AARoads Forum

National Boards => General Highway Talk => Traffic Control => Topic started by: Mergingtraffic on February 22, 2018, 06:57:45 PM

Title: Does your state tilt BGSs?
Post by: Mergingtraffic on February 22, 2018, 06:57:45 PM
How much does your state tilt BGS signs over the highways?  Is there a standard degree?

note the sign here in Baltimore is direct on the pic but since it's tilted downward the gantry looks like its tipping over.

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4427/35801549884_3983d36345_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/WxEits)

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4347/36498328721_32d46dcf0b_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/XBetxF)
Title: Re: Does your state tilt BGSs?
Post by: roadfro on February 23, 2018, 10:28:58 AM
I have not seen a tilted sign in Nevada.

I imagine with advances is reflective sheeting, this wouldn't be much of a thing anymore. Better sheeting can increase the reflectivity and readability from the road level.
Title: Re: Does your state tilt BGSs?
Post by: roadman on February 23, 2018, 10:30:44 AM
Massachusetts standard for overhead BGS panels is to tilt the top of the panel five degrees outward - see https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2017/10/24/StdDwgsSignsSupports1990.pdf  Page 32
Title: Re: Does your state tilt BGSs?
Post by: Scott5114 on February 23, 2018, 02:29:21 PM
Oklahoma generally does not.

Kansas does, and I've always liked that. It makes sense to tilt the sign forward a bit so that it actually faces the people who will be looking at it.
Title: Re: Does your state tilt BGSs?
Post by: J N Winkler on February 23, 2018, 08:54:29 PM
In Britain the norm for ground-mounted signs is a 5° turn away from traffic on tangent, and perpendicular mounting (0° turn) on curves.  I don't know that there is a standard as such for overhead signs, but I think they are usually mounted vertically.
Title: Re: Does your state tilt BGSs?
Post by: jbnv on February 24, 2018, 10:09:25 PM
This gantry (https://www.google.com/maps/@30.4240285,-91.0744237,3a,75y,97.63h,85.56t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1suE12tGiLxL2OGh_A6RRQ0g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656) in Baton Rouge has an older sign that is not tilted and a newer sign that is tilted.
Title: Re: Does your state tilt BGSs?
Post by: Bitmapped on February 25, 2018, 11:51:25 AM
PennDOT used to, but newer installations seem to have gotten away from this.
Title: Re: Does your state tilt BGSs?
Post by: Ian on February 25, 2018, 08:31:10 PM
MaineDOT generally tilts the top side of their guide signs outward. The Maine Turnpike Authority's overheads, however, usually have no tilt.

I remember seeing older guide signs down in Rhode Island some years ago that had an outward tilt from the bottom of the sign panels. I've also seen this done over the Canadian border in New Brunswick. Anyone know if there is (was) any advantage to tilting the panels from the bottom vs. the top?
Title: Re: Does your state tilt BGSs?
Post by: PHLBOS on February 26, 2018, 03:30:23 PM
Quote from: roadman on February 23, 2018, 10:30:44 AMMassachusetts standard for overhead BGS panels is to tilt the top of the panel five degrees outward
I'm assuming that standard has been around for quite a while. 

Overhead sign installations along I-95/MA 128 from I-90/Mass Pike to MA 9 did the opposite tilt (the bottom of the panel was tilted outward, i.e. an upward-tilt).  These panels were erected during the early 70s (prior to 128 being designated as I-95).  Given that all the overhead signs along that stretch had such; I have to wonder if the details on the plans were inadvertently mirrored.

One "survivor" BGS from the early 70s (https://www.google.com/maps/@42.314898,-71.2527452,3a,90y,167.94h,84.05t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sv2SdLP4czHqjff6eswz8eg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656) featuring the upward-tilt installation.

Interestingly, when the panels were replaced (but not the gantries) during the mid-90s (with ones featuring button-copy I-95 & 90 shields); most of the newer BGS' featured the same upward tilt.

In RI, some 80s vintage overhead BGS' along I-95 in the Providence area featured the same upward tilt as well.