It's 9 miles (14.5 km) from the end of I-95 at the US/Canada Border in Houlton, Maine to the Trans Canada Highway at Woodstock, New Brunswick........NB-95 is the link
Here we're looking back to Canada Customs at the border. The lanes to I-95 skirt around to the right and head for US Customs.
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-tGo0hCzteew/Tsj06WVcyjI/AAAAAAAAIOQ/eruSKWYOS8A/s800/IMG_0816.JPG?gl=CA)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-PNdiv156pE0/Tsj08OE1Y_I/AAAAAAAAIOY/Y2NW0E1_3vM/s800/IMG_0815.JPG?gl=CA)
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-GXfUw-47v2U/Tsj1MMa3OwI/AAAAAAAAIOg/zpae99XW2QA/s800/IMG_0819.JPG?gl=CA)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-B51L_OGj024/Tsj04K6EDRI/AAAAAAAAIOI/AlppCDhxjhU/s800/IMG_0813.JPG?gl=CA)
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-PysOLpk9n5w/Tsj1Oj7BIvI/AAAAAAAAIOo/---35AbEjNg/s800/IMG_0820.JPG?gl=CA)
Looking East on TCH-2.......that's NB-95 crossing overhead.
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-szVEed8L26c/Tsj1e2ap-rI/AAAAAAAAIPA/CCNxosn68mM/s800/IMG_0829.JPG?gl=CA)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-34o2PMMX2qk/Tsj1cPNcjYI/AAAAAAAAIO4/PSvObxN1yOM/s800/IMG_0833.JPG?gl=CA)
Now looking West on TCH-2.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OMh94kP3I3I/Tsj0ojWk6ZI/AAAAAAAAIOA/bpYWlKH6P5I/s800/IMG_0803.JPG?gl=CA)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-rGc9pHNDOW8/Tsj0hnyWg8I/AAAAAAAAIN4/lMfc15SrwXk/s800/IMG_0807.JPG?gl=CA)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-5mCIfcQO65k/Tsj0gYwXpaI/AAAAAAAAINw/eCiCGwNVnzo/s800/IMG_0810.JPG?gl=CA)
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-_pgVdgPkFns/Tsj1PE-LIhI/AAAAAAAAIOs/8EwJ0rHD1g8/s800/IMG_0821.JPG?gl=CA)
Quote from: ghYHZ on November 20, 2011, 08:42:59 AM
Now looking West on TCH-2.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OMh94kP3I3I/Tsj0ojWk6ZI/AAAAAAAAIOA/bpYWlKH6P5I/s800/IMG_0803.JPG?gl=CA)
Did that used to say "Exits" ?
What's the difference behind the green, blue and black backgrounds on the provincial route shields?
Quote from: andytom on November 20, 2011, 01:22:29 PM
What's the difference behind the green, blue and black backgrounds on the provincial route shields?
Green — Main or Trunk Routes
Blue — Secondary
Black - Tertiary
Quote from: Truvelo on November 20, 2011, 09:19:59 AM
Did that used to say "Exits" ?
I was wondering about that too.
........but there's still two exits: 188 to Woodstock and 187 to Houlton
Very cool photos! Besides the font on the route shields, I like New Brunswick's signage.
Are they using Arial? Ugh... FHWA Series or Clearview, please.
Quote from: Quillz on November 24, 2011, 05:30:50 AM
Are they using Arial? Ugh... FHWA Series or Clearview, please.
Is there some rule that US fonts cannot be used by Canadian agencies to point drivers to US routes when they are close to the border? Is it a matter of expense, or is it just that Canadian agencies just don't want to equip sign shops with a font that they will rarely use?
I cannot imagine it is a matter of expense to use Series D, seeing as they have it right there on that very sign
Quote from: ghYHZ on November 20, 2011, 01:35:20 PM
Quote from: andytom on November 20, 2011, 01:22:29 PM
What's the difference behind the green, blue and black backgrounds on the provincial route shields?
Green — Main or Trunk Routes
Blue — Secondary
Black - Tertiary
I believe in the local parlance (or DoT/MoT-speak at least...) these are the Arterials, Collectors, and Locals, respectively. Arterials have 1- or 2-digit numbers, Collectors are numbered 1xx, and Locals are numbered 2xx thru 9xx.
Nova Scotia also has a 3-tiered provincial highway system, although they use more differenter shields, and slightly different names, for each tier.
- Arterial Highways have a shield inna NS flag stylee, and 100-series numbers.
- Trunk Routes have a US-route shaped shield, on a white background. The numerals appear to be Helvetica or something. These have 2-digit numbers.
- Collector Routes have Boring Rectangles, kinda brownish-red with a white border. Routes numbered 2xx & 3xx.
the506.com has pages on NB & NS roads:
http://the506.com/roads/NB/
http://the506.com/roads/NS/
NB shields always seem to use Helvetica for their numbers... seems like a standard thing. However the TCH shield does use Series EM, so I believe that the Interstate shield is a (very frequent) mistake. Québec uses Series EM on Interstate shields instead of Series D (except a handful of correct ones on A-30) and it looks just as awkward.
broadhurst04: Almost all of Canadian provinces use FHWA fonts (except NB for shields; and a few provinces have switched to Clearview), so they already have them readily available... besides, Interstate shields are correct in Ontario. Everything except the shields in these pictures uses the FHWA fonts...
Quote from: Dr Frankenstein on December 04, 2011, 05:06:19 PM
Almost all of Canadian provinces use FHWA fonts (except NB for shields; and a few provinces have switched to Clearview), so they already have them readily available... besides, Interstate shields are correct in Ontario. Everything except the shields in these pictures uses the FHWA fonts...
This brings up a question. My state doesn't border on Canada, but when we need another state's shields, we just swap with them. For example, all of the To Ohio 7 signs in WV are made by ODOT, and all of the To WV 2 signs in Ohio are made by WV DOH. Its a wash on a cash basis, and it saves both states from having to mainain another sign set.
Why would not the NB or ON or any other Canadian jurisdiction's sign shop just call their cousins across the border and swap the shields as needed?
Québec has all its signs and their technical specs available free on the internet (http://www.mtqsignalisation.mtq.gouv.qc.ca/) in various file formats (Enhanced PostScript, Adobe Illustrator, DXF for CADs, JPEG) and in French and English.
But I've rarely seen adequate signage, except for Vermont who seems to have traded old QC signs.
For example, ON MOT used an undersized A-5 reassurance shield (http://g.co/maps/h7gnv) to patch its Nicholas Street/King Edward Avenue BGS advance signage.
Or this awful 132 shield (http://g.co/maps/tpfz8) that uses arial font.
Quote from: SP Cook on December 04, 2011, 05:20:49 PM
Quote from: Dr Frankenstein on December 04, 2011, 05:06:19 PM
Almost all of Canadian provinces use FHWA fonts (except NB for shields; and a few provinces have switched to Clearview), so they already have them readily available... besides, Interstate shields are correct in Ontario. Everything except the shields in these pictures uses the FHWA fonts...
This brings up a question. My state doesn't border on Canada, but when we need another state's shields, we just swap with them. For example, all of the To Ohio 7 signs in WV are made by ODOT, and all of the To WV 2 signs in Ohio are made by WV DOH. Its a wash on a cash basis, and it saves both states from having to mainain another sign set.
Why would not the NB or ON or any other Canadian jurisdiction's sign shop just call their cousins across the border and swap the shields as needed?
That could be a thread all on its own. Some states and provinces swap signs, but others do not. I know that Illinois does not seem to do so with Indiana or Wisconsin (as an example).
Quote from: ghYHZ on November 20, 2011, 08:42:59 AM
Now looking West on TCH-2.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OMh94kP3I3I/Tsj0ojWk6ZI/AAAAAAAAIOA/bpYWlKH6P5I/s800/IMG_0803.JPG?gl=CA)
I don't mind this sign. The sign probably looks better having consistent numeral fonts across all shields than it would if highway gothic had have been used solely on the 95 shield.
Quote from: AsphaltPlanet on December 04, 2011, 07:31:20 PM
I don't mind this sign. The sign probably looks better having consistent numeral fonts across all shields than it would if highway gothic had have been used solely on the 95 shield.
I happen to disagree, because I despise Helvetica/Arial/Grotesk/Univers/etc being used for route markers. I think the entire thing should be in Highway Gothic D.
Quote from: agentsteel53 on December 04, 2011, 09:01:38 PM
I happen to disagree, because I despise Helvetica/Arial/Grotesk/Univers/etc being used for route markers. I think the entire thing should be in Highway Gothic D.
Really? I can't imagine despising a font.
To each their own though.
Quote from: AsphaltPlanet on December 04, 2011, 09:47:51 PM
Really? I can't imagine despising a font.
I just think it is completely unattractive, compared to the alternatives available.
Quote from: AsphaltPlanet on December 04, 2011, 09:47:51 PM
Really? I can't imagine despising a font.
Then you don't know any graphic designers.
^ Yeah, I do.
I just don't understand how someone could take such a strong stand on something as irrelevant as the font on a road sign that is located thousands of kilometres away.
Unless, the speaker is an engineer conducting a human factors study on the readability of a highway font, whatever anybody says is really just personal preference. Banal discussions on whose preference is better in my opinion cheapen the forum.
I think there are some fonts which are objectively better-looking than others, especially in a given context.
to go to some pathological extreme - you wouldn't use Comic Sans on a road sign.
(okay, who's gonna post the photo of the 'slow down, my parental unit works here' sign first?)
You also wouldn't use Comic Sans on a powerpoint slide about the Indian Removal Act (the font is too happy for that stuff), but that didn't stop one of my high school teachers from doing just that.
Quote from: agentsteel53 on December 05, 2011, 06:37:50 PM
I think there are some fonts which are objectively better-looking than others, especially in a given context.
to go to some pathological extreme - you wouldn't use Comic Sans on a road sign.
(okay, who's gonna post the photo of the 'slow down, my parental unit works here' sign first?)
Check out the pictures on this page for a great example of your point. (http://www.typographyforlawyers.com/?page_id=1300)
Quote from: deanej on December 05, 2011, 09:54:21 PM
You also wouldn't use Comic Sans on a powerpoint slide about the Indian Removal Act (the font is too happy for that stuff), but that didn't stop one of my high school teachers from doing just that.
I watched somebody present his thesis defense to the company that paid for it. The presentation was entirely in comic sans. I was the only person who noticed.
I hope I could cross this border myself someday. The closest I've been thus far is Bangor, ME. If I'm not mistaken, that highway was upgraded within the last two years or so. As for the "KM" signs for obvious reasons, you see some distances cosigned in southern Maine on I-95, especially near Exit 36 for I-195 East towards Saco and Old Orchard Beach. It sure helps that they get a ton of Canadian tourists, especially those from Quebec! (I lived in O.O.B. from 1985 to 1987.) :-/
Exit 36 has the distinction of being the only exit in Maine (how about the US -- any others?) signed in French. There's a sign up for "Old Orchard Beach / Sortie 36" (greened-out from 5), southbound near the West Gardiner tool plaza at I-295's north end.
It's probably still around... I don't get up that way much, and either haven't been paying attention, or have been staying off the Pike to go to the A1 Diner in Gardiner proper.
Quote(I lived in O.O.B. from 1985 to 1987.)
How's yr painkiller addiction? :D :P
Quote from: agentsteel53 on December 04, 2011, 09:01:38 PM
Quote from: AsphaltPlanet on December 04, 2011, 07:31:20 PM
I don't mind this sign. The sign probably looks better having consistent numeral fonts across all shields than it would if highway gothic had have been used solely on the 95 shield.
I happen to disagree, because I despise Helvetica/Arial/Grotesk/Univers/etc being used for route markers. I think the entire thing should be in Highway Gothic D.
And it would have been 10+ years ago. The NB 585 shield on my wall attests to that.
Quote from: KEVIN_224 on December 06, 2011, 04:39:44 PM
I hope I could cross this border myself someday. The closest I've been thus far is Bangor, ME. If I'm not mistaken, that highway was upgraded within the last two years or so.
Longer than that - Wiki says 2004, which is about what I would have said.
Quote from: yakra on December 06, 2011, 07:23:46 PM
Exit 36 has the distinction of being the only exit in Maine (how about the US
NY has some:
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-YxbpbHDvVOI/Toz96DfE0GI/AAAAAAAAJgA/KSj74cE98vI/s640/100_6285.JPG)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Do1S6k1DCTE/Toz96U0omFI/AAAAAAAAJgE/E9G9UXK-0Nk/s640/100_6294.JPG)
@ Yakra: The southern end of I-295 in Scarborough, ME also features a sign for Old Orchard Beach and "Sortie 36", I do believe.
NY does have English/French bilingual signs on I-87 through Cliton County, and Burlington, VT is about to get some as well.
As for sign trading, NY has some autoroute ("TO A-15" on I-87) and King's Highway ("TO ON-401" on I-81) shields, both of which seem to be coming from their respective provinces. There even is an Ontario-standard metric speed limit sign after the border crossing in Mooers. ON has some ground-mounted I-81 shields as well. Québec has ground-mounted I-89 shields but they're so wrong it's obvious they were made by MTQ. Oh, there is a QC shield in Derby Line VT too.
I don't hate the fact that NB uses Helvetica on shields, but making foreign shields like QC-132 and I-95 with the wrong font is a different story.
Quote from: broadhurst04 on November 26, 2011, 12:17:51 AM
Quote from: Quillz on November 24, 2011, 05:30:50 AM
Are they using Arial? Ugh... FHWA Series or Clearview, please.
Is there some rule that US fonts cannot be used by Canadian agencies to point drivers to US routes when they are close to the border? Is it a matter of expense, or is it just that Canadian agencies just don't want to equip sign shops with a font that they will rarely use?
It's just up to the agency. The FHWA series fonts are in the public domain, free for anyone to use. They are used in many Canadian provinces, Mexico, Brazil, even China has started using them.
Quote from: SP Cook on December 04, 2011, 05:20:49 PM
Quote from: Dr Frankenstein on December 04, 2011, 05:06:19 PM
Almost all of Canadian provinces use FHWA fonts (except NB for shields; and a few provinces have switched to Clearview), so they already have them readily available... besides, Interstate shields are correct in Ontario. Everything except the shields in these pictures uses the FHWA fonts...
This brings up a question. My state doesn't border on Canada, but when we need another state's shields, we just swap with them. For example, all of the To Ohio 7 signs in WV are made by ODOT, and all of the To WV 2 signs in Ohio are made by WV DOH. Its a wash on a cash basis, and it saves both states from having to mainain another sign set.
Why would not the NB or ON or any other Canadian jurisdiction's sign shop just call their cousins across the border and swap the shields as needed?
I know NYDOT gets its Autoroute 15 trail-blazers' which are used on and near I-87 from Quebec. Quebec however makes their own Interstate shields. This is only done for the I-87/A-15 corridor. They should also do it for their secondary roads with border crossings. I think NY and Ontario does something similar, but on a much smaller scale on I-81/Ont.137 connector to the 401. This is NOT done in the Buffalo/Niagara area on either side of the border, however.
Quote from: SP Cook on December 04, 2011, 05:20:49 PM
This brings up a question. My state doesn't border on Canada, but when we need another state's shields, we just swap with them. For example, all of the To Ohio 7 signs in WV are made by ODOT, and all of the To WV 2 signs in Ohio are made by WV DOH. Its a wash on a cash basis, and it saves both states from having to mainain another sign set.
Why would not the NB or ON or any other Canadian jurisdiction's sign shop just call their cousins across the border and swap the shields as needed?
I was up there 5-6 years ago and I am trying to remember if there were equivalent NB 95 or TCH-2 signs in the US. We came up to Houlton on US 1 so I never got a real look. I would not be surprised if not, because my experience with approaching the border from the US is that "Canada" is often as specific as the signs get (which to me says, "all we know is they speak Canadian over there, and that's all we want to know").
At least there used to be. I think there still is a sign for NB 95 right before the US 2 exit at the northern terminus, but I couldn't be sure when I was there last year because I was headed south from Woodstock.
NB95 shields on a BGS when approaching the N terminus sounds about right, from what I remember seeing on the internet. In my own travels, I got off at US1 NB and on at US2 SB, so I haven't seen much myself.
Quote from: yakra on May 03, 2013, 11:08:41 PM
NB95 shields on a BGS when approaching the N terminus sounds about right, from what I remember seeing on the internet. In my own travels, I got off at US1 NB and on at US2 SB, so I haven't seen much myself.
From Google Maps:
http://goo.gl/maps/apXxj
Quote from: ghYHZ on May 04, 2013, 07:46:24 AM
Quote from: yakra on May 03, 2013, 11:08:41 PM
NB95 shields on a BGS when approaching the N terminus sounds about right, from what I remember seeing on the internet. In my own travels, I got off at US1 NB and on at US2 SB, so I haven't seen much myself.
From Google Maps:
http://goo.gl/maps/apXxj
Rare! A New Brunswick shield with Highway Gothic font!
NB MoT got its revenge on that "abomination". (http://goo.gl/maps/gSDWv) :-D
MES YEUX!!!