News:

Thank you for your patience during the Forum downtime while we upgraded the software. Welcome back and see this thread for some new features and other changes to the forum.

Main Menu

Cities That Absolutely Suck at Signing State & US Highways

Started by ekt8750, August 27, 2017, 08:47:01 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

ekt8750

I bring this up living just outside the poster child city for this thread, Philadelphia. With the exceptions of US 1 and PA 611 (both of which run on three of the most important roads in the city and in PA 611's case stays on the same straight road throughout), reassurance signs are practically non existent. Sure there might be a token runner on a street blade or two that's erected in the past couple years but heaven help you if the route turns off the road you're cause more than likely there won't be directional signage to guide you at that intersection.

I challenge anyone to try to fully traverse US 13 in though Philly from border to border without a map or gps and do so without deviation and see how far you can make it. Good luck with that.

Any other cities like this?


hbelkins

Louisville and Lexington both used to be terrible, but Lexington's gotten somewhat better. Not quite sure about Louisville.

Tennessee's cities in generally are not good at all.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

Max Rockatansky

San Jose comes to mind with the lack of signage for CA 130 Alum Rock Avenue.

Quillz

Ventura signage can't decide if CA-1 is concurrent with US-101, or doesn't exist at all. (It's legally the latter).

jp the roadgeek

Stamford, CT is horrible.  Was trying to clinch US 1 in the days before GPS and finding where it turned was impossible. 
Interstates I've clinched: 97, 290 (MA), 291 (CT), 291 (MA), 293, 295 (DE-NJ-PA), 295 (RI-MA), 384, 391, 395 (CT-MA), 395 (MD), 495 (DE), 610 (LA), 684, 691, 695 (MD), 695 (NY), 795 (MD)

Rothman

Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

US 89

Anywhere in CO that is concurrent with an a Interstate. Or anywhere at all in NM.

Otto Yamamoto


sparker

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 27, 2017, 09:38:25 PM
San Jose comes to mind with the lack of signage for CA 130 Alum Rock Avenue.

Unfortunately, Caltrans relinquished most of Alum Rock -- and the concept of "continuation" signage in CA urban areas is at best a joke.  San Jose has no interest in taking up the slack, as they're actively discouraging through traffic along their street network, so as far as CA 130 is concerned, access to and from its current Mt. Hamilton Road alignment just isn't indicated.  The exit BGS on US 101 (both directions) still indicates CA 130 -- but once the ramp gets to the street itself, there's no further "to CA 130" directions given -- and I wouldn't anticipate such in the foreseeable future. 

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: sparker on August 28, 2017, 01:55:58 AM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 27, 2017, 09:38:25 PM
San Jose comes to mind with the lack of signage for CA 130 Alum Rock Avenue.

Unfortunately, Caltrans relinquished most of Alum Rock -- and the concept of "continuation" signage in CA urban areas is at best a joke.  San Jose has no interest in taking up the slack, as they're actively discouraging through traffic along their street network, so as far as CA 130 is concerned, access to and from its current Mt. Hamilton Road alignment just isn't indicated.  The exit BGS on US 101 (both directions) still indicates CA 130 -- but once the ramp gets to the street itself, there's no further "to CA 130" directions given -- and I wouldn't anticipate such in the foreseeable future.

It evens says in the relinquishment definition that the the city of San Jose is supposed to maintain signage.  Too bad essentially Caltrans can't enforce that definition or put up reassurance shields since the city won't.  I know the situation has repeated throughout the state when the relinquishment calls for a route to still be signed at the local level.

RoadWarrior56


Max Rockatansky

Quote from: RoadWarrior56 on August 28, 2017, 06:37:42 AM
New Mexico!

New Mexico isn't a city.  Signage does get wonky on a case by case basis with all the weird state routes but I wouldn't exactly attribute that to a municipality.

silverback1065

Quote from: hbelkins on August 27, 2017, 09:30:07 PM
Louisville and Lexington both used to be terrible, but Lexington's gotten somewhat better. Not quite sure about Louisville.

Tennessee's cities in generally are not good at all.

i'd say it's hit or miss, us 31e/w isnt signed well, neither is us 150. 

silverback1065

Quote from: ekt8750 on August 27, 2017, 08:47:01 PM
I bring this up living just outside the poster child city for this thread, Philadelphia. With the exceptions of US 1 and PA 611 (both of which run on three of the most important roads in the city and in PA 611's case stays on the same straight road throughout), reassurance signs are practically non existent. Sure there might be a token runner on a street blade or two that's erected in the past couple years but heaven help you if the route turns off the road you're cause more than likely there won't be directional signage to guide you at that intersection.

I challenge anyone to try to fully traverse US 13 in though Philly from border to border without a map or gps and do so without deviation and see how far you can make it. Good luck with that.

Any other cities like this?

actually, DC is the king.  they have literally removed all signs for all us routes in the district.  i don't understand why either. 

paulthemapguy

Massachusetts is just generally Assachusetts in this regard
Avatar is the last interesting highway I clinched.
My website! http://www.paulacrossamerica.com Now featuring all of Ohio!
My USA Shield Gallery https://flic.kr/s/aHsmHwJRZk
TM Clinches https://bit.ly/2UwRs4O

National collection status: 361/425. Only 64 route markers remain

jemacedo9

Quote from: ekt8750 on August 27, 2017, 08:47:01 PM
I bring this up living just outside the poster child city for this thread, Philadelphia. With the exceptions of US 1 and PA 611 (both of which run on three of the most important roads in the city and in PA 611's case stays on the same straight road throughout), reassurance signs are practically non existent. Sure there might be a token runner on a street blade or two that's erected in the past couple years but heaven help you if the route turns off the road you're cause more than likely there won't be directional signage to guide you at that intersection.

I challenge anyone to try to fully traverse US 13 in though Philly from border to border without a map or gps and do so without deviation and see how far you can make it. Good luck with that.

Any other cities like this?

In the early 90s all of the reassurance shields were updated in Philly...for all of the routes.  Since then, it seems as if, as signs went missing, vandalized, etc; they have not been replaced.  PA 3 is not very well marked either, even though most of it is a straight shot on Chestnut and Walnut Streets.  I haven't been to NE Phila in ages to know about PA 63 or PA 532 but I'll guess they are not signed either.

On the other side of the state...Pittsburgh seems to have their routes signed very well.

HazMatt

Northwestern South Carolina.  Greenville, Clemson, and others in the area are terrible at signing through town in my experience.

hotdogPi

Quote from: paulthemapguy on August 28, 2017, 10:31:16 AM
Massachusetts is just generally Assachusetts in this regard

I don't know what you're talking about. Signage isn't bad where I live.
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.

ekt8750

Quote from: jemacedo9 on August 28, 2017, 10:35:52 AM
Quote from: ekt8750 on August 27, 2017, 08:47:01 PM
I bring this up living just outside the poster child city for this thread, Philadelphia. With the exceptions of US 1 and PA 611 (both of which run on three of the most important roads in the city and in PA 611's case stays on the same straight road throughout), reassurance signs are practically non existent. Sure there might be a token runner on a street blade or two that's erected in the past couple years but heaven help you if the route turns off the road you're cause more than likely there won't be directional signage to guide you at that intersection.

I challenge anyone to try to fully traverse US 13 in though Philly from border to border without a map or gps and do so without deviation and see how far you can make it. Good luck with that.

Any other cities like this?

In the early 90s all of the reassurance shields were updated in Philly...for all of the routes.  Since then, it seems as if, as signs went missing, vandalized, etc; they have not been replaced.  PA 3 is not very well marked either, even though most of it is a straight shot on Chestnut and Walnut Streets.  I haven't been to NE Phila in ages to know about PA 63 or PA 532 but I'll guess they are not signed either.

On the other side of the state...Pittsburgh seems to have their routes signed very well.

You wouldn't know that PA 63 left Woodhaven Rd after the Boulevard. 232 and 532 are poorly signed as well. There are no reassurance shields on either road save for a few sign blades that were recently updated. Both routes start at the Boulevard and the BGSs there are the only indication that those routes even begin.

Takumi

Quote from: Rothman on July 15, 2021, 07:52:59 AM
Olive Garden must be stopped.  I must stop them.

Don't @ me. Seriously.

sparker

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 28, 2017, 06:01:41 AM
Quote from: sparker on August 28, 2017, 01:55:58 AM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 27, 2017, 09:38:25 PM
San Jose comes to mind with the lack of signage for CA 130 Alum Rock Avenue.

Unfortunately, Caltrans relinquished most of Alum Rock -- and the concept of "continuation" signage in CA urban areas is at best a joke.  San Jose has no interest in taking up the slack, as they're actively discouraging through traffic along their street network, so as far as CA 130 is concerned, access to and from its current Mt. Hamilton Road alignment just isn't indicated.  The exit BGS on US 101 (both directions) still indicates CA 130 -- but once the ramp gets to the street itself, there's no further "to CA 130" directions given -- and I wouldn't anticipate such in the foreseeable future.

It evens says in the relinquishment definition that the the city of San Jose is supposed to maintain signage.  Too bad essentially Caltrans can't enforce that definition or put up reassurance shields since the city won't.  I know the situation has repeated throughout the state when the relinquishment calls for a route to still be signed at the local level.

Heh -- even if District 4 were to actually install 130 shields on Alum Rock, the chances are that they'd rank among the ugliest green spades in the state system (mismatched numbers haphazardly placed on shields, crappy kerning, etc.).  Just drive along CA 85 for examples! 

roadman

Quote from: paulthemapguy on August 28, 2017, 10:31:16 AM
Massachusetts is just generally Assachusetts in this regard
Massachusetts is inconsistent in this regard, as it depends on whether the road the route is on is state or local jurisdiction when it goes through a community (this is very inconsistent from town to town).  Some cities and towns acknowledge the importance of good route signing, while most others consider any and all signing to be a blight that detracts from the "streetscape", and will provide only minimal route signs at best.
"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)

ekt8750

Quote from: Takumi on August 28, 2017, 11:23:28 AM
Virginia Beach

This. I was down there in June and and got turned around badly at the merge of US 58 and BUS 58 cause the signing was so bad. Also you'd think US 13 ended at the foot of the Bridge-Tunnel if you went by VA Beach's signing.

Eth

Atlanta is surprisingly good in this regard. Even in places where I'd honestly expect the signage to suck, such as where GA 14 ends at Ted Turner Dr while concurrent with GA 154, they get it right. Then again, there are no clues in either direction at the end of Trinity Ave where 154 then turns onto Memorial Dr, so it's not perfect.

Neighboring Decatur, meanwhile, has numerous issues. From here, yes, northbound 155 is to the left, but there's no mention of southbound 155 straight ahead. This assembly gets US 29/78's routing wrong (should be straight across along with GA 8). And if you're trying to follow southbound GA 155, good luck: the left turn at this intersection has been unsigned since before I moved to the area in 2013. (In fact, that actually did trip me up a couple years earlier when I was trying to drive the route; I proceeded straight through, unaware of the turn.)

PHLBOS

Quote from: jemacedo9 on August 28, 2017, 10:35:52 AMPA 3 is not very well marked either, even though most of it is a straight shot on Chestnut and Walnut Streets.
Despite PA 3 crossing I-76 near/adjacent to the 30th St. Station interchange (via JFK Blvd. (3 Eastbound Westbound) & Market St. (3 Westbound Eastbound)); there's no PA 3 shields on the interchange signage... but there are Amtrak & SEPTA shields on the BGS'.
GPS does NOT equal GOD



Opinions expressed here on belong solely to the poster and do not represent or reflect the opinions or beliefs of AARoads, its creators and/or associates.