Traffic Signage Changes!!!

[KMOX4]

For Many years my County would change the front or signage of its roads, Like when it was installed E.X XXX-Meaning Something County DOT XX-Year
Here are some Photos of goggle to show.

Early 90s-Crica

2004-2008 Peak Usuage 2008-2012 Very Rare Only a few exist remain of this design.


2008-2015
Peak Usuage 2015-Still Common in the South-area of the County, Stop being used in mostly 2019,

Peak Usuage 2022-Still Used with ther older style, although this is quickly Out numbered the old style.

[Lukeisroads]

So related https://www.google.com/maps/@35.3395401,-119.0388699,3a,75y,10.85h,97.8t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sNqY9NrRTHcqmsMTstFTWBQ!2e0!5s20120201T000000!7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@35.3384753,-119.0608152,3a,42.6y,159.9h,106.94t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sMz3q6aU4N90JlHJFAw0r7Q!2e0!7i16384!8i8192
https://www.google.com/maps/@35.339568,-119.0388573,3a,75y,10.85h,97.8t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sgsM0UsOdmtiUir4e_1KqtA!2e0!5s20220501T000000!7i16384!8i8192

[KMOX4]

So related https://www.google.com/maps/@35.3395401,-119.0388699,3a,75y,10.85h,97.8t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sNqY9NrRTHcqmsMTstFTWBQ!2e0!5s20120201T000000!7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@35.3384753,-119.0608152,3a,42.6y,159.9h,106.94t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sMz3q6aU4N90JlHJFAw0r7Q!2e0!7i16384!8i8192
https://www.google.com/maps/@35.339568,-119.0388573,3a,75y,10.85h,97.8t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sgsM0UsOdmtiUir4e_1KqtA!2e0!5s20220501T000000!7i16384!8i8192

I guess after a while, they just want to make it look cool.

[Shedingtonian]

In 2014, Spain technically changed the font used in freeway signage from Autopista (Highway Gothic EEM) to Carretera Convencional (Transport Heavy), ending Autopista's fourty-years-plus long career.

In reality, much of the old signage using Autopista still remains. DOT's around Spain, including the national one, only replace the signs when they really need to, like in the following example (the left sign is pre-2014 while the right sign was placed in 2020).
https://www.google.es/maps/@36.1729661,-5.4617029,3a,41.2y,119.23h,105.88t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1szu89WB56IBG2BXZNOXob3Q!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

[roadfro]

In 2014, Spain technically changed the font used in freeway signage from Autopista (Highway Gothic EEM) to Carretera Convencional (Transport Heavy), ending Autopista's fourty-years-plus long career.

In reality, much of the old signage using Autopista still remains. DOT's around Spain, including the national one, only replace the signs when they really need to, like in the following example (the left sign is pre-2014 while the right sign was placed in 2020).
https://www.google.es/maps/@36.1729661,-5.4617029,3a,41.2y,119.23h,105.88t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1szu89WB56IBG2BXZNOXob3Q!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Seems like a step backwards, at least with that sign comparison. The letter glyphs might be a bit better, but that font seems way too bold and the letter spacing too tight.

[KMOX4]

I think Chicago has usually kept there style of road signs for over so many decades.

[RX78NT-1]

Des Moines has become very inconsistent with the quality of signage on their traffic signal poles since the early 2000s. Note that blue signs are truck routes, whereas green signs are not.

This is the standard I grew up with - until the 2000s, all the signs I had seen were mixed-case and in the same size. Some signs had their suffixes in all-caps, such as the "E 14th ST" in this image:
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.6050721,-93.6005516,3a,75y,2.47h,87.7t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sAi-OxNdcqFMH-1T6Wctqyw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Starting around 2000, signs started using superscript suffixes and added block numbers underneath them. I think this was the perfect combination, to be honest:
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.6149095,-93.658521,3a,62.5y,348.7h,93.49t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s2yk8NbraQ6iRULXfRjOzZw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Beyond that time, though, the signage styles have become very inconsistent. I get that different contractors happen, but they were able to keep consistent for so long until this point. In some cases, the signs changed styles within the same year:

This install is a bit larger than the early-2000s signs, but retains the same style - except capitalized suffixes and the "TH" in "6th." These were replaced with mixed-case signage in a similar style around 2016.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.5815671,-93.6067581,3a,74.1y,326.5h,91.36t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1st5OJgTYq_r7amnvEnS4fyQ!2e0!5s20180701T000000!7i13312!8i6656

Just down the road from the previous intersection is one from the same year, give or take one. Note the wider font and mixed-case lettering throughout:
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.5827184,-93.6071989,3a,43.1y,329.83h,90.75t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1stNE8UbFroDbyfvzCAy5-WQ!2e0!5s20110601T000000!7i16384!8i8192

Around 2013 is when signs started appearing with some odd changes. The fonts got narrower and  k e r n i n g  started becoming inconsistent. Note the "Pennsylvania Av" sign is in the original pre-2000 style, but the "University" sign is much different. (Previous street views show the original style which omit the direction prefix and block number.)
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.6004216,-93.6089761,3a,75y,152.08h,96.77t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sGcPWQwsHQ2OhNoxKR883Zg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Some signs put up around 2015-16 returned to the early-2000s style. In the first link, a collision - and subsequent reconfiguration of this intersection of E. 14th and Euclid - necessitated a new pole and sign. The font size is larger. The "Euclid" sign on the opposite side was changed in late 2019 and uses a style similar to the 2013 one, but smaller.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.6277588,-93.6004365,3a,49.4y,27.51h,96.69t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sowMaUwp0UFj50DJe2yhZHA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.6147899,-93.706301,3a,75y,70.42h,87.54t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sYrrC1Z9RBvOwVUR69WJZFw!2e0!5s20210601T000000!7i16384!8i8192

Here are some signals from 2020. The odd kerning continues, with a dash of odd font sizing between the capital and lowercase letters. They're at least similar to the early-2000s style.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.6286976,-93.5456502,3a,39.4y,132.81h,92.01t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sza6mdAKhRzg7f7SZBHzfLw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.6147789,-93.6977601,3a,48.9y,45.44h,92.73t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s1lTg1Z80w_cTLLxxHwQjPQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

This is a newer (~2021) install with two different styles and a lot of wasted space on the "University" sign. Either the sign needs to be resized to match the font, or the font needs to be at least a Series C to fit it better. The "N 25th St" sign is mostly fine, but this is odd - the two signal replacements here are the only spots in the city where "North" is used as a prefix for numbered streets (Des Moines only signs "SW/SE/E" prefixes - though the "E" prefix is used pretty inconsistently outside of numbered streets.):
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.6003757,-93.6509354,3a,75y,341.6h,88.52t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s42cFvyWBDpaQeGfyTtP_Uw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Another install from around the same time shows similar changes - "Ave" is also not typical of Des Moines, which normally omits the "e."
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.6128859,-93.6255887,3a,75y,170.08h,91.45t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s9fcQcRZfNHgxH-Vh31Zm1w!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

This doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of how street blades on non-signalized intersections changed, though - that's for a whole other post because styles changed even MORE frequently.

[kirbykart]

In 2014, Spain technically changed the font used in freeway signage from Autopista (Highway Gothic EEM) to Carretera Convencional (Transport Heavy), ending Autopista's fourty-years-plus long career.

In reality, much of the old signage using Autopista still remains. DOT's around Spain, including the national one, only replace the signs when they really need to, like in the following example (the left sign is pre-2014 while the right sign was placed in 2020).
https://www.google.es/maps/@36.1729661,-5.4617029,3a,41.2y,119.23h,105.88t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1szu89WB56IBG2BXZNOXob3Q!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Seems like a step backwards, at least with that sign comparison. The letter glyphs might be a bit better, but that font seems way too bold and the letter spacing too tight.

Yeah, that new font is pretty ugly.

[JoePCool14]

In 2014, Spain technically changed the font used in freeway signage from Autopista (Highway Gothic EEM) to Carretera Convencional (Transport Heavy), ending Autopista's fourty-years-plus long career.

In reality, much of the old signage using Autopista still remains. DOT's around Spain, including the national one, only replace the signs when they really need to, like in the following example (the left sign is pre-2014 while the right sign was placed in 2020).
https://www.google.es/maps/@36.1729661,-5.4617029,3a,41.2y,119.23h,105.88t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1szu89WB56IBG2BXZNOXob3Q!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

The new sign here is honestly disgusting. The new font isn't technically bad. I could see it working, but the compression, sizing, and letter thickness just ruin it. The font needs the E(M)(M) treatment.

[Shedingtonian]

I haven't logged into the forum in an entire minute, oops.

Seems like a step backwards, at least with that sign comparison. The letter glyphs might be a bit better, but that font seems way too bold and the letter spacing too tight.

The new sign here is honestly disgusting. The new font isn't technically bad. I could see it working, but the compression, sizing, and letter thickness just ruin it. The font needs the E(M)(M) treatment.

The font isn't that bad, but I do agree that it is too thick to be used on positive contrast. If you look on other signs in local roads, where the font is used in all capitals, you can see that there it works much better. Although it is true that in mixed case it would DEFENITELY benefit from increased kerning.

Also, the font can't be too bad if it has been used by the United Kingdom for decades. But I do agree that Spain should have kept the old font, the Gothic font had less thickness and that made it easier to read, specially when you're going down the freeway at 60 MPH. (No hate towards Transport here)

[andrepoiy]

In my region:

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