The Worst of Road Signs

[agentsteel53]

Since neutered interstate shields that replace state-name shields are automatically in this category, it's my sad duty to report that the two state-named I-40 Tennessee shields that were located at Exit 407 are now gone. My guess is they were replaced when that massive Bass Pro Shops was built at that exit. It had been at least 12 years since I'd seen them, and I wasn't able to snap a picture when I did see them.

those were gone by February 2010 when I went to try to find them.

as far as I know, there are no state-named interstate shields left.  astonishingly, there are four state-named US shields that I know of.

[kinupanda]

Found this mess along I-30 in Texarkana, just west of the Arkansas state line (July 2005):

If you're going to make the spacing between the integers and fractions on the distance sign something ridiculous, at least make it consistently ridiculous and align things that should logically be aligned. Summerhill should have "Rd" after it also. And that should be FM 1397 (not SH 1397); same goes for FM 559 (not SH 559). Also, don't have the exit sign use the same mini-shield as the distance sign, and try to put the arrow where it belongs.

Luckily, this nightmare has been replaced, per this GSV. The 1/2 still looks a little odd, but at least they didn't replace US 71 with a Wisconsin shield.

[Scott5114]

Texas usually puts the arrow there.

[PurdueBill]

At least they also corrected the Clearview EXIT ONLY text in the new sign.  Also the arrow moving to within the yellow field complies with the most recent MUTCD suggestions, right?

How old were the "old" signs, anyway?  Seems like a waste to be replacing over and over--although in this case the "old" signs deserved to go. 

[national highway 1]

Found this mess along I-30 in Texarkana, just west of the Arkansas state line (July 2005):


Also, don't have the exit sign use the same mini-shield as the distance sign, and try to put the arrow where it belongs.

Texas usually puts the arrow there.

Not a big fan of Texas' arrow positions - would prefer the arrow be centered at the bottom or at the side.

[kinupanda]

Texas usually puts the arrow there.

That's common for a non-exit only lane, but from what I can tell based on photos/GSV/personal experience, the arrow usually does end up inside the exit only tab when it is such a situation. So this one seems to be the exception to the rule. I'd chalk this one up to "contractor's prerogative"...

Also the arrow moving to within the yellow field complies with the most recent MUTCD suggestions, right?

I believe so, and most of the newer installations I've seen seem to follow this well.

[texaskdog]

http://www.funnysigns.net/light-never-turns-green/

[Interstatefan78]

There are some of these around the Phillippsburg,NJ area namely the RT-173 east banners near the I-78 entrance if coming from US-22 east. The sign was a US highway banner, but I'm not sure if NJDOT made the mistake of signing RT-173 as a US highway or  the Bliss BLvd, and CR-638 intersetction and this shows RT-122 as a US higway,but NJDOT should put the correct state highway shields to help drivers who are getting out of the  super WalMart by using the RT-122 exit or the US-22 East exit which leads to RT-173 East and I-78 East.

[cpzilliacus]

Northbound Md. 124 (Montgomery Village Avenue) just north of the corporate limits of Gaithersburg is this sign.  My guess (based on the strip under the large panel) is that this was put up by the private Montgomery Village Foundation.


I had not noticed this sign before, but it was there when the Google Street View car came by (here).

[Central Avenue]

That amuses me, because it almost looks like it's meant to be promotional.

"Welcome to Montgomery Village: Speed Traps for All!"

[cpzilliacus]

That amuses me, because it almost looks like it's meant to be promotional.

"Welcome to Montgomery Village: Speed Traps for All!"

That may be what they intended, though Montgomery Village is a private association and has no authority on its own to enforce state traffic laws.  Like development in most of Montgomery County, Maryland, it is sits on unincorporated land, and the only law enforcement agency that normally does traffic enforcement is the Montgomery County Department of Police.

Regarding your comment, there are many photo radar units deployed there.

[kphoger]

Are there other regulatory speed limit signs as well?  Because I doubt that sign has any legal weight.

[cpzilliacus]

Are there other regulatory speed limit signs as well?  Because I doubt that sign has any legal weight.

Yeah, and at least a few signs warning of photo radar enforcement. 

Just north of this sign, Md. 124 (northbound) does a turn to the east onto the Midcounty Highway (Md. 124 eventually turns left from Midcounty Highway to continue north), while Montgomery Village Avenue continues north as a county road.

I think the "natural" 85th percentile speed for Montgomery Village Avenue is probably 45 or 50 MPH.

[WillWeaverRVA]

squished clearview with lowercase directional abbreviation, anyone? (the shafer street sign shouldn't have one at all! there is no s. shafer st)


Squished Clearview Signs at VCU by Will Weaver, on Flickr

Also, squished Helvetica!

[PurdueBill]

Not a fan of the Arial-looking Do Not Enter sign, either.  Get a real sign!

[Central Avenue]

(Psst: That's Arial, not Helvetica!)

I just noticed "left turn yield on green" is in Arial as well. Did somebody, like, put this stuff together in Microsoft Word? Jeez.

[cpzilliacus]

(Psst: That's Arial, not Helvetica!)

I just noticed "left turn yield on green" is in Arial as well. Did somebody, like, put this stuff together in Microsoft Word? Jeez.

Central, if you ever visit the District of Columbia, you will find a lot of Arial (DDOT seems to love that font for reasons not clear to me).

[formulanone]

Central, if you ever visit the District of Columbia, you will find a lot of Arial (DDOT seems to love that font for reasons not clear to me).

Miami does this as well; even shields are are not immune (although BGS's are).

[agentsteel53]

Miami does this as well; even shields are are not immune (although BGS's are).

there is a BGS on I-15 in Victorville, CA that is button copy, but with a retroreflective patch applied.  it says "Apple Valley" in Arialveticverstesk. 

I was reviewing my Mexico photos the other day and saw a BGS in Segoe UI in Mexico City.  good grief.  what is with the banal instinct of sign "designers" to paw blindly at the nearest corporate font-teat??

[WillWeaverRVA]

Honestly it's hard to tell the difference when the text is squished that much!

[Kniwt]

It's a cutout on the front page of today's Terre Haute Tribune-Star, so the background isn't there (hence the rest of the page), but yow.

[WillWeaverRVA]

It's a cutout on the front page of today's Terre Haute Tribune-Star, so the background isn't there (hence the rest of the page), but yow.

Good grief. I-US-40?

[hbelkins]

^^^^

Is that real, or a photo illustration?

[vtk]

I believe I've seen pictures of that or a very similar US 40 marker from Terre Haute before.

[SidS1045]

Good grief. I-US-40?

Just like I-US-1 in the Bronx.  From Alpsroads.net: