AARoads Forum

National Boards => General Highway Talk => Topic started by: freebrickproductions on July 18, 2014, 02:48:19 PM

Title: BLVD vs BLV; What's used in your area?
Post by: freebrickproductions on July 18, 2014, 02:48:19 PM
Someone pointed out on Facebook in the traffic light and signs group that Huntsville uses BLV for the boulevard abbreviation, as can be seen here:
(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2938/14705449413_ea82c03c07.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/optgMg)
Singer Traffic Lights (https://flic.kr/p/optgMg) by freebrickproductions (https://www.flickr.com/people//), on Flickr
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3857/14683184484_63b80dfc52.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/onvacb)
Singer Traffic Lights (https://flic.kr/p/onvacb) by freebrickproductions (https://www.flickr.com/people//), on Flickr

Most of the other places I've been to use BLVD for the abbreviation, and heck, I even use BLVD for boulevard.
What's used in your area, BLV or BLVD?
Title: Re: BLVD vs BLV; What's used in your area?
Post by: corco on July 18, 2014, 03:02:25 PM
BLV would be an error (or at the very least, really bad practice that would irk state 9-1-1 officials) anywhere that it's used. The United States Post Office, which is recognized by local 9-1-1 agencies as the authority that sets these abbreviations (so that the E9-1-1 address for a structure matches the mailing address of a structure), only allows BLVD.
Title: Re: BLVD vs BLV; What's used in your area?
Post by: Kacie Jane on July 18, 2014, 03:18:49 PM
I'd never seen BLV for boulevard.  However some places like to standardize everything to two letters, resulting in BL, or more rarely, BV (https://www.google.com/maps/@47.164479,-122.515746,3a,15y,30.1h,90.75t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sGq_jZGdnAaENORIYXG3C6g!2e0).
Title: Re: BLVD vs BLV; What's used in your area?
Post by: Indyroads on July 18, 2014, 03:19:08 PM
Quote from: corco on July 18, 2014, 03:02:25 PM
BLV would be an error (or at the very least, really bad practice that would irk state 9-1-1 officials) anywhere that it's used. The United States Post Office, which is recognized by local 9-1-1 agencies as the authority that sets these abbreviations (so that the E9-1-1 address for a structure matches the mailing address of a structure), only allows BLVD.


The only variations I usually see is

Ave or Av       for avenue, but most often out west it is Ave not Avc. that seems to be more common in NYC
Boise Ave
Watt Ave
Hazel Ave

NYC: 5 Av, 7 Av



Ln or La         for Lane. Mostly out west they use Ln such as in CA and NV but more common out east such as here in IN they use La for lane.

Santa Rosa: Farmer Ln
Citrus Hts: Greenback Ln
Stockton: Hammer Ln
etc

Indianapolis: Wallace La
Lebanon IN: Anderson Ln

I have seen  both   Bl and Blvd used for boulevard but never Blv ... that would seem to be a typo.

Sunrise Bl
Sierra College Blvd
Chinden Blvd

Title: Re: BLVD vs BLV; What's used in your area?
Post by: 1995hoo on July 18, 2014, 03:23:14 PM
In the US, I've never seen anything other than "Blvd," except of course where the word is spelled out in full (such as the peculiarly-named street in Richmond called simply "Boulevard"). In Quebec it's abbreviated "Boul," such as "Boul. Ville-Marie" in Montreal. I've always thought "Boul" seems more logical than "Blvd" simply because the latter seems like an arbitrary four letters.

The potential downsides of "BL" would be (1) if you use a lowercase "l" it might look too much like a "1" (and indeed some people who learned to type on typewriters STILL use a lowercase "l" instead of a "1") and (2) it might conceivably be ambiguous if there are also "business loops" in the area.
Title: Re: BLVD vs BLV; What's used in your area?
Post by: spooky on July 18, 2014, 03:59:34 PM
Quote from: corco on July 18, 2014, 03:02:25 PM
BLV would be an error (or at the very least, really bad practice that would irk state 9-1-1 officials) anywhere that it's used. The United States Post Office, which is recognized by local 9-1-1 agencies as the authority that sets these abbreviations (so that the E9-1-1 address for a structure matches the mailing address of a structure), only allows BLVD.

The MUTCD also lists acceptable abbreviations and only allows BLVD.
Title: Re: BLVD vs BLV; What's used in your area?
Post by: golden eagle on July 18, 2014, 05:42:14 PM
I've always seen Blvd., with the occasional Bl.
Title: Re: BLVD vs BLV; What's used in your area?
Post by: freebrickproductions on July 18, 2014, 05:45:22 PM
There are a few street signs along Triana Boulevard that say "BLVD", but most of them say "BLV".
I've never seen BL.
Title: Re: BLVD vs BLV; What's used in your area?
Post by: TheStranger on July 18, 2014, 05:48:14 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on July 18, 2014, 03:23:14 PMI've always thought "Boul" seems more logical than "Blvd" simply because the latter seems like an arbitrary four letters.

I've always assumed the logic behind "Blvd" is to make sure that the very last letter of the original word is included, i.e. street as "St", avenue as "Ave", freeway as "Fwy."   Lane as either La or Ln is an exception, though in the latter case I guess it's because of the emphasis on the "n" as opposed to the silent "e" in the full word. 

Title: Re: BLVD vs BLV; What's used in your area?
Post by: Zeffy on July 18, 2014, 06:48:09 PM
I've never seen Blv used in New Jersey. I think I have seen a "Bl" somewhere though. Otherwise it's always Blvd.
Title: Re: BLVD vs BLV; What's used in your area?
Post by: apeman33 on July 18, 2014, 07:03:35 PM
Some of the signs along Broadway Boulevard in Salina say "BROADWAY BD".
Title: Re: BLVD vs BLV; What's used in your area?
Post by: txstateends on July 18, 2014, 07:55:49 PM
In highway applications, I only see BLVD.  The only possible time I've seen any other abbreviation, including BLV, would have been in phone books.
Title: Re: BLVD vs BLV; What's used in your area?
Post by: mjb2002 on July 18, 2014, 08:04:34 PM
When they were still using all-caps, Aiken used BD.
Title: Re: BLVD vs BLV; What's used in your area?
Post by: webfil on July 18, 2014, 08:11:40 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on July 18, 2014, 03:23:14 PMThe potential downsides of "BL" would be (1) if you use a lowercase "l" it might look too much like a "1" (and indeed some people who learned to type on typewriters STILL use a lowercase "l" instead of a "1") and (2) it might conceivably be ambiguous if there are also "business loops" in the area.

France solved the case of the l/1 and adopted "Bd" as common abbreviation for boulevard.
Title: Re: BLVD vs BLV; What's used in your area?
Post by: roadman65 on July 18, 2014, 08:40:28 PM
Florida uses BV on Orange County Road signs.  They also use Py for Parkway.

When I lived in New Jersey we used LA for Lane instead of LN.  I did not know the latter was around until after moving out of the Garden State.  Sort of like someone born and raised in Louisiana thinking that all 50 states use the term Parish for regional government, until they find out that 48 other states use County.  I am not knocking you guys down south, but I met a girl from Baton Rouge who thought that all states used the term Parish until she moved to Orlando.
Title: Re: BLVD vs BLV; What's used in your area?
Post by: myosh_tino on July 18, 2014, 08:57:54 PM
From my own observations in California, boulevards are abbreviated as BLVD or BL.  Here are other abbreviations I've seen...

Street -- St
Lane -- Ln
Avenue -- Av and Ave
Drive -- Dr
Court -- Ct
Circle -- Cir
Expressway -- Expwy
Freeway -- Frwy or Fwy
Title: Re: BLVD vs BLV; What's used in your area?
Post by: freebrickproductions on July 18, 2014, 09:02:47 PM
I've mostly seen "Ave" here in Huntsville. There is some "Av", but it's mostly "Ave" from what I can tell.
Title: Re: BLVD vs BLV; What's used in your area?
Post by: 1995hoo on July 18, 2014, 09:43:26 PM
"Expressway" seems to be one of the most divergent ones. I've normally seen "Expwy." In the Tampa area, it's "Exwy," which I find really weird. I've seen "Expy" as well.
Title: Re: BLVD vs BLV; What's used in your area?
Post by: Scott5114 on July 18, 2014, 10:14:05 PM
Norman has one random sign with "Prkwy", while most Parkways in town are abbreviated Pkwy.
Title: Re: BLVD vs BLV; What's used in your area?
Post by: Arkansastravelguy on July 18, 2014, 10:15:30 PM
I've seen Blv in North Carolina but out of the million or so miles I've traveled I've seen it maybe 2 or 3 times


iPhone
Title: Re: BLVD vs BLV; What's used in your area?
Post by: rickmastfan67 on July 18, 2014, 10:25:36 PM
I think I've seen some signs with 'BV' for Boulevard.
Title: Re: BLVD vs BLV; What's used in your area?
Post by: roadman65 on July 19, 2014, 04:50:40 PM
I have seen something interesting today.  On Landstar Boulevard in Orlando's Meadow Woods, I saw the new thin LED overhead backlit signs show Cr for Circle on Rhode Island Woods Circle street sign.
Title: Re: BLVD vs BLV; What's used in your area?
Post by: MillTheRoadgeek on July 21, 2014, 05:53:27 PM
Here in Virginia, we pretty much always use Blvd. I have maybe spotted a Blv once, but that's just a little "variety" that the sign guys do.
Title: Re: BLVD vs BLV; What's used in your area?
Post by: ET21 on July 21, 2014, 10:17:02 PM
BLVD
Title: Re: BLVD vs BLV; What's used in your area?
Post by: hm insulators on July 22, 2014, 01:11:19 PM
Not a lot of "boulevards" in my area (Phoenix), but lots of boulevards in the Los Angeles area. Just in the Glendale/Pasadena area you have Colorado Blvd., Foothill Blvd., Brand Blvd., Tujunga (tuh-HUNG-gah) Canyon Blvd., Verdugo Blvd. and others. Most of the time the various municipalities use "Blvd," but there are some "Bl"-s. Never saw a "Blv."

Anybody ever see any "Bvd"-s? :-D
Title: Re: BLVD vs BLV; What's used in your area?
Post by: roadfro on July 26, 2014, 03:20:20 PM
Nevada almost universally uses "BLVD".

When I was growing up in Las Vegas, original mixed-case lighted street name signs almost consistently used "Bl". These signs have all pretty much been replaced with newer generation signs.
Title: Re: BLVD vs BLV; What's used in your area?
Post by: tidecat on July 26, 2014, 11:55:58 PM

Quote from: corco on July 18, 2014, 03:02:25 PM
BLV would be an error (or at the very least, really bad practice that would irk state 9-1-1 officials) anywhere that it's used. The United States Post Office, which is recognized by local 9-1-1 agencies as the authority that sets these abbreviations (so that the E9-1-1 address for a structure matches the mailing address of a structure), only allows BLVD.
What about PKY instead of PKWY for Parkway?
Title: Re: BLVD vs BLV; What's used in your area?
Post by: Pete from Boston on July 27, 2014, 01:14:05 AM

Quote from: 1995hoo on July 18, 2014, 09:43:26 PM
"Expressway" seems to be one of the most divergent ones. I've normally seen "Expwy." In the Tampa area, it's "Exwy," which I find really weird. I've seen "Expy" as well.

In the Northeast it's Expwy or Expy.
Title: Re: BLVD vs BLV; What's used in your area?
Post by: PHLBOS on July 28, 2014, 12:01:25 PM
Quote from: Pete from Boston on July 27, 2014, 01:14:05 AM

Quote from: 1995hoo on July 18, 2014, 09:43:26 PM
"Expressway" seems to be one of the most divergent ones. I've normally seen "Expwy." In the Tampa area, it's "Exwy," which I find really weird. I've seen "Expy" as well.

In the Northeast it's Expwy or Expy.
Back in the 80s, some entrance ramp BGS' for I-93 along the Central Artery used X-way for Expressway.