I recall. 

[Ian]

Not sure if this counts, but signs like this might be interesting to the average motorist.

[Lightning Strike]

Do you also count town entry signs that say "home of olympic gold medalist"

Well that is "interesting" ;D

My brother took a photo of the sign on I-75 in Michigan and I will have to find it sometime. Meanwhile there are these:
On I-72 in Illinois:

Oh cool, I need to go see that one now, thanks

Not sure if this counts, but signs like this might be interesting to the average motorist.

Haha awesome! The only other time I've seen a sign like that was a 295 split off on the north side of Richmond pointing 295SB to Miami, FL

[NE2]

Michael Summa, 1975

[hbelkins]

[Duke87]

There is a sign on US 34 in Colorado marking the spot where the road reaches elevation 10,560 - 2 miles above sea level.

[US71]

Also: http://g.co/maps/5p8sn

[huskeroadgeek]

There is a sign on I-70 W. of Topeka that notes it as the oldest stretch of interstate in the country. Also, in the realm of geographical notations on signs, the two points at which I-8 in California crosses Sea Level are marked.

[The High Plains Traveler]

There is a sign on US 34 in Colorado marking the spot where the road reaches elevation 10,560 - 2 miles above sea level.

There are several highways in Colorado that exceed that elevation, but none of the others are so marked. The sign you reference was undoubtedly posted by the National Park Service, since that section of U.S. 34 is in Rocky Mountain National Park.

[Duke87]

There is a sign on US 34 in Colorado marking the spot where the road reaches elevation 10,560 - 2 miles above sea level.

There are several highways in Colorado that exceed that elevation, but none of the others are so marked. The sign you reference was undoubtedly posted by the National Park Service, since that section of U.S. 34 is in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Yeah, it's an NPS sign.

[bulldog1979]

I recently embarked on a road trip to the UP of Michigan and I happen to come across an interesting sign denoting the 45th Parallel on US-131. Me being a geek, I took a picture of it, unfortunately I'm at work and will have to upload it later. I've also see on I-80 in Pennsylvania, only eastbound, I've never seen WB, a sign denoting the highest elevation east of the Mississippi River on I-80.

There are signs for this on M-22 on the Leelanau Peninsula, US 131, I-75 at Gaylord at least. I do believe they're located on any highway in Michigan that crosses the parallel.

[thenetwork]

Prior to the 1980's, the Ohio Turnpike once posted signs which indicated some sort of "water shed" -- the dividing point in which water either flows north to the Great Lakes and on into the Atlantic or south to the Ohio River and on into the Gulf of Mexico.

[brad2971]

South Dakota has signs on US12, US14, and US18 at the 100th Meridian, proclaiming the historical significance of said meridian.

[PurdueBill]

Prior to the 1980's, the Ohio Turnpike once posted signs which indicated some sort of "water shed" -- the dividing point in which water either flows north to the Great Lakes and on into the Atlantic or south to the Ohio River and on into the Gulf of Mexico.

Those have returned recently not on the Turnpike now, but by ODOT on some roads.  I-71 in Medina County features a pair, and I-76/77 has a pair in Downtown Akron.  "Entering Ohio River watershed" one direction, "Entering Lake Erie watershed" in the other.  Will have to upload pics, which I have of the I-76/77 pair.

I recall a 45th Parallel sign in New Hampshire like 20 years ago on a family trip; it was not a highway sign but a historical marker type sign.

[agentsteel53]

I don't think it's a redundant topic.  45th Parallel signs are found in Idaho too; not sure about the other 45th Parallel states (Oregon, Montana, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine).

I seem to recall a sign for the 45th parallel on I-5 in Oregon.

in Illinois, on I-80, there is a sign for a test section of interstate built in the 1950s.  I do not recall the details, apart from the fact that I think it is not too far east of I-39.  the test section is still there as well - it was built to see how the road would fare under particular weighted loads.

if one does not know what it is, the signs saying "Green River Ordinance Enforced" might be considered interesting.  (said law prohibits door-to-door solicitation.)

on I-90 in western Mass, there is an elevation sign stating that that point is the highest on I-90 until South Dakota.  it's 1700something feet. 

Oregon has signs pointing out various mountains which may be seen from highways.

there are plenty of historic markers all over the world which may be stopped for and read - far too many examples to note.  the signs I mentioned above are all intended to be read at travel speed.