I don't know what outcome I expect this post to have. I just want to express my dislike of Massachusetts's welcome signs. I noticed them for the first time recently. They are square, green signs with a generic font that says "Welcome to Massachusetts". Considering it is the year 2010, and most other states take pride in their welcome signs, Mass's signs did not make me feel very welcomed. :-(
I think of the tax dollars saved by using a smaller sign, and am happy.
They're not all quite that simple, but I don't think I've ever seen one I'd consider elaborate. I have about a dozen pictures of various welcome signs in the Massachusetts section of:
http://www.teresco.org/pics/signs/welcome-to.html (http://www.teresco.org/pics/signs/welcome-to.html)
I guess it's particularly frustrating to me because I really love Massachusetts. It has pristine natural beauty in the west and more (significant) history than perhaps any other state, in its east. And yet, MASSDOT insists on bland welcome signs, bland state highway markers, bland license plates. I wish this great state did a better job promoting itself (from a DOT perspective).
(I grew up in New Jersey, so I know first hand the troubles that occur when a state has identity issues.) X-(
Tennessee generally only uses a small green sign that says "TENNESSEE STATE LINE" at entry points involving state highways. US highways and interstates get the standard big blue corrugated "Tennessee Welcomes You!" sign, though it's slightly smaller on non-freeways than on freeways.
Quote from: agentsteel53 on December 15, 2010, 02:47:34 PMI think of the tax dollars saved by using a smaller sign, and am happy.
You are easily pleased--those signs are larger than they have to be to accommodate the legend "WELCOME TO MASSACHUSETTS."
think of how much tax money we'd save if we renamed the state simply to Mass. The spelling lessons for new congressworms alone would free up untold millions.
Quote from: agentsteel53 on December 20, 2010, 10:35:20 AM
think of how much tax money we'd save if we renamed the state simply to Mass. The spelling lessons for new congressworms alone would free up untold millions.
I don't even think we're talking about nickels and dimes here.... I think we're talking pennies.
Quote from: papaT10932 on December 15, 2010, 02:44:08 PM
I don't know what outcome I expect this post to have. I just want to express my dislike of Massachusetts's welcome signs. I noticed them for the first time recently. They are square, green signs with a generic font that says "Welcome to Massachusetts". Considering it is the year 2010, and most other states take pride in their welcome signs, Mass's signs did not make me feel very welcomed. :-(
Not all of them are like that. Most of these signs posted on interstates that cross into Massachusetts are BBS's* and have pictures of the state bird (the chickadee) and the state fowl (the turkey). Not the most visible example, but this picture shows the sign on I-84 eastbound entering Massachusetts from Connecticut:
https://www.aaroads.com/northeast/massachusetts050/i-084_eb_exit_001_01.jpg (https://www.aaroads.com/northeast/massachusetts050/i-084_eb_exit_001_01.jpg)
(*=Big Blue Sign)
The "Entering" signs posted on non-interstates at city/town borders are actually quite nice, as opposed to what you see in most other states. They're mdeium-sized white signs with a state seal and the date the city or town was established. You can see one near the top of this page: http://www.alpsroads.net/roads/ma/old/