The Worst of Road Signs

[Kniwt]

New at the southern end of the Golden Gate Bridge. This wasn't a graft onto an existing sign structure that had to fit an old size; this is all-new. (Not my photo)

[roadfro]

No complaints here about the arrow placement. Makes for a smaller (and less expensive) sign. Indiana kills me with all the wasted space on some of their guide signs. Waste of tax dollars IMO.

The sign could've been designed better and using with the same or less panel area. The arrows in the upper part of the sign like that is just awful, especially with the arrow separated from the associated "exit only" panel.

[Kacie Jane]

New at the southern end of the Golden Gate Bridge. This wasn't a graft onto an existing sign structure that had to fit an old size; this is all-new. (Not my photo)

I don't see anything terribly awful about the layout of the sign, particularly by California standards.

But I absolutely despise any sign that thinks it's reasonable to "spell" ordinal numbers with a capital, full-height TH.

[Scott5114]

But I absolutely despise any sign that thinks it's reasonable to "spell" ordinal numbers with a capital, full-height TH.

I know of at least two instances in Oklahoma City where the T is capital and the H is not, e.g. "104Th St."

[vtk]

But I absolutely despise any sign that thinks it's reasonable to "spell" ordinal numbers with a capital, full-height TH.

I know of at least two instances in Oklahoma City where the T is capital and the H is not, e.g. "104Th St."

That sounds like an automated letter-case normalizing routine run amok...

[Kacie Jane]

But I absolutely despise any sign that thinks it's reasonable to "spell" ordinal numbers with a capital, full-height TH.

I know of at least two instances in Oklahoma City where the T is capital and the H is not, e.g. "104Th St."

Yes, that would be worse. 

[national highway 1]

Why is 101 South signed as 'Marina Blvd'? Can't it be signed 'Downtown' or 'Civic Center'?

[myosh_tino]

New at the southern end of the Golden Gate Bridge. This wasn't a graft onto an existing sign structure that had to fit an old size; this is all-new. (Not my photo)

I don't see anything terribly awful about the layout of the sign, particularly by California standards.

But I absolutely despise any sign that thinks it's reasonable to "spell" ordinal numbers with a capital, full-height TH.

The problems I have with that new sign are the undersized shields for CA-1 and US 101 and the capitalization of the "th" in 19th Ave.  Here's how I would have laid out that sign...

[Scott5114]

But I absolutely despise any sign that thinks it's reasonable to "spell" ordinal numbers with a capital, full-height TH.

I know of at least two instances in Oklahoma City where the T is capital and the H is not, e.g. "104Th St."

Yes, that would be worse.  

Ah, hell, it's the Worst of Road signs, it certainly qualifies:


For bonus fun you get E(M) compression to C width and a superfluous period at the end.

[1995hoo]

The incorrect space between "44" and "Th." makes me read it as "44 Thursday" even though I know what it's supposed to say.

[Scott5114]

I imagine this one is courtesy the same "designer".

[kphoger]

But I absolutely despise any sign that thinks it's reasonable to "spell" ordinal numbers with a capital, full-height TH.

Aw, heck, I despise any sign that thinks at all!

[Ian]

Considering what was replaced here, these signs will always be a "worst" for me...

[Scott5114]

They're not bad for what they are. This thread is mostly for incompetently designed signage.

[Kacie Jane]

But I absolutely despise any sign that thinks it's reasonable to "spell" ordinal numbers with a capital, full-height TH.

Aw, heck, I despise any sign that thinks at all!

Yeah, I realized as I was writing that signs don't actually think, but I kept it that way for my own amusement.  And hopefully yours.

Considering what was replaced here, these signs will always be a "worst" for me...

They're not bad for what they are. This thread is mostly for incompetently designed signage.

Concur on both counts.  It's a perfectly reasonable gantry (oops, there I go again, giving signs reasonability), but it's a terrible shame to see the old one go.

[Ian]

They're not bad for what they are. This thread is mostly for incompetently designed signage.

I can agree with that, though I'm sure some might complain about the lack of exit tab (not to mention the exit number is centered). Other than that, the signs are fine, but I'll miss the old ones.

[Kacie Jane]

They're not bad for what they are. This thread is mostly for incompetently designed signage.

I can agree with that, though I'm sure some might complain about the lack of exit tab (not to mention the exit number is centered). Other than that, the signs are fine, but I'll miss the old ones.

The lack of exit tab and centered number is Turnpike standard.  (If you take a look at the old sign, it had more or less the same issue, although the top said "EXIT 6 FOR" instead of the more traditional "non-tab" without the preposition.)

I realize this seemingly contradicts what I said a couple of pages back, how following a bad standard doesn't make a sign okay.  However, I think general consensus is that Turnpike standard rocks, while the Atlantic City Expressway "standard" is unadulterated shite.

[Ian]

They're not bad for what they are. This thread is mostly for incompetently designed signage.

I can agree with that, though I'm sure some might complain about the lack of exit tab (not to mention the exit number is centered). Other than that, the signs are fine, but I'll miss the old ones.

The lack of exit tab and centered number is Turnpike standard.  (If you take a look at the old sign, it had more or less the same issue, although the top said "EXIT 6 FOR" instead of the more traditional "non-tab" without the preposition.)

True, true. I personally don't mind the standard Turnpike exit "tabs," or the fact that both the exit number and the miles to the exit are both at the top of the sign.

[NE2]

For the record, the noncentered I-276 is because I-95 will be on the left (and maybe a TO in between).

[Ian]

For the record, the noncentered I-276 is because I-95 will be on the left (and maybe a TO in between).

Yep, and I'm pretty sure that "Philadelphia" is the patched control city underneath "Penn Turnpike."

[agentsteel53]

Considering what was replaced here, these signs will always be a "worst" for me...

I wonder why they replaced the gantry.  was the material condition substandard?

[Kacie Jane]

Considering what was replaced here, these signs will always be a "worst" for me...

I wonder why they replaced the gantry.  was the material condition substandard?

Best guess?  The construction necessitated it, either because the widened freeway would no longer fit underneath it, or simply because it was easier to demolish and replace than it was to move.

[Alex]

They're not bad for what they are. This thread is mostly for incompetently designed signage.

I can agree with that, though I'm sure some might complain about the lack of exit tab (not to mention the exit number is centered). Other than that, the signs are fine, but I'll miss the old ones.

I'll complain that you used a shitty GSV image when you could have just posted a link to the pic on AARoads.  Loved that old sign bridge style too, there was a post on the NYCRoads FB group just this morning of that same style on the NJ Turnpike Extension.

[akotchi]

For the record, the noncentered I-276 is because I-95 will be on the left (and maybe a TO in between).

South I-95 TO, to be exact.  The space at the bottom will eventually say Philadelphia.  They are actually green overlays on the panel for now.

Having overseen the panel design at this interchange myself, I know that these panels were designed for the future routing.

I did have mixed feelings prescribing the removal of the old gantry though . . .  It had to come out primarily because the outer support conflicted with the new ramp and outer roadway geometry.

[Scott5114]

If you look at it objectively, without the inherent roadgeek attraction to the old and unusual, there is a glaring problem with the old one–the arrows can mislead one as labeling the rightmost mainline lane only as the Turnpike, or the leftmost exit lane as Exit 9. Now, I know it's pretty parsable when you look at the whole situation and the sign placement and what not, but it's not really consistent with the use of arrows outside Turnpikeland. We might not have a problem with it, but if you consider things from the point of view of Brainless Driver #236, well, the change was probably for the best.

I did have mixed feelings prescribing the removal of the old gantry though . . .

It might have been a bad idea to admit to being the one that signed off on the order to take it out.