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Weird fractions on distance signs

Started by Pink Jazz, February 06, 2015, 01:58:05 PM

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Pink Jazz

I would like to know of some examples of weird fractions on distance signs.  Typically distance signs use halves or quarters with fractions, with occasional use of thirds.  I would like to know some examples of any distance signs that doesn't use halves, quarters, or thirds.

I remember in Albuquerque there was a sign that had distance of 6/10 mile south of Downtown on I-25 northbound.


kphoger

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1995hoo

There used to be a sign on westbound I-66 stating the exit for I-495 was 1/10 of a mile ahead. The sign is no longer there.
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hotdogPi

I have seen 3/8 somewhere on MA 128.
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Mergingtraffic

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myosh_tino

#5
Here's another "1/8 MILE" on southbound US 101 near Palo Alto...



Unfortunately, this sign was replaced when Caltrans added a second HOV lane on 101.  The distance message was removed and only a down arrow remains.
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Pete from Boston

I've seen 2/10 somewhere recently.  Why not 1/4, I don't know. 

1/8, being binary, seems intuitive to me. 

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ekt8750

#9
There's a tons of tenths around Philly esp on 76, 676 and on Woodhaven Road. I think they were in place for a potential conversion to metric which had been tossed around a lot in the 70s 80s and 90s.

The math nerd in me gets put off by the fact that they aren't reduced fractions. All 2/10, 4/10, 6/10.

1995hoo

Quote from: Pete from Boston on February 06, 2015, 02:52:53 PM
I've seen 2/10 somewhere recently.  Why not 1/4, I don't know. 

1/8, being binary, seems intuitive to me. 

Probably because 2/10 is 1/5, rather than 1/4.  :bigass:

Thinking about it from a practical standpoint, I kind of like the idea of tenths because that's what a car's odometer or trip meter displays.
"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.

Alex4897

There's a few x/8 signs on US 30 in Lancaster IIRC.
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jeffandnicole

Quote from: 1995hoo on February 06, 2015, 03:11:33 PM
Quote from: Pete from Boston on February 06, 2015, 02:52:53 PM
I've seen 2/10 somewhere recently.  Why not 1/4, I don't know. 

1/8, being binary, seems intuitive to me. 

Probably because 2/10 is 1/5, rather than 1/4.  :bigass:

Thinking about it from a practical standpoint, I kind of like the idea of tenths because that's what a car's odometer or trip meter displays.

1/5 and 1/4 are, for all practical purposes on the highway, the same.  Why Philly uses 2/10 rather than 1/4, who knows.

Takumi

Long ago there was a 1/5 mile sign somewhere on I-95 between Richmond and Ashland.
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CNGL-Leudimin

My country is full of 5/8 and 5/16 of mile signs :bigass:...

Except we sign those as 1000 m and 500 m .
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Pete from Boston

Quote from: 1995hoo on February 06, 2015, 03:11:33 PM
Quote from: Pete from Boston on February 06, 2015, 02:52:53 PM
I've seen 2/10 somewhere recently.  Why not 1/4, I don't know. 

1/8, being binary, seems intuitive to me. 

Probably because 2/10 is 1/5, rather than 1/4.  :bigass:

Yeah, but after 1/2, 1/4 is people's favorite fraction, and it's close enough (there is plenty of evidence out there that .05 mile is within the margin of error for exit distances).

QuoteThinking about it from a practical standpoint, I kind of like the idea of tenths because that's what a car's odometer or trip meter displays.

That's the answer right there.

riiga

Quote from: CNGL-Leudimin on February 06, 2015, 05:40:17 PM
My country is full of 5/8 and 5/16 of mile signs :bigass:...

Except we sign those as 1000 m and 500 m .
:bigass:

machias

It was very common in the 60s and early 70s for NYSDOT to use tenth miles, especially on overhead signs at cloverleaf interchanges.  There used to be a button copy sign from the mid 1980s on NY 12 north in Utica that said "JCT (8) 1/3 MILE".  It was the only instance I remember of seeing 1/3 mile.

PHLBOS

Quote from: upstatenyroads on February 07, 2015, 01:39:50 PM
It was very common in the 60s and early 70s for NYSDOT to use tenth miles, especially on overhead signs at cloverleaf interchanges.  There used to be a button copy sign from the mid 1980s on NY 12 north in Utica that said "JCT (8) 1/3 MILE".  It was the only instance I remember of seeing 1/3 mile.
Here's another BGS with a 1/3 MILE listing.
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hotdogPi

Quote from: PHLBOS on February 07, 2015, 02:53:08 PM
Quote from: upstatenyroads on February 07, 2015, 01:39:50 PM
It was very common in the 60s and early 70s for NYSDOT to use tenth miles, especially on overhead signs at cloverleaf interchanges.  There used to be a button copy sign from the mid 1980s on NY 12 north in Utica that said "JCT (8) 1/3 MILE".  It was the only instance I remember of seeing 1/3 mile.
Here's another BGS with a 1/3 MILE listing.

1/3 is not that rare (although probably rarer than eighths).
Clinched

Traveled, plus
US 13, 44, 50
MA 22, 40, 107, 109, 117, 119, 126, 141, 159
NH 27, 111A(E); CA 133; NY 366; GA 42, 140; FL A1A, 7; CT 32; VT 2A, 5A; PA 3, 51, 60, QC 162, 165, 263; 🇬🇧A100, A3211, A3213, A3215, A4222; 🇫🇷95 D316

formulanone

#22
There's a bunch of "1/3 mile" signs on I-57 north of Champaign. Since 1/3 mile is vaguely close to 1/2 kilometer, I wonder if they were chosen for possible future metrication purposes?



I-95 just south of Daytona Beach; for US 92 near the I-4 interchange:



There's a similar one for FL 44, but oddly using 3/10 of a mile:


Pink Jazz

Quote from: 1 on February 07, 2015, 02:58:35 PM

1/3 is not that rare (although probably rarer than eighths).

I recall seeing more thirds than eighths, and if you read my OP, I don't consider them unusual.

kphoger

Still waiting for a picture of x/6 or x/7 . . .
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.



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