Signage at Freeway Interchanges

[webny99]

Inspired by this thread, how are approaches to freeway interchanges signed in your state (on the surface street, that is, not the freeway itself)?
Are BGS's typically used, or just shields, and what do you think the standard should be to minimize message clutter and maximize clarity?

NY's tendency to use shields alone is a bit skimpy. I'd prefer this (as done in Ohio). I also found this to be a very interesting approach that I've never seen used elsewhere.

[TXtoNJ]

Texas - usually just shields. I think this is insufficient within urban areas, and Florida's BGS approach should be adopted.

[MNHighwayMan]

Naturally, I kind of have a fondness for how Minnesota does it:



Route, direction, and control city, all on one sign.

[pdx-wanderer]

I like this style used in most of Oregon, outside of Portland. 
https://goo.gl/maps/VLrSjqaEeV32
https://goo.gl/maps/K96jBRUhmcM2
https://goo.gl/maps/KFxZwQ91RYU2


Many of Portland's look something like this.
https://goo.gl/maps/zwfh1pAmDr42
https://goo.gl/maps/PctFJUvPSpB2

[webny99]

At last, I've finally found a NY example of shield, direction, arrow, and control city all in one: NY 31 at I-590. It's a new install, so perhaps there's hope that future new installs will follow the trend 

Naturally, I kind of have a fondness for how Minnesota does it:

This is an aside, but why do you take such a liking to MN highways (and highway practices) when Iowa seems to be your home state?
I have no objections, obviously, just curious.

[MNHighwayMan]

This is an aside, but why do you take such a liking to MN highways (and highway practices) when Iowa seems to be your home state?
I have no objections, obviously, just curious.

It's where I was born and raised. I've only lived in Iowa for the last six years or so.

[thenetwork]

Colorado is all over the place, due to some interchanges being roundabouts, or single-sided cross-streets (road dead ends at a ramp) for example.  But for the most part, CDOT will have BGSs with the Route, direction and control city (or state, see: Utah, I-70 West) at or near the ramps.

[Flint1979]

Michigan uses a mixture of overhead signs and just the shields on the side of the road approaching the expressway. This is the interchange with I-75 and M-46 in Saginaw. There is a side sign for NB I-75/US-23 and an overhead one in the distance for SB I-75/US-23.

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.4146678,-83.8862365,3a,60y,297.09h,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sUwUFj1-9wOOF9F1L96Qltw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[Eth]

This is fairly standard for Georgia. Pretty much the bare minimum.

[vdeane]

At last, I've finally found a NY example of shield, direction, arrow, and control city all in one: NY 31 at I-590. It's a new install, so perhaps there's hope that future new installs will follow the trend 

Check the historic street view.  The new sign is essentially identical to the sign that was there previously.

[webny99]

At last, I've finally found a NY example of shield, direction, arrow, and control city all in one: NY 31 at I-590. It's a new install, so perhaps there's hope that future new installs will follow the trend 

Check the historic street view.  The new sign is essentially identical to the sign that was there previously.

I'm 100% aware of what was there previously. This one has a control city (Irondequoit - which is also new for 590 as a whole). That's a very important difference as it relates to this discussion - a step in the right direction, however miniscule that step may be.

[roadman]

Massachusetts generally uses either BGS or LGS (aka "paddle" signs), or sometimes a combination of both (i.e. LGS for advance signs and BGS for entrance signs) at freeway entrances on surface streets.  The BGS signs are either ground mounted in the island of the entrance ramp or overhead mounted just prior to the ramp.

[Rothman]

Just passed I-91 on US 5/MA 10 today.  Northbound, little green sign for ramp to I-91 south.

I would consider the signs at Exit 18 on US 5 to br BGSes, though.

[wanderer2575]

Michigan is inconsistent, even within a district.  The solid trend is getting away from assemblies and using single-piece BGSs or smaller green guide signs.  But some interchanges have the former, some have the latter.  At six-ramp parclos, some interchanges have a BGS for both ramps in each direction, some have a BGS only at the first ramp, some have a BGS only at the second (loop) ramp, and some have only guide signs and no BGSs.  Doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to why one setup gets picked over another.

[jbnv]

Here's a typical Louisiana installation. The foreground sign has the two destinations and trailblazers. All of that could have been put on one BGS, but we don't. But in the background, notice the BGS mounted on the overpass.

[epzik8]

"JCT xx"

[jakeroot]

From Washington, here's some new signs leading up to a new diamond interchange (WA-501 at I-5, Ridgefield). This signage is pretty stereotypical of WSDOT these days...

Before the interchange...


At the first turn off (right turn)...


At the second turn off (left turn)...

[bzakharin]

It depends on your definition of surface street. In NJ, a divided highway (even non-freeway) is likely to get an overhead sign. If there is an interchange (and not an at-grade intersection) even two non-freeway divided highways will get overhead signs for each other. Smaller streets get shields only. Occasionally there will be an exception, such as here: https://www.google.com/maps/@39.8338576,-75.0885874,3a,75y,197.66h,90.63t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sm6ABgPHBLhlgYcZrBQw3Uw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!5m1!1e1 . I suppose NJ Turnpike, GS Parkway, and AC Expressway entrance signs are somewhere in the middle between BGS and shield. Those are posted even on non-divided highways. If there is a traffic light involved, you might get a shield like this: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7885499,-74.4699577,3a,37.5y,102.82h,89.55t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sOJG71WBTqoRcGAEartPA2g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!5m1!1e1 or even better, an exit (entrance?) number: https://www.google.com/maps/@39.3912871,-74.5633477,3a,75y,7.34h,97.97t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1si_DFGWeVxqdpWkkw3dWKfA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!5m1!1e1

[ErmineNotyours]

This is common in the Portland, Oregon area: corner to corner gantries with signs in all directions, and traffic signals.  This one is in Oregon City at I-205.

Sign assembly, Oregon City, Oregon by Arthur Allen, on Flickr

[Sam]

Not only does New York often only post shields, they use M6-3 "up arrows"  to lead you to the far side entrance, which makes it hard to know which lane you need.



That's not a problem if you're familiar with the area, but if you get off the freeway for gas or whatever, it's hard to know which lane you need to get back on, left if it's a diamond or right if it's a loop ramp, etc.

[Mergingtraffic]

NY does it this way or if not just a shield.


CT usually does a BGS as well.

[Scott5114]

Inspired by this thread, how are approaches to freeway interchanges signed in your state (on the surface street, that is, not the freeway itself)?

Badly.

Other than that, as per usual with OkDOT, there is so much variation in practice that identifying a "normal" that other installations deviate from is nigh impossible.

[Roadsguy]

PennDOT usually signs interchanges with regular trailblazers and plain destination signs, though they do use BGSes at some beefier, recently-redone interchanges, with it being a bit of a toss-up whether they do or not. They do have a bad tendency of using full-size BGSes in urban and denser suburban environments without any attempt to make them fit with the surroundings, though. I do wish they'd use smaller BGSes as a standard, like the WSDOT example posted earlier.

[mrsman]

Not only does New York often only post shields, they use M6-3 "up arrows"  to lead you to the far side entrance, which makes it hard to know which lane you need.


That's not a problem if you're familiar with the area, but if you get off the freeway for gas or whatever, it's hard to know which lane you need to get back on, left if it's a diamond or right if it's a loop ramp, etc.

I totally agree with your statement.  There needs to generally be better advance signing so that people are aware of what lane they need to be in.  Last minute lane changes are dangerous.

[roadman65]

https://goo.gl/maps/GzKNnvw1WDAirXEN9
This intersection in Newark, NJ has no indication that turning right at the light leads you onto a freeway exclusively.  Years ago giant I-78 shields were present here, but looking at the design of the intersection from the driver perspective here, it looks like any other street and not a ramp as it really is.

This is why Freeway Entrance Signs are needed at all freeway ramps.