States with Large Swaths of Button Copy Left

[Mergingtraffic]

Besides CA, what states still have whole routes signed with button copy?  or large swaths of button copy still standing?

[freebrickproductions]

CT and NJ.

Alabama used to be, but many sign replacements over the years have gotten rid of a lot of the button-copy, though we still have more than any of our neighbors.

[Brandon]

Ohio still has quite a bit, having been the last user of the stuff.  They even went so far as to buy it from states discontinuing it.

[formulanone]

Indiana seems to have lots of it; maybe one-third of all the guide signs in the state still had button copy.

[hbelkins]

It's rapidly disappearing in West Virginia, but most of the short US 22 freeway still has mostly button copy. I'm unaware of anything but spot locations elsewhere now. The stretches with the heaviest concentrations in the past 20 years (I-64 east of Beckley, I-77 north of Charleston, I-64 near Huntington, US 60 southeast of Charleston, the interstates in Charleston) have had it all replaced.

[Pink Jazz]

Arizona still has quite a bit of button copy on Loop 101 in North Scottsdale.

[dfnva]

You'll find some here and there in Pennsylvania still. I-70 just south of Breezewood comes to mind.

[csw]

Indiana seems to have lots of it; maybe one-third of all the guide signs in the state still had button copy.

Based on what I've seen I'd lower that number to maybe 10-15%. If you drive any substantial mileage through the state, you'll probably see a few signs, but no more than a few. And most of the time they're little signs indicating the route above on an overpass or county line. I can only think of a handful of Indiana BGSs with button copy...one near New Albany and a few around Indy.

Wisconsin has a few button copy BGSs along I-39/I-90 SB, but I don't know if they'll survive that construction.

[6a]

Ohio still has quite a bit, having been the last user of the stuff.  They even went so far as to buy it from states discontinuing it.

There's been a pretty aggressive push the last couple years to replace it. But yeah, compared to other states, there's still quite a bit left. Especially when you get off the main highways.

[Rothman]

Westborough Plaza on the Pike westbound still has an old blue button copy sign splitting car and truck traffic.

[SidS1045]

Westborough Plaza on the Pike westbound still has an old blue button copy sign splitting car and truck traffic.

Some old button-copy signs at the Allston-Brighton interchange were recently replaced.

[csw]

Bringing this thread back up to talk about one of my favorite road-related topics: button copy signage. Based on my own experiences and photos I've seen from others, I think we can separate states into tiers based on how much button copy they have left.

Uncommon (but also the most common): Ohio, Connecticut, New Jersey, California
Rare: Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Indiana, Alabama, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, Arizona
Nonexistent outside of a few signs: Florida, Utah, South Carolina, Illinois, Wisconsin, Maryland
Every other state has none.

Those who know more than me, what do you think?

[formulanone]

Georgia has just a handful of button copy signs left.

More than Florida and Utah, but less than Illinois.

[thenetwork]

Bringing this thread back up to talk about one of my favorite road-related topics: button copy signage. Based on my own experiences and photos I've seen from others, I think we can separate states into tiers based on how much button copy they have left.

Uncommon (but also the most common): Ohio, Connecticut, New Jersey, California
Rare: Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Indiana, Alabama, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, Arizona
Nonexistent outside of a few signs: Colorado, Florida, Utah, South Carolina, Illinois, Wisconsin, Maryland
Every other state has none.

[1995hoo]

The District of Columbia still had some as of this past March, most of it on I-395 and related ramps, but it's been disappearing as they replace some ancient signs. I haven't been to the far side of the river since the NHL suspended the season, so I don't know whether they've replaced anything else this spring.

[ErmineNotyours]

Last known button copy sign visible from an interstate in Washington:



(Honorable mention: Sign technically in Washington but maintained by Oregon.  Authority over maintenance might have fallen through the cracks.)

Non-state highway, presently closed to traffic.

[J3ebrules]

I wouldn't call New Jersey button copy "uncommon" . There's a ton in South Jersey - Cherry Hill alone has quite a bit.

[csw]

I wouldn't call New Jersey button copy "uncommon" . There's a ton in South Jersey - Cherry Hill alone has quite a bit.

I chose "uncommon" as the most common category because even though there might be a lot in some areas, it's probably still less than a quarter of all signs statewide (Ohio is my main reference here, I've never been to NJ). If you think more than 1 in 4 signs in all of NJ is button copy, then I'd bump it up.

Bringing this thread back up to talk about one of my favorite road-related topics: button copy signage. Based on my own experiences and photos I've seen from others, I think we can separate states into tiers based on how much button copy they have left.

Uncommon (but also the most common): Ohio, Connecticut, New Jersey, California
Rare: Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Indiana, Alabama, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, Arizona
Nonexistent outside of a few signs: Colorado, Florida, Utah, South Carolina, Illinois, Wisconsin, Maryland
Every other state has none.

I'm curious where these few in Colorado are? Out west along I-70 maybe?

[thenetwork]

I wouldn't call New Jersey button copy "uncommon" . There's a ton in South Jersey - Cherry Hill alone has quite a bit.

I chose "uncommon" as the most common category because even though there might be a lot in some areas, it's probably still less than a quarter of all signs statewide (Ohio is my main reference here, I've never been to NJ). If you think more than 1 in 4 signs in all of NJ is button copy, then I'd bump it up.

Bringing this thread back up to talk about one of my favorite road-related topics: button copy signage. Based on my own experiences and photos I've seen from others, I think we can separate states into tiers based on how much button copy they have left.

Uncommon (but also the most common): Ohio, Connecticut, New Jersey, California
Rare: Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Indiana, Alabama, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, Arizona
Nonexistent outside of a few signs: Colorado, Florida, Utah, South Carolina, Illinois, Wisconsin, Maryland
Every other state has none.

I'm curious where these few in Colorado are? Out west along I-70 maybe?

Last year, I saw an overhead button copy sign on US 85/Santa Fe Dr. SB at Evans Ave in Denver, but the rest I have seen lately are side-mounted signs (mileage guides, City Limit signs,...)  They are out there, but like Utah, very few and far between.

[ClassicHasClass]

I'm curious where these few in Colorado are? Out west along I-70 maybe?

Dunno if they're still up, but I found a few along US 6.

http://www.floodgap.com/roadgap/6/u11/#sec_66
http://www.floodgap.com/roadgap/6/u12/#sec_6
http://www.floodgap.com/roadgap/6/u12/#sec_48
http://www.floodgap.com/roadgap/6/u12/#sec_54

[csw]

A quick look at streetview suggests they're gone - but the one on US 85 mentioned earlier is still there per streetview. So here's an updated listing.

Uncommon (but also the most common): Ohio, Connecticut, New Jersey, California
Rare: Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Indiana, Alabama, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, Arizona
Nonexistent outside of a few signs: Florida, Utah, South Carolina, Illinois, Wisconsin, Maryland, Colorado, Washington, District of Columbia, Georgia
Every other state has none.

[formulanone]

The only ones in North Carolina that I remember seeing were on US 1 near Sanford. Probably about 10 signs left back in 2015, when I was last through there.



Any others within the state?

[plain]

The only ones in North Carolina that I remember seeing were on US 1 near Sanford. Probably about 10 signs left back in 2015, when I was last through there.



Any others within the state?

I saw this one in GSV on US 1 SB just now.


moto g(7) optimo (XT1952DL)

[formulanone]

I don't think there's any button copy left in Kentucky, from scanning around in threads.

I did spot a single letter (!) on northbound I-65 in Louisville, though it's hard to tell for sure. The "A" beside the exit number really does look like button copy when zoomed in (click to see):



Photo from August 2019.

[hbelkins]

I'll be darned.

I was there a year earlier and didn't even notice. Can't really tell from my photo, which was taken as I entered from KY 61.

2018 Louisville via KY 8 - 265 by H.B. Elkins, on Flickr