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The Clearview thread

Started by BigMattFromTexas, August 03, 2009, 05:35:25 PM

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Which do you think is better: Highway Gothic or Clearview?

Highway Gothic
Clearview

Scott5114

That's not Clearview. That's some other typeface. Possibly Frutiger Sans, but don't quote me on that.
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef


shadyjay

Is it Clearview?   (Interstate 89 Northbound, Vermont, sign installed 7/2010)




Other examples here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/shadyjayvt/I89July2010#

Ian

Quote from: shadyjay on July 26, 2010, 11:40:52 PM
Is it Clearview?   (Interstate 89 Northbound, Vermont, sign installed 7/2010)



Yup, thats clearview  :ded:
UMaine graduate, former PennDOT employee, new SoCal resident.
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agentsteel53

Quote from: PennDOTFan on July 26, 2010, 11:47:52 PM


Yup, thats clearview  :ded:

ah fudge, I'm gonna be driving that segment in a few months.
live from sunny San Diego.

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LeftyJR

Quote from: PennDOTFan on July 26, 2010, 11:47:52 PM
Quote from: shadyjay on July 26, 2010, 11:40:52 PM
Is it Clearview?   (Interstate 89 Northbound, Vermont, sign installed 7/2010)



Yup, thats clearview  :ded:

How do they pronounce "Barre" in Vermont?   Because in PA, there is a big debate on how to pronounce it when it is attached to Wilkes in "Wilkes-Barre"

shadyjay


agentsteel53

Quote from: shadyjay on July 27, 2010, 09:48:46 AM
Bear-eee..... Not Bear



really?  long A?  as if it were spelled "baree"?  here I've been pronouncing it "bar" for years, because since when does long A result from having two consonants between the vowels?  Oh wait, this is English. 
live from sunny San Diego.

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mightyace

Having grown up in Northeastern PA,  I always heard Wilkes-Barre pronounced as

Wilks Bear-uh
My Flickr Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mightyace

I'm out of this F***KING PLACE!

shadyjay

Quote from: agentsteel53 on July 27, 2010, 11:09:08 AM
Quote from: shadyjay on July 27, 2010, 09:48:46 AM
Bear-eee..... Not Bear



really?  long A?  as if it were spelled "baree"?  here I've been pronouncing it "bar" for years, because since when does long A result from having two consonants between the vowels?  Oh wait, this is English. 



When I first came up here in 1990, I thought it was "Bar" but we learned pretty quickly it is pronounced the other way.... like "VERY" but with a "B". 

The Wikipedia page for Barre VT (pronunciation in (  )  if it makes sense to anyone)...
Barre (/ˈbæri/)

iwishiwascanadian

After seeing photos of Clearview I though I wasn't a fan and hated it.  I live in a state (Connecticut) where Clearview is very rare (I've only seen on Clearview sign in CT).  I thought the letter spacing was off and thought that the old font was perfectly fine.  But then, I went down to the DC area where Clearview is everywhere and I must say it is growing on me.  I hate seeing it up close, but when one is travelling at 75 mph (breaking the speed limit) it is quite clear to read. 

cu2010

I really don't think Clearview is that bad if it's used well. The Vermont Clearview signs don't look that bad. NYSTA, on the other hand...

...though, I still prefer good ol' FHWA Series E(M)!
This is cu2010, reminding you, help control the ugly sign population, don't have your shields spayed or neutered.

6a

Quote from: cu2010 on July 28, 2010, 08:37:32 PM
I really don't think Clearview is that bad if it's used well. The Vermont Clearview signs don't look that bad. NYSTA, on the other hand...

...though, I still prefer good ol' FHWA Series E(M)!
All things considered, I don't think Ohio is doing a horrible job either.  As others have said, it is growing on me, but I hate having the piecemeal approach to replacing them, especially when we have some really *really* old signs still up.

shoptb1

Quote from: 6a on July 28, 2010, 09:15:09 PM
Quote from: cu2010 on July 28, 2010, 08:37:32 PM
I really don't think Clearview is that bad if it's used well. The Vermont Clearview signs don't look that bad. NYSTA, on the other hand...

...though, I still prefer good ol' FHWA Series E(M)!
All things considered, I don't think Ohio is doing a horrible job either.  As others have said, it is growing on me, but I hate having the piecemeal approach to replacing them, especially when we have some really *really* old signs still up.

I totally agree about Ohio's implementation.  I think they're doing a great job.

mightyace

If Ohio had done Clearview as button copy, I might have gone for it.  :sombrero:
My Flickr Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mightyace

I'm out of this F***KING PLACE!

Ian

I have to admit, the clearview signs in Delaware and Maryland don't look half bad. However, it would be awesome if they went back to the old FHWA fonts...
UMaine graduate, former PennDOT employee, new SoCal resident.
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6a

Quote from: mightyace on July 28, 2010, 09:29:53 PM
If Ohio had done Clearview as button copy, I might have gone for it.  :sombrero:
One of these days I'm going to take some photos of I-270 on the south side of town.  I've seen a couple on this site, but those are the good ones.  One I'm thinking of is faded as all hell and just says "Cincinnati" with a missing shield and arrow.  For the longest time one of the BGS'es on I-270 on the east side had a 270 shield hanging off the sign.

As an aside, why have lighted signs if you don't light them?  UGH

agentsteel53

Quote from: 6a on July 28, 2010, 09:40:44 PM

As an aside, why have lighted signs if you don't light them?  UGH

at some point, they were lit.  Probably before the energy crisis of 1973 - that is when California started phasing out the underlighting.
live from sunny San Diego.

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jake@aaroads.com

6a

Quote from: agentsteel53 on July 28, 2010, 09:43:59 PM
Quote from: 6a on July 28, 2010, 09:40:44 PM

As an aside, why have lighted signs if you don't light them?  UGH

at some point, they were lit.  Probably before the energy crisis of 1973 - that is when California started phasing out the underlighting.
Sorry, I should have been more clear - we still have lighted signs here, but many of them have burned out bulbs.  Sometimes only one of the lights work, other times neither do.  It's a shame, really.  Seems like it happens on the best signs, too.  The worst ones have a permanent fluorescent glow, as if God himself said all shall see the mistake of man and ODOT. :)

joseph1723

I also admit that Clearview has kind of grown on me a little too, the new Ontario test signs look pretty decent to me even though they're in Clearview, but I still don't like the Toronto ones like this one I've posted a few months ago. Of course I still prefer seeing FHWA series EM the most.



Asides:
Ontario is also making some new signs with FHWA series E along with EM and Clearview, I wonder if they're trying out which font is better.

We have some older signs still with lighting fixtures attached but I haven't seen a working one for a while now. They even stopped putting the catwalks on the new gantries too.

iwishiwascanadian

I hate Clearview on signs in Southern Ontario, I saw the ones that were done on the QEW in Hamilton and hate them.  They don't seem to fit in with the gantries in the Golden Horseshoe. 

shoptb1

Quote from: 6a on July 28, 2010, 09:40:44 PM
One I'm thinking of is faded as all hell and just says "Cincinnati" with a missing shield and arrow.  For the longest time one of the BGS'es on I-270 on the east side had a 270 shield hanging off the sign.


I know the signs that you're talking about...they're on I-270 westbound at the I-71 intersection.  I believe that all of these signs will be replaced when this summer's bridge replacement project on I-270 between I-71 and US-23/High Street is completed.

shoptb1

#446
This slideshow on the NYTimes website is pretty interesting, albeit a bit dated (from 2007).  This provides an interesting view into the genesis of Clearview and it's initial implementations:

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2007/08/12/magazine/20070812_CLEARVIEW_2.html

Additionally, here's a video discussing the change.  Feel free to disagree with their opinions.  LOL

http://thehardestyear.com/2009/07/signs-of-change-how-a-new-font-called-clearview-is-changing-americas-highways/

shoptb1

Also, kind of along the same lines...ODOT's work on OH-315 this summer is probably going to replace the majority of older (and honestly much-in-need of replacement) button-copy signs on the freeway segment between I-670 and No. Broadway.  As I was driving around today, I noticed this OH-315 sign on Ackerman Rd, which just might be the oldest looking sign on the entire freeway.  Pretty interesting...very thin font used on the shield itself. Reminds me of the button-copy US-40 shield on the Broad Street exit off of I-670 East. 




CL

^ Are you sure that font's thin or are the numbers just peeling? Shields in Utah tend to do that.
Infrastructure. The city.

Hot Rod Hootenanny

Quote from: shoptb1 on August 08, 2010, 03:17:57 PM
Also, kind of along the same lines...ODOT's work on OH-315 this summer is probably going to replace the majority of older (and honestly much-in-need of replacement) button-copy signs on the freeway segment between I-670 and No. Broadway.  As I was driving around today, I noticed this OH-315 sign on Ackerman Rd, which just might be the oldest looking sign on the entire freeway.  Pretty interesting...very thin font used on the shield itself. Reminds me of the button-copy US-40 shield on the Broad Street exit off of I-670 East. 

Those overhead signs on 315 (between Bethel and Ackerman) would make Caltrans blush. But after almost 30 years, they need to go.
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