"THIS EXIT" phrasing on BGSes

[txstateends]

This week, on the Dallas North Tollway, SB approach BGSes were updated for the Mockingbird Lane exit (didn't pay close attention yet to the NB BGSes yet).  They are new with Clearview, as well as attached green signage for "SMU Campus" and a new brown one above that for the new Bush Presidential Library.  On the first replaced approach BGS, instead of "NEXT EXIT" or a mileage amount, it says "THIS EXIT" below the Mockingbird Lane part.  On the other, just before the exit ramp, the BGS there also says "THIS EXIT", not "NEXT EXIT", "NEXT RIGHT", or what most of us would think of, an arrow.

I'm not sure if the signers were in such a hurry to promote the Bush Center that they didn't care about how the wording looked on the rest of it, or what.  Hopefully I'll be able to snap some samples in the next day or so; meanwhile, does anyone else recall any past/present BGSes with "THIS EXIT" on them?  To me, that phrase smacks of what businesses or promoters on billboards would use, rather than approach language on a BGS.

[Brandon]

"THIS EXIT" is rather common for ISTHA.

Toll signage: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=41.84996,-88.034606&spn=0.004276,0.010568&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=41.850008,-88.034695&panoid=1s8zkmp7U6wosEUJuk9K-w&cbp=12,331.83,,0,1.92

Auxiliary signage for municipalities: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=41.82337,-88.028179&spn=0.001077,0.002642&t=h&z=19&layer=c&cbll=41.82337,-88.028179&panoid=huQr8W6z3agJEs_-4vHw9Q&cbp=12,26.89,,0,6.21

It's also used for attractions and hospitals.

[briantroutman]

To me, that phrase smacks of what businesses or promoters on billboards would use, rather than approach language on a BGS.

When I saw the subject, the immediate image that came to my mind was an amateurish looking billboard on US 220 near McElhattan, PA: "Hungry? Good Food This Exit".

I've never seen this on guide signage–and hope this doesn't catch on.

[txstateends]

Sorry, no new pix yet, but--sure enough--the NB overhead BGS before the off-ramp does have "THIS EXIT" (along with the Clearview and SMU and Bush Center like the 2 SB BGSes) on it.  Strangely, after all that swapping, the initial NB Mockingbird Lane BGS is unchanged.

Meanwhile, here's what the first SB BGS was like before the change (per GSV):
http://goo.gl/maps/HMBFU

And the SB one at the Mockingbird off-ramp was: http://goo.gl/maps/ub2W1

How the signers could miss seeing "EXIT 1/2 MILE" and an upward angled arrow when taking down the old BGSes, I don't get.  Maybe those on the Tollway are so busy speeding or talking on their cell phones, they won't notice (??) ....

[Brandon]

To me, that phrase smacks of what businesses or promoters on billboards would use, rather than approach language on a BGS.

When I saw the subject, the immediate image that came to my mind was an amateurish looking billboard on US 220 near McElhattan, PA: "Hungry? Good Food This Exit".

I've never seen this on guide signage–and hope this doesn't catch on.

Ever been on an Illinois Tollway?  If yes, then you have seen it for auxiliary signage, even green information signs.

Another one on I-355 south at 63rd St: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=41.777743,-88.051241&spn=0.001538,0.002411&t=h&layer=c&cbll=41.777666,-88.051168&panoid=qGm7aUSQxTawg6v0ALnXQA&cbp=12,193.72,,1,-10.96&z=19

Northbound at I-355 and 127th St: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=41.648713,-88.013964&spn=0.004359,0.004823&t=h&layer=c&cbll=41.648963,-88.014033&panoid=t1ns4XzYyrqv7T6oWeoMxQ&cbp=12,32.06,,1,4.05&z=18

More on I-294/80 at Halsted: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=41.579637,-87.625249&spn=0.001091,0.001206&t=h&layer=c&cbll=41.579637,-87.625249&panoid=wul9ztfmGyg7nasmXEm55Q&cbp=12,286.58,,2,2.95&z=20

And: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=41.579637,-87.625249&spn=0.001091,0.001206&t=h&layer=c&cbll=41.579637,-87.625249&panoid=wul9ztfmGyg7nasmXEm55Q&cbp=12,332.88,,1,4.4&z=20

From the GSV of the Dallas North Tollway, wow, what a narrow road.  Are there shoulders along any of it?

[roadman65]

To me, that phrase smacks of what businesses or promoters on billboards would use, rather than approach language on a BGS.

When I saw the subject, the immediate image that came to my mind was an amateurish looking billboard on US 220 near McElhattan, PA: "Hungry? Good Food This Exit".

I've never seen this on guide signage–and hope this doesn't catch on.

Ever been on an Illinois Tollway?  If yes, then you have seen it for auxiliary signage, even green information signs.

Another one on I-355 south at 63rd St: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=41.777743,-88.051241&spn=0.001538,0.002411&t=h&layer=c&cbll=41.777666,-88.051168&panoid=qGm7aUSQxTawg6v0ALnXQA&cbp=12,193.72,,1,-10.96&z=19

Northbound at I-355 and 127th St: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=41.648713,-88.013964&spn=0.004359,0.004823&t=h&layer=c&cbll=41.648963,-88.014033&panoid=t1ns4XzYyrqv7T6oWeoMxQ&cbp=12,32.06,,1,4.05&z=18

More on I-294/80 at Halsted: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=41.579637,-87.625249&spn=0.001091,0.001206&t=h&layer=c&cbll=41.579637,-87.625249&panoid=wul9ztfmGyg7nasmXEm55Q&cbp=12,286.58,,2,2.95&z=20

And: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=41.579637,-87.625249&spn=0.001091,0.001206&t=h&layer=c&cbll=41.579637,-87.625249&panoid=wul9ztfmGyg7nasmXEm55Q&cbp=12,332.88,,1,4.4&z=20

From the GSV of the Dallas North Tollway, wow, what a narrow road.  Are there shoulders along any of it?

That's because the Illinois Tollways do not have exit numbers to place beneath the supplemental control cities.  How else can they say it really?

[Brandon]

To me, that phrase smacks of what businesses or promoters on billboards would use, rather than approach language on a BGS.

When I saw the subject, the immediate image that came to my mind was an amateurish looking billboard on US 220 near McElhattan, PA: "Hungry? Good Food This Exit".

I've never seen this on guide signage–and hope this doesn't catch on.

Ever been on an Illinois Tollway?  If yes, then you have seen it for auxiliary signage, even green information signs.

Another one on I-355 south at 63rd St: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=41.777743,-88.051241&spn=0.001538,0.002411&t=h&layer=c&cbll=41.777666,-88.051168&panoid=qGm7aUSQxTawg6v0ALnXQA&cbp=12,193.72,,1,-10.96&z=19

Northbound at I-355 and 127th St: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=41.648713,-88.013964&spn=0.004359,0.004823&t=h&layer=c&cbll=41.648963,-88.014033&panoid=t1ns4XzYyrqv7T6oWeoMxQ&cbp=12,32.06,,1,4.05&z=18

More on I-294/80 at Halsted: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=41.579637,-87.625249&spn=0.001091,0.001206&t=h&layer=c&cbll=41.579637,-87.625249&panoid=wul9ztfmGyg7nasmXEm55Q&cbp=12,286.58,,2,2.95&z=20

And: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=41.579637,-87.625249&spn=0.001091,0.001206&t=h&layer=c&cbll=41.579637,-87.625249&panoid=wul9ztfmGyg7nasmXEm55Q&cbp=12,332.88,,1,4.4&z=20

From the GSV of the Dallas North Tollway, wow, what a narrow road.  Are there shoulders along any of it?

That's because the Illinois Tollways do not have exit numbers to place beneath the supplemental control cities.  How else can they say it really?

"NEXT EXIT" and "SECOND EXIT", which are used in addition to "THIS EXIT", in both Clearview and FHWA fonts.  Sometimes "NEXT EXIT" and "THIS EXIT" are used for two different supplemental signs for the same exit.

[txstateends]

From the GSV of the Dallas North Tollway, wow, what a narrow road.  Are there shoulders along any of it?

If you want to call them "shoulders", yes, for the most part.  Most of them are *barely* wide enough to use for pulling over in a breakdown/emergency.  A few have been cut into (or completely removed) for extra lanes to merge onto or exit from at some ramps.  I don't remember how much shoulder is available in the newest Tollway section between TX 121 and US 380 in Frisco; it may be slightly wider along there.

As far as the overall narrowness you see from the GSV approaching the Mockingbird exit, this section of the Tollway (between the south end at I-35E and the I-635 interchange) is the original/oldest section, from the late 1960s.  It was previously the route of a railroad track between Dallas and Addison.  By the time it was decided to construct the Tollway along the railroad corridor, the whole stretch on each side was fully urbanized and largely residential.  As a result, there was no real width to work with as is seen with later phases of the Tollway; so no extra space for more/future main lanes, service roads, or commercialization.

[getemngo]

What does the MUTCD say about the phrasing? I seem to remember "NEXT RIGHT", "SECOND RIGHT", etc. universally in the 2003 edition but couldn't come up with anything in a brief search of the 2009. Of course, it should always say "EXIT xx" instead if the highway uses numbered exits.

[Brandon]

Here's a better example of the ISTHA ones:

I-355 North before 63rd Street.