Unique, Odd, or Interesting Signs aka The good, the bad, and the ugly

[Zeffy]

I thought that image was from Toronto for a few moments.

GARDEN STATE PARKWAY should have been the obvious clue where it was from. 

[jakeroot]

I thought that image was from Toronto for a few moments.

GARDEN STATE PARKWAY should have been the obvious clue where it was from. 

Well I saw that after a few seconds, but everything else to me reads "Ontario"...longer than normal lane lines, shoulders with lighter-colored pavement, 4 carriageways, exit lanes that form another lane before they exit, deciduous trees, and so on.

[1995hoo]

Another tip-off it's not Toronto is the use of green signs over both carriageways. Ontario would have green over the one and blue over the other.

[cl94]

I thought that image was from Toronto for a few moments.

GARDEN STATE PARKWAY should have been the obvious clue where it was from. 

Well I saw that after a few seconds, but everything else to me reads "Ontario"...longer than normal lane lines, shoulders with lighter-colored pavement, 4 carriageways, exit lanes that form another lane before they exit, deciduous trees, and so on.

That could hold true elsewhere on the east coast. Ontario uses standard-length lines. In actuality, MTO practices are relatively similar to those of New York, New England, and PennDOT except for a few minor differences. Same cannot be said for PTA, NJTA, Suffolk County DPW, Buffalo DPW, Indiana Toll Road...

Tapered deceleration ramps are rare out here in general, with most DOTs and toll authorities forming an extra lane. Other than the GSP, the real hints that this is not Ontario are:

1. Green signs on outer carriageway. Ontario uses blue on local lanes for clarity (a good idea, IMO).
2. No high-mast lighting. 4-lane sections are pretty much limited to Toronto and all are well-lit.

Another tip-off it's not Toronto is the use of green signs over both carriageways. Ontario would have green over the one and blue over the other.

Beat me to it

[KEK Inc.]

Not to beat a dead horse, but the NJ Turnpike uses 6" wide lane stripes, where Ontario uses the standard 4" (10 cm).  NJTA decided to use 25' long striping with 25' gaps for visibility purposes with long trucks, but I think the standard 10' long striping / 30' gap would have sufficed. 

Street-lighting and gantry design is my general cue at where something is at. 

[Brandon]

Not to beat a dead horse, but the NJ Turnpike uses 6" wide lane stripes, where Ontario uses the standard 4" (10 cm).  NJTA decided to use 25' long striping with 25' gaps for visibility purposes with long trucks, but I think the standard 10' long striping / 30' gap would have sufficed. 

Street-lighting and gantry design is my general cue at where something is at. 

However, the lane lines used by the NJTP are the same as used by ISTHA.

[Zeffy]

This sign has rather fat arrows. I'm not sure if I like it more or dislike it more...

[SignGeek101]

This sign has rather fat arrows. I'm not sure if I like it more or dislike it more...

You probably like it more than this one: http://goo.gl/maps/YCg2A

Your post reminded me of that sign.

[riiga]

This odd sign has been up for about five years now. It's a little off with everything, but despite telling them about it (4½ years ago!), the municipality hasn't corrected the sign. To the right is my illustration of what a proper sign should look like. Notice how the typeface and colors are a bit off, while the arrows look almost, but just almost correct.

[jakeroot]

This odd sign has been up for about five years now. It's a little off with everything, but despite telling them about it (4½ years ago!), the municipality hasn't corrected the sign. To the right is my illustration of what a proper sign should look like. Notice how the typeface and colors are a bit off, while the arrows look almost, but just almost correct.

A local variation of the same issue. Everything is correct, but just slightly different:

[jbnv]

Is that Transport?

[SignGeek101]

Is that Transport?

Definitely not transport; doesn't look like DIN Mittelschrift either.

Where is that? Very unique.

[Pete from Boston]

At Harvard, even the construction is genteel and cultured:

[SignGeek101]

This odd sign has been up for about five years now. It's a little off with everything, but despite telling them about it (4½ years ago!), the municipality hasn't corrected the sign. To the right is my illustration of what a proper sign should look like. Notice how the typeface and colors are a bit off, while the arrows look almost, but just almost correct.

A local variation of the same issue. Everything is correct, but just slightly different:

The font is SNV. Used in many eastern European countries.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SNV_%28typeface%29

There's this one in Ontario:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2c/Opeongo_Road_signs.jpg

[jakeroot]

This odd sign has been up for about five years now. It's a little off with everything, but despite telling them about it (4½ years ago!), the municipality hasn't corrected the sign. To the right is my illustration of what a proper sign should look like. Notice how the typeface and colors are a bit off, while the arrows look almost, but just almost correct.

A local variation of the same issue. Everything is correct, but just slightly different:

http://i.imgur.com/bAHxV1T.jpg

The font is SNV. Used in many eastern European countries.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SNV_%28typeface%29

There's this one in Ontario:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2c/Opeongo_Road_signs.jpg

Very cool. I've always wondered what the font was. I can see now that the "a" gives it away.

The sign is just north of Arlington, Washington along WA-530, about an hour north of Seattle (GMSV).

[kphoger]

despite telling them about it (4½ years ago!), the municipality hasn't corrected the sign

Honestly, I would have ignored the request too, since the existing signs are almost exactly like the mock-ups you posted.  I have to stand on my head and squint to tell the difference.

[steviep24]

Drove by this one today. Older NY route shield with a different font.
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.142847,-77.736028,3a,37.5y,189.03h,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1spdyUWuaezGf6Dwsk3WNhhQ!2e0!6m1!1e1?hl=en

Probably won't be there for long. Although it is still signed as NY 386 Coldwater Rd. is maintained by Monroe County along with other parts of NY 386 that were transferred to the county.

[vdeane]

In my experience, non-state maintained roads in NY are MORE likely to have old signs, not less.

[PHLBOS]

Old-school direction arrow (though the arrowhead's a bit small) going through the I-95 shield applied to a relatively-new MassDOT D6 "Paddle" sign in Waltham.  Another old-school attribute of this LGS is that it's 2-sided (pan the attached link).  For newer installations, MassDOT typically installs two separate single-sided D6 panels.

The lower D8 panel is somewhat oddly configured as well with the small upright arrow and the squeezing in of both the local & distant destinations.  For 2-destination listings, either a larger D8 panel (such has been done elsewhere) or a separate D6 installation for the I-95 South LGS would've been better IMHO.

Fortunately, since this installation is at a signalized intersection for a conventional roadway; normal traffic won't be traveling at a high rate of speed so the current D8 panel with the smallish arrow & lettering should suffice.

District 4 strikes again - probably a knockdown was replaced under either Accident Recovery or the sign maintenance contract, and they likely based the replacement legend off of an old sign card.

Update: I drove by that area over the long holiday weekend; new LGS' have since replaced the older-style LGS'.

While that one is now gone; there's another old-school layout on a fairly new D6 Paddle LGS further north in Newburyport (at Exit 57 along MA 113).

Roadman, unless the districts were changed since the 1980s; Essex County's in District 5; so one can't blame District 4 for this one.

[NYhwyfan]

New York State Route 265 square shield - City of Tonawanda, NY
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.016238,-78.878941,3a,75y,24.71h,91.33t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sZTBS_UJI-dqoQfbxlztiLw!2e0

Instead of asking the NYSDOT to post a sign or replace one must have taken upon themselves to make their own

[PurdueBill]

Tonawanda only knows how to make rectangular shields.

New York State Route 265 square shield - City of Tonawanda, NY
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.016238,-78.878941,3a,75y,24.71h,91.33t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sZTBS_UJI-dqoQfbxlztiLw!2e0

Instead of asking the NYSDOT to post a sign or replace one must have taken upon themselves to make their own

[roadfro]

Tonawanda only knows how to make rectangular shields.

Apparently, they also don't know what color to paint edge lines on bike paths...

[vdeane]

Tonawanda is a city at the spot where the erected the square 265 shield, so signage is, unfortunately, their responsibility (NYSDOT rarely maintains anything in cities that isn't limited access).  Could we please teleport them to New England?  At least then their state route shields would be right...

[Kniwt]

Alpine Road near Stanford University. Bizarrely perpendicular to the road (no cross streets nearby).

[kphoger]

^^ That one takes the cake!