The Best of Road Signs

[PHLBOS]

So I'm running around running errands today, happened to have the camera with me, and I stumble upon this...

Best part? This is a fairly recent install...it's been a while since I drove through there, but the last time I did, it was a regular, modern crossbuck!

In Salem, MA along Route 107 just south of the MA 114 interchange; there's a similar in style, old dilapidated old RR Crossbuck still standing as of earlier this year.

[WillWeaverRVA]

There is only one railroad crossbuck with button copy text remaining in the city of Richmond. I've been meaning to take a picture of it; I'll probably go down this weekend and do it.

[Ian]

This BGS along MA 9 eastbound in Wellesley dates back to when I-95 was still planned to head through downtown Boston:


A "LANE ENDS MERGE LEFT" sign that has survived the Iway project along I-95 in Providence.

[PHLBOS]

This BGS along MA 9 eastbound in Wellesley dates back to when I-95 was still planned to head through downtown Boston:

That particular BGS is still there as of last November; despite all the subsequent BGS' being much newer.  It's vintage is likely of the early-70s.

[theline]

This BGS along MA 9 eastbound in Wellesley dates back to when I-95 was still planned to head through downtown Boston:

That particular BGS is still there as of last November; despite all the subsequent BGS' being much newer.  It's vintage is likely of the early-70s.

I'm curious about the word "exits." All signs now, I think, would say "exit" when referring to a single exit. I suppose this sign uses the verb "exits" because MA 128 exits in 1 mile. Signs now usually use the noun "exit." Was it once common to use the verb?

[Ian]

That particular BGS is still there as of last November; despite all the subsequent BGS' being much newer.  It's vintage is likely of the early-70s.

Yep, I actually photographed this over the Thanksgiving break. Surprised it's still there!

I'm curious about the word "exits." All signs now, I think, would say "exit" when referring to a single exit. I suppose this sign uses the verb "exits" because MA 128 exits in 1 mile. Signs now usually use the noun "exit." Was it once common to use the verb?

The word 'exit' is pluralized because it's a cloverleaf interchange with one ramp leading to I-95 (MA 128) south, and the other to I-95 north.

[brownpelican]

Saw this gem last week in Enon on Lee Road. Go south of LA 16 and it's LA 437.

[SidS1045]

This BGS along MA 9 eastbound in Wellesley dates back to when I-95 was still planned to head through downtown Boston:

That particular BGS is still there as of last November; despite all the subsequent BGS' being much newer.  It's vintage is likely of the early-70s.

Ironically, it was less than a mile from what used to be (and may still be) a large MassDOT facility (back then, it was the DPW) which, I believe, used to contain a sign shop.

I haven't been on that stretch of MA-9 in a while, but I believe that sign has been replaced.

[PHLBOS]

I haven't been on that stretch of MA-9 in a while, but I believe that sign has been replaced.

You might want to re-read a few posts back.  As of this past Thanksgiving, both Ian/PennDOTfan & I have confirmed that this particular BGS is still there.  All the subsequent BGS' have since been replaced w/ones just bearing w/I-95 shields.

[SidS1045]

I haven't been on that stretch of MA-9 in a while, but I believe that sign has been replaced.

You might want to re-read a few posts back.  As of this past Thanksgiving, both Ian/PennDOTfan & I have confirmed that this particular BGS is still there.  All the subsequent BGS' have since been replaced w/ones just bearing w/I-95 shields.

OK, I must be thinking of the ones closer to the cloverleaf.

[AsphaltPlanet]

Ontario hasn't used rounded sign boards for decades, so this sign may date to the opening of Hwy 405 in the 1960s.  (Though the text on the crown looks fairly new):


This one is from the 403, and also likely dates back to the opening of the highway in the 1960s.

[Central Avenue]

Ontario hasn't used rounded sign boards for decades, so this sign may date to the opening of Hwy 405 in the 1960s.  (Though the text on the crown looks fairly new):

Like the sign itself, hate the shield. Stretched/compressed type is a big pet peeve of mine...

[cu2010]

Compressed type is, sadly, becoming increasingly common in Ontario...

Gotta love that old Ontario font on the 403 sign, though!

[Alex]

Preceded by two button copy overheads!

[Kacie Jane]

Ah! Another exemplary case of Best Of and Worst Of on the same assembly!

[roadman]

This BGS along MA 9 eastbound in Wellesley dates back to when I-95 was still planned to head through downtown Boston:

That particular BGS is still there as of last November; despite all the subsequent BGS' being much newer.  It's vintage is likely of the early-70s.

Ironically, it was less than a mile from what used to be (and may still be) a large MassDOT facility (back then, it was the DPW) which, I believe, used to contain a sign shop.

I haven't been on that stretch of MA-9 in a while, but I believe that sign has been replaced.

MassDPW (later MassHighway) had their principal maintenance facility, which included both their sign shop and classrooms for training, in a large building located just outside the northwest quadrant of the I-95 (MA 128)/MA 9 interchange in Wellesley.  Sometime in the mid 1990s, as part of the Weld Administration's attempts to fool the public into thinking the state was solvent by selling off useful assets, the facility was completely torn down and the land sold to Harvard Pilgrim Health Care (after considerable environmental remediation was completed on the site).   Last I went by there (about 2006), Harvard Pilgrim still owned the building.

As far as the 1 mile BGS for Route 128 that's still there, it is my understanding that the sign and support (which date from the early 1970s) were supposed to be replaced under the Route 9 Brookline to Southborough sign replacement project done in the late 2000s.  Not sure why this sign work was never completed, but it's likely that a new sign and support for I-95 will be installed at this location as part of the final stage of the Randolph to Wellesley "add-a-lane" project currently under design.

[KEK Inc.]

Preceded by two button copy overheads!

Shortcut to Alanland?

[hbelkins]

Preceded by two button copy overheads!

Shortcut to Alanland?

Alan Wood is caused by goats.

[Central Avenue]

Ah! Another exemplary case of Best Of and Worst Of on the same assembly!

You think so? Personally I thought the Alan Wood Rd sign looked quite nice, albeit not quite "Best Of".

[CentralCAroadgeek]

Speaking of black-on-white button copy, this "Trucks OK" sign on I-5 south is a good one:

[vtk]

Ah! Another exemplary case of Best Of and Worst Of on the same assembly!

You think so? Personally I thought the Alan Wood Rd sign looked quite nice, albeit not quite "Best Of".

It's nice-ish, but a far cry from accepted design standards.  I interpret it as a guide sign, so it should be white on green.  The font is way off.  The border should be a little thicker.  There isn't nearly enough spacing between or around the two lines of text.  It just doesn't look like an official road sign at all; more like a fake, meant to look like a road sign, but designed by someone who clearly doesn't look at road signs all day.

[agentsteel53]

I don't know what that font is, but it reeks of Arialveticverstesk.

[Ian]

A few from the Albany area...

[Central Avenue]

Ah! Another exemplary case of Best Of and Worst Of on the same assembly!

You think so? Personally I thought the Alan Wood Rd sign looked quite nice, albeit not quite "Best Of".

It's nice-ish, but a far cry from accepted design standards.  I interpret it as a guide sign, so it should be white on green.  The font is way off.  The border should be a little thicker.  There isn't nearly enough spacing between or around the two lines of text.  It just doesn't look like an official road sign at all; more like a fake, meant to look like a road sign, but designed by someone who clearly doesn't look at road signs all day.

Oh, don't get me wrong. I know it's far from any sort of highway standards. I just don't think that alone makes it a terrible sign.

(Also, I'm somewhat biased, being a Helvetica fangirl and all.)

[agentsteel53]

Oh, don't get me wrong. I know it's far from any sort of highway standards. I just don't think that alone makes it a terrible sign.

(Also, I'm somewhat biased, being a Helvetica fangirl and all.)

meanwhile, I think that entire font family is a terrible blight, and should not be used anywhere, at any time, for any reason, except maybe on written proposals attempting to convince Noriega to come out of his hut.