Which state transportation agencies have the most amount of variation between how their internal divisions design and maintain roads? Here in North Carolina, across DOT divisions, everything is very uniform with only a few minute differences. However some places like Florida seem to have a noticeable amount of variation between FDOT divisions in how roads are designed and maintained.
Illinois. Nine DOT districts and the Tollway (ISTHA). You'd swear there are ten different DOTs within the state at times.
District 1, Schaumburg
Used brown gantries in the 1980s/90s with full height signs a la California: https://goo.gl/maps/vNMmcrvrx6KSRvtb8 & https://goo.gl/maps/s2Vuh3XyfksqdHky9 (yes, that is button copy)
Historically has used mileposts like this: https://goo.gl/maps/6sNm2TmdzvNkizvb9
Now being replaced with ones like this: https://goo.gl/maps/cxcrh67xAVzKNWc69
Two-lane reflectorization patterns: https://goo.gl/maps/ywGpExSoiKM2atfGA https://goo.gl/maps/wLuqNsuB95MWEf6P9
District 2, Dixon
Posts curve advisory speeds like this: https://goo.gl/maps/2yPc8hmaMXKjeFqp9
District 3, Ottawa
D1/D3 boundary: https://goo.gl/maps/kPGvjtzYRBj1aThh8
D3/D5 boundary: https://goo.gl/maps/xnxCVud9vD6zrdLn9
Perfected the center-mounted Clearview tab: https://goo.gl/maps/mikYpKy6eYShDhct6
District 4, Peoria
Uses FYAs extensively: https://goo.gl/maps/42BRKPj4QDhbWQnJ8
Uses next exit signage like this in urban areas (Peoria): https://goo.gl/maps/n4mqEP3Ry9XcnT9Y9
District 5, Paris
Seems to have no clue to to plow/de-ice a road in the winter.
A preponderance of older signage with center-mounted tabs: https://goo.gl/maps/XMnLWbmbkraE18om7
District 6, Springfield
Uses the yellow border on signals more often than the other districts: https://goo.gl/maps/v1kLXvGgHwaSxjm37 https://goo.gl/maps/YagZL8XkAabav4DW6
Has three of the four interstate business loops in the state.
District 7, Effingham
Uses diagrammatic signage at interstate splits: https://goo.gl/maps/mxxsS7aPQvsDso7m8
Lane striping: https://goo.gl/maps/yMjuKz4GaUq6XRPo7 - black alongside white
District 8, Collinsville
Mileposting in urban areas: https://goo.gl/maps/D3yXefATdCfdrFaj6
Used the brown gantries quite a bit, but differently than D1: https://goo.gl/maps/Kfuzoyny6YmwXePf9
District 9, Carbondale
https://goo.gl/maps/as9WnLpX18hnhBnd7
A lack of side-mounted reflectors (acting more southern than northern): https://goo.gl/maps/KdYuPELzZqb6hFoB8
Illinois State Toll Highway Authority
Mileposting (every 1/4 mile): https://goo.gl/maps/BATM86DYyXT6ZV8N8
Readily adopted APL signage: https://goo.gl/maps/B28HjF9LsiwmkagM8 & https://goo.gl/maps/GxnAHmt7gVNgjVYQ7
Striping (3:3 ratio): https://goo.gl/maps/3Hceft5ZWpq5ivHT9
First "smart" road in Illinois: https://goo.gl/maps/4hFiBTaQajgf61g78
Instead of using welcome signs for knowing when I cross a state line, I use changes in the pavement.
SM-G965U
Missouri mile markers only appear on expressways and appear every 0.2 miles, while most other states go by every mile and don't include info like route number and direction.(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190912/27dc93e11f6a7c56d029122af185662c.jpg)
The one thing I can think of regarding Michigan is that the University district uses intermediate control cities along I-94 in Jackson and Washtenaw counties from non-freeways (using Marshall, Jackson, and Ann Arbor instead of Detroit (which is still used for EB 94 east of A2) and Chicago; US-23 and US-127 still use Detroit and Chicago)
Caltrans tends to vary quite a bit regarding maintenance from district to district. District 6 seems to come up often as probably the best or one of the better districts for maintenance standards. The rabbit hole with Caltrans is pretty deep and probably best referred to the California thread on the Pacific Southwest board.
Quote from: ozarkman417 on September 12, 2019, 08:54:41 AM
I think you missed the point of the OP. It's not between state DOTs, but within state DOTs.
In Hawaii, the most noticeable difference among its DOT's four districts is that the Kauai district has the best signage in the state, including but not limited to the strongest metric signage. Its county counterpart similarly has the best signage among the four counties with county-maintained roads.
For Ohio, signage.
Seems like the districts, outside of the 3-C cities, like to use horizontal direction panels (with extra wide US & Ohio shields in the middle).
NW Ohio (ODOT districts 1 & 2) like to use sign trees, something you don't see in the rest of the state.
ODOT district 2 is also the one that used extra far control cities in the mileage signs along I-75.
Quote from: Brandon on September 12, 2019, 06:20:58 AM
Illinois. Nine DOT districts and the Tollway (ISTHA). You'd swear there are ten different DOTs within the state at times.
District 1, Schaumburg
Used brown gantries in the 1980s/90s with full height signs a la California: https://goo.gl/maps/vNMmcrvrx6KSRvtb8 & https://goo.gl/maps/s2Vuh3XyfksqdHky9 (yes, that is button copy)
Historically has used mileposts like this: https://goo.gl/maps/6sNm2TmdzvNkizvb9
Now being replaced with ones like this: https://goo.gl/maps/cxcrh67xAVzKNWc69
Two-lane reflectorization patterns: https://goo.gl/maps/ywGpExSoiKM2atfGA https://goo.gl/maps/wLuqNsuB95MWEf6P9
District 2, Dixon
Posts curve advisory speeds like this: https://goo.gl/maps/2yPc8hmaMXKjeFqp9
District 3, Ottawa
D1/D3 boundary: https://goo.gl/maps/kPGvjtzYRBj1aThh8
D3/D5 boundary: https://goo.gl/maps/xnxCVud9vD6zrdLn9
Perfected the center-mounted Clearview tab: https://goo.gl/maps/mikYpKy6eYShDhct6
District 4, Peoria
Uses FYAs extensively: https://goo.gl/maps/42BRKPj4QDhbWQnJ8
Uses next exit signage like this in urban areas (Peoria): https://goo.gl/maps/n4mqEP3Ry9XcnT9Y9
District 5, Paris
Seems to have no clue to to plow/de-ice a road in the winter.
A preponderance of older signage with center-mounted tabs: https://goo.gl/maps/XMnLWbmbkraE18om7
District 6, Springfield
Uses the yellow border on signals more often than the other districts: https://goo.gl/maps/v1kLXvGgHwaSxjm37 https://goo.gl/maps/YagZL8XkAabav4DW6
Has three of the four interstate business loops in the state.
District 7, Effingham
Uses diagrammatic signage at interstate splits: https://goo.gl/maps/mxxsS7aPQvsDso7m8
Lane striping: https://goo.gl/maps/yMjuKz4GaUq6XRPo7 - black alongside white
District 8, Collinsville
Mileposting in urban areas: https://goo.gl/maps/D3yXefATdCfdrFaj6
Used the brown gantries quite a bit, but differently than D1: https://goo.gl/maps/Kfuzoyny6YmwXePf9
District 9, Carbondale
https://goo.gl/maps/as9WnLpX18hnhBnd7
A lack of side-mounted reflectors (acting more southern than northern): https://goo.gl/maps/KdYuPELzZqb6hFoB8
Illinois State Toll Highway Authority
Mileposting (every 1/4 mile): https://goo.gl/maps/BATM86DYyXT6ZV8N8
Readily adopted APL signage: https://goo.gl/maps/B28HjF9LsiwmkagM8 & https://goo.gl/maps/GxnAHmt7gVNgjVYQ7
Striping (3:3 ratio): https://goo.gl/maps/3Hceft5ZWpq5ivHT9
First "smart" road in Illinois: https://goo.gl/maps/4hFiBTaQajgf61g78
Having lived within D1 (and around ISTHA), D4, D5, and now D9...
This list is OK...the adoption of the FYA really stands out in D4
D9 choosing to use "Interstate 57" as a Control for I-24 West, instead of either Marion (Termination point @ I-57) or St Louis (used previously in Kentucky...does get 1 mention approaching the termination @ I-57) is odd. Especially since I-24 East gets the "typical" Primary/Secondary Control setup of Nashville/Metropolis then Paducah
D9 also seems to omit "Directional" Banners on Route Shields more frequently than others
I will give D9 credit for the use of the SPUI and DDI Interchange designs for sequential Interchanges along I-57 in Marion, at IL 13 and The Hill Ave, South to North
D1 and ISTHA using *Directional* Suburbs and the states of Indiana, Wisconsin, and Iowa as Controls is also a bit unique
Nothing really stood out "different" about D5 while I lived there, signage, signal, or pavement wise. I believe Indianapolis is used as a Control along I-72 East...but that just makes me wonder more why D9 won't use St Louis (or Marion) as a Control for I-24
In Kentucky, there really isn't any difference in maintenance or design between the districts. The real differences are in signage. Districts 4, 8, and 12 still use circles for three-digit routes instead of ovals or ellipses. District 12 had still been using circles for four-digit routes until recently, but unfortunately, they are using more wide markers for them -- and also US 460 markers. I prefer square markers with narrower fonts than the wide markers.
West Virginia is pretty uniform across the state, although a couple of places will sign county routes with tiny circular markers not much wider than the posts they're mounted on.
Quote from: Hot Rod Hootenanny on September 12, 2019, 04:24:10 PM
For Ohio, signage.
Seems like the districts, outside of the 3-C cities, like to use horizontal direction panels (with extra wide US & Ohio shields in the middle).
NW Ohio (ODOT districts 1 & 2) like to use sign trees, something you don't see in the rest of the state.
ODOT district 2 is also the one that used extra far control cities in the mileage signs along I-75.
District 2 also put exit numbers on US-6 and OH-2 on their freeway portions (until this year, OH-2 exit numbers stopped at the Erie/Ottawa county line)
Quote from: oscar on September 12, 2019, 01:47:59 PM
In Hawaii, the most noticeable difference among its DOT's four districts is that the Kauai district has the best signage in the state, including but not limited to the strongest metric signage. Its county counterpart similarly has the best signage among the four counties with county-maintained roads.
Having been on all four islands over the summer I can generally agree about Kauai. But I found the signage along the Big Island (I'm guessing it'd be Hawaii district?) to be pretty strong as well. There were mile markers with metric measurements on them. There was a consistent use of elevation signage (in both feet and meters) and big green guide signs at the junctions of roadways throughout the island. The signs were the typical size one would find at an interstate off-ramp. Along the Hawaii Belt Road there seemed to be a consistent control city setup with Hilo, Honokaa, Waimea, Kailua and Volcano.
Quote from: Brandon on September 12, 2019, 06:20:58 AM
District 8, Collinsville
Mileposting in urban areas: https://goo.gl/maps/D3yXefATdCfdrFaj6
Used the brown gantries quite a bit, but differently than D1: https://goo.gl/maps/Kfuzoyny6YmwXePf9
D8 was also the one not using stop bar or far left signals, which made them non-compliant with Illinois' MUTCD due to having only one set of left arrows. Having searched GSV, it appears someone made an effort to fix most of those.
Quote from: Hot Rod Hootenanny on September 12, 2019, 04:24:10 PM
For Ohio, signage.
Seems like the districts, outside of the 3-C cities, like to use horizontal direction panels (with extra wide US & Ohio shields in the middle).
NW Ohio (ODOT districts 1 & 2) like to use sign trees, something you don't see in the rest of the state.
ODOT district 2 is also the one that used extra far control cities in the mileage signs along I-75.
District 9 (South Central) signs a lot of things as being 1/3 of a mile away which is something I don't see in the rest of the state.
District 7 (West Central including Dayton) allows much more unusual bridge designs and interchange finishing than surrounding districts.
Quote from: Brandon on September 12, 2019, 06:20:58 AM
District 7, Effingham
Uses diagrammatic signage at interstate splits: https://goo.gl/maps/mxxsS7aPQvsDso7m8
Lane striping: https://goo.gl/maps/yMjuKz4GaUq6XRPo7 - black alongside white
I
think that is the new IDOT standard, and will be appearing throughout the state. I thought I just saw it somewhere in District 3, but Streetview does not appear to have it.
District 8, CollinsvilleMileposting in urban areas: https://goo.gl/maps/D3yXefATdCfdrFaj6[/quote]
District 5 uses these in Bloomington-Normal on I-55. Streetview. (https://goo.gl/maps/CogppzUTynUKEpwg6)
Additionally For District 1:
* Does not appear to use the postmile signs (example (https://goo.gl/maps/67Ewax4nypHbDYRa6)) much anymore, even in the remaining rural parts of the district.
* Much less use of the city/village boundary signs (example from D-3 (https://goo.gl/maps/qRH1XhF6xHx8X66B7))
* Much uses 'ONLY' in almost all single movement turn lanes and fewer arrows. Compare this example from District 1 (https://goo.gl/maps/cMxwFhrwQFSkQGcH7) to this one from District 2 (https://goo.gl/maps/1ZxbRQSLd4wUSdu96)
In regard to Illinois DOT, it is worth noting that District 1 (Chicago) has its own signing manual (http://apps.dot.illinois.gov/eplan/desenv/standards/District%201/D1MiscManuals/).
Kansas has five districts, with no substantial differences among them in terms of signing or pavement quality. Nearly all design, including all freeway guide signing, is handled out of KDOT HQ. However, Northeast Kansas (containing the Kansas side of metro KC) is a "tail wagging the dog" district because of the size and complexity of its portion of the state highway system. Measures that have made their first appearances in Kansas in this district include part-time bus use of the shoulder, ramp metering, noise walls, and nonstandard APL diagrammatic variants.
The districts that cover western Kansas are more likely to use square washers to bolt panel signs to posts, which helps spread wind load but does nothing for visual appearance.
Quote from: Revive 755 on September 13, 2019, 11:49:55 PM
Quote from: Brandon on September 12, 2019, 06:20:58 AM
District 7, Effingham
Uses diagrammatic signage at interstate splits: https://goo.gl/maps/mxxsS7aPQvsDso7m8
Lane striping: https://goo.gl/maps/yMjuKz4GaUq6XRPo7 - black alongside white
I think that is the new IDOT standard, and will be appearing throughout the state. I thought I just saw it somewhere in District 3, but Streetview does not appear to have it.
The only other Diagrammatic signs that ring a bell in IL for me are:
I-294 North/I-80 West, approaching their split/ISTHA: https://goo.gl/maps/NdQcJ5hyCreSEPJm6
I-355 South @ I-55/ISTHA: https://goo.gl/maps/jLfBNxY5tsouvu8j7
ISTHA kinda uses diagrammatic signs for the ORT tollbooth signs: https://goo.gl/maps/m4uJ3FsFH3DsNGs36
I-55 North, approaching the Southwest I-55/I-72 Interchange/D6: https://goo.gl/maps/ndhxCECvqRSnVJs77
Quote from: Hot Rod Hootenanny on September 12, 2019, 04:24:10 PM
For Ohio, signage.
Seems like the districts, outside of the 3-C cities, like to use horizontal direction panels (with extra wide US & Ohio shields in the middle).
NW Ohio (ODOT districts 1 & 2) like to use sign trees, something you don't see in the rest of the state.
ODOT district 2 is also the one that used extra far control cities in the mileage signs along I-75.
District 8 (Cincinnati metro):
Posts a lot of exit gore signs and speed limit signs on a single breakaway signpost
Their exit tabs have much more spacing around them than in D7 (Dayton) and AFAIK the rest of western Ohio.
Blue distance markers in Cincinnati are every tenth of a mile instead of two tenths (though I think their use predates anywhere else in Ohio)
Every BGS gets a blue inventory plaque.
District 7:
Quote from: GCrites80s on September 13, 2019, 09:30:39 PM
District 7 (West Central including Dayton) allows much more unusual bridge designs and interchange finishing than surrounding districts.
I've wondered about this; didn't realize it's a D7 peculiarity. There are instances where two consecutive overpasses were replaced the same year on 75 but have completely different designs.
D7 has numerous exit gore signs that are either one Clearview-one FHWA numeral or missing their exit number. They seem to get taken out so often it's like they stopped caring.
D7 eradicated most of its bridge-mounted signs almost 15 years ago and replaced them with ground-mounted (even on 3+ lane carriageways). I think D8 has recently started replacing them with sign bridges. Maybe this was a change in state standards, but one was either very early or very late to the party.
(I think) District 1 along I-75 in has the only labeling of under/overpasses that I'm aware of.
In Texas, the Dallas district doesn't sign any rural 2-lane roads higher than 65mph, while the neighboring Tyler district signs them up to the state maximum of 75mph. It's very noticeable when crossing from Kaufman County to Van Zandt county on TX 243.
The title is a bit misleading.
Anyways, for Wisconsin I would say that the largest difference is the surface of road they use in different parts of the state. In Northern WI it's a darker pavement, and southern WI is usually lighter concrete.
Quote from: thspfc on September 16, 2019, 07:08:22 PM
The title is a bit misleading.
It's misleading? How so?
Quote from: debragga on September 16, 2019, 06:40:56 PM
In Texas, the Dallas district doesn't sign any rural 2-lane roads higher than 65mph, while the neighboring Tyler district signs them up to the state maximum of 75mph. It's very noticeable when crossing from Kaufman County to Van Zandt county on TX 243.
I would attribute that observation to the environmental speed limits, which capped limits at 65 for 15 years, along with the lack of rural areas in which higher speeds are suitable for two-lane roads, however, the Dallas district also includes Navarro County, in which part of SH 22 has a speed limit of 75 with two lanes.
Quote from: wxfree on September 17, 2019, 06:04:14 PM
Quote from: debragga on September 16, 2019, 06:40:56 PM
In Texas, the Dallas district doesn't sign any rural 2-lane roads higher than 65mph, while the neighboring Tyler district signs them up to the state maximum of 75mph. It's very noticeable when crossing from Kaufman County to Van Zandt county on TX 243.
I would attribute that observation to the environmental speed limits, which capped limits at 65 for 15 years, along with the lack of rural areas in which higher speeds are suitable for two-lane roads, however, the Dallas district also includes Navarro County, in which part of SH 22 has a speed limit of 75 with two lanes.
Speaking of speed limit differences, almost all of Michigan's 65 mph 2-lane roads are in the Superior and North regions, despite there being plenty of roads in the other regions that could easily support 65 (I've driven stretches of M-52, M-66, M-79, M-50, M-86, M-45, M-20, M-82, etc. that should be 65 IMHO). The only two 65 mph 2-lane roads I can think of that are outside those two regions are in the Grand Region:
M-37 north of US-10 in Lake County (Lake County was in the North Region until a couple of years ago)
M-231 in Ottawa County (Super 2; only one intersection and several overpasses between its termini)
Quote from: ilpt4u on September 14, 2019, 12:42:01 AM
Quote from: Revive 755 on September 13, 2019, 11:49:55 PM
Quote from: Brandon on September 12, 2019, 06:20:58 AM
District 7, Effingham
Uses diagrammatic signage at interstate splits: https://goo.gl/maps/mxxsS7aPQvsDso7m8
Lane striping: https://goo.gl/maps/yMjuKz4GaUq6XRPo7 - black alongside white
I think that is the new IDOT standard, and will be appearing throughout the state. I thought I just saw it somewhere in District 3, but Streetview does not appear to have it.
I just realized my quote was unclear - I was referring to the contrast pavement markings, not the diagrammatic signs. The latter can be found in most, if not all of the IDOT Districts.
Quote from: ilpt4u on September 14, 2019, 12:42:01 AM
The only other Diagrammatic signs that ring a bell in IL for me are:
I-294 North/I-80 West, approaching their split/ISTHA: https://goo.gl/maps/NdQcJ5hyCreSEPJm6
I-355 South @ I-55/ISTHA: https://goo.gl/maps/jLfBNxY5tsouvu8j7
ISTHA kinda uses diagrammatic signs for the ORT tollbooth signs: https://goo.gl/maps/m4uJ3FsFH3DsNGs36
I-55 North, approaching the Southwest I-55/I-72 Interchange/D6: https://goo.gl/maps/ndhxCECvqRSnVJs77
* SB I-55/WB I-70 at I-255 (https://goo.gl/maps/5yntLVGsr2cGucP56)
* NB I-57/WB I-64 prior to the north split at Mount Vernon (https://goo.gl/maps/93RZR8eESvEHDoJy9)
* Isn't there a new one on NB I-55 shortly before I-155 splits off?
* SB I-55/EB I-74 prior to the southern split in Bloomington (https://goo.gl/maps/UuMcJ7tvrkcc1QFa6)
* EB I-74/EB I-280 west of the I-80 interchange (https://goo.gl/maps/sABuMiFc9PmnxhPT6)
* WB I-474 approaching the I-74/IL 6 interchange (https://goo.gl/maps/QSnKnnLfan2VLK899)
* WB US 20 approaching the Business 20 interchange on the east side of Freeport (https://goo.gl/maps/GLEdZbRaokRkkdmi7)
I know in Virginia dynamic message signs seem to be inconsistent across districts - the Richmond District has been using full matrix LED for many years, while the Hampton Roads district did not adopt it until more recently. Also, Richmond tends to display messages in a bold font.
Quote from: Revive 755 on September 30, 2019, 05:59:57 PM
* SB I-55/WB I-70 at I-255 (https://goo.gl/maps/5yntLVGsr2cGucP56)
* NB I-57/WB I-64 prior to the north split at Mount Vernon (https://goo.gl/maps/93RZR8eESvEHDoJy9)
* Isn't there a new one on NB I-55 shortly before I-155 splits off?
* SB I-55/EB I-74 prior to the southern split in Bloomington (https://goo.gl/maps/UuMcJ7tvrkcc1QFa6)
* EB I-74/EB I-280 west of the I-80 interchange (https://goo.gl/maps/sABuMiFc9PmnxhPT6)
* WB I-474 approaching the I-74/IL 6 interchange (https://goo.gl/maps/QSnKnnLfan2VLK899)
* WB US 20 approaching the Business 20 interchange on the east side of Freeport (https://goo.gl/maps/GLEdZbRaokRkkdmi7)
Wow...thats more than I thought!
The I-57/I-64 one, I have no excuse for not remembering
I-474 WB to IL 6 was on my daily commute when I lived in Peoria
And I've driven I-55 multiple times CHI<->STL...but the Bloomington South Split sign didn't stick to memory, whereas the I-55 NB approach sign to the Southern I-55/I-72 Interchange did
Still not sure IDOT D1 uses Diagrammatics, tho. ISTHA does, but they are their own baby
Quote from: ilpt4u on September 30, 2019, 10:49:21 PMStill not sure IDOT D1 uses Diagrammatics, tho. ISTHA does, but they are their own baby
Two APL diagrammatics (to be installed on behalf of Illinois DOT) are coming as part of an ongoing revamp of the I-90/I-190/I-294 complex near O'Hare.
Quote from: J N Winkler on October 01, 2019, 12:33:46 AM
Quote from: ilpt4u on September 30, 2019, 10:49:21 PMStill not sure IDOT D1 uses Diagrammatics, tho. ISTHA does, but they are their own baby
Two APL diagrammatics (to be installed on behalf of Illinois DOT) are coming as part of an ongoing revamp of the I-90/I-190/I-294 complex near O'Hare.
Sure they weren't designed by ISTHA and just being installed on the Kennedy by IDOT?
Quote from: Brandon on October 01, 2019, 05:44:24 AMSure they weren't designed by ISTHA and just being installed on the Kennedy by IDOT?
That is a possibility, but it would be hard to tell from the plans alone. Neither sign has a state route shield, which would be probably the easiest differentiator to recognize.
Quote from: marleythedog on September 16, 2019, 06:33:44 PM
(I think) District 1 along I-75 in has the only labeling of under/overpasses that I'm aware of.
I remember back in the day, when all of I-75 had it.
Parts of OH-126 in Hamilton County (District 8) have labels on the overpasses.
Signage in the Houston district of TxDOT is noticeably worse than the other divisions. Fewer distance signs, minimal-to-no control cities, minimal signage on arterials where they intersect with freeways.
Quote from: ilpt4u on September 12, 2019, 06:25:11 PM
I will give D9 credit for the use of the SPUI and DDI Interchange designs for sequential Interchanges along I-57 in Marion, at IL 13 and The Hill Ave, South to North
Those are relatively new interchanges, it must be remembered. Twelve years ago, the interchange at Route 13 was a cloverleaf and
The Hill Avenue Morgan Avenue was still being constructed. Also, the interchange at
The Hill Avenue Morgan Avenue was not initially constructed as a DDI, but was reconfigured much more recently, in 2015.
Quote from: debragga on September 16, 2019, 06:40:56 PM
In Texas, the Dallas district doesn't sign any rural 2-lane roads higher than 65mph, while the neighboring Tyler district signs them up to the state maximum of 75mph. It's very noticeable when crossing from Kaufman County to Van Zandt county on TX 243.
Is that a district-level decision, though? I guess I kind of assumed that was based on a statewide policy tied to county populations.
Also, in Texas, the El Paso District seems to prefer monotube gantries, while other districts seem to prefer truss gantries. I just wonder if they want to be more like NMDOT with their gantry style.
In Florida the Panhandle (District 3) uses a different blend of asphalt than the Peninsula does. Their pavements are more red than white like the rest of the state.
Then also NW Florida uses two post speed limit signs on I-10 while the rest of the interstates had one post. However, now even District 1 uses two posts on I-4 in Polk County since I-4 got widened to six lanes from the original four lanes.
District 4 uses SC and NY style of at intersection guide signs with the mileage number included next to the control cities. The rest of Florida just uses the city only. Plus on I-95 they use West Palm Beach over Miami north of West Palm while District 5 and part of District 2 to the north of that district use Miami for the SB control city. D-4 only starts using Miami once West Palm is reached. Also D-4 signs US 98 as E-W where all the other districts between Perry and it sign US 98 as N-S.
Quote from: ilpt4u on September 30, 2019, 10:49:21 PM
Still not sure IDOT D1 uses Diagrammatics, tho. ISTHA does, but they are their own baby
I think you are correct on this - I cannot place a single non-APL diagrammatic sign in D1.
Quote from: Revive 755 on October 05, 2019, 12:12:42 AM
Quote from: ilpt4u on September 30, 2019, 10:49:21 PM
Still not sure IDOT D1 uses Diagrammatics, tho. ISTHA does, but they are their own baby
I think you are correct on this - I cannot place a single non-APL diagrammatic sign in D1.
Because there aren't any in D1 that don't belong to ISTHA. Even the APLs seem to be connected to an ISTHA road, be it IL-390, the north end of the Tri-State at Russell Road, and the new ones for the Rosemont Interchange.
Quote from: Revive 755 on September 13, 2019, 11:49:55 PM
Additionally For District 1:
...
* Much less use of the city/village boundary signs (example from D-3 (https://goo.gl/maps/qRH1XhF6xHx8X66B7))
...
this one from District 2 (https://goo.gl/maps/1ZxbRQSLd4wUSdu96)
Especially true. I've seen them off and on. Don't expect a single one for Chicago - except for the Skyway. Want to know if you're in Chicago, watch the streetlight density.
The only real main difference I have noticed between MN districts is how District 3 (roughly comprising central Minnesota) is the only one who regularly posts mileages on BGSs at junctions (https://www.google.com/maps/@47.0496306,-94.2147506,3a,30y,33.37h,89.17t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1spj_Y0PYEbLSvVoU28vmWsA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656), which is a thing I think should be done far more often in the other districts.
Quote from: SSOWorld on October 06, 2019, 04:45:56 AM
Quote from: Revive 755 on September 13, 2019, 11:49:55 PM
Additionally For District 1:
...
* Much less use of the city/village boundary signs (example from D-3 (https://goo.gl/maps/qRH1XhF6xHx8X66B7))
...
this one from District 2 (https://goo.gl/maps/1ZxbRQSLd4wUSdu96)
Especially true. I've seen them off and on. Don't expect a single one for Chicago - except for the Skyway. Want to know if you're in Chicago, watch the streetlight density.
And streetlight style. It's unique to Chicago.
Quote from: Brandon on October 06, 2019, 09:22:54 AM
Quote from: SSOWorld on October 06, 2019, 04:45:56 AM
Quote from: Revive 755 on September 13, 2019, 11:49:55 PM
Additionally For District 1:
...
* Much less use of the city/village boundary signs (example from D-3 (https://goo.gl/maps/qRH1XhF6xHx8X66B7))
...
this one from District 2 (https://goo.gl/maps/1ZxbRQSLd4wUSdu96)
Especially true. I've seen them off and on. Don't expect a single one for Chicago - except for the Skyway. Want to know if you're in Chicago, watch the streetlight density.
And streetlight style. It's unique to Chicago.
Pretty much. Anything in Chicago not having anything to do with the Interstates is not maintained by the state. This includes Lake Shore Drive.
Reviving this thread with a small difference I noticed living here now:
NCDOT D11 seems to be very behind on quality than the rest of the state, and I'm not talking about due to snow or anything, since we get a disproportionate amount of it here than anywhere else in the South, but in standards. Paint markings are still frequently used and I saw them re-painting the markings on 421 here two or three times so far. There's very little thermoplastic-marked areas in comparison to the rest of the state, although it's not absent.
The little guide signs here that point out the direction of towns also seem to be different than the rest of the state. The layout of them seems less consistent. When beacons are used here they also don't seem to be of the bouncing-ball variety very much, but are just mounted next to each other. There also seem to be very few loop detectors here compared to the rest of the state. A lot of timed signals. Horrible for traffic. The general characteristic feel of NCDOT is still there but there's a few minor differences than what I'm used to seeing.
Quote from: marleythedog on September 16, 2019, 06:33:44 PM
Quote from: Hot Rod Hootenanny on September 12, 2019, 04:24:10 PM
For Ohio, signage.
Seems like the districts, outside of the 3-C cities, like to use horizontal direction panels (with extra wide US & Ohio shields in the middle).
NW Ohio (ODOT districts 1 & 2) like to use sign trees, something you don't see in the rest of the state.
ODOT district 2 is also the one that used extra far control cities in the mileage signs along I-75.
District 8 (Cincinnati metro):
Posts a lot of exit gore signs and speed limit signs on a single breakaway signpost
Their exit tabs have much more spacing around them than in D7 (Dayton) and AFAIK the rest of western Ohio.
Blue distance markers in Cincinnati are every tenth of a mile instead of two tenths (though I think their use predates anywhere else in Ohio)
Every BGS gets a blue inventory plaque.
District 7:
Quote from: GCrites80s on September 13, 2019, 09:30:39 PM
District 7 (West Central including Dayton) allows much more unusual bridge designs and interchange finishing than surrounding districts.
I've wondered about this; didn't realize it's a D7 peculiarity. There are instances where two consecutive overpasses were replaced the same year on 75 but have completely different designs.
D7 has numerous exit gore signs that are either one Clearview-one FHWA numeral or missing their exit number. They seem to get taken out so often it's like they stopped caring.
D7 eradicated most of its bridge-mounted signs almost 15 years ago and replaced them with ground-mounted (even on 3+ lane carriageways). I think D8 has recently started replacing them with sign bridges. Maybe this was a change in state standards, but one was either very early or very late to the party.
(I think) District 1 along I-75 in has the only labeling of under/overpasses that I'm aware of.
Adding on, I've noticed that Columbus (D6) and Toledo (D2) heavily prefers using stacked exit gore signs over the "box" ones with the exit number and arrow on a single line. Also, most of the Ohio APL signage (something rare in general for the state) I've seen are also mostly in those two districts.
In New Mexico, District 5 (Santa Fe) did a limited trial with Clearview. It wasn't done in any other NMDOT district.
Quote from: hbelkins on September 12, 2019, 06:30:35 PM
West Virginia is pretty uniform across the state, although a couple of places will sign county routes with tiny circular markers not much wider than the posts they're mounted on.
The tiny markers are exceedingly rare across all WVDOH districts. In general, things are pretty uniform across all WVDOH districts. Districts 5 and 9 tend to stand out more for whatever reason:
- District 5 (Eastern Panhandle) uses concrete travel lanes and with asphalt shoulders on new 4-lane construction. Other districts have gotten away from that, going all-asphalt or all-concrete.
- District 5 is also much more generous with road name signage. In most districts, signs will only be installed showing the name/number of one side road. District 5 often signs the name/number for all legs of an intersection involving county routes.
- District 9 (SE WV) likes to pave a lot of county routes with a single paved lane down the center and wide gravel shoulders on both sides. Traffic generally drives down the paved middle unless there is an approaching car, where each side will keep one wheel on asphalt and move the other over onto the gravel.
- District 9 also likes to use square Telespar sign posts. Other districts generally just use U-channel.
Quote from: hbelkins on September 12, 2019, 06:30:35 PM
West Virginia is pretty uniform across the state, although a couple of places will sign county routes with tiny circular markers not much wider than the posts they're mounted on.
The tiny markers are exceedingly rare across all WVDOH districts. In general, things are pretty uniform across all WVDOH districts. Districts 5 and 9 tend to stand out more for whatever reason:
- District 5 (Eastern Panhandle) uses concrete travel lanes and with asphalt shoulders on new 4-lane construction. Other districts have gotten away from that, going all-asphalt or all-concrete.
- District 5 is also much more generous with road name signage. In most districts, signs will only be installed showing the name/number of one side road. District 5 often signs the name/number for all legs of an intersection involving county routes.
Quote from: Bitmapped on October 16, 2021, 08:23:09 PM
- District 9 (SE WV) likes to pave a lot of county routes with a single paved lane down the center and wide gravel shoulders on both sides. Traffic generally drives down the paved middle unless there is an approaching car, where each side will keep one wheel on asphalt and move the other over onto the gravel.
Pretty common in WVDOH District 7 in Northcentral West Virginia as well. In some cases, there was not sufficient space for a shoulder on one or both sides when the road was first paved, and the shoulders have needed to be added later (usually with retained fill on the cliffside). My grandfather once got sideswiped by a semi-truck where he stopped too close to the unmarked one-lane section on a road that he drove daily. It took 14 or 15 years to correct that particular situation.
"D1 and ISTHA using *Directional* Suburbs and the states of Indiana, Wisconsin, and Iowa as Controls is also a bit unique..."
I-294 north will have Wisconsin or Milwaukee, here and there, for 'pull through' signs. Example, between Balmoral av. exit and I-90 entrance ramps.