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I-95's "Northern Extension"

Started by ghYHZ, November 20, 2011, 08:42:59 AM

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ghYHZ



It's 9 miles (14.5 km) from the end of I-95 at the US/Canada Border in Houlton, Maine to the Trans Canada Highway at Woodstock, New Brunswick........NB-95 is the link

Here we're looking back to Canada Customs at the border. The lanes to I-95 skirt around to the right and head for US Customs.













Looking East on TCH-2.......that's NB-95 crossing overhead.







Now looking West on TCH-2.










Truvelo

Speed limits limit life

andytom

What's the difference behind the green, blue and black backgrounds on the provincial route shields?

ghYHZ

Quote from: andytom on November 20, 2011, 01:22:29 PM
What's the difference behind the green, blue and black backgrounds on the provincial route shields?

Green — Main or Trunk Routes
Blue — Secondary
Black - Tertiary

ghYHZ

Quote from: Truvelo on November 20, 2011, 09:19:59 AM
Did that used to say "Exits" ?

I was wondering about that too.

........but there's still two exits: 188 to Woodstock and 187 to Houlton


Ian

Very cool photos! Besides the font on the route shields, I like New Brunswick's signage.
UMaine graduate, former PennDOT employee, new SoCal resident.
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Quillz

Are they using Arial? Ugh... FHWA Series or Clearview, please.

broadhurst04

Quote from: Quillz on November 24, 2011, 05:30:50 AM
Are they using Arial? Ugh... FHWA Series or Clearview, please.

Is there some rule that US fonts cannot be used by Canadian agencies to point drivers to US routes when they are close to the border? Is it a matter of expense, or is it just that Canadian agencies just don't want to equip sign shops with a font that they will rarely use?

agentsteel53

I cannot imagine it is a matter of expense to use Series D, seeing as they have it right there on that very sign

live from sunny San Diego.

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jake@aaroads.com

yakra

Quote from: ghYHZ on November 20, 2011, 01:35:20 PM
Quote from: andytom on November 20, 2011, 01:22:29 PM
What's the difference behind the green, blue and black backgrounds on the provincial route shields?

Green — Main or Trunk Routes
Blue — Secondary
Black - Tertiary
I believe in the local parlance (or DoT/MoT-speak at least...) these are the Arterials, Collectors, and Locals, respectively. Arterials have 1- or 2-digit numbers, Collectors are numbered 1xx, and Locals are numbered 2xx thru 9xx.

Nova Scotia also has a 3-tiered provincial highway system, although they use more differenter shields, and slightly different names, for each tier.
- Arterial Highways have a shield inna NS flag stylee, and 100-series numbers.
- Trunk Routes have a US-route shaped shield, on a white background. The numerals appear to be Helvetica or something. These have 2-digit numbers.
- Collector Routes have Boring Rectangles, kinda brownish-red with a white border. Routes numbered 2xx & 3xx.

the506.com has pages on NB & NS roads:
http://the506.com/roads/NB/
http://the506.com/roads/NS/
"Officer, I'm always careful to drive the speed limit no matter where I am and that's what I was doin'." Said "No, you weren't," she said, "Yes, I was." He said, "Madam, I just clocked you at 22 MPH," and she said "That's the speed limit," he said "No ma'am, that's the route numbah!"  - Gary Crocker

Dr Frankenstein

#10
NB shields always seem to use Helvetica for their numbers... seems like a standard thing. However the TCH shield does use Series EM, so I believe that the Interstate shield is a (very frequent) mistake. Québec uses Series EM on Interstate shields instead of Series D (except a handful of correct ones on A-30) and it looks just as awkward.

broadhurst04: Almost all of Canadian provinces use FHWA fonts (except NB for shields; and a few provinces have switched to Clearview), so they already have them readily available... besides, Interstate shields are correct in Ontario. Everything except the shields in these pictures uses the FHWA fonts...

SP Cook

Quote from: Dr Frankenstein on December 04, 2011, 05:06:19 PM
Almost all of Canadian provinces use FHWA fonts (except NB for shields; and a few provinces have switched to Clearview), so they already have them readily available... besides, Interstate shields are correct in Ontario. Everything except the shields in these pictures uses the FHWA fonts...

This brings up a question.  My state doesn't border on Canada, but when we need another state's shields, we just swap with them.  For example, all of the To Ohio 7 signs in WV are made by ODOT, and all of the To WV 2 signs in Ohio are made by WV DOH.  Its a wash on a cash basis, and it saves both states from having to mainain another sign set. 

Why would not the NB or ON or any other Canadian jurisdiction's sign shop just call their cousins across the border and swap the shields as needed?

webfil

Québec has all its signs and their technical specs available free on the internet in various file formats (Enhanced PostScript, Adobe Illustrator, DXF for CADs, JPEG) and in French and English.

But I've rarely seen adequate signage, except for Vermont who seems to have traded old QC signs.

For example, ON MOT used an undersized A-5 reassurance shield to patch its Nicholas Street/King Edward Avenue BGS advance signage.

Or this awful 132 shield that uses arial font.

Brandon

Quote from: SP Cook on December 04, 2011, 05:20:49 PM
Quote from: Dr Frankenstein on December 04, 2011, 05:06:19 PM
Almost all of Canadian provinces use FHWA fonts (except NB for shields; and a few provinces have switched to Clearview), so they already have them readily available... besides, Interstate shields are correct in Ontario. Everything except the shields in these pictures uses the FHWA fonts...

This brings up a question.  My state doesn't border on Canada, but when we need another state's shields, we just swap with them.  For example, all of the To Ohio 7 signs in WV are made by ODOT, and all of the To WV 2 signs in Ohio are made by WV DOH.  Its a wash on a cash basis, and it saves both states from having to mainain another sign set. 

Why would not the NB or ON or any other Canadian jurisdiction's sign shop just call their cousins across the border and swap the shields as needed?

That could be a thread all on its own.  Some states and provinces swap signs, but others do not.  I know that Illinois does not seem to do so with Indiana or Wisconsin (as an example).
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton

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AsphaltPlanet

Quote from: ghYHZ on November 20, 2011, 08:42:59 AM
Now looking West on TCH-2.



I don't mind this sign.  The sign probably looks better having consistent numeral fonts across all shields than it would if highway gothic had have been used solely on the 95 shield.
AsphaltPlanet.ca  Youtube -- Opinions expressed reflect the viewpoints of others.

agentsteel53

Quote from: AsphaltPlanet on December 04, 2011, 07:31:20 PM

I don't mind this sign.  The sign probably looks better having consistent numeral fonts across all shields than it would if highway gothic had have been used solely on the 95 shield.

I happen to disagree, because I despise Helvetica/Arial/Grotesk/Univers/etc being used for route markers.  I think the entire thing should be in Highway Gothic D.
live from sunny San Diego.

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jake@aaroads.com

AsphaltPlanet

Quote from: agentsteel53 on December 04, 2011, 09:01:38 PM
I happen to disagree, because I despise Helvetica/Arial/Grotesk/Univers/etc being used for route markers.  I think the entire thing should be in Highway Gothic D.

Really?  I can't imagine despising a font.

To each their own though.
AsphaltPlanet.ca  Youtube -- Opinions expressed reflect the viewpoints of others.

agentsteel53

Quote from: AsphaltPlanet on December 04, 2011, 09:47:51 PM

Really?  I can't imagine despising a font.


I just think it is completely unattractive, compared to the alternatives available.
live from sunny San Diego.

http://shields.aaroads.com

jake@aaroads.com

triplemultiplex

Quote from: AsphaltPlanet on December 04, 2011, 09:47:51 PM

Really?  I can't imagine despising a font.


Then you don't know any graphic designers.
"That's just like... your opinion, man."

AsphaltPlanet

^ Yeah, I do.

I just don't understand how someone could take such a strong stand on something as irrelevant as the font on a road sign that is located thousands of kilometres away.

Unless, the speaker is an engineer conducting a human factors study on the readability of a highway font, whatever anybody says is really just personal preference.  Banal discussions on whose preference is better in my opinion cheapen the forum.
AsphaltPlanet.ca  Youtube -- Opinions expressed reflect the viewpoints of others.

agentsteel53

I think there are some fonts which are objectively better-looking than others, especially in a given context.

to go to some pathological extreme - you wouldn't use Comic Sans on a road sign.

(okay, who's gonna post the photo of the 'slow down, my parental unit works here' sign first?)
live from sunny San Diego.

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jake@aaroads.com

vdeane

You also wouldn't use Comic Sans on a powerpoint slide about the Indian Removal Act (the font is too happy for that stuff), but that didn't stop one of my high school teachers from doing just that.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

1995hoo

Quote from: agentsteel53 on December 05, 2011, 06:37:50 PM
I think there are some fonts which are objectively better-looking than others, especially in a given context.

to go to some pathological extreme - you wouldn't use Comic Sans on a road sign.

(okay, who's gonna post the photo of the 'slow down, my parental unit works here' sign first?)

Check out the pictures on this page for a great example of your point.
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

DBrim

Quote from: deanej on December 05, 2011, 09:54:21 PM
You also wouldn't use Comic Sans on a powerpoint slide about the Indian Removal Act (the font is too happy for that stuff), but that didn't stop one of my high school teachers from doing just that.
I watched somebody present his thesis defense to the company that paid for it.  The presentation was entirely in comic sans.  I was the only person who noticed.

KEVIN_224

I hope I could cross this border myself someday. The closest I've been thus far is Bangor, ME. If I'm not mistaken, that highway was upgraded within the last two years or so. As for the "KM" signs for obvious reasons, you see some distances cosigned in southern Maine on I-95, especially near Exit 36 for I-195 East towards Saco and Old Orchard Beach. It sure helps that they get a ton of Canadian tourists, especially those from Quebec! (I lived in O.O.B. from 1985 to 1987.)  :-/



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