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Weird New Mexico shield

Started by corco, June 30, 2011, 06:06:14 PM

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corco

June 30, 2011, 06:06:14 PM   Last Edit: January 21, 2015, 02:16:08 AM by andy3175


I was on the frontage road west of Deming NM the other day and came across this shield. Any idea what that shield type is used for/why it exists? I guess it could be a county road, but NM normally just pentagons it and why have the state outline?

Maybe it's a frontage road that's still under state inventory and a secret route number crept out? But why put it on a unique shield?

NE2

#1
June 30, 2011, 06:11:41 PM   Last Edit: January 21, 2015, 02:16:10 AM by andy3175
pre-1945 Florida route log

I accept and respect your identity as long as it's not dumb shit like "identifying as a vaccinated attack helicopter".

corco

#2
June 30, 2011, 06:12:57 PM   Last Edit: January 21, 2015, 02:16:13 AM by andy3175
Whoa. Surprising that they sign them!

NE2

#3
June 30, 2011, 06:18:09 PM   Last Edit: January 21, 2015, 02:16:16 AM by andy3175
I don't know if this is the standard, or the variant with FRONTAGE ROAD is, or if they're usually unsigned.
pre-1945 Florida route log

I accept and respect your identity as long as it's not dumb shit like "identifying as a vaccinated attack helicopter".

agentsteel53

#4
June 30, 2011, 06:37:22 PM   Last Edit: January 21, 2015, 02:16:19 AM by andy3175
Quote from: NE2 on June 30, 2011, 06:18:09 PM
I don't know if this is the standard, or the variant with FRONTAGE ROAD is, or if they're usually unsigned.

they are rarely signed.  as for standard.  what standard?  this is New Mexico!

(I've seen more of the variant without "FRONTAGE ROAD", but maybe 5 of one and 3 of the other, so not statistically significant.)

I have photos of most of the ones I've seen - I need to upload them to the shield gallery.  there are some in San Jon that have a very bizarre font.
live from sunny San Diego.

http://shields.aaroads.com

jake@aaroads.com

J N Winkler

#5
June 30, 2011, 08:30:53 PM   Last Edit: January 21, 2015, 02:16:21 AM by andy3175
That is indeed a frontage road shield, and no, that is not the standard design, and yes, NMDOT does sign some frontage roads, though to my knowledge it has never systematically attempted to sign all frontage roads statewide.  The general rule of thumb is that frontage roads will have four-digit route numbers, with the first two digits matching the designation of the freeway route the frontage road follows (so 10XX numbers for I-10, 40XX numbers for I-40, etc.).  There are exceptions though--I-25 has some 20XX frontage roads, while US 491 (former US 666) has some 666X frontage roads.

The actual standard design matches Corco's picture as to the shield outline.  However, it calls for a three-line message consisting of "FRONTAGE," the route number, and "ROAD," all three elements appearing in 4" Series C on a 30" x 30" sign blank with 3" interline spacing.

The actual design appears as one of the "miscellaneous" drawings in NMDOT's Sign Face Details ZIP archive (3.2 MB).  The actual drawing files are in MicroStation DGN format, so a CAD viewer will be essential (I recommend Bentley View, which I think is still freeware).  NMDOT's Sign Code Listing (5 MB PDF) also has a plotted and badly rasterized detail drawing.
"It is necessary to spend a hundred lire now to save a thousand lire later."--Piero Puricelli, explaining the need for a first-class road system to Benito Mussolini

Alex

#6
June 30, 2011, 08:41:15 PM  
There is also the "reverse video" version of the marker. I found one south of Las Crucas in 2006:

Alps

#7
June 30, 2011, 11:15:24 PM   Last Edit: January 21, 2015, 02:16:25 AM by andy3175
Quote from: J N Winkler on June 30, 2011, 08:30:53 PM
That is indeed a frontage road shield, and no, that is not the standard design, and yes, NMDOT does sign some frontage roads, though to my knowledge it has never systematically attempted to sign all frontage roads statewide.  The general rule of thumb is that frontage roads will have four-digit route numbers, with the first two digits matching the designation of the freeway route the frontage road follows (so 10XX numbers for I-10, 40XX numbers for I-40, etc.).  There are exceptions though--I-25 has some 20XX frontage roads, while US 491 (former US 666) has some 666X frontage roads.

The actual standard design matches Corco's picture as to the shield outline.  However, it calls for a three-line message consisting of "FRONTAGE," the route number, and "ROAD," all three elements appearing in 4" Series C on a 30" x 30" sign blank with 3" interline spacing.

The actual design appears as one of the "miscellaneous" drawings in NMDOT's Sign Face Details ZIP archive (3.2 MB).  The actual drawing files are in MicroStation DGN format, so a CAD viewer will be essential (I recommend Bentley View, which I think is still freeware).  NMDOT's Sign Code Listing (5 MB PDF) also has a plotted and badly rasterized detail drawing.

If you give me a job charge code I can convert DGN to any format you want. :-D

formulanone

#8
July 01, 2011, 12:02:19 AM   Last Edit: January 21, 2015, 02:16:29 AM by andy3175
Quote from: Alex on June 30, 2011, 08:41:15 PM
There is also the "reverse video" version of the marker. I found one south of Las Crucas in 2006:



I can't believe I'm saying this, but this challenges my notion that Florida does the "state outline-on-a-shield" better than all the other states. Nice, balanced design with the words "frontage" and "road" framing the route number neatly.

J N Winkler

#9
July 01, 2011, 01:41:05 PM   Last Edit: January 21, 2015, 02:16:32 AM by andy3175
Quote from: formulanone on July 01, 2011, 12:02:19 AMI can't believe I'm saying this, but this challenges my notion that Florida does the "state outline-on-a-shield" better than all the other states. Nice, balanced design with the words "frontage" and "road" framing the route number neatly.

Can you write NMDOT and convey this sentiment to them?  This is not the standard design, though it is better than the actual standard.
"It is necessary to spend a hundred lire now to save a thousand lire later."--Piero Puricelli, explaining the need for a first-class road system to Benito Mussolini

Quillz

#10
August 25, 2011, 05:48:05 PM   Last Edit: January 21, 2015, 02:16:35 AM by andy3175
Is New Mexico the only state to give numbers to their frontage roads? I don't think I've seen it anywhere else, at least nothing signed.

I also like that white-on-black frontage road shield that was posted a little ways up. Looks really sharp, would be even better in a cutout design, though.

NE2

#11
August 25, 2011, 05:56:04 PM   Last Edit: January 21, 2015, 02:16:37 AM by andy3175
Quote from: Quillz on August 25, 2011, 05:48:05 PM
Is New Mexico the only state to give numbers to their frontage roads? I don't think I've seen it anywhere else, at least nothing signed.
Virginia has signed Fxxx secondary routes on frontage roads. http://www.vahighways.com/route-log/fseries.htm
pre-1945 Florida route log

I accept and respect your identity as long as it's not dumb shit like "identifying as a vaccinated attack helicopter".

J N Winkler

#12
August 25, 2011, 06:32:17 PM   Last Edit: January 21, 2015, 02:16:39 AM by andy3175
I think Texas does it occasionally.  By default under TxDOT's uniform location reference system, frontage roads are treated as part of the same highway entity as the freeway mainlanes, but it is possible for frontage roads to be broken out as separate routes.  However, I don't know of any other state which follows NMDOT's approach of creating a separate state secondary system just for frontage roads.
"It is necessary to spend a hundred lire now to save a thousand lire later."--Piero Puricelli, explaining the need for a first-class road system to Benito Mussolini

Alps

#13
August 25, 2011, 09:27:14 PM   Last Edit: January 21, 2015, 02:16:44 AM by andy3175
Long Island's frontage roads have internal NYSDOT reference numbers completely distinct from the roads they follow. (9xxX series)

roadfro

#14
August 27, 2011, 04:06:56 AM   Last Edit: January 21, 2015, 02:16:46 AM by andy3175
Nevada frontage roads also have distinct catalog numbers bearing no relation to the highway it acts as a frontage to...where/if the frontage road follows another highway. NDOT classifies many bridges other short segments of road as "frontage road".

In any event, NDOT frontage roads aren't signed. Most do have postmile paddles, though.
Roadfro - AARoads Pacific Southwest moderator since 2010, Nevada roadgeek since 1983.
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