AARoads Forum

Choose Wisely. Or Biasly

One of my favorites is the classic silhouette Illinois shield

My favorite one is Kansas's because it stands out as not being a silhouette or just the state's name.
California is too mainstream :-P and if I had to pick the worst, it would be Kentucky.

Minnesota = best

Rhode Island = worst

And you're missing one, my personal favorite, the Michigan state trunk highway shield.  A simple diamond, but different than anything around it.

The worst, is any simple square or circle out there (IL, IN, IA, KY, NJ, DE, MA, RI, ME, CT, MS, WV).

Some of these are the same, for example, Massachusetts and Maine. Also New Jersey, Kentucky, and Mississippi.

I've always liked California's. I don't know exactly why, but the fact that it isn't a square or rectangle, and isn't black and white are two reasons.

I wish Arizona would incorporate it's state flag colors into its shields, as well as having a more defined outline of the state, like they used to have.

Quote from: Brandon on December 09, 2016, 01:38:53 PM
And you're missing one, my personal favorite, the Michigan state trunk highway shield.  A simple diamond, but different than anything around it.

I like North Carolina's shield for the same reason. It's virtually identical to Michigan's.

Ex: NC-222

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4e/NC_222.svg/768px-NC_222.svg.png)

My personal five favorites in no particular order:

Arizona

-  I always like the style of the shield in the shape of the state and that it says Arizona in the banner.  The older design was better when it showed the bend in the Colorado River. 

California

-   Really I like the spade/shovel design that isn't on MUTCD square blank.  Some of the older shields are still painted enamel with vinyl numbers which were built to last. 

Florida

-   I actually like the shape of the Keyless shield opposed to the older design that had it.  Very simple and very clean design that incorporates the route number into the state shape.

New Mexico

-   Very ornate design with lots of colors which is interesting given how many routes there are. 

Colorado

-   I love the design of this shield.  Very colorful and very idenifiable as something that screams "Colorado."

Some others I like are; Nevada, Idaho, and Michigan.  The worst by far are Connecticut and Massachusetts since they are usually just boring black outlines with white in the middle.  At least states like Maryland, Indiana, and Montana bothered to put the state name in regularly.  There are still some Connecticut signs floating around that say "Conn" which are okay. 

Quote from: Brandon on December 09, 2016, 01:38:53 PM
And you're missing one

I knew i was missing something, i will have to edit that, thanks!

Maryland because I'm biased and because it's pretty straightforward. You know it's a Maryland route because it says "MARYLAND" at the top.

Quote from: epzik8 on December 09, 2016, 07:15:49 PM
Maryland because I'm biased and because it's pretty straightforward. You know it's a Maryland route because it says "MARYLAND" at the top.

Not on BGSes. :D

I really like Kentucky's.

I hate New Jersey's, Delaware's, Iowa's and Mississippi's.  :-D

Quote from: hbelkins on December 10, 2016, 12:07:29 AM
I really like Kentucky's.

I hate New Jersey's, Delaware's, Iowa's and Mississippi's.  :-D

Still better than the blank squares that I described above.  Haven't you ever heard the phrase "all these squares make a circle?"

I like South Carolina's with the blue color, State name, outline, and logo all within the sign.  Also like Washington with the George Washington head, Colorado with the state flag on top, and the blue colors of Minnesota's.  I think colored signs are more vibrant than black and white signs. 

Minnesota and Colorado are my favorites.

I like DC's, simply because there's literally only one DC route in the first place

https://goo.gl/maps/bNN7EAZ2sXT2

Born in Michigan. Raised in Illinois. Lived in North Carolina my entire adult life. It's got to be one of those 3, right? Nope.

As Tim Russert once famously said "It's all about Florida."

A nod to any of the outline shield states, but Florida has always been my favorite.

Quote from: peterj920 on December 10, 2016, 05:34:55 AM
  I think colored signs are more vibrant than black and white signs. 

Yes they are! That is why I miss Louisiana's green & white shields so much.

Hawaii, because if I see one on the road, it means I'm in Hawaii, and who wouldn't like that?

Someone voted for Connecticut so maybe the plain shapes aren't so dumb :spin:

Hawaii State route shields have a California look but in white


Hawaii Shields are spades like California.


https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/California_State_Route_shields


http://www.hawaiihighways.com/photos-Maui4.htm#by-pass


https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Diagrams_of_Hawaii_State_Route_shields

Quote from: bing101 on December 10, 2016, 06:29:15 PM
Hawaii State route shields have a California look but in white

Hawaii Shields are spades like California.

The shape, when first developed during World War II for the temporary secondary wartime routes on Oahu, was officially described as a "teardrop". While Hawaii DOT tends to imitate Caltrans quite a bit, I don't think this was an example of that, especially since Hawaii doesn't have a history of mining (though I suppose spades might get some agricultural use).

Hawaii's markers provide some "truth in advertising", a reminder of something not emphasized in the tourism brochures, that it rains in Hawaii, and in some places it rains a lot.

I'm more partial to the Alaska route marker, though I also like the colorful Colorado marker, and (outside the US) the standard British Columbia route marker and those for Quebec's Autoroutes and Nova Scotia's 100-series freeways. All of those except the Autoroute markers incorporate all or part of the state/provincial flag.

^^ Hawaii is also my favorite, but because I like the design (guitar-pick looking thing, sort of like Oregon's reversed version), not its meaning. I like simple designs that can be used as cutouts.

Similarly, I quite like BC's shield, because of its shape. It's easily cut out, and has a very timeless feel to it.

So...

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b8/Hawaii33OldSign.jpg/200px-Hawaii33OldSign.jpg)  (https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FTfXO2f6.jpg&hash=d3fa276cee5e218cab12f3568c1b4d729d5a6799)

I like Hawaii's shield for the exact reason Jake said.

I also like most simple circles/squares as shields.

Call me biased, but I like my home state of New York's. It's simple, unique, dignified and authoritative. The one characteristic it lacks is being an easily recognizable symbol of the state, for which reason I also like Pennsylvania's at least as much.


iPhone

Quote from: bing101 on December 10, 2016, 06:29:15 PM
Hawaii Shields are spades like California.

Yeah, i noticed. Kinda surprised Hawaii even has state routes.

Quote from: ColossalBlocks on December 11, 2016, 05:49:04 PM

Quote from: bing101 on December 10, 2016, 06:29:15 PM
Hawaii Shields are spades like California.

Yeah, i noticed. Kinda surprised Hawaii even has state routes.

I don't get this. They are wider down below than up top, but that doesn't make them spades. Spades have sharp corners. Both Hawaii and Oregon's shields have exceptionally round, three-cornered designs, not at all like spades.

I've always liked New York, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Washington DC, Florida, Alaska, as well as the Ontario King's Highway reassurance shield (not the guide sign or "to" versions) and the Québec Autoroute shield.  I guess I'd pick Alaska as my favorite.

Quote from: jakeroot on December 10, 2016, 07:33:58 PM
^^ Hawaii is also my favorite, but because I like the design (guitar-pick looking thing, sort of like Oregon's reversed version), not its meaning. I like simple designs that can be used as cutouts.

Of course, Hawaii stopped using cutouts for non-Interstates almost a half-century ago (which is why most or all of the surviving ones have rust stains). Any new or replaced markers are white teardrops painted on black square blanks, with only one (on HI 72 in southeast Oahu) with the state name. I would be shocked if Hawaii ever went back to non-Interstate cutouts.

Quote from: empirestate on December 11, 2016, 12:30:23 AM
Call me biased, but I like my home state of New York's. It's simple, unique, dignified and authoritative. The one characteristic it lacks is being an easily recognizable symbol of the state, for which reason I also like Pennsylvania's at least as much.


iPhone

The only thing about the NY shield is that on BGS's, the shield is too wide when they do some 2d and 3d routes; they can do an enlarged 1d or 2d street-level sign, and not make the numbers so wide, and it'll work nicely...

My favorite is either Minnesota's or California's.  I would never vote for a shield that's only black and white.  California has enough beauty of its own, so their shield had better speak to that.  And Minnesota has its beauty--it's not as widespread as California's though.  Minnesota's shield is probably the most interesting especially considering it's just a Midwestern state.  It has three colors, two of which aren't neutral colors.  In fact, I wish Illinois did something with their shields instead of the boring state name in the black and white square.

Also who the hell voted for NJ  :)

Nobody has mentioned Virginia's primary system shield.  An "upside-down" spade, it is dignified and distinctive, as long as a contractor or a municipality does not butcher it.

I had to choose biasly...  I like Ohio's, as long as it's done properly.

I voted for Kansas.

Runner-up would be Minnesota.
Most of the others are so-so.
The ones with tiny numbers (Utah, I'm looking at you) need to go.

My top 5:
Minnesota
Idaho
New Mexico
Alaska
Maryland

I voted for Alaska.  Generally, my preferences are ranked by:

1) Interesting distinctive shapes like Alaska, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico

2) Less interesting but still distinctive shapes like Michigan, California, New York and Pennsylvania

3) State outlines like Georgia, Florida, Ohio, etc.

4) At least some kind of color like Minnesota and Vermont

5) Plain squares with state name like Illinois and Indiana

6) Plain squares and circles like Massachusetts and New Jersey

Quote from: Rothman on December 09, 2016, 01:29:11 PM
Minnesota = best

Rhode Island = worst

Minnesota's shield is great when newly installed.  Then the gold fades and it looks like crap.  Too many in the wild (no pun intended, hockey fans) look like the latter type.

I voted for Utah's beehive, for it's uniqueness; nearly voted for Kansas - for it's simply, yet unique and colorful style.  That was a close call.  I'd like California's spade a lot better had they not made it that shade of green.  On BGS', it appears as an outline - a style I never cared for.  The original spade (pre-1960) with the bear was really beautiful and would have been my vote here if it were still in use.

Lastly, I'm not a fan of the circles, yet I prefer them to the even duller plain square.  Taking a white square and placing a number in it is not distinctive in the least.  I do wish that IL, IN, CT, MA, MT or TX would redesign their primary state shields.  But I won't hold my breath.  And adding some color to the dull square does help - but not enough to put any of them in my top 10. 

Quote from: cpzilliacus on December 12, 2016, 12:28:53 PM
Nobody has mentioned Virginia's primary system shield.  An "upside-down" spade, it is dignified and distinctive, as long as a contractor or a municipality does not butcher it.

Unless it's a cutout, I've always found Virginia's to be rather boring.

(BTW, notwithstanding my prior comment about Hawaii, my actual vote was for DC's.)

My favorite isn't a primary route shield, but Montana's arrowhead secondary route shield:
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/39/MT-sec-236.svg/240px-MT-sec-236.svg.png)

Personally I wish they would adopt that as the primary shield and relegate the boring square primary shield to secondary routes.

I like Wyoming's- mainly because it is a cutout state shape shield (though somewhat stylized like most shape outlines), the gold sticks out in snow, and the buckinghorse adds a nice flair.

Quote from: FrCorySticha on December 15, 2016, 11:14:56 AM
My favorite isn't a primary route shield, but Montana's arrowhead secondary route shield:
<SNIP>

Personally I wish they would adopt that as the primary shield and relegate the boring square primary shield to secondary routes.

I would tend to agree with you on that one.  Montana definitely got that one backwards...  :-/

Quote from: kphoger on December 13, 2016, 05:35:46 PMI voted for Kansas.

Runner-up would be Minnesota.

I like the Minnesota design as well, but I think gold should be disallowed on shields because it is not a MUTCD color.  I feel the same about cream where it is used on California historic landmark signs, much as I like the appearance of these signs.

I like the Kansas design, but like all circular designs, it has message-space problems.

I dislike the Colorado design.  It has message-space problems (the flag takes up too much space vertically) and violates the rule of tincture.

Much as I like the Alaska route marker, "ALASKA" in italics (and not, IME, in a consistent typeface) is a no-no.

I don't particularly care for designs where fading of process inks noticeably changes the appearance of the sign, as is the case with the Zía sun symbol on the New Mexico route marker, which is always silkscreened in red ink rather than traced out in red-background sheeting.

Quote from: kphoger on December 13, 2016, 05:35:46 PMThe ones with tiny numbers (Utah, I'm looking at you) need to go.

Amen.  The Washington state route marker is especially bad for this.  In general, I look with suspicion on any marker design that does not allow the route number to appear in Series D digits at half shield height with normal kerning and an adequate amount of negative space both left and right.  From this standpoint, the California state route marker is one of the very best designs that is not actually a square and does not have a rectangular message space (like the Minnesota route marker).

I don't mind the TN secondary shield even though spacing can be tight.  It would be nice to place the "TN" back at the bottom of the triangle.  I don't care for TN primary shields -- besides the primary/secondary designation being completely useless in this state, the design isn't all that interesting, and the design isn't even done all that consistently around here.  I've seen the word "Tennessee" in Times New Roman, Clarendon, and I think Bookman Old Style?

Quote from: FrCorySticha on December 15, 2016, 11:14:56 AM
My favorite isn't a primary route shield, but Montana's arrowhead secondary route shield:
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/39/MT-sec-236.svg/240px-MT-sec-236.svg.png)

Personally I wish they would adopt that as the primary shield and relegate the boring square primary shield to secondary routes.

Seconded!

Quote from: corco on December 15, 2016, 11:56:14 AM
I like Wyoming's- mainly because it is a cutout state shape shield (though somewhat stylized like most shape outlines), the gold sticks out in snow, and the buckinghorse adds a nice flair.

Actually this is making me want to recant and wish I voted for Wyoming instead XD.  Eh, I'll call Wyoming a second-place spot.
Third is California
4th might be Colorado.

Might as well list which ones I like and don't like, and why.  I'm kind of curious as to everyone's opinion on each state's (and province's for that matter) route shield.

AL: While the state shape, it does seem to be distorted in so many god-awful ways.  That's an unfortunate problem many "tall" states seem to have.
AK: While simple, on a square, it does scream Alaska with the dipper, and is rather pleasant to look at.
AR: One of the better state-shape route shields out there, IMHO.  Even when stretched a bit east-west, it's not anywhere remotely as bad as the Alabama shield for that.
AZ: Yet another way not to do a state shape.  Funny enough, the older Arizona shields had a better state shape and looked much nicer.  Would it kill them to us the actual Colorado River on the western border?
CA: Very nice, very identifiable, and every easy on the eyes, even the older black-and-white ones.
CO: Just a square, but it's sometimes what one does with that square that makes all the difference (see Wyoming as well).  Uses the state flag to make it identifiably Colorado at a distance.
CT: Ugh, the first of the boring square states.  These and the circles are the worst, if only because many states use them, and they are not identifiable as coming from those states.
DE: The first of the horrible circle states.
FL: A nice square blank and a good way to (usually) render that state outline.  Helps that the state shape usually plays well with the numbers.
GA: Same issues as Alabama.
HI: The Diamond Head (rain drop) is always and only Hawai'i.  Nice, simple, yet elegant.
ID: Another good solution to the odd shaped state and a state outline shield.
IL: How can you tell it apart from Indiana other than the state name on top of the square?
IN: How can you tell it apart from Illinois other than the state name on top of the square?
IA: Another fricking circle!?!
KS: Now this is how you use a circle, folks!  The sunflower is always and easily notable as Kansas.
KY: Another fucking circle!?!  Get some imagination.
LA: Even though the numbers are small, when done right (there's an example of not done right in the worst sign thread) it looks pretty good.
ME: Can you think of anything but a square?
MA: How can you tell you're in Connecticut, Maine, or Massachusetts?  There's not even a state name on the fricking square!
MD: At least they use a line on the square to make it stand out, but I can't say much else for it.
MI: A very nice, simple, but identifiable diamond, with the block 'M' at the top since 1918.
MN: Colorful, with the name and shape on a square blank.  Yet another example (see Colorado and Wyoming) of how to do a square properly.
MO: Like Arkansas, one of the better state shape ones out there.
MS: Yet another boring circle.  Sigh.
MT: Why, oh why didn't they make the secondary route shield the primary route shield!?!  Otherwise, it's yet another boring square.
NE: A simple, yet different flowerpot shape.  Distinctly Nebraska with the pioneer wagon at the bottom.  Very nice to look at, IMHO.
NV: Not a bad state shape shield.  Not as good as Missouri or Arkansas, but better than Alabama or Georgia.
NH: The best New England shield on the block!  Even though the Old Man in the Mountain is gone, his image is distinctly a New Hampshire symbol.
NJ: Yet another circle.  :-P
NM: If you're going to have a circle, this is the way to do it.  Use a symbol that's unique to your state, in this case, the Zia.  I like it, and wish it were the only circle out there.
NY: Nice.  It's uniquely New York.
NC: A very nice diamond, not as nice as Michigan's, but still good.  I do wish they had kept the NC at the top.
ND: The new one, a state shaped shield is nice, but a bit generic.  The old one, the headdress, was uniquely North Dakota.  Sigh, the whitewashing of history continues...
OH: Again, one of the better state shapes out there (even if the state itself isn't).  It's only issue is that it looks like the US highway shield from a distance.
OK: Well, this state just can't win.  From a circle to a so-so state outline.  The meat cleaver doesn't play well with numbers, IMHO.  Doesn't help that Oklahoma does some of the worst sign layouts out there (see Craig County for more).
OR: Very nice, very Oregon.  One of my favorites.
PA: Again, a unique shape that screams Pennsylvania.
RI: Another square.  At least they went the Illinois route and put the state at the top.  That's about all I can say for it.
SC: Not bad.  A better attempt than the boring square they had.  The color and state shape at the top make it look nice, in a Minnesota kind of way.
SD: The state shape is good, and it works for the numbers they have.  I like one of the older ones they had with Mount Rushmore and the state shape better.
TN: Their older shield (now the secondary shield) was nice and unique.  This is also good, and a good way to incorporate the state shape.
TX: Like Montana, why isn't the FM/RM shield the primary shield!?!  Almost every Texan I've met is crazy about the state shape.  It should be used instead of that boring square.
UT: The beehive is very Utah, going back to the early days or Mormon settlement.  It's a fine shape when used right (unlike those "beehives" on the button copy signs).
VT: Well, at least they dumped the circle.  It's not bad, but a bit generic when compared to New York and New Hampshire next door.  Still, it's in the upper half, IMHO.
VA: A very nice shield, and unique to Virginia.  Stands out against all its neighbors.
WA: I like the bust of Washington.  It's a fun way to play off their state's namesake.
WV: The state of the boring nameless square. :-P
WY: Now this is yet another way to do a square if you have a square.  The cowboy and horse at the bottom and the color make it stand out.
WI: Again, a wonderful, unique shape that lets you know you're in Wisconsin.  Like Ohio, the only drawback is a similarity to the US highway shield from a distance.
DC: Only one route, but a decent way to use the district's outline.

According to my cousin, who's a retired Caltrans employee, the principal reason the CA state shield was changed to white-on-green in 1964 was that FHWA was getting on the Division of Highways' ass about the use of white outlined state shields on green BGS's; they demanded that the signs be redone, with the then-standard black numbers on a white background.  About 20-25% of the BGS signage with state shield had been replaced with the compliant signs by the end of 1963 -- but the Division decided that since a statewide renumbering was also taking place at the time, that the stand-alone shields should be green-on-white, so the remaining white-outline BGS shields would be then compliant (assuming the route number displayed hadn't changed!).  The slight difference of green shades (somewhat darker on the BGS's) was deemed close enough to be technically compliant.

Of course, it took the Division, and Caltrans after 1973, about four decades to completely replace the remaining but relatively small number of BGS black-on-white shields; the '64 renumbering took care of about half of those immediately.   

Anyone want to add Puerto Rico to the poll?
https://goo.gl/maps/m6B2nfYvatm

Yes, that IS street view!

Following in the footsteps of @Brandon...

AL:  Ugly shield.  It looks like a malformed square with dangling testicles, yet in an unattractive cartoon sort of way.
AK:  For a white square, it still manages to be unique.  It's still a white square, though.
AZ:  Barely better than a white square.  The black space is too imbalanced, with almost none on the right side.
AR:  Similar issue as AZ above, but still manages to look decent (for single and double digits only).
CA:  Am I the only one not thrilled with the CA spade?  I just don't like green for a shield color.  The old B&W bear shield was worlds better.
CO:  Not bad, but the digits end up being too small to read well.
CT:  A decent black border does elevate this plain white square a tiny bit above zero.
DE:  There is no design.  White circle is the default.  There's nothing to grade here.
FL:  It only looks decent with double digits.  Let's be honest:  the state shape doesn't work on a shield.  And Florida should have something more colorful or unique.
GA:  It looks OK on a BGS, but there's too much black on the reassurance marker.
HI:  Not a fan.  It looks like an egg or a cone head or something.  I do, however, like the old cutout shield with the state name at the top.
ID:  As with FL above, this state shape does not belong on a shield.  I'm also not a fan of white on black for anything but nighttime regulatory signs.
IL:  The state name at the top elevates this white square two tiny bits above zero.
IN:  Same as IL above.
IA:  Same as DE above.  If it switched to a state outline, it would have the same problem as GA above.
KS:  I like it.  Colorful, unique, and plenty of room for the number.
KY:  Same as DE above, nothing to grade.  (And the parkway markers suck too, BTW.)
LA:  I should hate it for similar reasons as some other states, yet somehow I end up liking it (the B&W version).
ME:  A white square with barely a border.  Basically a zero.
MI:  Stylish with good symmetry, yet the number ends up too small.  Diamonds look good but don't work.
MN:  It looks good.  Almost too good.  It looks more like an Interstate shield than it does a US route shield, which confuses me on some level when I'm driving in MN.
MS:  Same as DE above, nothing to grade.
MO:  Not too bad.  The state shape lends itself well to a shield.  The white squares for secondaries at least have a decent border, and white squares are more appropriate for secondaries anyway.
MT:  A decent border plus the state name elevate the plain white square three tiny bits above zero.  The secondary shield is very unique, well balanced, and the smaller numbers are appropriate for secondaries.  The two should not be switched:  larger digits for more-important roads.
NE:  Good looking, unique, but the numbers are a bit too small.  Looks best with single digits.
NV:  Don't like the imbalanced black space, don't like the state name plaque, don't like the small digits.
NH:  Unique, but it looks like something ate part of the square (meaning I don't like it).
NJ:  Same as DE above, nothing to grade.
NM:  A red circle should mean a restriction, not a route number.  Double digits is pushing it on legibility, triple digits is way too small.
NY:  My favorite B&W design.  Simple, uncluttered, symmetrical, and classy, with plenty of room for the number.
NC:  Like MI above, except without the unique touch.
ND:  The old headdress one wasn't too bad, even if it looked like a porcupine.  The new one absolutely sucks:  white on black legend, plus it looks like part of the white "rectangle" peeled off.
OH:  Pretty good, on the same level as MO except that it looks funny stretched out for three digits.  It also looks too much like a US route shield.
OK:  You ditched the plain circle, and this is what you came up with?  White on white looks too washed-out.
OR:  Better than HI, not as good as NY.  A middle-of-the-road B&W design, barely better than a circle.
PA:  Not too bad for B&W.  Put "PENN" or something at the top, and it would be even better.
RI:  Same as IL above.
SC:  I really like the new one, as long as there are three digits to fill the white space.  For one and two digits, they need a narrower variant.
SD:  The green border is weird for me, but it's not terrible.  Meh.
TN:  The state shape on the primaries looks amateur.  The secondaries shield is too uneven with black space and shoves the number way up to the top.  Triangles don't work (similar to HI's rounded triangle).
TX:  Almost everything I said about MT above.  And just to reiterate:  the two (primary & secondary) should not be switched:  larger digits for more-important roads.
UT:  Unique, but there's too much black space, and the digits are too small.
VT:  As with SD, the green border is kind of weird.  Green numbers make it even more so.  I feel like this could be tweaked to make it better, but I don't know exactly how.
VA:  Basically what I said about OR above.  It looks a lot better as a cutout.
WA:  A good idea, but the digits end up being too small.  And there's just something about a number on George's head:  it's like he has a giant tattoo, or else we're reading his mind, or something.
WV:  Same as CT above.
WI:  Admit it, the triangle didn't work.  So stop trying to pretend a big square on top of it works any better.  It ends up looking way too much like a U.S. route shield, except not as stylish.
WY:  What KS is for circles, WY is for squares–a way to elevate the simple.  Colorful and unique.  The numbers end up a bit cramped because of the horse, but that could be tweaked.

District of Columbia:  As with FL above, the district shape doesn't belong on a shield.

Puerto Rico:  I like the primaries shield.  The urban primaries one looks a bit like OR or VA but better.  A blue pentagon for secondaries keeps messing with me for obvious reasons.  And maybe we finally found a good spot for plain white circles:  tertiary roads.

American Samoa:  Lame.  Really bad.  Please, remove all pictures of it from the internet.
Guam:  Definitely not like the rest.  I dig it.
Northern Marianas:  They tried, but it ended up looking like a fat lady wearing a really tight belt.
Virgin Islands:  Like DE above, nothing to grade.

I voted for Vermont, but I may be a bit biased since I'm looking forward to skiing at Jay Peak tomorrow :). My current wallpaper on my iPad is VT 243 and it fits well, since I like using my iPad horizontally (I'm sure I'm not the only person who uses shields and flags for wallpapers).

Some other shields I like include Minnesota, Wyoming, Kansas, Michigan, and New York.

I'm obviously totally biased, being from Minnesota, but their design is the best. It's simple but also distinctive. I think those two qualities make for the best-designed markers. California, Colorado, Wyoming, and Kansas fill out my top five.

Quote from: MNHighwayMan on December 18, 2016, 10:07:31 PM
I'm obviously totally biased, being from Minnesota, but their design is the best. It's simple but also distinctive. I think those two qualities make for the best-designed markers. California, Colorado, Wyoming, and Kansas fill out my top five.

My only issue with Minnesota, having just returned from Minneapolis today, was that, from a distance at least, the design very heavily resembles the interstate marker. The key things being that it has a similar dark blue background, and a high-contrast border. Other than those things, it's completely different. And within 500 feet, I was able to see the difference. I still like the marker, though. Quite easy to see in the snow.

Quote from: jakeroot on December 19, 2016, 12:45:30 AM

Quote from: MNHighwayMan on December 18, 2016, 10:07:31 PM
I'm obviously totally biased, being from Minnesota, but their design is the best. It's simple but also distinctive. I think those two qualities make for the best-designed markers. California, Colorado, Wyoming, and Kansas fill out my top five.

My only issue with Minnesota, having just returned from Minneapolis today, was that, from a distance at least, the design very heavily resembles the interstate marker. The key things being that it has a similar dark blue background, and a high-contrast border. Other than those things, it's completely different. And within 500 feet, I was able to see the difference. I still like the marker, though. Quite easy to see in the snow.

Agreed.  In fact, dark blue shields appear on guide signs in three different flavors up in Minnesota:  Interstate, State, County.

I'm biased. The keystone is essentially our logo for just about everything Pennsylvania so having it as our state route shield just makes sense.

Quote from: kphoger on December 18, 2016, 04:17:08 PM
PA:  Not too bad for B&W.  Put "PENN" or something at the top, and it would be even better.

That was a thing in the past:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_State_Routes_in_Pennsylvania#History

A white square/rectangle with or without the state name, or a plain circle: c'mon, is that the best you can do? I don't have an absolute favorite, but like Minnesota, Kansas, California, South Carolina, and New Mexico. What these have in common is the use of colors other than black on white. I downgrade Colorado because the flag taking up the top half of the sign means the numbers are shorter than ideal.

Quote from: FrCorySticha on December 15, 2016, 11:14:56 AM
My favorite isn't a primary route shield, but Montana's arrowhead secondary route shield:
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/39/MT-sec-236.svg/240px-MT-sec-236.svg.png)

Personally I wish they would adopt that as the primary shield and relegate the boring square primary shield to secondary routes.

Yeah, the arrowhead is amazing.

Quote from: ColossalBlocks on December 27, 2016, 11:53:53 AM

Quote from: FrCorySticha on December 15, 2016, 11:14:56 AM
My favorite isn't a primary route shield, but Montana's arrowhead secondary route shield:
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/39/MT-sec-236.svg/240px-MT-sec-236.svg.png)

Personally I wish they would adopt that as the primary shield and relegate the boring square primary shield to secondary routes.

Yeah, the arrowhead is amazing.

It's not a bad design but it is very similar to a lot of BIA Route signs on Reservations.  It got me to double take a couple times the first time I went to Montana because I thought that I was on a tribal road. 

Colorado's primary, out of those still in use. I would have said Louisiana's, but the black and white versions are still ugly as hell - the green and white ones were far better.

California's for being a cutout. Like Oregon's a lot, but wish they still used the cutouts.

Quote from: sparker on December 15, 2016, 07:17:08 PM
According to my cousin, who's a retired Caltrans employee, the principal reason the CA state shield was changed to white-on-green in 1964 was that FHWA was getting on the Division of Highways' ass about the use of white outlined state shields on green BGS's; they demanded that the signs be redone, with the then-standard black numbers on a white background.  About 20-25% of the BGS signage with state shield had been replaced with the compliant signs by the end of 1963 -- but the Division decided that since a statewide renumbering was also taking place at the time, that the stand-alone shields should be green-on-white, so the remaining white-outline BGS shields would be then compliant (assuming the route number displayed hadn't changed!).  The slight difference of green shades (somewhat darker on the BGS's) was deemed close enough to be technically compliant.

Of course, it took the Division, and Caltrans after 1973, about four decades to completely replace the remaining but relatively small number of BGS black-on-white shields; the '64 renumbering took care of about half of those immediately.   

But they did do a good job of replacing them... As far as I know, not a single black-on-white miner's spade remains. I actually prefer the color scheme since I've seen it on various modern replicas, mainly because its so simple to standardize. By contrast, I've come across many miner's spades with various hues of green, some very bright, some very dark.

California's, becaues not a state outline, a circle, or a square; because it's immediately identifiable; because it's a cutout; because it's legible.

Navajo Nation Routes are pretty cool too, even if they're not cutouts.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwj0sPzA6KTRAhUIsVQKHfU1BJMQjB0IBg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fazdailysun.com%2Fnavajo-route%2Fimage_3e9fd42e-9343-5083-a55b-8a336d5e6e72.html&psig=AFQjCNGEGbHhv1Y036_DONMeONgtSZy_gg&ust=1483493077133406

Washington, well, at least it's not a state outline or a square.

I liked Washington's older design, which also used a font that I've not seen elsewhere:

(//www.aaroads.com/shields/img/WA/WA19480051i1.jpg)

I don't know why they stopped using these, they seem more legible. Change to the standard FHWA Series fonts and call it a day.

I voted for the Florida state route shield. I highly like all of the usual favorites, such as California, Kansas, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania. However, when it comes to states I have actually been to and seen the shields in person, probably my very favorites are Florida and Colorado. I honestly don't see why states like Mississippi or Kentucky couldn't decide on something more inventive.

Quote from: adventurernumber1 on January 05, 2017, 11:31:40 AM
I honestly don't see why states like Mississippi or Kentucky couldn't decide on something more inventive

OTOH, what incentive do they have in doing so?  Circles definitely get the job done of directing motorists where they need to go, and they are an accepted national standard.  I agree they're dull but, then again, most of the world doesn't seem to think route shields are supposed to be anything but dull.  Outside the USA and Canada, good luck finding anything but plain shapes and a letter or two.

Quote from: kphoger on January 05, 2017, 11:39:39 AM

Quote from: adventurernumber1 on January 05, 2017, 11:31:40 AM
I honestly don't see why states like Mississippi or Kentucky couldn't decide on something more inventive

OTOH, what incentive do they have in doing so?  Circles definitely get the job done of directing motorists where they need to go, and they are an accepted national standard.  I agree they're dull but, then again, most of the world doesn't seem to think route shields are supposed to be anything but dull.  Outside the USA and Canada, good luck finding anything but plain shapes and a letter or two.

American exceptionalism, perhaps?

I just cast a vote for South Carolina's newer state route shield. That's what I'm feeling today. Ask me tomorrow, I may have a different answer.

I do like the distinctive ones such as Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, New York, Washington, Kansas, Colorado, North Dakota, Wyoming, etc.

I also like the state outlines.

I don't care for the squares and circles. That includes Indiana and Illinois, which are only a slight better than a generic square. At least Maryland puts a box around the state name.

Quote from: jbnati27 on January 05, 2017, 11:50:08 AM
I just cast a vote for South Carolina's newer state route shield.

I like South Carolina's shield as well. Of the states I've been to and shields I've seen in person, South Carolina would probably be my third favorite.

I don't think are any sort of national standard.  Octagonal stop signs and triangular yield signs are national standards.  Circular route number signs are just something a few states do.

As for why the U.S. and Canada, partly it's the Federal tradition of roads being built and maintained by the state or province, even roads of the highest design and build standard.

Quote from: kkt on January 05, 2017, 12:18:25 PM
I don't think are any sort of national standard.  Octagonal stop signs and triangular yield signs are national standards.  Circular route number signs are just something a few states do.

They are the default shield per MUTCD.

Quote from: MUTCD 2009, Section 2D.11
(10) State Route signs shall be designed by the individual State highway agencies.
(11) ... The shape of the white area should be circular in the absence of any determination to the contrary by the individual State concerned.

Quote from: kphoger on January 05, 2017, 01:35:43 PM

Quote from: kkt on January 05, 2017, 12:18:25 PM
I don't think are any sort of national standard.  Octagonal stop signs and triangular yield signs are national standards.  Circular route number signs are just something a few states do.

They are the default shield per MUTCD.

Quote from: MUTCD 2009, Section 2D.11
(10) State Route signs shall be designed by the individual State highway agencies.
(11) ... The shape of the white area should be circular in the absence of any determination to the contrary by the individual State concerned.

But it starts out saying that the individual agencies should design their route signs.

Quote from: kkt on January 05, 2017, 01:42:36 PM

Quote from: kphoger on January 05, 2017, 01:35:43 PM

Quote from: kkt on January 05, 2017, 12:18:25 PM
I don't think are any sort of national standard.  Octagonal stop signs and triangular yield signs are national standards.  Circular route number signs are just something a few states do.

They are the default shield per MUTCD.

Quote from: MUTCD 2009, Section 2D.11
(10) State Route signs shall be designed by the individual State highway agencies.
(11) ... The shape of the white area should be circular in the absence of any determination to the contrary by the individual State concerned.

But it starts out saying that the individual agencies should design their route signs.

It's not saying state route shields must be circular, but simply that in the absence of any other input from the individual states, that is what it will be.

Also, I don't want to come off as hating on states that use the default circle shields, I just prefer something more interesting.

I suppose I am just surprised that 5 states (Mississippi, Kentucky, Iowa, Delaware, and New Jersey) stayed with the circle shields. Once again, I think they're fine, and still find them to be aesthetically pleasing shields, just not as much so as the more interesting shield designs. I don't like the squares as much either, but I do like that some of them have the state name for differentiation. Perhaps I was too harsh on the circle shields back there. Don't take my post the wrong way. I love all state route shields (including circles and squares) and find them interesting, I just wish every single state utilized the ability to make their own unique, interesting shields to differentiate from one another.

Quote from: adventurernumber1 on January 06, 2017, 06:00:56 PM
I suppose I am just surprised that 5 states (Mississippi, Kentucky, Iowa, Delaware, and New Jersey) stayed with the circle shields. Once again, I think they're fine, and still find them to be aesthetically pleasing shields, just not as much so as the more interesting shield designs. I don't like the squares that much either, but I like that some of them have the state name for differentiation. Perhaps I was too harsh on the circle shields back there.

Kentucky used to at least put the state name on their circles:

(//www.aaroads.com/shields/img/KY/KY19520251i1.jpg)

And New Jersey used to have white-on-green circles:

(//www.aaroads.com/shields/img/NJ/NJ19560231i1.jpg)

Too bad they aren't still in use anymore.

Quote from: Quillz on January 08, 2017, 03:05:16 AM

Quote from: adventurernumber1 on January 06, 2017, 06:00:56 PM
I suppose I am just surprised that 5 states (Mississippi, Kentucky, Iowa, Delaware, and New Jersey) stayed with the circle shields. Once again, I think they're fine, and still find them to be aesthetically pleasing shields, just not as much so as the more interesting shield designs. I don't like the squares that much either, but I like that some of them have the state name for differentiation. Perhaps I was too harsh on the circle shields back there.

Kentucky used to at least put the state name on their circles:

(//www.aaroads.com/shields/img/KY/KY19520251i1.jpg)

And New Jersey used to have white-on-green circles:

(//www.aaroads.com/shields/img/NJ/NJ19560231i1.jpg)

Too bad they aren't still in use anymore.

I like the green circle

LGMS428

Quote from: Quillz on January 08, 2017, 03:05:16 AM

Quote from: adventurernumber1 on January 06, 2017, 06:00:56 PM
I suppose I am just surprised that 5 states (Mississippi, Kentucky, Iowa, Delaware, and New Jersey) stayed with the circle shields. Once again, I think they're fine, and still find them to be aesthetically pleasing shields, just not as much so as the more interesting shield designs. I don't like the squares that much either, but I like that some of them have the state name for differentiation. Perhaps I was too harsh on the circle shields back there.

Kentucky used to at least put the state name on their circles:

(//www.aaroads.com/shields/img/KY/KY19520251i1.jpg)

And New Jersey used to have white-on-green circles:

(//www.aaroads.com/shields/img/NJ/NJ19560231i1.jpg)

Too bad they aren't still in use anymore.

Those are incredibly cool, and very interesting. I also wish they were still in use.

I have no problem with the accepted MUTCD standard, I simply advocate going for something even more interesting, like those shields in those pictures.

I also think it is a good thing for the states to be their own individual selves, and differentiate themselves from eachother (at least with State Highway Shields), and especially make that differentiation interesting. I think I was just surprised to think about the fact that all those states chose to stay exactly the same.

They probably stopped using them because gas tax revenue wouldn't pay for them, similar to why Florida stopped using the various colored US route shields.

Quote from: Quillz on January 08, 2017, 07:36:29 PM
They probably stopped using them because gas tax revenue wouldn't pay for them, similar to why Florida stopped using the various colored US route shields.

I miss the colored shields too.

LGMS428

Quote from: jwolfer on January 08, 2017, 09:22:21 PM

Quote from: Quillz on January 08, 2017, 07:36:29 PM
They probably stopped using them because gas tax revenue wouldn't pay for them, similar to why Florida stopped using the various colored US route shields.

I miss the colored shields too.

LGMS428

Me three! Sadly the only decent pictures I have of any of them (mainly US-1) are old school film (110 at that) and are not easily shareable online.

Quote from: J N Winkler on December 15, 2016, 02:01:23 PM
I like the Minnesota design as well, but I think gold should be disallowed on shields because it is not a MUTCD color.  I feel the same about cream where it is used on California historic landmark signs, much as I like the appearance of these signs.

Perhaps the MUTCD should be revised to add these colors, particularly cream?  I certainly don't object to it's use on this non-compliant street name sign:  Streetview (https://www.google.com/maps/@42.0827836,-87.9841686,3a,16.6y,260.08h,102.97t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1siyGlie0vJ-0O4YitFmbt4w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en)

---

As for favorite state route shield, I'm picking Missouri primary, with Minnesota, Tennessee primary, and Arkansas as runners up.

For California, I should expand my answer. My favorite variant was the "bordered" bear shield, which existed from roughly 1934-1956. After that, it would be the white spade, which existed from 1957-1963. Then it would be the current green spade. (The very first design appeared to lack a black border, and I'm not sure if it was ever actually even used in practice, might have only been a prototype).

Another one I like is Utah's... But only because it has a pretty unique shape. In practice, I actually find it a bit hard to read the number within. The same would apply with Washington... Like the idea, but not the execution. (Frankly, I think Washington's old shields were better).

Quote from: Quillz on January 19, 2017, 08:05:03 PM
(The very first design appeared to lack a black border, and I'm not sure if it was ever actually even used in practice, might have only been a prototype).

If only Jake were still an active participant on the forum...

Quote from: kphoger on January 19, 2017, 09:07:31 PM

Quote from: Quillz on January 19, 2017, 08:05:03 PM
(The very first design appeared to lack a black border, and I'm not sure if it was ever actually even used in practice, might have only been a prototype).

If only Jake were still an active participant on the forum...

I've never seen a single photo outside of obvious publicity shots, so I suspect it was never used in the field. (And for good reason, it didn't look very good without the border).

The answer should come shortly.  :)

Nope, no such answer.  The definitive expert on all things California shield-related does not know the answer.  And I quote...

Quote from: agentsteel
"not sure on the border question though I have seen a few with the border clearly fired on later.  how much later? I do not know."

Quote from: CYoder on December 15, 2016, 02:28:02 PM
I don't mind the TN secondary shield even though spacing can be tight.  It would be nice to place the "TN" back at the bottom of the triangle.  I don't care for TN primary shields -- besides the primary/secondary designation being completely useless in this state, the design isn't all that interesting, and the design isn't even done all that consistently around here.  I've seen the word "Tennessee" in Times New Roman, Clarendon, and I think Bookman Old Style?

Quote from: FrCorySticha on December 15, 2016, 11:14:56 AM
My favorite isn't a primary route shield, but Montana's arrowhead secondary route shield:
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/39/MT-sec-236.svg/240px-MT-sec-236.svg.png)

Personally I wish they would adopt that as the primary shield and relegate the boring square primary shield to secondary routes.

Seconded!

MT Arrowhead is the same shield used by most Native American Nations/Reservations for there Roads & Trails (Ruts)

Quote from: mapman1071 on January 21, 2017, 12:28:38 AM

Quote from: CYoder on December 15, 2016, 02:28:02 PM
I don't mind the TN secondary shield even though spacing can be tight.  It would be nice to place the "TN" back at the bottom of the triangle.  I don't care for TN primary shields -- besides the primary/secondary designation being completely useless in this state, the design isn't all that interesting, and the design isn't even done all that consistently around here.  I've seen the word "Tennessee" in Times New Roman, Clarendon, and I think Bookman Old Style?

Quote from: FrCorySticha on December 15, 2016, 11:14:56 AM
My favorite isn't a primary route shield, but Montana's arrowhead secondary route shield:
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/39/MT-sec-236.svg/240px-MT-sec-236.svg.png)

Personally I wish they would adopt that as the primary shield and relegate the boring square primary shield to secondary routes.

Seconded!

MT Arrowhead is the same shield used by most Native American Nations/Reservations for there Roads & Trails (Ruts)

Well, i didn't know that, that's cool.

Quote from: mapman1071 on January 21, 2017, 12:28:38 AM

MT Arrowhead is the same shield used by most Native American Nations/Reservations for there Roads & Trails (Ruts)

The difference I've seen, at least on reservations here in Montana, is that the BIA shields are a white arrowhead on green background instead of black background.


iPad

Quote from: FrCorySticha on January 21, 2017, 12:52:39 AM

Quote from: mapman1071 on January 21, 2017, 12:28:38 AM

MT Arrowhead is the same shield used by most Native American Nations/Reservations for there Roads & Trails (Ruts)

The difference I've seen, at least on reservations here in Montana, is that the BIA shields are a white arrowhead on green background instead of black background.


iPad

In Arizona they are black backgrounds with white arrowheads just like Montana.  That threw me off when I first went to Montana since I thought they were BIA routes for a couple minutes until I figured out it was it was a secondary route signage type.

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on January 21, 2017, 07:41:51 AMIn Arizona they are black backgrounds with white arrowheads just like Montana.  That threw me off when I first went to Montana since I thought they were BIA routes for a couple minutes until I figured out it was it was a secondary route signage type.

The Arizona BIA shield is a state standard that appears in Arizona DOT's Manual of Approved Signs.  It differs from the Montana secondary route shield in that the arrowhead has smoother curves, is more convex, and has the word "INDIAN" above the neck.  I suspect BIA uses it as its marker in Arizona through interagency agreement.

Aside from the green background, there is little consistency in how the generic BIA shield is fabricated--quite often the digits are in Helvetica rather than one of the FHWA series.

Two other states that have shields I like are South Dakota and Vermont, but not due to shield shape, but rather color. I've really grown to like their usage of green-on-white, with matching directional banners. (Although South Dakota actually uses black legend). I would imagine its something less legible than black-on-white, but it does help the shields stand out.

By extension, I believe South Carolina has recently switched to blue-on-white shields.

Quote from: Quillz on January 23, 2017, 12:56:49 AM
Two other states that have shields I like are South Dakota and Vermont, but not due to shield shape, but rather color. I've really grown to like their usage of green-on-white, with matching directional banners. (Although South Dakota actually uses black legend). I would imagine its something less legible than black-on-white, but it does help the shields stand out.

By extension, I believe South Carolina has recently switched to blue-on-white shields.

I just wanted to say I really agree with your assessment.  I really like green and blue, and both colors are easily legible against white, regardless of which is used as foreground and which is used as background. 

I'm really, really sorry for bumping this thread, but I have come across something very interesting. I've been browsing the AARoads Shield Gallery a lot this week, and I found some things regarding state route shields (which many of you may already know about).


I was on the Delaware page, and I noticed some really fascinating circle shields, such as these:

https://www.aaroads.com/shields/show.php?image=DE19660041

https://www.aaroads.com/shields/show.php?image=DE19660091

https://www.aaroads.com/shields/show.php?image=DE19660021


I also saw some sweet sights on the Iowa page:

https://www.aaroads.com/shields/show.php?image=IA19260611

https://www.aaroads.com/shields/show.php?image=IA20140921 (why is this not the official state route shield?)

https://www.aaroads.com/shields/show.php?image=IA19480011

https://www.aaroads.com/shields/show.php?image=IA19290161


Now, what are these old, interesting shields on the Mississippi page?

https://www.aaroads.com/shields/show.php?image=MS19220121

https://www.aaroads.com/shields/show.php?image=MS19473011

https://www.aaroads.com/shields/show.php?image=MS19600261


These are all really good examples of what "circle shield states" could do to differentiate themselves from eachother, and have unique, very interesting shields, as well as some of the examples also mentioned upthread.  :nod:

Florida and Kansas!  Louisiana before they went black and white used to be good in the green state outline.

If Oregon's old eagle shield was still around, that'd be my top pick for favorite.

Also, I apologize for having a rather strange question, but my severely mentally ill mind will not leave me alone about it.

Quote from: adventurernumber1 on January 05, 2017, 11:31:40 AM
I voted for the Florida state route shield. I highly like all of the usual favorites, such as California, Kansas, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania. However, when it comes to states I have actually been to and seen the shields in person, probably my very favorites are Florida and Colorado. I honestly don't see why states like Mississippi or Kentucky couldn't decide on something more inventive.

Does the bolded part of what I said come off as being harsh? I love all State Highway Shields, including all the circle and square ones, and all of them are aesthetically pleasing to me, but I do think that each state should make their own individual, unique state route shield to differentiate themselves from eachother (for example: one state could use the default MUTCD standard circle shield, and that would make that one state individual and unique, and the other circle shield states could create custom shield shapes and such - or, all circle shield states could keep their circle shield shapes, but each one would have their state name at the top of the circle, or an abbreviation of some sort for that). I am just surprised that five states chose to stay exactly the same, but I have nothing against any of those states. I am simply an advocate of innovation, especially with state route shields. But anyway, back to the original question, the reason I ask this is because my depressed, pessimistic, obsessive, psychotic mind - ever since I made the quoted post almost a year ago - has been trying to harass me and make me think that I am a terrible person, and that I came off as being such in this post, and that that post made all of you think that, and more. I've learned that my mind is not to be trusted so much when it harasses me like that, but it is still incredibly strong, and it has a rigorous hold on me. Another thing is that sometimes I have trouble saying or writing/typing things exactly the way that I think it in my mind, so sometimes what I say is not truly representative of my actual thoughts (though most of the time, I'd say that this isn't a problem). Once again, sorry for such a stupid question, but I guess I just need some reassurance on this because I cannot escape the wrath of my mind. So, do any of you think that I am a terrible person, and that I "highly dislike state route circle and square shields" (which is not true)?

:pan:  :banghead:  :ded:  X-(

The California state shields are easy to pick out from a crowded background; that's the advantage of medium-bright green.  The problem today is that only a few districts can churn out a decent-looking sign; apparently they're supplying blank shields (nominally 2-digit or the wider 3-digit) and the local shops are applying the numbers as needed.  The district in which I live (4) is particularly sloppy about applying the numbers; often they're the wrong size, they're crooked -- and if by chance they're reasonably straight, the kerning is way off (Just drive down CA 85 or 87 some time for multiple examples of this problem).  Ironically the route with the most consistent decent-looking reassurance shields has been CA 82 -- a boulevard (El Camino Real).  Other districts, like 6 & 10 over in the Central Valley, seem to be much better at producing nice signage.   

Quote from: roadman65 on October 28, 2017, 03:20:17 PM
Louisiana before they went black and white used to be good in the green state outline.

Louisiana's state shields also held up so much better when they were green & white. If you have looked in the Louisiana threads in the Midsouth & Southeast boards, you have seen jbnv's pics of the digits peeling off of the shields. I have also seen the black fading to white due to sun exposure (both state shields and the directional banners). The materials used now are not durable at all, and is a big waste of money. As a Louisiana taxpayer, I feel like spending a little more money on more durable signage is money well spent.

I generally prefer any of the designs with the state outline superimposed, a la Arizona, Arkansas, Missouri, Ohio. I also like the look of the Kansas and Nebraska shields.

As far as least favorite, I think the Washington state and Hawai'i designs look kind of dopey.

Quote from: csw on October 29, 2017, 10:43:44 PM
As far as least favorite, I think the...Hawai'i [design] look kind of dopey.

Hawaii has always been one of my favorites. I love the guitar pick. It's quite similar to Oregon (just upside-down). It provides a large space for numbers, while still being (relatively) unique.

Quote from: adventurernumber1 on October 28, 2017, 03:49:06 PM
Also, I apologize for having a rather strange question, but my severely mentally ill mind will not leave me alone about it.

Quote from: adventurernumber1 on January 05, 2017, 11:31:40 AM
I voted for the Florida state route shield. I highly like all of the usual favorites, such as California, Kansas, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania. However, when it comes to states I have actually been to and seen the shields in person, probably my very favorites are Florida and Colorado. I honestly don't see why states like Mississippi or Kentucky couldn't decide on something more inventive.

Does the bolded part of what I said come off as being harsh?

Harsh to who, the state DOTs? It's fortunately exceedingly hard to hurt a government agency's feelings. The only one that's more or less guaranteed to see your post is Kentucky's, and the guy reading it, being a roadgeek, might even agree with you. :P

The CA miner's spade is my all-time favorite, hands down.

Quote from: Scott5114 on October 30, 2017, 05:21:21 AM

Quote from: adventurernumber1 on October 28, 2017, 03:49:06 PM
Also, I apologize for having a rather strange question, but my severely mentally ill mind will not leave me alone about it.

Quote from: adventurernumber1 on January 05, 2017, 11:31:40 AM
I voted for the Florida state route shield. I highly like all of the usual favorites, such as California, Kansas, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania. However, when it comes to states I have actually been to and seen the shields in person, probably my very favorites are Florida and Colorado. I honestly don't see why states like Mississippi or Kentucky couldn't decide on something more inventive.

Does the bolded part of what I said come off as being harsh?

Harsh to who, the state DOTs? It's fortunately exceedingly hard to hurt a government agency's feelings. The only one that's more or less guaranteed to see your post is Kentucky's, and the guy reading it, being a roadgeek, might even agree with you. :P

Yeah, I find the circle to be bland and unimaginative and not reflective of Kentucky at all.

But as I've said many times, if I had any Photoshop skills, I could take that round Kentucky marker and turn it into something that's uniquely Kentucky and would definitely stand out.

Quote from: adventurernumber1 on October 28, 2017, 03:16:42 PM
I'm really, really sorry for bumping this thread, but I have come across something very interesting. I've been browsing the AARoads Shield Gallery a lot this week, and I found some things regarding state route shields (which many of you may already know about).

Just as a tangential musing...remember when there was no such thing as a web site with pictures of highway shields from each state? And there was no book in the library about it, either; it simply wasn't an important enough topic to write a whole book about.

No, we had to personally visit each new state and find out first-hand what the highway markers looked like. And every time I did that, I'd draw the shape of the marker around the corresponding page number in my road atlas. That was my shield gallery.  :D

Quote from: empirestate on October 31, 2017, 10:07:56 AM

Quote from: adventurernumber1 on October 28, 2017, 03:16:42 PM
I'm really, really sorry for bumping this thread, but I have come across something very interesting. I've been browsing the AARoads Shield Gallery a lot this week, and I found some things regarding state route shields (which many of you may already know about).

Just as a tangential musing...remember when there was no such thing as a web site with pictures of highway shields from each state? And there was no book in the library about it, either; it simply wasn't an important enough topic to write a whole book about.

No, we had to personally visit each new state and find out first-hand what the highway markers looked like. And every time I did that, I'd draw the shape of the marker around the corresponding page number in my road atlas. That was my shield gallery.  :D

Wow, I honestly thought I was the only person in the world who did that! My Ohio and Florida shields looked like crap though, lol.

Quote from: empirestate on October 31, 2017, 10:07:56 AM

Quote from: adventurernumber1 on October 28, 2017, 03:16:42 PM
I'm really, really sorry for bumping this thread, but I have come across something very interesting. I've been browsing the AARoads Shield Gallery a lot this week, and I found some things regarding state route shields (which many of you may already know about).

Just as a tangential musing...remember when there was no such thing as a web site with pictures of highway shields from each state? And there was no book in the library about it, either; it simply wasn't an important enough topic to write a whole book about.

No, we had to personally visit each new state and find out first-hand what the highway markers looked like. And every time I did that, I'd draw the shape of the marker around the corresponding page number in my road atlas. That was my shield gallery.  :D

I remember when I was a kid our old encyclopedia set.. for y'all young 'uns that was the Stone age internet... Sets of books with articles.. the articles for the states had a picture of the state highway shield.

I liked the maps of the states... Counties were easily differentiated

Z981

Quote from: hbelkins on October 30, 2017, 01:43:29 PM

Quote from: Scott5114 on October 30, 2017, 05:21:21 AM

Quote from: adventurernumber1 on October 28, 2017, 03:49:06 PM
Also, I apologize for having a rather strange question, but my severely mentally ill mind will not leave me alone about it.

Quote from: adventurernumber1 on January 05, 2017, 11:31:40 AM
I voted for the Florida state route shield. I highly like all of the usual favorites, such as California, Kansas, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania. However, when it comes to states I have actually been to and seen the shields in person, probably my very favorites are Florida and Colorado. I honestly don't see why states like Mississippi or Kentucky couldn't decide on something more inventive.

Does the bolded part of what I said come off as being harsh?

Harsh to who, the state DOTs? It's fortunately exceedingly hard to hurt a government agency's feelings. The only one that's more or less guaranteed to see your post is Kentucky's, and the guy reading it, being a roadgeek, might even agree with you. :P

Yeah, I find the circle to be bland and unimaginative and not reflective of Kentucky at all.

But as I've said many times, if I had any Photoshop skills, I could take that round Kentucky marker and turn it into something that's uniquely Kentucky and would definitely stand out.

Thank you very much, Scott and hbelkins. That makes me feel a lot better, and it exposes the flaws of my mind when it tries to berate me about things.

If it is ever possible, hbelkins, I would in fact love to see what you could turn the Kentucky State Highway Shield design into!!  :-P  :nod:  :thumbsup:

Quote from: empirestate on October 31, 2017, 10:07:56 AM

Quote from: adventurernumber1 on October 28, 2017, 03:16:42 PM
I'm really, really sorry for bumping this thread, but I have come across something very interesting. I've been browsing the AARoads Shield Gallery a lot this week, and I found some things regarding state route shields (which many of you may already know about).

Just as a tangential musing...remember when there was no such thing as a web site with pictures of highway shields from each state? And there was no book in the library about it, either; it simply wasn't an important enough topic to write a whole book about.

No, we had to personally visit each new state and find out first-hand what the highway markers looked like. And every time I did that, I'd draw the shape of the marker around the corresponding page number in my road atlas. That was my shield gallery.  :D

Ah, yes, the good old times!  :D

The AARoads Shield Gallery and other things are indeed a wonderful luxury of the modern day.  :nod:

Also, that sounds incredibly cool that you drew the corresponding state route shield over the page numbers in your road atlas!!  :spin:

Quote from: slorydn1 on November 02, 2017, 10:47:23 PM

Quote from: empirestate on October 31, 2017, 10:07:56 AM

Quote from: adventurernumber1 on October 28, 2017, 03:16:42 PM
I'm really, really sorry for bumping this thread, but I have come across something very interesting. I've been browsing the AARoads Shield Gallery a lot this week, and I found some things regarding state route shields (which many of you may already know about).

Just as a tangential musing...remember when there was no such thing as a web site with pictures of highway shields from each state? And there was no book in the library about it, either; it simply wasn't an important enough topic to write a whole book about.

No, we had to personally visit each new state and find out first-hand what the highway markers looked like. And every time I did that, I'd draw the shape of the marker around the corresponding page number in my road atlas. That was my shield gallery.  :D

Wow, I honestly thought I was the only person in the world who did that! My Ohio and Florida shields looked like crap though, lol.

Most of us thought we were the only people in the world who did any of this!

My personal entry into the road scholar's world was discovering James Lin's website with pictures of each state's highway shield. It's still up: http://www.routemarkers.com/usa/ (although it used to have a user page URL within UC Berkely, if I recall correctly).

I also really like my home state's state highway shield.  Very distinctive and it screams 'WISCONSIN!'.  It is similar in that regard to Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York.

The only flaw in an otherwise excellent design for Minnesota is its color scheme - during my first couple of trips into the state when I was much younger I kept mistaking them for 'interstate' shields on overhead BGSes.

I also really like California and Michigan.  I'll give honorable mentions to Maryland and Tennessee (primary) for their state name usage, too.

Also, and although it is not a state route sign, Wisconsin's county shields are light years better than the MUTCD pentagons.  IMHO, the pentagons are so over the top 'busy' and the numbers/letters on them are so small and lost in the flotsam that I consider them to be borderline unreadable at speed.  Remember - 'KISS'!

In addition, a year or so ago I saw an image where Massachusetts used an adaptation of a Wisconsin county sign as an experiment(?) for a potential new state route sign - the exact same graphic proportions, fonts and type sizes, except that they had 'MA' where the word 'COUNTY' goes and numbers instead of letters for the route.  It looked interesting.

Mike

^Wisconsin's is pretty nice.  It definitely speaks to the state's specific character...being a cheese triangle and all.

My top five route markers are Minnesota, Colorado, Idaho, California, Kansas.
6-10 would probably include Wisconsin, Alaska, Wyoming, South Dakota, and New York.