AARoads Forum

National Boards => General Highway Talk => Topic started by: empirestate on April 11, 2015, 11:25:21 PM

Title: Conventional street blades on limited access highways
Post by: empirestate on April 11, 2015, 11:25:21 PM
It was, apparently, once standard practice in NYC to post surface-style street name blades on expressways and parkways at grade-separated cross streets. Here's an example of one still standing, on the Henry Hudson Parkway at W. 252nd St.: https://goo.gl/maps/azqwa

At some nearby locations, now-empty signposts are still in evidence: https://goo.gl/maps/Xyrla and https://goo.gl/maps/vP8rM

A partially-intact example, this time on the Major Deegan Expressway with a single blade remaining for Jerome Ave.: https://goo.gl/maps/JuvfA

Where else can we find examples of this, either elsewhere in NYC, or in other cities?

EDIT: Zoomed in the views somewhat.
Title: Re: Conventional street blades on limited access highways
Post by: vtk on April 11, 2015, 11:32:24 PM
Cincinnati does this, but they only put up the blade for the cross street.
Title: Re: Conventional street blades on limited access highways
Post by: cl94 on April 12, 2015, 12:30:25 AM
This is/was standard practice in NYSDOT regions 1, 5, 7, and 11, AFAIK, at least in (sub)urban areas, and along the entire Thruway system. R5 and NYSTA still install them, don't know about the others. They're everywhere in New York City and I can't think of a bridge in Erie County that doesn't have one (at least when a freeway passes under), as do most in Albany and Saratoga Counties.

PennDOT does the same at most crossings and I'm pretty sure I've seen names along the Mass Pike.
Title: Re: Conventional street blades on limited access highways
Post by: empirestate on April 12, 2015, 01:45:48 AM
Quote from: cl94 on April 12, 2015, 12:30:25 AM
This is/was standard practice in NYSDOT regions 1, 5, 7, and 11, AFAIK, at least in (sub)urban areas, and along the entire Thruway system. R5 and NYSTA still install them, don't know about the others. They're everywhere in New York City and I can't think of a bridge in Erie County that doesn't have one (at least when a freeway passes under), as do most in Albany and Saratoga Counties.

PennDOT does the same at most crossings and I'm pretty sure I've seen names along the Mass Pike.

Say what? I don't think I've ever seen a street blade assembly anywhere on the Thruway, let alone all those other places.

Check the GSV links again; I've zoomed them in a little better.
Title: Re: Conventional street blades on limited access highways
Post by: dgolub on April 12, 2015, 10:01:43 AM
Quote from: empirestate on April 11, 2015, 11:25:21 PM
It was, apparently, once standard practice in NYC to post surface-style street name blades on expressways and parkways at grade-separated cross streets. Here's an example of one still standing, on the Henry Hudson Parkway at W. 252nd St.: https://goo.gl/maps/azqwa

At some nearby locations, now-empty signposts are still in evidence: https://goo.gl/maps/Xyrla and https://goo.gl/maps/vP8rM

A partially-intact example, this time on the Major Deegan Expressway with a single blade remaining for Jerome Ave.: https://goo.gl/maps/JuvfA

Where else can we find examples of this, either elsewhere in NYC, or in other cities?

EDIT: Zoomed in the views somewhat.

I feel like I've seen some of these in Queens.  Also, I think there's one somewhere along I-95 in the Bronx.
Title: Re: Conventional street blades on limited access highways
Post by: cl94 on April 12, 2015, 11:03:11 AM
Quote from: empirestate on April 12, 2015, 01:45:48 AM
Quote from: cl94 on April 12, 2015, 12:30:25 AM
This is/was standard practice in NYSDOT regions 1, 5, 7, and 11, AFAIK, at least in (sub)urban areas, and along the entire Thruway system. R5 and NYSTA still install them, don't know about the others. They're everywhere in New York City and I can't think of a bridge in Erie County that doesn't have one (at least when a freeway passes under), as do most in Albany and Saratoga Counties.

PennDOT does the same at most crossings and I'm pretty sure I've seen names along the Mass Pike.

Say what? I don't think I've ever seen a street blade assembly anywhere on the Thruway, let alone all those other places.

Check the GSV links again; I've zoomed them in a little better.

On a standard post like that showing both roads, no. but the blades do exist on the bridges
Title: Re: Conventional street blades on limited access highways
Post by: Duke87 on April 12, 2015, 01:09:35 PM
Mini-guide signs showing the name on the overpass, or standalone next to the overpass, is a common as dirt practice that tons of states do. But street sign blade assemblies made to exactly the same spec as those installed on surface streets, including a sign blade for the freeway, is a distinctly NYCDOT thing.

And yes, this was once a more common practice. Back in the 90s I remember those sign blades being all over the place in The Bronx.
Title: Re: Conventional street blades on limited access highways
Post by: empirestate on April 12, 2015, 01:59:12 PM
Quote from: cl94 on April 12, 2015, 11:03:11 AM
On a standard post like that showing both roads, no. but the blades do exist on the bridges

Oh yes, the kind posted on overpasses is ubiquitous. I'm just talking about the kind that would be posted on a regular street corner.
Title: Re: Conventional street blades on limited access highways
Post by: tidecat on April 12, 2015, 10:44:18 PM
Alabama uses street blades at interchanges.  If you're on the surface street, you can see blades that say things like "Interstate 65 South".
Title: Re: Conventional street blades on limited access highways
Post by: kphoger on April 12, 2015, 11:32:28 PM
That's the opposite.
Title: Re: Conventional street blades on limited access highways
Post by: roadman65 on April 13, 2015, 09:47:50 AM
New Jersey used to (maybe they still do, ) on Route 495.  I used to remember seeing them back in the 80's beneath the streets of Union City where the road is depressed for all the local overpasses. 
Title: Re: Conventional street blades on limited access highways
Post by: empirestate on April 13, 2015, 11:03:53 AM
Quote from: roadman65 on April 13, 2015, 09:47:50 AM
New Jersey used to (maybe they still do, ) on Route 495.  I used to remember seeing them back in the 80's beneath the streets of Union City where the road is depressed for all the local overpasses. 

Looks like they've still got a version of them (https://goo.gl/maps/D4YI3).