History of Specific Service signage

[briantroutman]

The other day, I had a brief flashback to my earliest highway memories (late '80s) when it was still common to see to see General Motorist Service signs (with a generic all-text legend like "FOOD - PHONE - GAS - DIESEL – NEXT RIGHT" ) on non-reflective panels with button copy along PA Interstates. But even then, I seem to recall that Specific Service signs (with the logo of the business) were already becoming common, particularly at heavily built-up rural interchanges.

Looking back at past MUTCDs, the 1988 edition makes no mention of Specific Service signage, and they first appear in 2000. But by then, the logo signs were the rule rather than the exception. In fact the generic signs had all but disappeared by that point (at least in Pennsylvania).

Of the many photos of signage out there, it seems service signs have been largely ignored, so it's difficult to put together a history through pictures. Does anyone know more about the history of Specific Service signage? When did you begin seeing it in your state–and when did laggard states finally adopt the practice? 

[roadman]

Massachusetts first started allowing LOGO services signing on their Interstates and freeways in the early 1980s.  Until 2009, the Massachusetts Turnpike had only provided LOGO panels for their service plazas (the current six panel signs for the plazas were installed in the mid to late 1990s).  Since the MassDOT "merger",  a few LODGING and ATTRACTIONS LOGO signs have appeared at some of the Pike's western-most exits.  However, there are still no GAS or FOOD signs for exits yet.

[Mapmikey]

Virginia first established rules for signing this stuff in Sept 1972...see pdf pages 24-27 at http://www.ctb.virginia.gov/meetings/minutes_pdf/CTB-09-1972-01.pdf.  This reference notes that the federal 1965 Highway Beautification Act authorizes specific signing for services.  The distance criteria initially set in Sept 1972 was revised in Nov 1972 (pdf pages 15-16 at http://www.ctb.virginia.gov/meetings/minutes_pdf/CTB-11-1972-01.pdf)

As of Feb 1975, logo signing was done only on I-95.  A Stuckey's along I-64 near Williamsburg petitioned the CTB to put logo signs along I-64 (page 15 at http://www.ctb.virginia.gov/meetings/minutes_pdf/CTB-02-1975-01.pdf)

Michael Summa photographed a logo assembly in Fredericksburg, VA in 1976: http://www.millenniumhwy.net/summa/summa-Pages/Image519.html


Mapmikey

[vdeane]

New York generally uses Food, Gas, and Lodging.  The Thruway uses Attractions, Camping, and Lodging, with generic food/fuel icons on another sign.

[Mergingtraffic]

CT, as usual late to the party, started them in 1992 or so.

[jeffandnicole]

NJ was very late to the party, and then decided to charge a very high cover.  While there was a lot of participation early on, a lot of eligible restaurants/hotels/gas stations decided it wasn't worth it to continue participating.  The result was interchanges filled with services, but few if any listed on the highway signs.

At least the signage is quite consistant and looks good.  The mileage is sometimes off, and if an additional turn is required after exiting the highway, they are haphazardly signed.  And unlike other states where the services are the ONLY thing off a highway and depends on travelers for their main business, most services in NJ cater to the general population of their local area, and anyone stopping off the highway is just a bonus.

[roadman65]

If I remember correctly, NJ used to sign pay telephones on the Gas-Food-Lodging signs and if memory serves me correctly, it was the only state to do so at the time.

[jeffandnicole]

If I remember correctly, NJ used to sign pay telephones on the Gas-Food-Lodging signs and if memory serves me correctly, it was the only state to do so at the time.

Somehow, this sign manages to survive (I-295 South, approaching Exit 17): http://goo.gl/maps/P9X0Q

Good luck finding the gas station though, which is long gone (It's now a deli).  I wouldn't be surprised if finding the pay phone is just as tricky.

[roadman]

If I remember correctly, NJ used to sign pay telephones on the Gas-Food-Lodging signs and if memory serves me correctly, it was the only state to do so at the time.

"PHONE" was a standard part of the text on most generic (non-LOGO) service signs installed on Massachusetts highways from the late 1960s onward, until such signs were phased out in favor of LOGO signs.  Note that, with limited exceptions (notably those highways east and south of the Cape Cod Canal), Massachusetts no longer permits the installation of generic service signs.

[briantroutman]

Thanks everyone for the responses–this is exactly the kind of info I wanted. And especial thanks to Mapmikey for the photo and document links. So it would seem that Virginia was the pioneer in Specific Service signage in the mid '70s, with several states following in the '80s and finally the laggards by the '90s.

...a few LODGING and ATTRACTIONS LOGO signs have appeared ...However, there are still no GAS or FOOD signs for exits yet

It's the same situation on the PA Turnpike–I would assume to protect the gas-food operations at the service plazas. I find it kind of funny that the PTC also sometimes puts service plaza logo signs, sometime ten or more miles in advance, just before an interchange...as if they're trying to convince you to not use the off-turnpike services.

NJ was very late to the party...

NJ's freeway mileage is also disproportionally either tolled or urban, either of which often not signed for services, anyway. Really, the only appreciable rural Interstate mileage in the state is on I-78, I-80, and I-287 .

[jeffandnicole]

It's the same situation on the PA Turnpike–I would assume to protect the gas-food operations at the service plazas. I find it kind of funny that the PTC also sometimes puts service plaza logo signs, sometime ten or more miles in advance, just before an interchange...as if they're trying to convince you to not use the off-turnpike services.

I think that confuses people sometimes also...they see the sign, focus on a restaurant they're interested in, ignore the "10 Miles" part of the sign, exit the turnpike immediately, and are surprised to find a toll booth instead.

NJ's freeway mileage is also disproportionally either tolled or urban, either of which often not signed for services, anyway. Really, the only appreciable rural Interstate mileage in the state is on I-78, I-80, and I-287 .

That was my opinion in the past as well.  But when they started doing the specific service signage, all but the most urban, closely spaced interchanges are signed.  For example: I-76 near Philly is not (4 interchanges on a roadway barely 2 miles in length), but I-295, Rt. 42 and Rt. 55 near Philly does have the signage.  They also use it on non-highway routes as well, such as NJ 73 and US 322.

Additionally, a bit unusual for a toll road, the Atlantic City Expressway DOES use the specific service signage.  In fact, approaching Exit 41 (Cross Keys Rd/Williamstown), there are no fewer than 10 restaurants listed on 2 signs!

[Pete from Boston]

If I remember correctly, NJ used to sign pay telephones on the Gas-Food-Lodging signs and if memory serves me correctly, it was the only state to do so at the time.

"PHONE" was a standard part of the text on most generic (non-LOGO) service signs installed on Massachusetts highways from the late 1960s onward, until such signs were phased out in favor of LOGO signs.  Note that, with limited exceptions (notably those highways east and south of the Cape Cod Canal), Massachusetts no longer permits the installation of generic service signs.

It's with a mixture of wistfulness and anxiety that I remember the concept of driving around looking for a public phone.

[Brandon]

If I remember correctly, NJ used to sign pay telephones on the Gas-Food-Lodging signs and if memory serves me correctly, it was the only state to do so at the time.

"PHONE" was a standard part of the text on most generic (non-LOGO) service signs installed on Massachusetts highways from the late 1960s onward, until such signs were phased out in favor of LOGO signs.  Note that, with limited exceptions (notably those highways east and south of the Cape Cod Canal), Massachusetts no longer permits the installation of generic service signs.

It's with a mixture of wistfulness and anxiety that I remember the concept of driving around looking for a public phone.

Damn, I remember those days, pre-cell phone.  It was always a good thing to finally find one that 1) was intact without the cord cut, and 2) actually worked.

How I don't miss that.

[theline]

...a few LODGING and ATTRACTIONS LOGO signs have appeared ...However, there are still no GAS or FOOD signs for exits yet

It's the same situation on the PA Turnpike–I would assume to protect the gas-food operations at the service plazas. I find it kind of funny that the PTC also sometimes puts service plaza logo signs, sometime ten or more miles in advance, just before an interchange...as if they're trying to convince you to not use the off-turnpike services.

The same is true for the Indiana Toll Road. Specific service signs are restricted to lodging and attractions to protect the service plaza gas-food vendors. The ITR also touts the service plazas with logoed signs many miles in advance, often just before an exit that has many gas-food options off road.

[roadman]

It's the same situation on the PA Turnpike—.  I would assume to protect the gas-food operations at the service plazas. I find it kind of funny that the PTC also sometimes puts service plaza logo signs, sometime ten or more miles in advance, just before an interchange...as if they're trying to convince you to not use the off-turnpike services.

Bingo (although I'm sure the toll road authorities would never publically admit that)!  MassPike's advance LOGO signs for their plazas aren't too bad, as they start 2 miles away from the plaza.  At some locations, there are additional advance signs located further away, but they typically say 'NEXT SERVICE PLAZA XX MILES", and do not have the service LOGOs on them.

[hotdogPi]

It's the same situation on the PA Turnpike–.  I would assume to protect the gas-food operations at the service plazas. I find it kind of funny that the PTC also sometimes puts service plaza logo signs, sometime ten or more miles in advance, just before an interchange...as if they're trying to convince you to not use the off-turnpike services.

Bingo (although I'm sure the toll road authorities would never publically admit that)!  MassPike's advance LOGO signs for their plazas aren't too bad, as they start 2 miles away from the plaza.  At some locations, there are additional advance signs located further away, but they typically say 'NEXT SERVICE PLAZA XX MILES", and do not have the service LOGOs on them.

I thought getting off and back on means that more toll money is spent compared to if you don't get off in the middle.

[roadman]

If I remember correctly, NJ used to sign pay telephones on the Gas-Food-Lodging signs and if memory serves me correctly, it was the only state to do so at the time.

"PHONE" was a standard part of the text on most generic (non-LOGO) service signs installed on Massachusetts highways from the late 1960s onward, until such signs were phased out in favor of LOGO signs.  Note that, with limited exceptions (notably those highways east and south of the Cape Cod Canal), Massachusetts no longer permits the installation of generic service signs.

It's with a mixture of wistfulness and anxiety that I remember the concept of driving around looking for a public phone.

Damn, I remember those days, pre-cell phone.  It was always a good thing to finally find one that 1) was intact without the cord cut, and 2) actually worked.

How I don't miss that.

For years, the parking area on I-95 southbound in Attleboro (MA) had a pair of public phones that were at big-rig window height.  The service was signed (in Bell System colors and font) as "Phone From Truck".

[roadman]

I thought getting off and back on means that more toll money is spent compared to if you don't get off in the middle.

But less money than the toll road's vendors make from on-road purchases.  Plus, service plazas on a toll road have always been touted by the agencies for their convenience to drivers who may be unfamiliar with an area.  This was especially true in a past era when you didn't have a half dozen gas stations and fast food places at every interchange.

[Brandon]

It's the same situation on the PA Turnpike–.  I would assume to protect the gas-food operations at the service plazas. I find it kind of funny that the PTC also sometimes puts service plaza logo signs, sometime ten or more miles in advance, just before an interchange...as if they're trying to convince you to not use the off-turnpike services.

Bingo (although I'm sure the toll road authorities would never publically admit that)!  MassPike's advance LOGO signs for their plazas aren't too bad, as they start 2 miles away from the plaza.  At some locations, there are additional advance signs located further away, but they typically say 'NEXT SERVICE PLAZA XX MILES", and do not have the service LOGOs on them.

I thought getting off and back on means that more toll money is spent compared to if you don't get off in the middle.

Depends on the tollway.  If you use the following exits on the Illinois State Toll Highway System, then there is no extra toll to exit for services and get back on:

Tri-State Tollway:
Grand Avenue (IL-132) - Gurnee Mills, Great America
Ogden Avenue (US-34) - not much in the way of services
Cicero Avenue (IL-50)/127th Street - a few gas stations and restaurants

East-West Tollway:
Dixon (IL-26) - gas stations, restaurants, hotels
Rochelle (IL-251) - gas stations, restaurants, hotels
IL-59 - gas stations, restaurants, hotels

North-South Tollway:
Ogden Avenue (US-34) - gas stations, restaurants, hotels
I-55/Joliet Road - services are at IL-53 and Lemont Road

Northwest Tollway:
State Street (Bus US-20) - gas stations, restaurants, hotels
Genoa Road - gas stations, maybe some restaurants
Hampshire-Marengo (US-20) - gas stations, restaurants, hotels

Advance signage for the oases has the name of the oasis above the services at the oasis, and can be as far as 3 miles in advance, and the oases are only on the E-W Twy (1), N-W Twy (1), and T-S Twy (4).

[txstateends]

I'm unfortunately not up on history/exact dates as far as how long TX has had the non-specific and then, later, the logo signage for services.  The 'phone' reference above reminded me, the only times I've seen phone service signage in the state was at exits to rest areas that had pay phones.  I'm not sure if they still have the signage (or the pay phones) at the rest areas that had them anymore.  The only times before recent years I saw logo service signage was in rural areas on TX interstates (no non-interstate freeways had them IIRR).  Now (effective when I don't know) there are not only service signs with logos on non-interstates, but also now, logo signs along some urban sections of freeways in TX.  I'm not sure if this was a TxDOT change specifically or what.  I'm guessing one possible reason for the greater amounts of recent logo service signage is directly related to the amount of billboards (or the declining amount of) in some cities/areas.

[roadman]

@txstateends  The principal reason more and more states have embraced LOGO service signing, especially on non-Interstates and in urban areas, is simple - it's another revenue stream for them.

In Massachusetts, a business is charged an annual fee of $1,200 for the right to have a LOGO at a given interchange.  The only exceptions to this policy are for qualified non-profit organizations on Attractions LOGO signs, and for the businesses that paid to have the main blue signs fabricated and installed (what MassDOT refers to as "initial applicant").  In the latter case, the annual fee is pro-rated against the costs the business paid to fabricate and install the original signs.  So, if McDonalds paid a contractor $12,000 for a four sign installation (two mainline signs, two ramp signs), they would have their annual fee waived for ten years.

For a typical six-panel LOGO Gas or Food installation, this results in $6,000 of annual revenue to the state.  For some interchanges with Gas, Food, and Lodging signs, the annual revenue for the interchange could be as high as $18,000.  Consider the number of interchanges in the state with LOGO signing, and you can see how these numbers quickly add up.  And it's nearly all net profit, as the signs are already in place.

[lepidopteran]

I remember when a fully-stocked exit was "FOOD-PHONE-GAS-LODGING".  Some signs had HOSPITAL and/or CAMPING tacked on, either with a separate sign on the post or on a larger sign overall.  Then one state (can't remember which, possibly PA) replaced PHONE with DIESEL in the same space, likely by adding a panel.  I suspect this was due to pay phones becoming common enough by then at the other places listed, and the increase (at the time, at least) in diesel-powered cars.

If there was a sequence of exits with all of the big 3 amenities, some states such as OH had "Food-Gas-Lodging, Next X Exits".  Exactly once, though, on I-70 WB just before entering the Denver area: "Food-Gas-Lodging, ALL Exits" (emphasis mine).

In the pre-specific signage era, some locations shifted from text to pictograms, e.g., a knife and fork for food, a gas pump for gas, (with a D on the pump to signify diesel) etc.

[roadman]

@lepidoteran - For several years, even back in the pre-LOGO sign days, MUTCD guidance and individual state requirements have indicated that gas stations, restaurants, and hotels/motels must have a public phone available to be eligible for signing.  As such, many states dropped "PHONE" from their signs if any or all of these facilities were also listed on the signs.

Plus, as you point out, this change also allowed states to substitute other services without increasing the overall size of the signs.

[Pete from Boston]

I thought getting off and back on means that more toll money is spent compared to if you don't get off in the middle.

But less money than the toll road's vendors make from on-road purchases.  Plus, service plazas on a toll road have always been touted by the agencies for their convenience to drivers who may be unfamiliar with an area.  This was especially true in a past era when you didn't have a half dozen gas stations and fast food places at every interchange.

Ha!  This is like me touting my business as more convenient than others because I'm standing right here and this way I get the money and not other people.

What's interesting to me is how much more prevalent these seem to be outside of the heavily built-up Northeast, where a lot of the land for "exit villages" of chain travel services never blossomed like they did in more land-rich areas.   Our roads up here tend to be a lot more likely to have exits with no gas for miles than other areas'.

[thenetwork]

The first time I saw Service Logo Signs was on our family cross country trip in the Summer of 1983.  It was on I-80 in Iowa, of all places.

I also remember by 1990, Ohio began a "test section" of Service Logo Signs along I-75 around the Findlay area, along with signs noting the specific test signage.   I never could understand why Ohio would have to perform a "test" of the signs when by then, there were other states already welcoming the new format with open arms.