When did state names disappear from Interstate Shields?

[DevalDragon]

When did state names start disappearing from Interstate Shields? Was there a law / code change that allowed this?

Some states like Michigan and Ohio have not had state names for years, and states like Illinois and Texas have only recently started taking names off, and states like Kentucky and Arkansas still put the state names on the shields.

[Quillz]

I think the 1961 spec first introduced alternate neutered shields, which more or less became the only spec by 1970.

[Takumi]

I think Virginia dropped it in the 1980s. I know of 4 state name shields from the 1981 segment of I-95; most of the rest were replaced last year. Shields from the mid-late 80s that are still around are all neutered. There are older state name shields remaining for other interstates, too.

That said, you still see a new state name shield pop up every now and then:

[Alps]

I think the 1961 spec first introduced alternate neutered shields, which more or less became the only spec by 1970.

Wrong. Both specs still coexist. Some states like Maine or Mississippi always post the state name (that after years of not posting it, in MS's case). New Jersey does more than 50% of the time. Other states never do it (Ohio barely avoided having none in the entire state by making a few new ones recently before the last old ones were destroyed or collected).

[Scott5114]

As Steve mentioned, the most recent SHS book still contains two Interstate shield specifications, one with the state name and one without. DOTs are free to use whichever they please, and some DOTs even override the official specs with their own, which may or may not contain the state name. So the answer to your question varies from state to state. Oklahoma still specifies its own Interstate spec complete with the state name, so the vast majority of Interstate shields in Oklahoma contain the state name; the only time they don't is when a contractor blithely posts shields using the same specs they use everywhere else.

[Revive 755]

Missouri has had a lot of neutered ones popping up in the last couple of years around St. Louis; previously Missouri had the state name on them 99% of the time.

[roadman65]

Florida installed two of em on FL 406 in Titusville, FL for I-95 and west of there at the FL 406 interchange with the interstate proper.  I believe there is a pair of state I-95 shields on FL 50 approaching I-95 from the west, but cannot be sure.

[formulanone]

Fiske Road (SR 519) has a bunch of them, which is rare in Florida. Just saw a non-neutered shield along A1A yesterday, darned if I could recall the exact intersection (SR 802, I think).

Funny how the inverse is neighboring Georgia, where neutered Interstate shields are rare.

[Beltway]

Overhead signs rarely have them nowadays, they have the massive number filling the lower part of the shield.

The state names are more common on the roadside "trailblazer" sign assemblies that are on Interstate mainline roadsides.

[roadman65]

Funny thing is New Jersey ditched the state names in the 80s for I-78, but then later on brought them back.

[DaBigE]

As Steve mentioned, the most recent SHS book still contains two Interstate shield specifications, one with the state name and one without.

Where are you finding two IH shield spec's?  At least as far as I've found, the 2004/2012 Supplement http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/SHSe/Guide.pdf has one style, sans state names (M1-1, Page 3-1, 2004 SHSM).

FWIW, Wisconsin uses their own spec (although I wouldn't be surprised if contracted commercial shops occasionally use the SHSM spec's instead--wouldn't be the first time).  The route marker assembly is on its 7^th revision according to the WisDOT state sign plate manual.  WisDOT's numerals are 2-3 inches larger, do not include the state name, and plates are not dimensioned above a 36-in shield height.  I have not regularly seen the state name on IH shields in Wisconsin for close to 20 years.

[r-dub]

Colorado went away from them for a while, but now all Interstate Shields popping up have the name back in it:

I-25 North approaching I-225 (hard to see, but the state name is in the 225 and 70 shields)


I-25 North: the first reassurance marker once you enter the state from New Mexico.

Of course, the neutered shield still shows up here and there. From what I can tell, it's subcontractor installations that don't have the state name.

[xonhulu]

State-named interstate shields are almost completely gone from Oregon.  The only remaining posted in the field is this I-5 gem:



Unless you count this one:

[agentsteel53]

neutered shields were always part of the specification - for overhead-sign use. 

1957 spec:



the 1957 and 1961 specifications clearly stated that the state name was to be used on the surface examples, and the neutered on guide signs.  Idaho was likely the first state to drop the state name, adopting the guide-sign style for all applications in the mid-1960s.



the 1970 AASHO interstate manual (whose designs were copied in the 1971 MUTCD) had the new designs, introduced by Pennsylvania around 1965, with the thinner margins and larger numbers.  this manual - if I recall correctly - made the state name optional on surface-level signs.  several states dropped based on their adoption of this manual, making 1970-spec state named shields a near-impossibility to find: Colorado comes to mind (until they brought it back in the early 2000s), as does New Hampshire. 

some states dropped the state name upon adopting the 1970 MUTCD in full, like Oregon in 1974, when they got rid of all state-named shields (interstate, US, state).  That said, the occasional 1970-spec state named Oregon was indeed made.



the 1978 MUTCD dropped the state name.  a lot of states complied, like Tennessee fairly quickly, Utah and Virginia not too much later, and Louisiana, Rhode Island, and others dropping the state name around the early 90s.  (Idaho randomly brought the state name back for a few years in the 80s before dropping it again.)

the 2002 MUTCD made the state name optional again, and certain states adopted it again - Colorado comes to mind as the best example, and now Mississippi and Texas as well. 

[highwayroads]

I am from Connecticut, and I travelled cross country by car about 6 months ago and at that time, started noticing the state name on the Interstate shields. Since then, everytime I am on the highway, I look at every reassurance shield to see if it is on there or not.

I believe it is up to the Department of Transportation in each state to decide their signs. Example, Interstate 84, in Connecticut all of the shields say Connecticut, but if you travel on I-84 through Massachusetts or New York, those states don't have the names on the signs.

My opinion, I don't like the state name on the sign. It is an U.S. Interstate, not a state road. The state shouldn't put their name on the sign. All the signs throughout the country should be consistent and look the same.

[hbelkins]

It is an U.S. Interstate, not a state road. The state shouldn't put their name on the sign. All the signs throughout the country should be consistent and look the same.

There are not enough words in the dictionary to begin to describe how wrong these statements are.

[froggie]

It's worth noting that, in the photos r-dub posted, the I-225 shields are bubble shields.

[hbelkins]

I had noticed that as well.

[Alps]

It is an U.S. Interstate, not a state road. The state shouldn't put their name on the sign. All the signs throughout the country should be consistent and look the same.

There are not enough words in the dictionary to begin to describe how wrong these statements are.

There are. The only thing I disagree with is that the state shouldn't put their name on the sign. All signs SHOULD be consistent throughout the country. But you can do that with the state name by having the same font size, typeface, and placement on the shield.

[signalman]

Agreed!  States should consistently put their name on stand alone shields.  Neutered shields are fine for guide signs, IMO.  And as Jake noted, they were originally intended for them.

[Scott5114]

Interestingly enough, I've read FHWA documents that state the reason the US route shield (and one would assume, the interstate shield) is because it was thought that in some places (particularly the South) locals' acceptance of the US route system would depend upon it. Since the states had to pay for the signage and the road itself, it was thought that including the state name might help defray the potential opposition. It was also based off the US route system being possibly seen as the federal government intruding, forcing states to pay for new roads (the more things change the more they stay the same!). There was also the idea that maybe having the state name on there would help convince legislators to renumber legislatively designated routes in places like CA and MN...

(Source)

[hbelkins]

There are. The only thing I disagree with is that the state shouldn't put their name on the sign. All signs SHOULD be consistent throughout the country. But you can do that with the state name by having the same font size, typeface, and placement on the shield.

I took that comment to mean that all state route markers should be the same, as well.

And the "US Interstate, not a state road" comment -- they are state roads. The states built them (albeit with a good chunk of federal money) and the states maintain them. If they aren't state roads, they are "federal roads" and we all know about that. 

[Alps]

There are. The only thing I disagree with is that the state shouldn't put their name on the sign. All signs SHOULD be consistent throughout the country. But you can do that with the state name by having the same font size, typeface, and placement on the shield.

I took that comment to mean that all state route markers should be the same, as well.

And the "US Interstate, not a state road" comment -- they are state roads. The states built them (albeit with a good chunk of federal money) and the states maintain them. If they aren't state roads, they are "federal roads" and we all know about that. 

I think there's a different between consistency and identical..ity..ness. All state route markers should be the same size and distinct from other highway markers (Wisconsin, this means you). County routes really should go to pentagons across the country, though I know that I will run up against opposition for even suggesting such a thing. But I'm firmly in favor of different designs - just like Interstate shields can have different state names on them, and so can US highways. (I wish.)

[agentsteel53]

and so can US highways. (I wish.)

good luck with that.  as far as I know, Kansas was the last state to drop the state name, in 1978.  (except for New Mexico, which randomly put up a few in 2009!)

[Henry]

the 1957 and 1961 specifications clearly stated that the state name was to be used on the surface examples, and the neutered on guide signs.  Idaho was likely the first state to drop the state name, adopting the guide-sign style for all applications in the mid-1960s.

LOL at the oversized JUNCTION banner on top!