AARoads Forum

National Boards => General Highway Talk => Traffic Control => Topic started by: Mergingtraffic on March 29, 2015, 06:10:29 PM

Title: Signs that aren't made to last
Post by: Mergingtraffic on March 29, 2015, 06:10:29 PM
It seems for all the new technology out there and new reflectivity standards that signs don't last like they used to.  Look at this I-84 shield, it has the new reflective sheeting so it can be more than a few years old and the red "INTERSTATE" is already faded.

(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7284/16289322184_03ed515c07_z.jpg)

Menawhile this sign faces the sun and is decades old and still does it's job:

(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3845/14850396007_54bacd483e_z.jpg)


I notice some new signs look like a white flash when headlights are on them at night.  Some BGS signs that are only 10 years old losing their reflectivity already.
Title: Re: Signs that aren't made to last
Post by: jakeroot on March 29, 2015, 06:45:18 PM
There's a sign approaching a roundabout near the Golden Ears Bridge east of Vancouver, BC that looks to be about 30 years old... the sign is only 6 years old (http://goo.gl/ofxyaZ):

(for those interested, the signal was built for transit but was never utilised).

(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FoUHTu0W.png&hash=6a72514cc154bbaa2fa06b3d6f3181dfa2ef0468)
Title: Re: Signs that aren't made to last
Post by: Brian556 on March 29, 2015, 06:47:32 PM
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7284/16289322184_03ed515c07_z.jpg)

I saved this pic and zoomed in on it. It looks like the sign was made by placing colored film over the white sheeting.
Many other shields are made by screen-printing colored inks onto white sheeting.

The historically, color red has always faded faster than blue. However, this is a very extreme example. Usually, by the time the red is faded that bad, the blue also is faded a little.

I would say that in this case, the red is defective material. It is probably a different brand, and possibly a different material than the blue.

Also, it is wrong not to have a blue arrow plaque for the interstate shield. The arrow inside the MASS PIKE sign should not be considered a substitute.

Also, on the subject of signs that are not made to last, our 3M florescent yellow HIP signs that were supposed to last 12 years faded out very quickly, starting about 5 years after installation.
Title: Re: Signs that aren't made to last
Post by: NE2 on March 29, 2015, 06:57:30 PM
Quote from: Brian556 on March 29, 2015, 06:47:32 PM
The historically, color red has always faded faster than blue.
This is why stop signs were originally yellow.
Title: Re: Signs that aren't made to last
Post by: Brian556 on March 29, 2015, 07:19:10 PM
quote from NE2:
QuoteThis is why stop signs were originally yellow
Stop signs were chicken?
Title: Re: Signs that aren't made to last
Post by: SidS1045 on March 29, 2015, 10:46:56 PM
Quote from: doofy103 on March 29, 2015, 06:10:29 PM
It seems for all the new technology out there and new reflectivity standards that signs don't last like they used to.  Look at this I-84 shield, it has the new reflective sheeting so it can be more than a few years old and the red "INTERSTATE" is already faded.

(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7284/16289322184_03ed515c07_z.jpg)

It's also notable that the MassPike trailblazer, while certainly not in tip-top condition, is well over 30 years old and still perfectly legible.