Interesting Hill Signage

[thefraze_1020]

A couple years back, I started a thread on runaway truck ramps. Looking back through that thread made me think of another topic, what are some examples of really interesting or unusual signage having to do with hills (long steep grades, that is)? I'm talking about more than just a simple "hill" sign with a grade percentage placard underneath.

One such example that comes to mind is I-70 eastbound descending into Denver. What are some other unusual examples of signage?

[1995hoo]

Do "Truck Information"  signs count? Here's an example in Pennsylvania:

https://goo.gl/maps/xJnjsuw5ooF2

[thefraze_1020]

Any signs related to hill climbs and hill descents count.

[SectorZ]

In Massachusetts, a few somewhat-interesting but not too special.

In Tolland on MA 57, https://www.google.com/maps/@42.0885478,-73.0479524,3a,37.6y,279.64h,91.65t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sNkePfqpJdxlC6Vw8fkZsDw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

In North Adams on MA 2A, https://www.google.com/maps/@42.6966596,-73.064183,3a,30.4y,276.74h,94.41t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1syvmo9TRojXd0SBO_cPO_AQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

In Florida on MA 2A, https://www.google.com/maps/@42.65189,-72.9975074,3a,75y,166.46h,101t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sL70-TGDtZAFEV9_O4s88Xw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

They're all more or less the same, but sadly as interesting as my state gets in this category. The large gantry over 57 is super out of place looks-wise.

[oscar]

Here's one in Canada's Nunavut territory, within the territorial park west of the capital Iqaluit, warning of a hill crest with limited view of what's on the other side. The sign is purely symbolic, so no need to translate Inuktitut text into English and French.



On Quebec's highway 381, a sign warning of a downgrade that starts steep then gets steeper (there's one with a maximum but short 18% grade):



Finally, a pair of warning signs at the top of the Waipio Valley access road on Hawaii's Big Island, at the west end of HI 240. The one in the background states the 25% grade. The foreground sign says that you need 4x4 (all-wheel drive doesn't cut it), since if you don't descend in first gear low range, the 0.75-mile long 25% grade can destroy your brakes, and people have died when their brakes failed and they went off the side of the cliff. Also, you need first gear low range to climb back out of the valley. Uphill traffic must maintain momentum to make it out of the valley, and the road is only one-lane with pullouts, so downhill traffic must wait at a pullout to yield to uphill traffic.

[Rothman]

In Massachusetts, a few somewhat-interesting but not too special.

In Tolland on MA 57, https://www.google.com/maps/@42.0885478,-73.0479524,3a,37.6y,279.64h,91.65t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sNkePfqpJdxlC6Vw8fkZsDw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

In North Adams on MA 2A, https://www.google.com/maps/@42.6966596,-73.064183,3a,30.4y,276.74h,94.41t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1syvmo9TRojXd0SBO_cPO_AQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

In Florida on MA 2A, https://www.google.com/maps/@42.65189,-72.9975074,3a,75y,166.46h,101t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sL70-TGDtZAFEV9_O4s88Xw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

They're all more or less the same, but sadly as interesting as my state gets in this category. The large gantry over 57 is super out of place looks-wise.

Those are on MA 2, not 2A.  The curves on the signs also used to be more unique.

[paulthemapguy]

I just recently discovered the existence of the "HILL BLOCKS VIEW" sign, as it appears in the MUTCD.
I'm thinking of using that sign in a couple spots on the roadways where I work.  This link shows that sign and many other signs pertaining to hills and grades, as depicted in the MUTCD.

https://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/htm/2009/part2/fig2c_04_longdesc.htm

[oscar]

I just recently discovered the existence of the "HILL BLOCKS VIEW" sign, as it appears in the MUTCD.
I'm thinking of using that sign in a couple spots on the roadways where I work.  This link shows that sign and many other signs pertaining to hills and grades, as depicted in the MUTCD.

https://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/htm/2009/part2/fig2c_04_longdesc.htm

I've seen "Limited Sight Distance" in various places, and "No Sight Distance" on one local road in Maui (photo in my film photo archives, which are about 1000 miles away at the moment). The latter is almost certainly not in the MUTCD, in addition to exaggerating the situation (there's always some sight distance, unless the road takes you off the side of a cliff, which is not even close to true for that Maui road).

[SectorZ]

In Massachusetts, a few somewhat-interesting but not too special.

In Tolland on MA 57, https://www.google.com/maps/@42.0885478,-73.0479524,3a,37.6y,279.64h,91.65t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sNkePfqpJdxlC6Vw8fkZsDw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

In North Adams on MA 2A, https://www.google.com/maps/@42.6966596,-73.064183,3a,30.4y,276.74h,94.41t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1syvmo9TRojXd0SBO_cPO_AQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

In Florida on MA 2A, https://www.google.com/maps/@42.65189,-72.9975074,3a,75y,166.46h,101t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sL70-TGDtZAFEV9_O4s88Xw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

They're all more or less the same, but sadly as interesting as my state gets in this category. The large gantry over 57 is super out of place looks-wise.

Those are on MA 2, not 2A.  The curves on the signs also used to be more unique.

Must have been COMPLETELY asleep at the wheel on that. I seriously meant to put 2, not 2A. Oopsie.

[formulanone]

MA 57 has one near MA 8:

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[thefraze_1020]

A couple Washington State examples that come to mind....

SR 272 westbound at the top of the hill down into Colfax and junction US 195: (source WSDOT SRWeb)


US 2 westbound at the summit of Stevens Pass: (source WSDOT SRWeb)

[US 89]

From Tripadvisor, on the Moki Dugway:

[paulthemapguy]

Here's an example of the sign I was talking about earlier.  This is on Lemont Road near 83rd St in Woodridge, IL.


20180526_153354 by Paul Drives, on Flickr

[steviep24]

This sign is located on US 20A near Warsaw, NY


Courtesy of Wikipedia.

[MCRoads]

So is everybody required to take that pull off? It looks like it is addressing everyone....

[Mapmikey]

So is everybody required to take that pull off? It looks like it is addressing everyone....

Only Trucks over 9 tons - https://goo.gl/maps/tcvzibGoMst

[Jim]

Lousy picture, but here's what the sign at the top of the hill on Massachusetts 2 West before descending into North Adams looked like back on January 29, 2001.



And here's Massachusetts 2 East before heading down from Florida.  September 21, 2002.

[steviep24]

So is everybody required to take that pull off? It looks like it is addressing everyone....

Only Trucks over 9 tons - https://goo.gl/maps/tcvzibGoMst

Here is the last chance pull off just before the steep grades start with a red sign saying:
TRUCKS, BUSES AND
CARS WITH TRAILERS

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.7464269,-78.1206713,3a,37.5y,285.12h,91.14t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1srnjPiTfJAKXPE9J6_Nxq9A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

The white sign I posted is located at this pull off.

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.7465418,-78.123161,3a,15y,300.19h,90.47t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sOr9d9wFJ9lhkZDxSGAk6GA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

[ErmineNotyours]

For oscar:

Warning sign on Makena Rd, Maui by Arthur Allen, on Flickr

Google Street View

[ErmineNotyours]

This used to be part of WA 126, and the state highway maps marked it as "Narrow, winding, gravel.  Not recommended for passenger autos."  The state designation is gone, but this warning sign remains: Google Street View.

[seicer]

I appreciate West Virginia's signage, which is more clear than something like "TRUCK SPEED 45" and a bunch of weight restrictions that are illegible: https://goo.gl/maps/XVLLzMxPycs (I-64 at Sandstone Mountain)

And their winding road and grade sign is very large: https://goo.gl/maps/Wbs9inWp6Dz

For New York, this is excessive: https://goo.gl/maps/HnYYoK5BAYP2 (Signs have been replaced with larger variants). I get that there are standards, but the signs read "BEGIN" "TRUCK WEIGHT LIMIT 9 TONS" which is immediately followed with "END" "TRUCK WEIGHT LIMIT 9 TONS" because of the pull-off for trucks to check their brakes. It's just too many signs.

[thefraze_1020]

This used to be part of WA 126, and the state highway maps marked it as "Narrow, winding, gravel.  Not recommended for passenger autos."  The state designation is gone, but this warning sign remains: Google Street View.

I was there on May 21st, and this sign has since been replaced by a smaller, county-made sign. Looking the background of this picture:IMG_8098 by Cameron Frazer, on Flickr

[bzakharin]

No distance makes no sense. The distance can be zero, but it's still a distance.

[hotdogPi]

No distance makes no sense. The distance can be zero, but it's still a distance.

The distance can't be zero unless it's touching your car.

[bzakharin]

No distance makes no sense. The distance can be zero, but it's still a distance.

The distance can't be zero unless it's touching your car.

I meant in general, but in this case yes