Most the signs in LA county that go for places that either don't have their own style or are in an unincorporated area have these signs;
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F27.media.tumblr.com%2Ftumblr_m2i1q946PV1rob8r8o2_500.jpg&hash=5ff95946245a5421ededaff34f12a55166823c06)
which I don't see in any other county nearby anyways. Im curious if there was something changed since in the nearby unincorporated areas I've started to see these:
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F24.media.tumblr.com%2Ftumblr_m2i1q946PV1rob8r8o1_500.jpg&hash=7e3d5553f4d82dd12d62e0e6967c5044b0a7beed)
That one is signed Altadena, and I've seen them in East Los Angeles, Topanga, and Littlerock. Im just curious if the unincorporated signs changed or if it was just some weird coincidence that they all got the style. Since it's not uncommon for two cities to have the same style if they're just simple green strips.
I assume all counties have standard things for such cases. I notice all the unincorporated places in LA county have the same things. Same blue signs, they always have green illuminated signs and standard poles and such, rarely do they ever have anything fancy or custom.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F24.media.tumblr.com%2Ftumblr_m2i4ewuFzP1rob8r8o1_500.jpg&hash=8bb3e17c000474aeb95b25d8ffbbe5b425f8f1df)
Typical lit hanging signs.^
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm4.static.flickr.com%2F3282%2F2739118119_f018794ebd.jpg&hash=53864bf074d1547b9dd5f397f048bfc1e6acaa40)
The "Shotgun" Sign (used 1946-1962)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi376.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Foo202%2Fsomuchtoseeanddo%2F021-5.jpg%3Ft%3D1289021966&hash=350fc3dae2cd0e8a7fcea7e6b9645de48391065f)
Black Blade; 1967-1973. I RARELY see these. They're few and far inbetween
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F27.media.tumblr.com%2Ftumblr_m2i1q946PV1rob8r8o2_500.jpg&hash=5ff95946245a5421ededaff34f12a55166823c06)
Blue blade; 1973-1985
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pachd.com%2Ffree-images%2Flos-angeles%2Flos-angeles-street-01.jpg&hash=5548d98c229bc7f8a775678ebd110ae71acd7518)
Trapezoid sign 1985-2010 basically the most common of them all I'd say next to the shotgun style.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi42.tinypic.com%2F33agxuv.jpg&hash=6ecf4c16fa62ec98817947b5da4aee2b2e6df35b)
This is a variant of the trapezoid. Text more bold and they're much larger than the regular trapezoids. They're in areas with much newer housing in such places like Porter Ranch or Chatsworth but they seem to be rare so the company that made them just did it a bit different I'm assuming.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi43.tinypic.com%2F1779mc.png&hash=528afb76c981f451ba282eb0810668dcb08bfa68)
2011 -
Not sure what you'd call this but its the first sign ever to recognize the city itself with the city seal on it. Not counting the district signs that always have them.
^ edit so people see the pics when they first come into the thread
It could be that L.A. County is implementing the MUTCD standard that required larger fonts on street name signs such as these. A number of agencies up here in Northern California have been upgrading their signs over the past 5 year or so, some of which are using new formats for the signs.
I also have noticed the change through East Whittier and Hacienda Heights. I believe by putting the community name at the top of the sign, it is supposed to assist with "Community Identity".
Quote from: CenVlyDave on April 16, 2012, 01:05:31 PM
I also have noticed the change through East Whittier and Hacienda Heights. I believe by putting the community name at the top of the sign, it is supposed to assist with "Community Identity".
That helps a lot in my opinion. A lot of cities you can identify by the signs they have, especially in communities where there are a lot of cities crammed into a small area, they have their city name on them or city seal or something.
Quote from: mapman on April 15, 2012, 09:27:51 PM
It could be that L.A. County is implementing the MUTCD standard that required larger fonts on street name signs such as these. A number of agencies up here in Northern California have been upgrading their signs over the past 5 year or so, some of which are using new formats for the signs.
That's quite possible. I didn't think of that, they're way easier to see than the "old" ones, there's still a few in Altadena and I notice the font is small. The newer Los Angeles city ones are the same way with the larger font, it looks a lot better than current font. (pictured)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-9S74jYdVMeI%2FTYsJzMERMXI%2FAAAAAAAADIQ%2F07C7hBCROv4%2Fs320%2FP6180940.JPG&hash=d08c88d73cebbbb29747d8d8a3f0161e60d4b34f)
I'm loving the new LA City street signs but I doubt the whole city would get them any time soon. Heck, they still have the 1940s and 1950s street signs hanging around.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi376.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Foo202%2Fsomuchtoseeanddo%2F024-4.jpg%3Ft%3D1289021966&hash=fd3803e77d249293f90fa8d1aaf1219f6b40fe5a)
Oh yea I totally agree. It'll be ages before you see many of them. Downtown doesn't even have them all replaced yet, but a lot have been. The only street other than Main Street that I know that's done is Exposition Blvd, they replaced 90%+ of them on there for some reason. Alameda has many too.
I love most of our signs. The only ones I don't like are the "blue blade" ones from the 70s/early 80s before the trapezoid ones started showing up. They're nearly identical to the unincorporated signs (or maybe they are identical)
There's such an abundance of the trapezoid ones those will probably be extremely common for decades to come
I got back from a trip to Los Angeles and saw several of the neighborhood signs, but was wanting to see one for just Los Angeles. I only saw one of Santa Monica Blvd but I wasn't sure if there were others, since I couldn't get it at the time (taking pictures and driving in LA generally not being a good idea.)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm4.static.flickr.com%2F3282%2F2739118119_f018794ebd.jpg&hash=53864bf074d1547b9dd5f397f048bfc1e6acaa40)
The "Shotgun" Sign (used 1946-1962)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi376.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Foo202%2Fsomuchtoseeanddo%2F021-5.jpg%3Ft%3D1289021966&hash=350fc3dae2cd0e8a7fcea7e6b9645de48391065f)
Black Blade; 1967-1973. I RARELY see these. They're few and far inbetween
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F27.media.tumblr.com%2Ftumblr_m2i1q946PV1rob8r8o2_500.jpg&hash=5ff95946245a5421ededaff34f12a55166823c06)
Blue blade; 1973-1985
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pachd.com%2Ffree-images%2Flos-angeles%2Flos-angeles-street-01.jpg&hash=5548d98c229bc7f8a775678ebd110ae71acd7518)
Trapezoid sign 1985-2010 basically the most common of them all I'd say next to the shotgun style.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi42.tinypic.com%2F33agxuv.jpg&hash=6ecf4c16fa62ec98817947b5da4aee2b2e6df35b)
This is a variant of the trapezoid. Text more bold and they're much larger than the regular trapezoids. They're in areas with much newer housing in such places like Porter Ranch or Chatsworth but they seem to be rare so the company that made them just did it a bit different I'm assuming.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi43.tinypic.com%2F1779mc.png&hash=528afb76c981f451ba282eb0810668dcb08bfa68)
2011 -
Not sure what you'd call this but its the first sign ever to recognize the city itself with the city seal on it. Not counting the district signs that always have them.
how did you get those dates? can you post examples of what came before the shotgun? I seem to remember an all-caps porcelain black blade with the folded-into-a-U edge profile of the shotgun. If I recall correctly, there are several in the area of approximately Vermont Ave at Santa Monica Blvd, but I could not tell you the exact streets.
Pre 1946 (Shotgun) I believe the signs were wooden and I do not have any pictures of them but I'm sure you could find some. Even some signs that don't resemble these could be mistakes too.
I did once see on eBay a white shotgun version that had Century Blvd on it that it said was from 1930 however I've never seen another one like it or ever seen it mentioned since. It looks real, even had minor chips in the paint and rusted slightly. But it coulda been one of those mistake signs or something someone made for personal use or redid at a later time
I have another thread open about Illuminated signs as I think you might have posted on it, I mistakenly said LA doesnt have any other than the one on Main & 1st but on Wilshire & Sepulveda there's actually a set of bulky ones, I'm not sure if they ever worked, I recall them working but theres construction there so they're off currently, as well as long on Sepulveda & Constitution Ave which that one is green for some reason
http://militantangeleno.blogspot.com/2011/03/signs-of-times.html
That page kinda spits back what I said and I used a couple pictures from it too coincidentally haha
Oh wait I defined my search and found another page on the same site;
http://militantangeleno.blogspot.com/2011/03/more-street-signs-of-times.html
None of these seem to be left however in very old pictures I have seen them before.
Wooden signs could have been pre-1920 or even over 100 years ago now based on what this is saying
Hmm... That new street blade is interesting. Very odd looking at first glance but something I could surely get used to. Personally, my favorite style is the 1973-1985 blue blade, because it's simple and aesthetically pleasing.
Thats my least favorite :( Its a tad boring to me. But I hope they replace old ones with the new ones quickly I rather like the new ones
Quote from: bulkyorled on April 17, 2012, 09:20:23 PM
Oh wait I defined my search and found another page on the same site;
http://militantangeleno.blogspot.com/2011/03/more-street-signs-of-times.html
yep, the plank is what I had been thinking of. again, I think somewhere near Vermont at Santa Monica there are a couple.
On Valley Circle Boulevard just before the intersection with Vanowen Street there is a very old variation of the shotgun style, where the address is centered below the street name, rather than left or right justified. It's a very dark blue, maybe black. I'll have to get a pic of it, since I can't get a very good one of it on Google Maps. But I presume it dates to around the same time as the other shotgun style blades.
Im thinking the plank one doesn't exist anymore, I use to have to go around the area of Santa Monica & Vermont and don't recall seeing it but if you're ever near there keep a look out. But I also feel like I might have seen one somewhere and not thought anything of it
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi41.tinypic.com%2F28gt75c.jpg&hash=f21d7558d6e5bd74cd717ffc0554b745f98a311d)
Got another one today! haha an array of new signs.
Quote from: Bigmikelakers on April 17, 2012, 03:51:16 AM
I'm loving the new LA City street signs but I doubt the whole city would get them any time soon. Heck, they still have the 1940s and 1950s street signs hanging around.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi376.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Foo202%2Fsomuchtoseeanddo%2F024-4.jpg%3Ft%3D1289021966&hash=fd3803e77d249293f90fa8d1aaf1219f6b40fe5a)
Those ones are my favorite.
Would anyone care to explain how the Los Angeles street grid works? I see "7400 North" and think, oh, that must be seventy-four blocks north of the street that is defined as 0 North/South, as in Salt Lake City.
I'll try to explain as best as I can. 7400 N is 74 blocks north of 1st St. If a east/west street was Santa Monica Bl 9400 W, then that street is 94 blocks west from Main St. The LA grid is a little strange because its not exclusive to only the city of LA. One town may use the same LA system while the next town over (usually an older town pre 1920) will have its own system. For example, Long Beach and Lakewood use the same system. While the next town over, such as Bellflower or Cerritos use the Los Angeles grid system even though they are nearly 15-20 miles from the LA City limits. Its complicated I know.
Quote from: Bigmikelakers on April 25, 2012, 11:55:11 PM
I'll try to explain as best as I can. 7400 N is 74 blocks north of 1st St. If a east/west street was Santa Monica Bl 9400 W, then that street is 94 blocks west from Main St. The LA grid is a little strange because its not exclusive to only the city of LA. One town may use the same LA system while the next town over (usually an older town pre 1920) will have its own system. For example, Long Beach and Lakewood use the same system. While the next town over, such as Bellflower or Cerritos use the Los Angeles grid system even though they are nearly 15-20 miles from the LA City limits. Its complicated I know.
I understood how it worked but I didn't quite get how they decided where the block of 00 would be.
I was trying to figure out how Burbank's worked and I think 00 is everything that ends at the 5 freeway. West has more numbers since East is just whats on the other side of the fwy. Thanks for that post!
With Burbank, theres a 1st St so thats where the E/W 00 blocks would be. 1st St is so close to I-5 it may seem like the freeway is the E/W divide. I'm surprised San Fernando Rd Old US 99 isn't actually the divider though.
Edit: Well after looking at google maps a little longer it does appear that the 00 blocks start around I-5. Seems weird because Burbank and their address system was there before I-5 was built.
Because before they built the 5, there was a major street right there named Bonnywood Pl, which they took away when they built the 5. Bonnywood still exists, however its basically a one way street thats RIGHT next to the freeway that takes you to an onramp. The only part that was once Bonnywood Pl that still exists is Front St, when they built the 5 it threw off the numbers and street directions so they changed it to Front St so that the street numbers and names didnt get jumbled. So Bonnywood & 1st was like city center "00". But now 00 is Front Street. Not sure what 00 intersection would be, I've only seen the corner of Verdugo & Front with a sign that says 00
its possible Bonnywood/Verdugo is 00 center. Because Verdugo also use to go through to the other side instead of having a break in it but it doesnt anymore because of the fwy and development. Or what was once Olive & Bonnywood which doesnt exist anymore
Quote from: bulkyorled on April 29, 2012, 03:14:14 AM
Because before they built the 5, there was a major street right there named Bonnywood Pl, which they took away when they built the 5. Bonnywood still exists, however its basically a one way street thats RIGHT next to the freeway that takes you to an onramp. The only part that was once Bonnywood Pl that still exists is Front St, when they built the 5 it threw off the numbers and street directions so they changed it to Front St so that the street numbers and names didnt get jumbled. So Bonnywood & 1st was like city center "00". But now 00 is Front Street. Not sure what 00 intersection would be, I've only seen the corner of Verdugo & Front with a sign that says 00
While it is true that part of the 5 was built over the Bonnywood right-of-way, looking at the historical topo maps, Bonnywood was never a major street - at most, it provided access to the train depot, but was only ever perhaps a mile in length.
It seems much more reasonable that the dividing point for east/west was/is the railroad.
Thats funny. I thought about the railroad being the dividing line. But, never heard of a railroad doing that before in anytown's address system.
Hm, I gathered Bonnywood was a major street, or perhaps had a major outlet right there. Im in a group on facebook that is specific to Burbank and they talked about it and even had pics from the 40s and 50s that made it sound like it was a large street. Not one that left Burbank though, maybe like a smaller version of Olive Ave.
I think maybe some of their facts are a bit skewed.
But if what you said is true then it makes sense because if Front St was once Bonnywood Pl then that explains why that street is there. That street has been rerouted slightly a few times then. I remember in the late 90's they had changed how Front St comes out at Burbank Bl so that it met up with the fwy offramp which it didn't quite do before or something
Was looking at HistoricAerials and before the current I-5 was built in that area, there was an expressway type of road that carried US-6 and 99. Maybe that was the dividing line?
Im thinking that the railroad is actually the dividing line though.
Do you have the pic? If it's what Im picturing I think that was Bonnywood.
http://www.historicaerials.com/aerials.php?scale=3.2E-05&lat=34.1811779786832&lon=-118.31639272754&year=1954
Yea the curved one is Bonnywood, it seems like it was just a through way, potentially unchanged from what is today's Front Street except now it doesnt cross Olive, Magnolia or any of the smaller streets like Angeleno or Orange Grove.
My only question is why did they change the name. I cant figure out if there was Front St before the 5 was built or not. It was posted that they changed it from Bonnywood because it wasnt exact and the numbers would have to be changed. I wish I could find that post, it would take ages to find exactly what they said. They made it seem a bit complicated.
The 1945 Thomas Guide and the 1948 topo map show Bonnywood as Front Street and only running between Cypress and Providencia. Bonnywood Place is a dead-end street running north from Cypress. The curved section you mention (between Magnolia and San Fernando Road) is new road, constructed between 1948 and 1954, based on the topos and Historical Aerials. Since it's in the ROW of the Golden State Freeway, I'm guessing it was a "pre-freeway" (like the original sections of the Foothill Freeway in Pasadena) that allowed thru traffic to bypass downtown Burbank, and was upgraded when the rest of the Golden State Freeway was constructed (1958-ish?)
Quote from: Bigmikelakers on April 25, 2012, 11:55:11 PM
I'll try to explain as best as I can. 7400 N is 74 blocks north of 1st St. If a east/west street was Santa Monica Bl 9400 W, then that street is 94 blocks west from Main St. The LA grid is a little strange because its not exclusive to only the city of LA. One town may use the same LA system while the next town over (usually an older town pre 1920) will have its own system. For example, Long Beach and Lakewood use the same system. While the next town over, such as Bellflower or Cerritos use the Los Angeles grid system even though they are nearly 15-20 miles from the LA City limits. Its complicated I know.
So it sounds like it doesn't exactly work the same way as it does in Salt Lake. Here, a street is more or less assigned a grid number (e.g., north-south State Street is 100 East in the grid, so a sign for that roadway would read "State St 100 E" anywhere you intersect State Street). If I understand correctly, a sign that reads "Santa Monica Blvd 9400 W" denotes the address of the street at that point (9400 W. Santa Monica Boulevard), not the N/S grid position of the entire roadway.
Quote from: DTComposer on April 29, 2012, 11:35:07 AM
The 1945 Thomas Guide and the 1948 topo map show Bonnywood as Front Street and only running between Cypress and Providencia. Bonnywood Place is a dead-end street running north from Cypress. The curved section you mention (between Magnolia and San Fernando Road) is new road, constructed between 1948 and 1954, based on the topos and Historical Aerials. Since it's in the ROW of the Golden State Freeway, I'm guessing it was a "pre-freeway" (like the original sections of the Foothill Freeway in Pasadena) that allowed thru traffic to bypass downtown Burbank, and was upgraded when the rest of the Golden State Freeway was constructed (1958-ish?)
That about says it. I wish I could remember what it looked like from the ground before they ripped down whatever building was on Front Street right before Burbank Blvd, it looked slightly different. I remember for a while you couldn't go through there, not that it matters, aside from the fwy exit and it leading to the train and bus station that street is useless, no one ever goes that way it seems
In response to 00 block in Burbank, it is the train tracks. I was coming in off Flower St and the Alameda sign has 00W on it and the light directly on the other side signed Gateway for the Ralphs center has 00E
Haha glad we figured it out! Interesting that the railroad tracks are the dividing line.
Now to figure out what 00E & 00W would be...
I'm 99% sure thats Olive Ave.
Yup, so mystery solved haha 00 intersection would be Olive/Front (Bonnywood). I suppose we could have figured it out by just putting 00 Burbank into Google Maps since it put me right at the spot X-(
Makes sense to use the railroad as a dividing line. Alot of towns sprung uporiginally because of the railroad, auto roads and state highways came later.
Quote from: bulkyorled on April 17, 2012, 09:20:23 PM
Oh wait I defined my search and found another page on the same site;
http://militantangeleno.blogspot.com/2011/03/more-street-signs-of-times.html
None of these seem to be left however in very old pictures I have seen them before.
Wooden signs could have been pre-1920 or even over 100 years ago now based on what this is saying
Sorry for the necro-post but here is a picture of a street blade that was a prototype to the "shotgun". I remember seeing some of these at Highland/Yucca in Hollywood and along Olympic in Country Club Park when I was a kid in the 1980's.
Here is an old picture of 1st and Broadway, courtesy of the Huntington Library, with the curley-q street blades.
https://hdl.huntington.org/digital/collection/p15150coll2/id/8794