Erroneous road signs

[Roadgeekteen]

I have always wondered why all these signs get messed up. Like that erroneous mass 2 sign near concord. Massachusetts has a whopping number of 3 types of shields used on roads in the state. Shouldn't people who's job is to put up these signs know the proper type?

[tckma]

I have always wondered why all these signs get messed up. Like that erroneous mass 2 sign near concord. Massachusetts has a whopping number of 3 types of shields used on roads in the state. Shouldn't people who's job is to put up these signs know the proper type?

One would think.  Apparently, however, common sense isn't all that common:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts_Route_10#History

It's not the highway departments (usually) who put up the signs.  The state highway departments hire contractors, and usually they are required by law to select the lowest bidder.  Also, usually, you get what you pay for.

[Roadgeekteen]

I have always wondered why all these signs get messed up. Like that erroneous mass 2 sign near concord. Massachusetts has a whopping number of 3 types of shields used on roads in the state. Shouldn't people who's job is to put up these signs know the proper type?

One would think.  Apparently, however, common sense isn't all that common:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts_Route_10#History

It's not the highway departments (usually) who put up the signs.  The state highway departments hire contractors, and usually they are required by law to select the lowest bidder.  Also, usually, you get what you pay for.

But this is not rocket science! All you need is a gps and knowledge of 3 signs!

[PHLBOS]

I have always wondered why all these signs get messed up. Like that erroneous mass 2 sign near concord. Massachusetts has a whopping number of 3 types of shields used on roads in the state. Shouldn't people who's job is to put up these signs know the proper type?

One would think.  Apparently, however, common sense isn't all that common:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts_Route_10#History

It's not the highway departments (usually) who put up the signs.  The state highway departments hire contractors, and usually they are required by law to select the lowest bidder.  Also, usually, you get what you pay for.

But this is not rocket science! All you need is a gps and knowledge of 3 signs!

For items like route signs; many contractors choose independent suppliers/fabricators that may be located outside the state and/or issue products (in this case signs) for many other states (i.e. more than 3 sign types).  That said, it's possible that the supplier mistakenly fabricated & delivered state route shield signs designed for another state.

Prior to fabrication, shop drawings/cut sheets (detailing the signs) are supposed to be issued to both the contractor and the design engineer with the latter reviewing & giving final approval.  Usually, errors like these are supposed to be corrected during the shop drawing review process & prior to fabrication/delivery.

Why these & other erroneous route shields ultimately get erected may be due to time constraints (how long the area is a construction site/work zone & the wait for correct signs to be fabricated/delivered); a contractor may be only allowed access to the site for a certain/short period of time.  For many of these construction projects; erecting road signs are only a small piece of the overall job.

[SidS1045]

it's possible that the supplier mistakenly fabricated & delivered state route shield signs designed for another state.

Well, we've certainly been down that "road" before.

[PHLBOS]

Well, we've certainly been down that "road" before.

Nice play with the pun.

[Roadgeekteen]

Well, we've certainly been down that "road" before.

Nice play with the pun.

Maybe the contractors were from Alabama and were feeling homesick.

[tckma]

it's possible that the supplier mistakenly fabricated & delivered state route shield signs designed for another state.

So, what of cases where you're putting signs up near a state line or national border?  Do post your own shield, a la Connecticut?

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.3921809,-71.8450241,3a,75y,333.06h,76.28t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s1GbIHsDeu3UpxOTdS5fs2w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Do you modify your own shield, a la Vermont (and post the other state's shield too, because you can't decide)?

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.1373288,-72.4498494,3a,75y,114.92h,68.08t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sNKkwZAx_jMf42iyfvWntKQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Or, do you use the neighboring jurisdiction's shield, a la Connecticut (again), Vermont, and New Hampshire?

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.0392453,-73.6740878,3a,75y,238.11h,81.62t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sxDOdGFUMbzohepZkdal7wA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
http://assets.atlasobscura.com/article_images/31494/image.jpg
https://www.google.com/maps/@44.9945556,-71.5315511,3a,48.9y,332.95h,88.13t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sBqfaMFsomZsmMQKrdCzCww!2e0!7i3328!8i1664

Or, how about modifying the neighboring state's shield a bit to make it explicit, a la New York?

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3493146,-73.4150715,3a,49y,361.04h,73.58t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s41fWMGUFAA7UMwD8MkwNRQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656


Hm?

My opinion is to use the other state's shield.

[SidS1045]

Maybe the contractors were from Alabama and were feeling homesick.

ISTR the illustration in the MUTCD for state highway shields (as distinguished from the interstate and US shields) showed only the Alabama one, so maybe the contractor thought the Alabama design was used for all state highways.  I dunno, just a theory.

[Roadgeekteen]

:

Maybe the contractors were from Alabama and were feeling homesick.

ISTR the illustration in the MUTCD for state highway shields (as distinguished from the interstate and US shields) showed only the Alabama one, so maybe the contractor thought the Alabama design was used for all state highways.  I dunno, just a theory.

Well, the shield is sorta kinda shaped like Alabama.

[hbelkins]

Maybe the contractors were from Alabama and were feeling homesick.

ISTR the illustration in the MUTCD for state highway shields (as distinguished from the interstate and US shields) showed only the Alabama one, so maybe the contractor thought the Alabama design was used for all state highways.  I dunno, just a theory.

That was the consensus at the time it happened.

Well, the shield is sorta kinda shaped like Alabama.

Kinda? Those ARE Alabama markers. They'd be right at home in Tuscaloosa or Birmingham or Gadsden.

[Roadgeekteen]

Maybe the contractors were from Alabama and were feeling homesick.

ISTR the illustration in the MUTCD for state highway shields (as distinguished from the interstate and US shields) showed only the Alabama one, so maybe the contractor thought the Alabama design was used for all state highways.  I dunno, just a theory.

That was the consensus at the time it happened.

Well, the shield is sorta kinda shaped like Alabama.

Kinda? Those ARE Alabama markers. They'd be right at home in Tuscaloosa or Birmingham or Gadsden.

Well, that makes the mistake even worse.

[SectorZ]

Maybe the contractors were from Alabama and were feeling homesick.

ISTR the illustration in the MUTCD for state highway shields (as distinguished from the interstate and US shields) showed only the Alabama one, so maybe the contractor thought the Alabama design was used for all state highways.  I dunno, just a theory.

That was the consensus at the time it happened.

Well, the shield is sorta kinda shaped like Alabama.

Kinda? Those ARE Alabama markers. They'd be right at home in Tuscaloosa or Birmingham or Gadsden.

Well, that makes the mistake even worse.

Probably opened the book, saw the first state shield in there, and thought good enough, given Alabama is #1*

*Well, in that respect.

[Roadgeekteen]

Maybe the contractors were from Alabama and were feeling homesick.

ISTR the illustration in the MUTCD for state highway shields (as distinguished from the interstate and US shields) showed only the Alabama one, so maybe the contractor thought the Alabama design was used for all state highways.  I dunno, just a theory.

That was the consensus at the time it happened.

Well, the shield is sorta kinda shaped like Alabama.

Kinda? Those ARE Alabama markers. They'd be right at home in Tuscaloosa or Birmingham or Gadsden.

Well, that makes the mistake even worse.

Probably opened the book, saw the first state shield in there, and thought good enough, given Alabama is #1*

*Well, in that respect.

Did they even stop to think that a shield shaped like Alabama would not be correct in Massachusetts?

[jakeroot]

Maybe the contractors were from Alabama and were feeling homesick.

ISTR the illustration in the MUTCD for state highway shields (as distinguished from the interstate and US shields) showed only the Alabama one, so maybe the contractor thought the Alabama design was used for all state highways.  I dunno, just a theory.

That was the consensus at the time it happened.

Well, the shield is sorta kinda shaped like Alabama.

Kinda? Those ARE Alabama markers. They'd be right at home in Tuscaloosa or Birmingham or Gadsden.

Well, that makes the mistake even worse.

Probably opened the book, saw the first state shield in there, and thought good enough, given Alabama is #1*

*Well, in that respect.

Did they even stop to think that a shield shaped like Alabama would not be correct in Massachusetts?

I think that was the problem. They weren't really thinking at all.

[Roadgeekteen]

Maybe the contractors were from Alabama and were feeling homesick.

ISTR the illustration in the MUTCD for state highway shields (as distinguished from the interstate and US shields) showed only the Alabama one, so maybe the contractor thought the Alabama design was used for all state highways.  I dunno, just a theory.

That was the consensus at the time it happened.

Well, the shield is sorta kinda shaped like Alabama.

Kinda? Those ARE Alabama markers. They'd be right at home in Tuscaloosa or Birmingham or Gadsden.

Well, that makes the mistake even worse.

Probably opened the book, saw the first state shield in there, and thought good enough, given Alabama is #1*

*Well, in that respect.

Did they even stop to think that a shield shaped like Alabama would not be correct in Massachusetts?

I think that was the problem. They weren't really thinking at all.

I hope they got fired.

[jakeroot]

Did they even stop to think that a shield shaped like Alabama would not be correct in Massachusetts?

I think that was the problem. They weren't really thinking at all.

I hope they got fired.

It was a relatively minor blunder. I suspect those involved had a good laugh and moved on.

[SidS1045]

I hope they got fired.

Presumably not before constructing and erecting the correct shields.  IIRC (roadman, please correct me if I'm wrong) mistakes made by a contractor for MassDOT must be corrected by that contractor at no additional cost to the Commonwealth, as in the fiasco a few years back with a number of erroneous shields being erected in the city of Boston by a contractor...hopefully not the same one who botched the Easthampton shields in the picture above.

[spooky]

I hope they got fired.

Presumably not before constructing and erecting the correct shields.  IIRC (roadman, please correct me if I'm wrong) mistakes made by a contractor for MassDOT must be corrected by that contractor at no additional cost to the Commonwealth, as in the fiasco a few years back with a number of erroneous shields being erected in the city of Boston by a contractor...hopefully not the same one who botched the Easthampton shields in the picture above.

The erroneous shields in Boston was not a MassDOT project, but yes in that instance I believe the contractor corrected the signs at no cost to the City of Boston.

[tckma]

I took this photo somewhere near Eastern Market in Washington, DC in 2008, according to the date shown on the photo on my Facebook photos page.

What's the error?  I-95 does not go through DC! (well, except for a very small section of the bridge between VA and MD that crosses a corner of DC, anyway)  So, why the "state" named shield?  That is, in fact, the reason I took the photo.

[PHLBOS]

What's the error?  I-95 does not go through DC! (well, except for a very small section of the bridge between VA and MD that crosses a corner of DC, anyway)  So, why the "state" named shield?  That is, in fact, the reason I took the photo.

That sign dates back to when I-95 indeed went into DC (via current I-395).  It's probably from the early 70s.

[HTM Duke]

Not only is this bridge closed to truck traffic, it was removed about three years ago:
Lorton Rd westbound at Gunston Cove Rd: https://goo.gl/maps/nWNMspxsZUn

And this one is problematic if one were to follow it explicitly, given that Canal Rd is one-way westbound during the PM rush:
Canal Rd approaching Arizona Ave: https://goo.gl/maps/ZiVTBxeiyNy

[1995hoo]

Stanley Roberts of KRON-4 in San Francisco tweeted this from San Leandro.

[7/8]

This photo was taken on Simcoe St approaching Vienna St in Tillsonburg, ON. The sign on the left implies that turning left puts you on county road 19, but technically that section is still highway 19 until it ends at highway 3. It's also an ugly sign to boot!

[bob7374]

Two of three from a 1/4 mile stretch of the same route (MA 58) in Carver. The first southbound, just after the interchange with US 44. One has to do a double take that they are not in New Jersey or Delaware:


One-quarter mile further south, but heading back toward US 44, you come across these recently installed guide (paddle) signs:


There's also another one at the intersection seen in the distance (not pictured). The guide signs closer to the US 44 interchange are older and correct.