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

[Scott5114]

That's a custom font.

[jeffandnicole]

That underpass is for the Broad Street Subway, and it appears it's a font they used within the system itself!

[Windfarmer]

Is it a parkway or is it a drive?
https://goo.gl/maps/zN7N9uVrs8M2

[3web]

This is certainly unique to see a semi CalTrans styled sign in Nevada, https://www.google.com/maps/@36.1864534,-115.3424433,3a,29.5y,350.34h,101.12t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s688aPiV6jG_9DMNfOXG1sA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

There are a few more signs like this, including one on the Strip guiding you to the airport.

[noelbotevera]

This is certainly unique to see a semi CalTrans styled sign in Nevada, https://www.google.com/maps/@36.1864534,-115.3424433,3a,29.5y,350.34h,101.12t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s688aPiV6jG_9DMNfOXG1sA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

There are a few more signs like this, including one on the Strip guiding you to the airport.

Wow, that's a little bit mind-bending. I'd say that a tourist (even me) would be a little confused trying to decide which direction.

[hubcity]

That underpass is for the Broad Street Subway, and it appears it's a font they used within the system itself!

I think that makes it an interesting sign indeed!

[kkt]

This is certainly unique to see a semi CalTrans styled sign in Nevada, https://www.google.com/maps/@36.1864534,-115.3424433,3a,29.5y,350.34h,101.12t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s688aPiV6jG_9DMNfOXG1sA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

There are a few more signs like this, including one on the Strip guiding you to the airport.

Wow, that's a little bit mind-bending. I'd say that a tourist (even me) would be a little confused trying to decide which direction.

It's a koan, right?

[PHLBOS]

Saw this one along US 322 eastbound at the unsigned Bethel Road interchange.

Such could fall under Worst Of as well as Erroneous (in terms of route shield) categories.

IMHO, Reverse direction or FOR U-TURN signage would've been more appropriate.

[US71]

Not entirely unique, but AHTD just posted some retro 24x24 squares for US 71B at Fort Smith instead of the standard 24x30. I want looking for some 271's, but didn't find any.

[Roadgeek2500]

Saw this one along US 322 eastbound at the unsigned Bethel Road interchange.

Such could fall under Worst Of as well as Erroneous (in terms of route shield) categories.

IMHO, Reverse direction or FOR U-TURN signage would've been more appropriate.

That's bad, even for Pennsylvania.

[SignGeek101]

Saw this one along US 322 eastbound at the unsigned Bethel Road interchange.

Such could fall under Worst Of as well as Erroneous (in terms of route shield) categories.

IMHO, Reverse direction or FOR U-TURN signage would've been more appropriate.

Bonus: It's brand new too!

[machias]

Found on US 11 NB on the outskirts of Watertown, N.Y.   Route markers? Don't need them.  Cardinal directions? Don't need them. Type of route? Don't need it.  Series E(m) lettering? Don't need it.

Keep it simple, I guess.

[SignGeek101]

Found on US 11 NB on the outskirts of Watertown, N.Y.   Route markers? Don't need them.  Cardinal directions? Don't need them. Type of route? Don't need it.  Series E(m) lettering? Don't need it.

Keep it simple, I guess.

Not likely most people know the difference between US, state and Interstate routes anyway. For most people it's "route #" or "highway #".

Also, look at the '6' in 12' 6". It's also a custom font.

[Zeffy]

Over here, there's no prefix half of the time. You refer to a highway, regardless of it's classification, as just the number.

[hotdogPi]

Over here, there's no prefix half of the time. You refer to a highway, regardless of it's its classification, as just the number.

Same here. Usually, single digits will be like "Route 1" or "Route 2", while higher numbers will get just the number ("62", "114"). I don't live near enough to MA 7, 10, or 12 to determine if it's single-digit or single-syllable.

[tckma]

I was out in California this past week on business.  I noticed they use "The" in place of "Route" -- "The 405," "The 5," "The 10."  It threw me off for a little.

[jakeroot]

I was out in California this past week on business.  I noticed they use "The" in place of "Route" -- "The 405," "The 5," "The 10."  It threw me off for a little.

The terminology is growing beyond just Southern California. I've started hearing "the..." here in Seattle, mainly in reference to state highways ("the 518", "the 509", "the 520", "the 522"). I do hear "the 405" fairly often as well, far more often than "the 5" or "the 90".

[Jim]

We've discussed this more than once.  Here's one fairly recent thread:

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=15629

[cl94]

From the Birmingham meet this past weekend:

[roadfro]

This is certainly unique to see a semi CalTrans styled sign in Nevada, https://www.google.com/maps/@36.1864534,-115.3424433,3a,29.5y,350.34h,101.12t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s688aPiV6jG_9DMNfOXG1sA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

There are a few more signs like this, including one on the Strip guiding you to the airport.

Wow, that's a little bit mind-bending. I'd say that a tourist (even me) would be a little confused trying to decide which direction.

It's a koan, right?

This is not a place where tourists would frequent, so locals will have some idea. Still, it's just not good signage, and confused me the first time I went through there after that interchange was completed.

I've hated that assembly since it was installed. But there's also several other things I don't like about that interchange...

[formulanone]

Squished pentagons in Loving County, Texas.



I guess money's tight when you have less than 100 citizens.

[cjk374]

Not entirely unique, but AHTD just posted some retro 24x24 squares for US 71B at Fort Smith instead of the standard 24x30. I want looking for some 271's, but didn't find any.

Especially where Arkansas is concerned, this would fit well in the Best of thread. Living in Louisiana all of my life has caused me not to like 24x30 route shields. Louisiana has always been able to fit 3 or more digits onto a 24x24 sign.

[jbnv]

Especially where Arkansas is concerned, this would fit well in the Best of thread. Living in Louisiana all of my life has caused me not to like 24x30 route shields. Louisiana has always been able to fit 3 or more digits onto a 24x24 sign.

It's not that difficult to do anyway:



It wouldn't be as much of a problem if we were consistent in making these wide signs. Alas, we aren't:

[cjk374]

Especially where Arkansas is concerned, this would fit well in the Best of thread. Living in Louisiana all of my life has caused me not to like 24x30 route shields. Louisiana has always been able to fit 3 or more digits onto a 24x24 sign.

It's not that difficult to do anyway:



It wouldn't be as much of a problem if we were consistent in making these wide signs. Alas, we aren't:

I agree. A lot of those like the LA 182 style above seem to be disappearing around here. They have been replaced, so far, with regular state shields.

I guess I was referencing the US highway shields (in my head as I was typing & I failed to properly convey that message). The 24x30 US shields put up here in LA have been consistent as far as I have seen around here. I just prefer 24x24.

[jbnv]

I guess I was referencing the US highway shields (in my head as I was typing & I failed to properly convey that message). The 24x30 US shields put up here in LA have been consistent as far as I have seen around here. I just prefer 24x24.

Agree, the 24x30 US shields are far more consistent. Even then, a case can be made for all-24x24. I wouldn't mind seeing us do Wisconsin-style unisigns. Then it should be easy to write a computer program to generate a layout based on a small set of input parameters.