Adventures in Utah signage

[nexus73]

I really like the "new" US route marker with the black border!  Is this something that will be coming to other states or is it just an Utah deal?

Rick

[Rover_0]

I really like the "new" US route marker with the black border!  Is this something that will be coming to other states or is it just an Utah deal?

Rick

It seems to be more of a Utah thing, probably caused by contractors. While most contractor-related design differences are sub-par, they've stumbled onto something great here.

[xonhulu]

BS-70, US-89 near Salina:

They've got it right on the BSG's (Spur, not Loop), so why didn't they on the spur route itself?

So this shield is no longer up?



I'm not sure exactly where it was located, but I took the picture in 2006.

[Rover_0]

BS-70, US-89 near Salina:

They've got it right on the BSG's (Spur, not Loop), so why didn't they on the spur route itself?

So this shield is no longer up?



I'm not sure exactly where it was located, but I took the picture in 2006.

Actually, I lied a little...that's about the only proper "Business Spur 70" sign not on a BGS. I can't remember where it is, exactly, either, though I'm pretty sure it's on the southbound side.

[CL]

UT-120 (BL-70) and some UT-118 in Richfield:

Georgia?

Region 4 by far has the worst adherence to signage standards in the state.

[elsmere241]

Actually, I lied a little...that's about the only proper "Business Spur 70" sign not on a BGS. I can't remember where it is, exactly, either, though I'm pretty sure it's on the southbound side.

Let's see - I remember seeing an end sign for that spur at Main and State in Salina in 1996, where US 50 and US 89 split.  I don't know if I remember the wrong intersection, but StreetView doesn't show one there now.

[Rover_0]

UT-120 (BL-70) and some UT-118 in Richfield:

Georgia?

Region 4 by far has the worst adherence to signage standards in the state.

I don't follow the "Georgia" comment, but the mismatched cases along with the 120 that rides a little too high are what make this BGS bad.

[J N Winkler]

I don't follow the "Georgia" comment, but the mismatched cases along with the 120 that rides a little too high are what make this BGS bad.

What CL means is that the primary destination legend is in Series D, not Series E Modified, and so matches a now-abandoned Georgia DOT standard for freeway guide signs.

[Scott5114]

Now if only they could make the corners straight on the bottom--the rounded bottoms are what bugs me the most. Most BGSs (including the 71/152 sign) have tiny little corners, why can't the state shields have them, too?

Road signs have rounded corners to protect highway workers from sharp edges. BGSes don't need them because they are usually put up by crane.

[CL]

I don't follow the "Georgia" comment, but the mismatched cases along with the 120 that rides a little too high are what make this BGS bad.

Don't forget the "NORTH" which is blatantly off-center.

[NE2]

Don't forget the "NORTH" which is blatantly off-center.

"Sorry guys, we need a bigger sign with more green space just so the direction can be exactly centered above the shield."

[J N Winkler]

"Sorry guys, we need a bigger sign with more green space just so the direction can be exactly centered above the shield."

Actually, there is plenty of room to center "NORTH" above the SR 120 shield since "Richfield" is the width control and there is some excess room to the left of the Business I-70 shield.

There would be even more room if Utah DOT had done a properly professional job on this sign and used Series E Modified for "Richfield" instead of Series D, thus gaining about 25% more legibility.

[Rover_0]

In the following months, I've moved back to my hometown Kanab, and in that time I've been able to make it over to St. George and see the new UT-7 shields along the Southern Parkway. I haven't been able to snap pictures, but as soon as I do, I'll post them here.

They are the "out-to-the-border" variety and are all 24x24. Almost all (if not all) westbound shields have an accompanying "TO I-15" shield.* The road itself is still only open to the airport, but work has been done on it past the exit. I'm not sure if it will only initially be 2-lanes or what, but work is continuing, albeit slowly.

There's also some newer UT-59 shields in Hurricane and new BSGs in St. George. I also have some pictures from my trip down, which I'll post soon.


*Which, if I had any say, would be helped by simply putting "Future I-x15" shields on.

[mass_citizen]

interesting, looking forward to it.

[CL]

Thanks, Rover. Much appreciated as always.

I thought I'd go back to some of my favorite photos from my state archives collection (through which I haven't browsed in a long time) and post some images that I haven't shared on this thread.



Newly minted interchange between US-40 (cosigned with I-80 in this photo) and SR-171 (future I-415 and then I-215). Note that Wasatch Blvd was not upgraded to freeway status yet, which is why I-415 is not cosigned with SR-171.




Same batch of photos as the above image. US-40 at the next exit. The interchange as it exists today was not yet completed, but here we have the two branches of US-40 that travel through Salt Lake.




Wyoming—Utah border.




Where US-91 met US-50 at Scipio. This was one of the last remaining sections of US-91 to not have been upgraded to I-15–but after the US-91 designation had been scuttled–hence the temporary designation.




Looking east at Green River.




During the floods of 1983.

[Rover_0]

I've got a few new photos dating back to about November, and among them are pictures of UT-7, AKA the Southern Parkway, along its newly-opened yet unconnected segment from Sand Hollow Reservoir to Washington Dam Rd.

The connection is running a little slow, so I'll get those up as soon as I have some time.

[Rover_0]

Here's some photos. UT-7 and a few others will be up soon.


More double-outline, non-cutout US shields in the Cache Valley! This time, at the junction of UT-101 near Wellsville. Also, UT-101 gets a "threehive" shield.


A closeup of the Wellsville assembly.


A nice UT-68 shield at its junction with UT-173


Different designed UT-68 shield (probably a few years older). Sigh.


I-215 shields at the south end of the I-215/UT-68 junction.


(Spanish Fork)

(Benjamin)

(Payson)
Updated signage on the I-15/US-6 concurrency. I see Mr. Bernhard followed through on his promise to make US-6 shields as big as I-15's along this stretch. It's not all perfect (spacing, not upright shields), but still, all in all, well-played, UDOT.


New destination signage in Santaquin. Note the lowercase.



Standalone state-named I-15 shields in Santaquin! Also, an "updated" US-6 shield!



New BGS's for the UT-54/Mona exit at 1 mile (top) and 1/2 mile.



Updated signage of the US-89/UT-256 junction near Redmond. Hooray for B Series on big-'ole threehives!


Mileage sign on I-70/US-89 SW of Salina. Note the I-15 shield.


State-named I-70 shield near the south end of the I-70/US-89 concurrency.

Stay tuned. I'll get some pictures from Green River, Price, and of course, the Southern Parkway.

[agentsteel53]

is there an intent by Utah to have neutered shields on the freeway mainline and state-named at the junctions?

[Rover_0]

is there an intent by Utah to have neutered shields on the freeway mainline and state-named at the junctions?

I dunno. There's also new signage at I-15 and UT-34 (St. George Blvd.) where standalone shields are neutered, but every BGS I-15 shield is not.

There's even a new mileage sign on UT-59 that says "Hurricane 11 [miles]/(I-15 Shield) 21 [miles]" with a non-neutered I-15 shield. The fact that UDOT signs distance to I-15 on UT-59 also supports my proposal to make the AZ-389/UT-59/UT-9 corridor--at the very least--into a MSR (prefer a US Route, and if only that route, then US-389 would suffice. That said, I prefer a US-64 or US-160 extension, but that's a story for another time.

Anyways, here's the next batch:

More from the state-named I-15 shields at Santaquin:


And a random "nice scene" UT-23 shield at Mendon from the fall:


Some rare eastern Utah signs, starting with UT-128 shields:


Make no mistake, the rest of the route is scenic, but I managed to take pictures on the starkest, colorless part of the route.

US-6 WB/191 NB split from I-70/US-50 WB near Green River:

(Before)

(After)

White-on-Green US-6 Shield on Wellington street sign:


Freeway-like BGS's for UT-10 and UT-55 (Business 6/191 in Price) on Super-2 Price Bypass:



Erroneous "UT-6" shield at US-6 EB/US-89 SB split at Thistle:

You can barely make it out (as all these eastern Utah pics were taken from moving cars), but US-6 has a classic US/SR confusion error. I let UDOT know about it but am not sure if it's been rectified yet, as I don't go that way when I go through the area.

UT-7 is now finished from I-15 to Warner Valley Rd., and with the help of Warner Valley/Washington Fields Rd. (the two are pretty much one and the same)->Washington Dam Rd. (with a little connecting stub), one can drive UT-7 from I-15 to Sand Hollow Reservoir. Sand Hollow Rd. north will take you the rest of the way from UT-7 to UT-9. The connecting segment should begin to be graded this year, and UT-7 should be complete from I-15 to Sand Hollow Reservoir by the summer of 2015 (if my guesses are right).

And now for UT-7 AKA Southern Parkway photos:



Approaching UT-7 from Sand Hollow Rd. SB, and a scene with the "Begin UT-7" shield


(Current) east end of UT-7


(Current) beginning of UT-7 WB. It's not common when UDOT signs the beginning of routes.


West UT-7 Shield near Sand Hollow Golf Course




Road cut along UT-7 between Sand Hollow and Washington Dam, plus a scene from the Washington Dam area


UT-7 shield off the road stub between Washington Dam Rd. and UT-7


Beginning of the now-unconnected portion of UT-7



Beginning of connected portion of UT-7 at Warner Valley Rd. Note the covered upper half of the directional sign and the state-named I-15 shield


Looking down UT-7 west after western segment's beginning

Apologies for occasional poor quality because of course when I have time to take pictures the sun has to be right behind the signs. Anyways, let me know what you think.

[xonhulu]

Rover_O, I remember some time ago you reported that you'd spoken to a UDOT official about properly signing US-Interstate or other concurrencies.  Have you seen any movement on that?

[Rover_0]

Rover_O, I remember some time ago you reported that you'd spoken to a UDOT official about properly signing US-Interstate or other concurrencies.  Have you seen any movement on that?

There's some. While US-50 is now pretty much signed on its concurrency with I-15, as of March 2013 US-189 appears to "End" at US-40 in Heber City (no mention along I-80) and I haven't seen much in the line of US-89 along its myriad concurrencies with I-15. I also haven't seen any changes along I-70/US-6/50/191 near Green River.

I haven't been in Logan since November 2013, so I don't know if anything has changed with UT-30. Also, going through Richfield in November, I saw nothing from UT-118/120.

Just like anything else it seems, stuff like this takes time.

[texaskdog]

I was reading the Wikipedia I-70 in Utah site about how the original roads were Utah 13 and later Utah 4. Anyone have pictures or know anything about this?

[NE2]

I was reading the Wikipedia I-70 in Utah site about how the original roads were Utah 13 and later Utah 4. Anyone have pictures or know anything about this?

http://www.alpsroads.net/roads/ut/us_89/

[texaskdog]

Cool, thanks!

[Rover_0]

Some photos aren't perfect (mostly blurred), but here are some updates.

The UT-59 mileage marker, with state-named I-15 shield:


Here's some signage of the I-15/UT-34 interchange:

Note how BL-15 is marked E-W along with UT-34...


...and when on the route, BL-15 is marked N-S while UT-34 retains its E-W status.

Here's a couple of the Mammoth Creek Road, between UT-14 and UT-143. I'm not sure why this isn't a state route IMO (well, I think it's a US Forest road), as it would make a perfect addition to the system:


And the advance UT-143 junction signage:


There's also an error "US-143" shield just to the left of the MCR/UT-143 junction. I'll have to get a snippet of that when I have some time to do so.

And I'll end with some from my weekend excursion (back) to northern Utah, with some bad news, depending on who you are:





Clearview has infiltrated Utah outside of the Legacy Parkway!! I repeat, Clearview has infiltrated Utah outside of the Legacy Parkway!! Fortunately, this is the only instance I know of, and it may just be a contractor error, as the awful kerning of the second photo may imply.

Faded BL-15 shields for Fillmore. I'm about 98% certain that when these get replaced, UT-99 gets a mention (hopefully 100 does, too). Seems to be the general trend, which isn't bad:



And speaking of UT-99, here's a newer-standard shield for it:

The digits seem to be the right size, for a change.

That's it for now, and I'll post the rest from my trip (at Holden, Logan, and even Sandy).