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I have noticed that Dallas North Tollway signs are plastered all over North Dallas, in a manner that TO[state hwy] markers would never be posted, suggesting that they may have been posted by the Tollway Authority in order to "advertize" the toll facility. Some of them don't even direct drivers to the most logical route to the tollway. For example, signs on Webb Chapel Rd tell motorists to use Forest Ln, rather than I-635, to access the Tollway. Kinda interesting that TxDot allows these to be posted on it's highways, such as Loop 12 and I-635, considering that TxDot policy strictly prohibits advertizing on the state ROW.
^^ They're trailblazers, no different than if it were a state route shield.
Quote from: Brandon on October 13, 2011, 07:09:48 AM
^^ They're trailblazers, no different than if it were a state route shield.
In theory, yes. But in practice, I remember some odd things when I lived in New Jersey. I think the key words in the OP are "in a manner that TO[state hwy] markers would never be posted."
Somewhere on the Alps Roads site is a picture of a Garden State Parkway shield with a
banner that says "6 MILES" and an arrow. When was the last time you saw a trailblazer for an interstate six miles away from the freeway? While I wouldn't necessarily call it advertising that should be prohibited on DOT highways, I think there is a definite intent to get people on toll highways as much and as soon as possible.
I've seen interstate trailblazers lots farther away than six miles in lots of places.
QuoteI've seen interstate trailblazers lots farther away than six miles in lots of places.
The only time i've seen this is near Chattanooga, TN. "TO I-59 XX MILES" assemblies are posted on I-24 heading west out of Chattanooga, but I believe the reasoning is that: #1. People would expect Interstate junctions to be at major cities, not in rural area; #2. The overheads at the I-75 junction, If iremember correctly, mention I-59.
there is an I-40 trailblazer in Virginia on, I believe, US-220 south. it is about 70 miles north of I-40.
Quote from: hbelkins on October 14, 2011, 07:41:18 PM
I've seen interstate trailblazers lots farther away than six miles in lots of places.
Same here. There's an I-39 (sans US-51) one at the intersection of IL-29 and IL-17 in Sparland, some 16 miles away from the interstate.
We have had trailblazer thread somewhere. There used to be a bunch of to Illinois Tollway signs I remember they were all along US 34 at every Junction that had an interchange with the tollways. I assume there were many others.
Illinois has several signs a long way from the Interstate like one on US 34 over 20 miles away from I-74/
Quote from: agentsteel53 on October 14, 2011, 08:58:11 PM
there is an I-40 trailblazer in Virginia on, I believe, US-220 south. it is about 70 miles north of I-40.
That's because SR 40 intersects there.
Quote from: Kacie Jane on October 14, 2011, 07:32:16 PM
When was the last time you saw a trailblazer for an interstate six miles away from the freeway?
Quote from: hbelkins on October 14, 2011, 07:41:18 PM
I've seen interstate trailblazers lots farther away than six miles in lots of places.
Ditto.
We used to have TO I84 Trailblazers on CT190 in Stafford Springs right near the town hall, and that's a good 7 miles from the exit 70 onramp to go west, or 9 miles from the exit 73 onramp to go East. And that's in a tiny congested state.
They'd still be there if the TOWN didn't take them down. The town actually removed those because they put up some aesthetic sign posts for main street, and the I84 shields wouldn't fit on their sign supports w limited positions for signing, only the CT190 and CT32 shields. I'm not sure that the State approved of taking those away.
Quote from: Kacie Jane on October 14, 2011, 07:32:16 PM
When was the last time you saw a trailblazer for an interstate six miles away from the freeway?
Try 40 miles (http://maps.google.com/maps?q=ocoee,+fl&hl=en&ll=28.551618,-81.550999&spn=0.016775,0.041199&hnear=Ocoee,+Orange,+Florida&gl=us&t=m&z=16&vpsrc=6&layer=c&cbll=28.551626,-81.551116&panoid=iheW2wrHfRSb-csWy5A3ig&cbp=12,283.17,,0,3.52). To be fair it's via a toll road, so the sign may have been posted by the Turnpike.
Maybe states should route their highways like Wisconsin, extending it along another route # for a couple miles before terminating it.
Quote from: Kacie Jane on October 14, 2011, 07:32:16 PM
Quote from: Brandon on October 13, 2011, 07:09:48 AM
^^ They're trailblazers, no different than if it were a state route shield.
In theory, yes. But in practice, I remember some odd things when I lived in New Jersey. I think the key words in the OP are "in a manner that TO[state hwy] markers would never be posted."
Somewhere on the Alps Roads site is a picture of a Garden State Parkway shield with a banner that says "6 MILES" and an arrow. When was the last time you saw a trailblazer for an interstate six miles away from the freeway? While I wouldn't necessarily call it advertising that should be prohibited on DOT highways, I think there is a definite intent to get people on toll highways as much and as soon as possible.
NJ does it a lot actually for the Turnpike, AC Expressway and GSP. Many of the roads parallel these tollways so if your stuck in traffic in one city, just follow the trailblazers to the nearest entrance ramp. I think it was a way to advertise at one point and now has become a matter of "Hey I'm conveniently nearby!"
Some time in the mid-1990s, Florida's Turnpike signs were placed along exits on I-95 in which those surface streets also had Turnpike exits.
I thought this thread was going to be about actual "advertising"; FT's tollbooth stations have had visible sponsorship from Geico and Lexus for a few years now.
Quote from: formulanone on October 15, 2011, 09:46:41 AM
Some time in the mid-1990s, Florida's Turnpike signs were placed along exits on I-95 in which those surface streets also had Turnpike exits.
I thought this thread was going to be about actual "advertising"; FT's tollbooth stations have had sponsorship from Geico and Lexus for a few years now.
Indiana's Tollway has Geico as well on their tollbooths
These have been around Illinois for as long as i can remember.
http://www.routemarkers.com/usa/Illinois/Tollway.jpg
I have seen a sign for the garden state parkway approx 20 mi away.
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=08015&ll=39.970674,-74.582019&spn=0.01776,0.027595&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&hnear=Browns+Mills,+New+Jersey+08015&gl=us&t=m&z=15&vpsrc=6&layer=c&cbll=39.970587,-74.581988&panoid=GRyB_nAfpcnbsNxbnmntLA&cbp=12,191.07,,0,2.52
In browns mills NJ, approx 20 mi to the parkway via CR 530 and NJ route 70
The Pennsylvania Turnpike has some trailblazers that are fairly distant from the road. The farthest one that I can think of off the top of my head is one for 15 miles along US 322 in Campbelltown. I believe there are some even further.
Quote from: hobsini2 on October 16, 2011, 12:14:16 PM
These have been around Illinois for as long as i can remember.
http://www.routemarkers.com/usa/Illinois/Tollway.jpg
I've usually seen these posted within a mile or two of the tollway system. However, there is an Indiana Toll Road one on Stony Island directing traffic to use the Skyway to get from there to the ITR and I-65/80/90/94.
As well as a Chicago Skyway sign at the I-80/90/94 junction in Lake Station, IN. (WB but not EB, for obvious reasons)
Much less BGSs on the Dan Ryan stating "90 East (Skyway) - to Indiana Toll Road"
Ok, which way is it to Hammond, IN?
Quote from: formulanone on October 15, 2011, 09:46:41 AM
Some time in the mid-1990s, Florida's Turnpike signs were placed along exits on I-95 in which those surface streets also had Turnpike exits.
I thought this thread was going to be about actual "advertising"; FT's tollbooth stations have had visible sponsorship from Geico and Lexus for a few years now.
Yet unsurprisingly they didn't put similar signs on the Turnpike advertising the switch to I-95 except at the farthest north SR70 interchange. Driving south, I prefer switching at Indiantown Road in Jupiter much better than SR70.
Quote from: realjd on October 16, 2011, 10:20:22 PM
Yet unsurprisingly they didn't put similar signs on the Turnpike advertising the switch to I-95 except at the farthest north SR70 interchange. Driving south, I prefer switching at Indiantown Road in Jupiter much better than SR70.
Depends if I'm hungry or need gas; SR 70 for a pit stop (expecting a stop light or two in between), but SR 706 if I'm in more of a hurry (just that one light at the toll booth). With the wife and kids, usually SR 70 wins that battle.
SR 714 is several miles away between I-95 and the Turnpike, I suppose no trucks are going to seriously use a two-lane road between the two to jump onto the Turnpike. Usually, any major intersection between a road that joins the Turnpike and another will feature some sort of Turnpike sign.
The toll-transponder system on the Massachusetts Turnpike and the Sumner and Ted Williams tunnels is called FastLane and is sponsored by Citizens Bank. The bank's logo is on all the FastLane signs above the automated toll booths. However, those signs are destined to be torn down, as Massachusetts stands to lose some federal-aid highway money unless they remove them...something about no commercial advertising along federal-aid-highway rights of way (except for service areas and restaurants).
Quote from: SidS1045 on November 08, 2011, 02:24:25 PM
The toll-transponder system on the Massachusetts Turnpike and the Sumner and Ted Williams tunnels is called FastLane and is sponsored by Citizens Bank. The bank's logo is on all the FastLane signs above the automated toll booths. However, those signs are destined to be torn down, as Massachusetts stands to lose some federal-aid highway money unless they remove them...something about no commercial advertising along federal-aid-highway rights of way (except for service areas and restaurants).
I don't think the Masspike gets federal aid.
No, but the sponsorship contract citizen's Bank has with the now-defunct Mass Turnpike Authority (now part of MassDOT) expires at the end of the year, and MassDOT decided not to renew and to just change to the standard EZPass signage that the other states use. Probably because, as an agency, MassDOT gets federal funds and the old Mass Tpk Authority did not.
New Mass Turnpike transponders just say EZ_Pass and not Fast Lane on them.
Quote from: Brian556 on October 14, 2011, 08:33:27 PM
QuoteI've seen interstate trailblazers lots farther away than six miles in lots of places.
The only time i've seen this is near Chattanooga, TN. "TO I-59 XX MILES" assemblies are posted on I-24 heading west out of Chattanooga, but I believe the reasoning is that: #1. People would expect Interstate junctions to be at major cities, not in rural area; #2. The overheads at the I-75 junction, If iremember correctly, mention I-59.
That is correct. The signs going south on I-75 say "WEST I-24/TO I-59 Chattanooga Birmingham": http://g.co/maps/dptzj
I-59 is not mentioned going NB on I-75 before the I-24 split: http://g.co/maps/ewujh
On a similar token, I-185 is mentioned in Alabama in Phenix City, AL even though I-185 is entirely within Georgia: http://g.co/maps/b8egx
Quote from: Beeper1 on November 08, 2011, 06:09:58 PM
New Mass Turnpike transponders just say EZ_Pass and not Fast Lane on them.
The new Mass Pike transponder I got in May (replacing my first one, a BankBoston Fast Lane one from like 1998--BankBoston was the sponsor before Citizens) was probably an interim one, as it is nearly totally plain. No logo, old or new, and just a label with the "if found, please return to..." address on it and a serial number and small barcode, all black and white. Pretty plain.
Quote from: PurdueBill on November 15, 2011, 08:57:10 AM
The new Mass Pike transponder I got in May (replacing my first one, a BankBoston Fast Lane one from like 1998--BankBoston was the sponsor before Citizens) was probably an interim one, as it is nearly totally plain.
You got 13 years out of a transponder? That was one durable battery considering I only got four out of my first E-ZPass transponder.
I see Giant Eagle and AAA logos at the Pennsylvania Turnpike System booths, advertising where one can pick up an E-ZPass transponder.
Now that they have State Farm sponsoring the roadside assistance, there are signs such as this one (http://maps.google.com/maps?q=irwin,+pa&hl=en&ll=40.345211,-79.690039&spn=0.004219,0.006899&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=35.90509,56.513672&vpsrc=6&hnear=Irwin,+Westmoreland,+Pennsylvania&t=m&z=17&layer=c&cbll=40.345305,-79.689975&panoid=R4trSlbiEck3kWYFKpG-bw&cbp=12,246.89,,0,14.92) appearing along the road.
Quote from: PAHighways on November 15, 2011, 06:12:28 PM
Quote from: PurdueBill on November 15, 2011, 08:57:10 AM
You got 13 years out of a transponder? That was one durable battery considering I only got four out of my first E-ZPass transponder.
When I traded it in, they tested it and said that it was getting weak. It probably helped that it had relatively light use for several of the years. I was disappointed that there was no logo at all (E-ZPass, Pilgrim hat, etc.) on it.
This (http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=29.896708,-97.672276&spn=0.013263,0.024784&t=m&z=16&layer=c&cbll=29.896633,-97.676326&panoid=uvLBp4Si_cVvolQCyCwGPw&cbp=12,344.91,,0,2.2) is just putting up signs without thinking. If you continue straight, there's an expensive flyover that's completely useless if traffic turns here (the Goog shows it's 1 mile longer but 1 minute faster to use the flyover). You also enter the toll road earlier if you continue straight.
Quote from: Brian556 on October 14, 2011, 08:33:27 PM
QuoteI've seen interstate trailblazers lots farther away than six miles in lots of places.
The only time i've seen this is near Chattanooga, TN. "TO I-59 XX MILES" assemblies are posted on I-24 heading west out of Chattanooga, but I believe the reasoning is that: #1. People would expect Interstate junctions to be at major cities, not in rural area; #2. The overheads at the I-75 junction, If iremember correctly, mention I-59.
They could solve that problem by extending I-59 to I-75.
Quote from: hobsini2 on October 16, 2011, 12:14:16 PM
These have been around Illinois for as long as i can remember.
http://www.routemarkers.com/usa/Illinois/Tollway.jpg
Where is that, and what is the "Illinois Tollway"?
Quote from: bugo on December 18, 2014, 04:27:09 AM
Quote from: hobsini2 on October 16, 2011, 12:14:16 PM
These have been around Illinois for as long as i can remember.
http://www.routemarkers.com/usa/Illinois/Tollway.jpg
Where is that, and what is the "Illinois Tollway"?
These are all over northern Illinois, and refer to one of the four Illinois Tollways: North-South Twy, East-West Twy, Northwest Twy, and Tri-State Twy.
Happens all the time in New York. Any road maintained by the Thruway Authority gets the generic NYSTA trailblazer. Typically, shields are used only at the interchange itself. I've seen NYSTA shields several miles away from the Thruway and they are not limited to roads intersecting the Thruway. For example, there are shields at the US 20 / NY 16 / NY 78 intersection pointing toward the north. I can't think of further examples off the top of my head, but I know they exist.
Since it is a toll road, you could throw the Peace Bridge in there. There's one on US 20 WB at RM 36.6 in Lancaster (pointing straight), east of the CR 242/Bowen Rd intersection. There is no further signage on US 20 or the physical road. A BUNCH of these exist around Buffalo and many are as random.
There are quite a few shields for the bridges the New York State Bridge Authority maintains; the Thousand Islands Bridge does as well. Mentions of I-81 are effectively drowned out at the TIB and signage for it is often absent entirely, which is a huge contrast to the Thruway (which plays second fiddle to the interstates along the road itself).