State-named interstate shields

[US 89]

MUTCD...

The state-name Interstate shield is still in the MUTCD, I'm pretty sure. And the standard drawing sheets in several states (Oklahoma and California are two I can remember seeing myself) still explicitly include the state name on the shield.

Utah, too. Their standards were updated with the most recent state MUTCD revision, which came out in 2012 and is why just about every interstate shield in the state installed since then has included the state name. If you see a neutered shield in Utah now, it is almost certainly over 10 years old.

[Bobby5280]

Here's the important thing: Richard Oliver's original design of the Interstate highway shield was specifically meant to include the state name in the design as well as the red colored "Interstate" banner on the top. The numerals were significantly smaller in the original 1957 designs. Again, that was on purpose to give the numerals enough negative space surrounding them to aid legibility.

The numerals grew larger in later state-named Interstate shield designs to the current spec which calls for 10" numerals on a 24" tall shield.

Oklahoma has been sort of Jekyll and Hyde with its Interstate shields. I've seen a good bit of neutered shields in some places and state named shields in others. I swear ODOT goofed on some of its more recent state-named I-44 shields installed in the Lawton area because the numerals look like they're positioned a bit too low. It's like somebody is eye-balling the things rather than math-ing those things out correctly. Some recent big green signs in Oklahoma featuring Interstate shields have ditched the state names, but left the numerals in normal proportions rather than making them too big. But some of these BGS I-shield designs are featuring numerals a little more bold than usual, like E/M rather than D on the shield. Or maybe Font Bureau's Interstate Black typeface.

[Scott5114]

The E(M) Interstate shields are popping up like weeds all over the state. Pretty much every BGS shield in the OKC area is in E(M). And I've seen independent-mount E(M) shields for I-35 in Norman (state name!) and on I-40 in western Oklahoma (neutered).

[Big John]

MUTCD...

Georgia road plans explicitly say that Interstate highway shields must include Georgia.

The state-name Interstate shield is still in the MUTCD, I'm pretty sure. And the standard drawing sheets in several states (Oklahoma and California are two I can remember seeing myself) still explicitly include the state name on the shield.

Utah, too. Their standards were updated with the most recent state MUTCD revision, which came out in 2012 and is why just about every interstate shield in the state installed since then has included the state name. If you see a neutered shield in Utah now, it is almost certainly over 10 years old.

fixed quote tags -Alex

[kphoger]

I swear ODOT goofed ...

Safe bet.

MUTCD...

Georgia road plans explicitly say that Interstate highway shields must include Georgia.

The state-name Interstate shield is still in the MUTCD, I'm pretty sure. And the standard drawing sheets in several states (Oklahoma and California are two I can remember seeing myself) still explicitly include the state name on the shield.

Utah, too. Their standards were updated with the most recent state MUTCD revision, which came out in 2012 and is why just about every interstate shield in the state installed since then has included the state name. If you see a neutered shield in Utah now, it is almost certainly over 10 years old.

Didn't preview.

[tckma]

State-named Interstate shields on some relatively new Clearview (ugh) BGS assemblies on southbound US-1 in Philly approaching its short concurrence with I-76.

GMSV link

[Bobby5280]

Those I-76 shields may include the state name. But the "76" numerals are of the over-sized variety typically found on neutered shields. The numerals are kerned too tight and barely fit on the shield.

Given the fact the MUTCD specs are pretty clear, it's plainly obvious more than a few jerks out there working in highway sign departments (or positions above those departments) are overriding the MUTCD specs and ad-libbing their own demands. That's why we have so many crappy looking neutered Interstate shields installed in the field, shields featuring numerals way the hell too big to fit properly. I'm convinced it all comes down to certain jack-asses demanding the numerals on Interstate shields be in the same sizing proportions as numerals on US highway shields. Then all the shields have to be the same size. Laws of geometry be damned.

[CanesFan27]

Found today in Rowan County, NC.  Install date of March 2021.  There are at least three of these newer type in Kannapolis. Two on US 29 and this one.

To North Carolina I-85 by Adam Prince, on Flickr

[Bobby5280]

That's a good looking I-85 shield.

[thenetwork]

Unfortunately, the Colorado pendulum is swinging back to neutered shields -- at least in Western Colorado.

Over the last 2 years, CDOT has replaced virtually all the mainline signage from BGSs to mile markers from the Utah line to the east end of Glenwood Canyon ‐- about 130 miles.  All the mainline shields have been neutered, while about ⅔ of the shields/BGS at the interchanges have been neutered as well.

[MATraveler128]

I don’t have a picture, but I was just in Concord and can confirm that the last remaining state named Interstate shield in New Hampshire is still standing along NH 9 near downtown Concord.


EDIT : Here's street view capture from July 2022

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.2085847,-71.5370703,3a,26.9y,223.8h,102.31t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sXQP4KmNL5RliBreQCK40oQ!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DXQP4KmNL5RliBreQCK40oQ%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D180.05162%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192

[Takumi]

The Woodbridge rest area on I-95 northbound still has a couple of these old guys.

[rlb2024]

Someone has posted this before, but I passed by there today. Mississippi shield for I-12 at the NASA exit just 2 miles east of Louisiana border




iPhone

I went through there this past weekend, and the I-12 shields have been replaced with ones with no state name on them.  The I-10 shields still say Mississippi.
https://www.google.com/maps/@30.3134338,-89.5950059,3a,36.1y,346.47h,87.38t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sVry2_JcIoEYjlBKRzHCasA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

[Rothman]

Didn't get a picture of it, but I'm pretty sure I saw a state-named I-66 shield yesterday on US 522 North as it approaches I-66.

[ran4sh]

I have no idea why some people think smaller numbers on a shield is *more* legible than larger numbers

[roadman65]

Florida don't generally use them https://www.flickr.com/photos/54480415@N08/52880594451/

But occasionally you will find them.

[Scott5114]

I have no idea why some people think smaller numbers on a shield is *more* legible than larger numbers

Because margin space surrounding text is just as important for legibility as the size of the text. Large, cramped numbers are actually harder to read than smaller numbers with proper margins.

[epzik8]

Didn't get a picture of it, but I'm pretty sure I saw a state-named I-66 shield yesterday on US 522 North as it approaches I-66.

Indeed

[Rothman]

Didn't get a picture of it, but I'm pretty sure I saw a state-named I-66 shield yesterday on US 522 North as it approaches I-66.

Indeed

That's the one.

[epzik8]

Didn't get a picture of it, but I'm pretty sure I saw a state-named I-66 shield yesterday on US 522 North as it approaches I-66.

Indeed

That's the one.

Sorry for the oversized image

[Rothman]

Didn't get a picture of it, but I'm pretty sure I saw a state-named I-66 shield yesterday on US 522 North as it approaches I-66.

Indeed

That's the one.

Sorry for the oversized image

Looks fine to me.

[westerninterloper]

Did I imagine this? This isn't the exactly right forum for this question, but you all are knowledgeable on these subjects:

I was driving the East Providence RI Expressway, I-195 toward Cape Cod last week, and out of the corner of my eye, probably within 10-15 miles of Providence heading east, I was sure I saw an interstate reassurance shield that read, not "195" but "I-195".

I can't find it on Googlemaps.

Maybe I imagined this phantom "I" after traveling for a hundred miles on "95" and in a split second, read the "195" as "I-195"?

[Alex]

Did I imagine this? This isn't the exactly right forum for this question, but you all are knowledgeable on these subjects:

I was driving the East Providence RI Expressway, I-195 toward Cape Cod last week, and out of the corner of my eye, probably within 10-15 miles of Providence heading east, I was sure I saw an interstate reassurance shield that read, not "195" but "I-195".

I can't find it on Googlemaps.

Maybe I imagined this phantom "I" after traveling for a hundred miles on "95" and in a split second, read the "195" as "I-195"?

You didn't imagine it, it has been there since at least 2014:

[Ted$8roadFan]

Did I imagine this? This isn't the exactly right forum for this question, but you all are knowledgeable on these subjects:

I was driving the East Providence RI Expressway, I-195 toward Cape Cod last week, and out of the corner of my eye, probably within 10-15 miles of Providence heading east, I was sure I saw an interstate reassurance shield that read, not "195" but "I-195".

I can't find it on Googlemaps.

Maybe I imagined this phantom "I" after traveling for a hundred miles on "95" and in a split second, read the "195" as "I-195"?

You didn't imagine it, it has been there since at least 2014:

I've seen this sign in my travels. What is the rationale for the "I" ?

[jakeroot]

I've seen this sign in my travels. What is the rationale for the "I" ?

Almost certainly just an error.