The Clearview thread

[Quillz]

I found Clearview -- in mixed case, at that -- on a diamond sign in Cedar Falls, IA, earlier this year...

Clearview warning sign photo

*gasp* Look awful! I like it better if they were all caps or only on guide signs.

EDIT: I do like Clearview fonts and FHWA Fonts (somewhat.) but I still think Clearview should be strictly only for guide signs, not every other signs such as warning signs or regulatory signs. Do you have any idea how awful a stop sign look if it got clearview spelling Stop like that?

But the whole point of Clearview is it's specifically designed to be mixed-case. Having all caps Clearview defeats the purpose, you might as well stick with the FHWA Series.

However, the real issue with the sign isn't so much the font but rather the size and spacing: the font is way too big for the sign and there isn't enough yellow space. If the font was made smaller and the kerning reduced, it would look a lot better.

[roadfro]

I found Clearview -- in mixed case, at that -- on a diamond sign in Cedar Falls, IA, earlier this year...

Clearview warning sign photo

Perfect example of an application where Clearview should not be used, mainly because the negative contrast signing wasn't approved by FHWA...and well it just doesn't look right at all!

[ftballfan]

U-G-L-Y, you ain't go no alibi, you ugly, yeah, yeah, you ugly, whoo! - Referring to the Clearview warning sign. My mon did that cheer in high school and it describes that sign accurately.

[agentsteel53]

U-G-L-Y, you ain't go no alibi, you ugly, yeah, yeah, you ugly, whoo!

conveniently sidestepping the "you're" vs "your" distinction with a simple "you".  Very ... clever?

[english si]

ftballfan, thanks for taking me back eleven years to Daphne and Celeste - I had a mental block on that song (and the other one, though a friend named her baby Celeste, which brought it back like yesterday's dinner, but I'd forgotten U.G.L.Y.).

Do a search on youtube for them, and the top video is them getting bottled the instant they come on stage at the Reading festival - a rock/metal/punk festival that has no truck with manufactured pop (or rap, as three years later 50 cent got bottled for being a rapper) so they were going to get it even if they were actually made good music - which wasn't the case. Add to them following Slipknot and the amount of bottles suggests that the crowd didn't have enough missiles to throw at them.

They both agree as to the deliberate lameness of their songs, but while Celeste sees Reading as a low-light, Daphne reckons it was the high point of their pop career.

[J N Winkler]

More Clearview news:  judging by construction plans sets, FDOT is still sticking stubbornly to Series E Modified, but OOCEA has succumbed to Clearview.

[WolfGuy100]

More Clearview news:  judging by construction plans sets, FDOT is still sticking stubbornly to Series E Modified, but OOCEA has succumbed to Clearview.

I hate to be a noob here, but what does OOCEA stands for?

[Alex]

More Clearview news:  judging by construction plans sets, FDOT is still sticking stubbornly to Series E Modified, but OOCEA has succumbed to Clearview.

I hate to be a noob here, but what does OOCEA stands for?

Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority

OOCEA began using Clearview several years ago now.

[J N Winkler]

Doesn't surprise me--the plans set I received this afternoon was just the first one I had gotten recently with guide signing content.  The last OOCEA plans set with any signing content was about a month ago, but had just warning and regulatory signs (all in FHWA alphabet series).

[Michael]

I found Clearview -- in mixed case, at that -- on a diamond sign in Cedar Falls, IA, earlier this year...

Clearview warning sign photo

Earlier in this thread, someone mentioned that Clearview looked too "friendly".  This sign is a perfect example of that.

[realjd]

Doesn't surprise me--the plans set I received this afternoon was just the first one I had gotten recently with guide signing content.  The last OOCEA plans set with any signing content was about a month ago, but had just warning and regulatory signs (all in FHWA alphabet series).

Are those available online somewhere?

[J N Winkler]

Are those available online somewhere?

Yes (at least for OOCEA project 408-113, which has the guide signing).

http://www.expresswayauthority.com/corporate/administration/contracting/Default.aspx

Go to "Register to view and download bid documents."

[vdeane]

Earlier in this thread, someone mentioned that Clearview looked too "friendly".  This sign is a perfect example of that.

That reminds me of the uproar in my AP American class when the slide on Indian removal was made in Comic Sans.  The fond was "too happy".

[Dr Frankenstein]

Earlier in this thread, someone mentioned that Clearview looked too "friendly".  This sign is a perfect example of that.

That reminds me of the uproar in my AP American class when the slide on Indian removal was made in Comic Sans.  The fond was "too happy".

http://www.comicsanscriminal.com/

[ftballfan]

Earlier in this thread, someone mentioned that Clearview looked too "friendly".  This sign is a perfect example of that.

That reminds me of the uproar in my AP American class when the slide on Indian removal was made in Comic Sans.  The fond was "too happy".

http://www.comicsanscriminal.com/

Good site.

[J N Winkler]

Another Clearview victim:  South Dakota DOT.

[roadfro]

Possible additional Clearview victim: Nevada DOT.

On the US 395 northbound widening project in Reno, the first new sign installed with this project appears to have been done in Clearview. I didn't get a real good look as I wasn't expecting new signs...I'll have to go back at some point and see if I can get a picture.

[agentsteel53]

Possible additional Clearview victim: Nevada DOT.

On the US 395 northbound widening project in Reno, the first new sign installed with this project appears to have been done in Clearview. I didn't get a real good look as I wasn't expecting new signs...I'll have to go back at some point and see if I can get a picture.

oh Hell!  and here I thought that NDOT was getting things right - there is a guide sign coming off the Virginia City-Carson City route (NV-431?  I do not remember the number) which features a narrow 1961-spec guide sign US-395 shield (35x30 or something proportional) with Series C numbers.  that is the only 1961-spec sign I know of in Nevada: no more surface-level (black square) 1961-spec shields left ...

[Kniwt]

On the US 395 northbound widening project in Reno, the first new sign installed with this project appears to have been done in Clearview.

A second sign is up now as well. Here they are:

[roadfro]

^ Yup, those are the offenders. First installations of Clearview in Nevada, as far as I am aware.

That I-80 East sign is not designed well at all. The sign would have been much better if "Reno" had been left off of the control city legend. That would have allowed better spacing on the sign and appropriate centering of the "80 West" legend--"Downtown Reno" could be put on a supplemental sign, as was the case previously.  Besides, the long-distance traveler on US 395 has been in Reno for well over 11 miles prior to encountering this sign, so the usefulness of "Reno" is lost at this point.

It is nice to see "E. Second St" added at exit 67; it's been signed as "Glendale Ave" only for many years, despite the fact that the road is actually 2nd St where it crosses US 395 (2nd turns into Glendale upon entering Sparks about 1/2 mile east).

[myosh_tino]

Here are recreations of the new Nevada clearview signs posted by Kniwt with an edit on the I-80 sign (agreed with Roadfro... "Reno" should not be on the sign... you're already in Reno!)...



A couple of things I noticed.  Although the legend is clearview, the numerals for the exit numbers and route shields are still FHWA Series E (for exit numbers) and Series D for the I-80 shield.  Also, the EXIT ONLY legend is still FHWA Series E which is to be expected since dark-on-light clearview isn't approved for use yet.

One main question I have is what typeface should I be using for the Clearview legend?  5W?  5WR? 4W?  On the signs above, I chose to use 5W to try to make it match the photos.

Finally, I was pretty shocked and surprised to see Nevada using Clearview.  Now, I'm wondering how much longer will it be before California converts to Clearview.  I'm hoping it never happens but, then again, I never thought Nevada would use it...  

[roadfro]

A couple of things I noticed.  Although the legend is clearview, the numerals for the exit numbers and route shields are still FHWA Series E (for exit numbers) and Series D for the I-80 shield.  Also, the EXIT ONLY legend is still FHWA Series E which is to be expected since dark-on-light clearview isn't approved for use yet.

One main question I have is what typeface should I be using for the Clearview legend?  5W?  5WR? 4W?  On the signs above, I chose to use 5W to try to make it match the photos.

Finally, I was pretty shocked and surprised to see Nevada using Clearview.  Now, I'm wondering how much longer will it be before California converts to Clearview.  I'm hoping it never happens but, then again, I never thought Nevada would use it...  

Are you sure the exit numbers are ClearviewFHWA? I'm no font guru, but it doesn't quite look the same to me...  Anyway, I think Clearview 5W is supposed to be the "equivalent" to FHWA E(M)...your sign recreations look pretty close to what's in the field now.

I am still shocked that Nevada has Clearview up. I am wondering whether this is a trial thing or if it's a design/contractor goof that wasn't caught. The MUTCD website doesn't have a list of what agencies have requested to use Clearview, so I don't know whether NDOT has sought permission formally or not.  In any event, given that its taken this long for Caltrans to add exit numbers and start doing away with button copy, I highly doubt California will be switching to Clearview anytime soon.

[myosh_tino]

Are you sure the exit numbers are Clearview. I'm no font guru, but it doesn't quite look the same to me... 

I think you misunderstood what I said in my last post.  I said the numerals for the exit and route numbers are still FHWA Series E and D.  This I am 100% certain!

[Ian]

Those Nevada signs have the PennDOT curse: exit tabs in FHWA gothic with the control cities in clearview. They don't look too horrible, plus I like that cantilever.

[vdeane]

I knew Thruway signs were ugly, but I had no idea it could get this bad: