Welcome to signs/displays

[relaxok]

At the New Brunswick/Nova Scotia Border

I think this one takes the cake..that's classy!

[thenetwork]

Many of the Welcome to Michigan signs in the 80's & 90's were all one-of-a-kind...since they would place a star on the sign/state outline where you were crossing the border at.   

[agentsteel53]

Wow! I love it!  Not exactly tasteful but it looks especially good in that photo with the night sky.

you can barely see a purple aurora in that photo.  the next night I was at the same spot and got bright green lights over the road.  I need to post some photos from that batch!

[vtk]

In Ohio, there's a standard sign (for non-freeways) that says which county you're entering, and which you're leaving.  There's also a (newer) standard sign that says which township you're entering, and that sign is optional.  The problem is the township name on the one sign is much larger than the county names on the other sign, and the two signs are often posted side by side.  This can make it quite difficult to quickly determine which county you're entering at the border.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

In Ohio, there's a standard sign (for non-freeways) that says which county you're entering, and which you're leaving.  There's also a (newer) standard sign that says which township you're entering, and that sign is optional.  The problem is the township name on the one sign is much larger than the county names on the other sign, and the two signs are often posted side by side.  This can make it quite difficult to quickly determine which county you're entering at the border.

The new (as of the last five years or so) township signs you mention is on par with municipality signs we see in Ohio.

[kphoger]

US-Mexico border near Colombia, NL, over the Río Grande
And, yes, we parked on the bridge.

[agentsteel53]

US-Mexico border near Colombia, NL, over the Río Grande
And, yes, we parked on the bridge.

[photo]

very similar to the crossing at Tecate, apart from that being an arbitrary line over land.

[CentralCAroadgeek]

What I believe is the new Oregon welcome sign located on I-5 north. Not what I expected, honestly, though it is VERY nice.

[OCGuy81]

That must be fairly new.  I drove that stretch about a year ago and don't recall seeing it.  There is a really nice one if you take US 97 north into Oregon now.  Big improvement over the generic looking signs they used to use.

[nwi_navigator_1181]

Coming from Chicago on the Borman in October, 2010.

Just as nice is the signage for traffic going the opposite direction. "Welcome to Illinois" is etched into the westbound facing portion of the Wentworth Avenue bridge, along with a standard sign at ground level with traveler's information.

[CentralCAroadgeek]

Some more,

British Columbia:


The USA:


Washington:

[PHLBOS]

Surprised these PA relics haven't gotten much nod:


PA 652, Darbytown, Damascus Township, Pennsylvania.

US 202 just north of the Delaware border sports a similar sign.

I just wish they hadn't abandoned the old design with the right and left sides of the top of the sign cut off.  Now THAT was unique.

Agreed 100%. I wish they hadn't gotten rid of their custom font and arrow either.

Actually, that paddle sign's an oddity in that the font for the route number is actually FWHA font series 'D'.

US 5...how sad....

In fairness, Massachusetts has a somewhat more interesting sign for its borders crossed by Interstate highways.  The "Welcome to Massachusetts" legend is decorated with pictures of the state flower (the trailing arbutus, also called the mayflower), the state bird (the chickadee) and the state fowl (the turkey).

In the old days, the supplemental Massachusetts Gun Law sign would be larger than any Welcome to Massachusetts sign one encountered even on the Interstates.

[agentsteel53]

when did MA abandon the cut-corner signs?  1978 or so?

the Fall River sign with 138 is all standard fonts: the destination text is in Series A.

here's one with a non-standard font set:



gone, as far as I know.

[allniter89]

What does the yellow road sign a little further down the street indicate, speed bump?

[doorknob60]

I'm not a fan of Oregon's. It generally looks like this:


It's not the "Welcome to Oregon" I have a problem with (though it is a little boring), it's that damn Speed 55! Even driving on the most remote roads possible, like US 95, as soon as you hit the border, BAM, 55

There is a really nice one if you take US 97 north into Oregon now.  Big improvement over the generic looking signs they used to use.

Really? I last drove through there in late May and didn't notice anything. Now I'm curious what it looks like I'm sure it's still accompanied by the dumb 55 though 

[PHLBOS]

when did MA abandon the cut-corner signs?  1978 or so?

1974-1975.

the Fall River sign with 138 is all standard fonts: the destination text is in Series A.

here's one with a non-standard font set:



gone, as far as I know.

By standard font, I was referring to the MassDPW fonts (which is displayed on that MA 62 LGS) that existed at the time.  Most 'paddle' LGS' didn't start sporting FHWA-style fonts until the mid-70s; which coincided w/the DPW's discontinuing the 'cut' corner primary LGS.  That MA 138 LGS (probably early-mid 70s vintage) is an exception to other DPW LGS' of the era, not the rule.

The DPW-styled fonts for LGS' lingured into the mid-80s; mostly subject to which lettering spec a sign fabricator used or had on hand.

[roadman]

when did MA abandon the cut-corner signs?  1978 or so?

MassDPW officially abandonded the "cut-corner" directional signs in favor of square and rectangular panels in 1972, shortly after they adopted the 1971 MUTCD.  However, they didn't start replacing existing signs en-masse until the late 1970s.  And, as you and other have pointed out, there are still isolated examples of the design in place throughout the state to this day.

[agentsteel53]

MassDPW officially abandonded the "cut-corner" directional signs in favor of square and rectangular panels in 1972, shortly after they adopted the 1971 MUTCD.  However, they didn't start replacing existing signs en-masse until the late 1970s.  And, as you and other have pointed out, there are still isolated examples of the design in place throughout the state to this day.

I could've sworn I once saw a cut-corner with a '73 date code.  slow adoption, probably?  or they had the sign made but not yet installed.

[agentsteel53]

It's not the "Welcome to Oregon" I have a problem with (though it is a little boring), it's that damn Speed 55! Even driving on the most remote roads possible, like US 95, as soon as you hit the border, BAM, 55

heh, I've done the Oregon segment of US-95 averaging 86mph before, and that includes the mandatory gas station stop in Jordan.

[roadman]

I could've sworn I once saw a cut-corner with a '73 date code.  slow adoption, probably?  or they had the sign made but not yet installed.

It's very likely that some signs were still fabricated with cut corners after 1972.  My best guess is that the sign shop got a priority order, and still had some pre-painted "cut corner" blanks (yes, the corners were cut beforehand) on hand.

[vdeane]

The USA:

At least out west you get nice signs like that.  All the NY ones use a NY state welcome sign.

[agentsteel53]

where is that USA welcome sign?  I don't believe I've ever seen it.

my guess is I-5 at Blaine.

[corco]

my guess is I-5 at Blaine.

There's actually two- one at I-5 and one at SR 543. None of the other Washington crossings have them, at least as of 2008.

[agentsteel53]

I was just guessing based on the terrain.  I've crossed into Canada at Blaine, but never into the US.  I might have spotted that elaborate welcome sign in the rear-view mirror but was probably too busy getting my passport out for Canadian customs!

[corco]

I was just guessing based on the terrain.  I've crossed into Canada at Blaine, but never into the US.  I might have spotted that elaborate welcome sign in the rear-view mirror but was probably too busy getting my passport out for Canadian customs!

It's actually north of US customs but on US soil- so you'd likely have just cleared the border and been in a hurry to get away from it

http://goo.gl/maps/B0RUc