AARoads Forum

National Boards => General Highway Talk => Topic started by: Mergingtraffic on February 10, 2014, 11:58:33 PM

Title: Best states for non-reflective button copy
Post by: Mergingtraffic on February 10, 2014, 11:58:33 PM
It seems quite a few states, after leaving old non-reflective button copy up for years, are now replacing them at lightning speed. So in 2014, which state still has a lot?

Ala

(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm8.staticflickr.com%2F7422%2F12471259324_0dfe31ea4c.jpg&hash=33c90658f20691eb0b0ad2493a5490c55172cefd)
Title: Re: Best states for non-reflective button copy
Post by: myosh_tino on February 11, 2014, 02:19:09 PM
Quote from: doofy103 on February 10, 2014, 11:58:33 PM
It seems quite a few states, after leaving old non-reflective button copy up for years, are now replacing them at lightning speed. So in 2014, which state still has a lot?

The obvious answer would be California, the land of button-copy where signs have an expected lifespan of 50+ years!
Title: Re: Best states for non-reflective button copy
Post by: Alps on February 11, 2014, 10:23:08 PM
All things considered, NYC still has plenty left (limited to certain roads though, FDR Drive being the most prominent). NJ has a couple of good runs, but they may not be long for this world. Most other states ended up with reflective-background button copy (NY and NJ also have these - NJ has a shitton).
Title: Re: Best states for non-reflective button copy
Post by: jp the roadgeek on February 12, 2014, 08:14:06 AM
Still TONS of button copy left in CT.  I-95 north of New Haven, I-84 between Southington and Hartford, I-91 north of Meriden, I-291, 384, 395, part of 691.  CT 2, 8, 9, 11.
Title: Re: Best states for non-reflective button copy
Post by: PHLBOS on February 12, 2014, 08:41:21 AM
Quote from: jp the roadgeek on February 12, 2014, 08:14:06 AM
Still TONS of button copy left in CT.  I-95 north of New Haven, I-84 between Southington and Hartford, I-91 north of Meriden, I-291, 384, 395, part of 691.  CT 2, 8, 9, 11.
I believe the OP's specifically asking for non-reflective button-copy signs remaining.  Most if not all of CT's remaining button-copy signs along those fore-mentioned highways have reflective backgrounds.
Title: Re: Best states for non-reflective button copy
Post by: formulanone on February 12, 2014, 10:52:32 AM
Indiana has a lot along I-74, I don't think it was on non-reflective backgrounds. Ohio has a mix of the two backgrounds.
Title: Re: Best states for non-reflective button copy
Post by: Brandon on February 12, 2014, 11:28:07 AM
Illinois still has some left (both IDOT and ISTHA), albeit it is all on reflective backgrounds.  There's a few ISTHA button copy signs left.  There's a lot more IDOT District 1 button copy signs still left on the Kennedy Expressway.  There are still a few button copy signs in IDOT District 5 around Bloomington on I-55 as well.

The other IDOT districts did not make as much use of button copy as did District 1.
Title: Re: Best states for non-reflective button copy
Post by: agentsteel53 on February 12, 2014, 01:16:22 PM
California is the best state for porcelain guide signs, which are generally older than button copy. 

what's the second best state for porcelain?  I know of a handful in Nevada, a handful in New York, but really not much anywhere else.
Title: Re: Best states for non-reflective button copy
Post by: myosh_tino on February 12, 2014, 03:55:33 PM
Quote from: agentsteel53 on February 12, 2014, 01:16:22 PM
California is the best state for porcelain guide signs, which are generally older than button copy. 

what's the second best state for porcelain?  I know of a handful in Nevada, a handful in New York, but really not much anywhere else.

On a related note, I believe these porcelain signs on southbound US 101 in Sunnyvale were recently replaced...
(https://www.aaroads.com/california/images101/us-101_sb_exit_396b_02.jpg)

I was on highway 237 and noticed that backs of these signs were very shiny and looked new.
Title: Re: Best states for non-reflective button copy
Post by: Mergingtraffic on February 12, 2014, 04:11:43 PM
Quote from: agentsteel53 on February 12, 2014, 01:16:22 PM
California is the best state for porcelain guide signs, which are generally older than button copy. 

what's the second best state for porcelain?  I know of a handful in Nevada, a handful in New York, but really not much anywhere else.

Where in NY for the porcelain? 
Title: Re: Best states for non-reflective button copy
Post by: briantroutman on February 12, 2014, 04:45:27 PM
By both percentage and total volume, I can't imagine that any state even approaches California.

Up until as recently as about 2000-2005, Pennsylvania had tremendous number of non-reflective button copy signs (many of which were all text). Many were butchered during the transition to mileage-based exit numbering, and the amount of button copy signs dropped tremendously in the past decade. To add insult to injury, many of the replacements are Clearview.
Title: Re: Best states for non-reflective button copy
Post by: J N Winkler on February 12, 2014, 04:50:06 PM
Better get down to District 7 (Los Angeles area) to snap pictures of these babies:

http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/esc/oe/project_ads_addenda/07/07-1W2204/

I count almost 50 pages' worth of sign panels (most probably porcelain with epoxied reflectors or aluminum with framed button copy) that will be carbon-copied in retroreflective sheeting.
Title: Re: Best states for non-reflective button copy
Post by: agentsteel53 on February 12, 2014, 06:10:12 PM
Quote from: J N Winkler on February 12, 2014, 04:50:06 PM
Better get down to District 7 (Los Angeles area) to snap pictures of these babies:

http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/esc/oe/project_ads_addenda/07/07-1W2204/

I count almost 50 pages' worth of sign panels (most probably porcelain with epoxied reflectors or aluminum with framed button copy) that will be carbon-copied in retroreflective sheeting.

as someone whose tax dollars went directly towards this destruction, I apologize.
Title: Re: Best states for non-reflective button copy
Post by: agentsteel53 on February 12, 2014, 06:17:50 PM
Quote from: doofy103 on February 12, 2014, 04:11:43 PM
Where in NY for the porcelain?

ask Steve A.  there's a white guide sign somewhere in Far Rockaway on the Link Parkway or something...

I think a sign on 34th St for the Queens Midtown Tunnel survives as well.  that said, that could be construed as a small-size trailblazer, like the triangle shields for the various bridges.  I think a handful of porcelains survive for the Triboro.  maybe.

in other news, I found a single porcelain sign in St. Louis not too long ago.
Title: Re: Best states for non-reflective button copy
Post by: Alps on February 12, 2014, 07:32:39 PM
Quote from: agentsteel53 on February 12, 2014, 06:17:50 PM
Quote from: doofy103 on February 12, 2014, 04:11:43 PM
Where in NY for the porcelain?

ask Steve A.  there's a white guide sign somewhere in Far Rockaway on the Link Parkway or something...

I think a sign on 34th St for the Queens Midtown Tunnel survives as well.  that said, that could be construed as a small-size trailblazer, like the triangle shields for the various bridges.  I think a handful of porcelains survive for the Triboro.  maybe.

in other news, I found a single porcelain sign in St. Louis not too long ago.
There is one white guide sign at the east end of Atlantic Blvd. The 34th St. one is not enamel, though it is quite old. It's on the QMT exit, FOR 34th St., not the other way around. That's really about it though, unless you like pointing at old posts that USED to have cool signs on them.
Title: Re: Best states for non-reflective button copy
Post by: agentsteel53 on February 12, 2014, 07:46:07 PM
Quote from: Alps on February 12, 2014, 07:32:39 PM
There is one white guide sign at the east end of Atlantic Blvd. The 34th St. one is not enamel, though it is quite old. It's on the QMT exit, FOR 34th St., not the other way around. That's really about it though, unless you like pointing at old posts that USED to have cool signs on them.
the one I'm thinking of says ATLANTIC BEACH/NEW YORK and it is on Seagirt eastbound approaching the Nassau Expressway.

http://goo.gl/maps/zhsBE

do you have a pic of the one on Atlantic Blvd?  or are we talking about the same one?

and yes, lots of older gantries with newer signs.  but ONE known porcelain sign in NY puts it above the median for the 50 states, honestly.
Title: Re: Best states for non-reflective button copy
Post by: Alps on February 12, 2014, 07:47:25 PM
Quote from: agentsteel53 on February 12, 2014, 07:46:07 PM
Quote from: Alps on February 12, 2014, 07:32:39 PM
There is one white guide sign at the east end of Atlantic Blvd. The 34th St. one is not enamel, though it is quite old. It's on the QMT exit, FOR 34th St., not the other way around. That's really about it though, unless you like pointing at old posts that USED to have cool signs on them.
the one I'm thinking of says ATLANTIC BEACH/NEW YORK and it is on Seagirt eastbound approaching the Nassau Expressway.

http://goo.gl/maps/zhsBE

do you have a pic of the one on Atlantic Blvd?  or are we talking about the same one?

and yes, lots of older gantries with newer signs.  but ONE known porcelain sign in NY puts it above the median for the 50 states, honestly.
Whoops, you're right, Seagirt. The Atlantic one disappeared years ago.
Title: Re: Best states for non-reflective button copy
Post by: agentsteel53 on February 12, 2014, 07:53:24 PM
got a pic of the Atlantic one offhand? even though it now lives under "historic", it would be good to see.
Title: Re: Best states for non-reflective button copy
Post by: Alps on February 12, 2014, 11:21:06 PM
Quote from: agentsteel53 on February 12, 2014, 07:53:24 PM
got a pic of the Atlantic one offhand? even though it now lives under "historic", it would be good to see.
Oh hell, I checked my site, they're all on Seagirt. You know what it was? I think years ago I had all the locations wrong, and I thought one of them was on Atlantic.
Title: Re: Best states for non-reflective button copy
Post by: myosh_tino on February 13, 2014, 12:38:41 AM
Quote from: J N Winkler on February 12, 2014, 04:50:06 PM
Better get down to District 7 (Los Angeles area) to snap pictures of these babies:

http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/esc/oe/project_ads_addenda/07/07-1W2204/

I count almost 50 pages' worth of sign panels (most probably porcelain with epoxied reflectors or aluminum with framed button copy) that will be carbon-copied in retroreflective sheeting.

Do you think these replacements have something to do with MUTCD compliance with regards to retroreflectivity?  Also, why is District 7 so against putting control cities on guide signs?  A number of the new signs omit a control city that was on the old signs.
Title: Re: Best states for non-reflective button copy
Post by: agentsteel53 on February 13, 2014, 09:48:53 AM
Quote from: Alps on February 12, 2014, 11:21:06 PM

Oh hell, I checked my site, they're all on Seagirt. You know what it was? I think years ago I had all the locations wrong, and I thought one of them was on Atlantic.

where is your Seagirt page?  I cannot find it quickly from roads/ny/
Title: Re: Best states for non-reflective button copy
Post by: Alps on February 13, 2014, 04:21:33 PM
Quote from: agentsteel53 on February 13, 2014, 09:48:53 AM
Quote from: Alps on February 12, 2014, 11:21:06 PM

Oh hell, I checked my site, they're all on Seagirt. You know what it was? I think years ago I had all the locations wrong, and I thought one of them was on Atlantic.

where is your Seagirt page?  I cannot find it quickly from roads/ny/
www.alpsroads.net/roads/ny/rockaway