We all hear on the news about the Highway Trust Fund going broke and how Arkansas is hurting for money to complete road projects. So why is money wasted on these "TO" signs when roads overlap? Then in other instances, overlaps aren't posted at all (US 71 along I-49, AR 12 along 71B). What is the policy regarding signing overlapping roads?
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I agree...waste of money and potentially confusing.
This issue is something that needs to be fixed. More importantly is the inconsistency. Just do it right, like every other state... Pretty please?
If I'm following a certain route, and the route markers disappear... What's the point of having a signed route?
Yeah, if it's just US-71B/US-412, don't put a "TO" banner there. Just sign it US-71B/US-412.
My guess is that this is an end-run around some policy against signing overlaps, when an engineer realizes that the overlap really needs to be signed for navigational purposes.
US 412 is the main route through here so it should be signed ahead of US 71B. I believe there is an exception along this stretch so even to AHTD and their "one road one number" policy it is both 71B and 412.
Quote from: Scott5114 on July 29, 2014, 02:13:36 AM
Yeah, if it's just US-71B/US-412, don't put a "TO" banner there. Just sign it US-71B/US-412.
My guess is that this is an end-run around some policy against signing overlaps, when an engineer realizes that the overlap really needs to be signed for navigational purposes.
I (and probably, maybe a few others on here) have conversed with the engineer (at the state level), and he mentions Dothan, Alabama. He traveled through there, and saw a sign assembly that was extremely cluttered. I emailed back and forth with him.
Arkansas does have a large inventory of state maintained highways (IMO: needs to be trimmed... Way, way too many state highways)... But I cannot think of a situation in Arkansas where a sign assembly would be visibly cluttered and confusing.
And if the random multiplexes are done at a local level (district engineer), then the iDriveArkansas 'Report A Problem' has been less than helpful.
Eventually logic will win out, right?
*Sigh*
The plexes of I-30/US 65/US 67/US 167, I-530/US 63/US 65/US 79 and I-55/US 61/US 64/US 70/US 79 are the most highways sharing the same pavement in Arkansas. A far cry from Dothan. Even if AHTD signed all the highways on the mainline but just the main highway at interchanges would be a start. I still don't know how AHTD justifies not signing their highways. They went to AASHTO and got Louisiana to reluctantly agree to the ridiculous US 63 extension and they refuse to sign a long segment of it! Why even mark highways if you're not going to mark all of them. A major magazine rated Arkansas #1 in "easiest states to get lost in". Sometimes there will be a plex of just a few blocks and AHTD will refuse to sign it! If they're not going to properly sign their state highways they should just renumber some of the segments. I don't see the point in having long routes if there are gaps in them. The worst thing about the whole thing is AHTD's arrogant, nonchalant attitude about their policy. I've tried every avenue I can think of to try to open their eyes but they insist they are not closed. Maybe I should go to the media or to the Arkansas state legislature.
Quote from: M86 on July 29, 2014, 02:12:33 AM
This issue is something that needs to be fixed. More importantly is the inconsistency. Just do it right, like every other state... Pretty please?
If I'm following a certain route, and the route markers disappear... What's the point of having a signed route?
Colorado is bad about signing overlaps, too.
Quote from: bugo on July 29, 2014, 03:49:15 AM
The plexes of I-30/US 65/US 67/US 167, I-530/US 63/US 65/US 79 and I-55/US 61/US 64/US 70/US 79 are the most highways sharing the same pavement in Arkansas.
Don't forget that 1 mile section of I-49/US 71/ US 62/AR 16 and
maybe I-49/US 71/ US 62/AR 12 (that one is confusing)
If you are traveling hwy 16 through Washington county for the first time... You're doomed.
If you put the dots on the terminus of Highway 16 in Siloam Springs and the county line, Google only tells you to drive on Highway 16 itself for 15 of the 46 miles. So I would wonder who would try to follow Highway 16 that distance first of all
Also, lets stop pretending this post is about saving money. Signage is less than a drop in the bucket. It would be like cutting bottled water in the congressional halls from the federal budget
Quote from: bjrush on July 29, 2014, 07:27:30 PM
Also, lets stop pretending this post is about saving money. Signage is less than a drop in the bucket. It would be like cutting bottled water in the congressional halls from the federal budget
AHTD has mentioned cost as a reason that they don't sign most plexes in the past. This makes them look really bad.
One road, one number! Therefore, US 167/63 in LA can be US 167, and US 415/LA 139, 137, and 15 can drop the US designation.
Interstates should get a sign like the "NEXT EXIT X MILES"... "NEXT US 71 SHIELD 12 MILES"
Can someone inform me why drivers taking AR 7 get a skip in the route along the US 167/63 concurrency, but US 63 is signed? Then, when you get into El Dorado (passing US 82), US 63 gets a TO sign? http://goo.gl/maps/vGevT
You're on US 63. You're not going TO US 63. Arkansas should explain how far until you get to US 63 again... oh wait, that's right.
However, to sum up my small rant... US 167 is signed in some places as a concurrent route. US 82B/167B are signed together, US 79/167 are, and US 167/63 are as well. AR 8 and Business 79B (as opposed to regular 79B), as well as AR 8/US 63, and 63B/278B. And US 165/65. AND US 165/65/278. http://goo.gl/maps/uSyRa
http://goo.gl/maps/SjzfX
I'm surprised that US 59 is signed as well as it is (it is signed very well.) It is plexed with either US 270 or US 59 for its entire distance in Arkansas. It wouldn't surprise me if AHTD quit signing it at all (don't get any ideas from me.)