Only in this state....

[NE2]

-At least one state route that is only a state route while concurrent with another state route.

226 and 437 both do this, the former because 24A was created and the latter because the rest is now a county road.

[Big John]

Texas is the only state where I've seen U-turns under underpasses leading from one frontage road to the other. They are actually quite handy.

They are seen in other states, but are most common in Texas that they are referred to as "Texas U-turn"

[vdeane]

Texas is the only state where I've seen U-turns under underpasses leading from one frontage road to the other. They are actually quite handy.

I've seen two in Rochester, NY:
-NY 104 at Goodman Street
-NY 252 (not a freeway; this even existed prior to it becoming a divided highway) at NY 15

Speaking of speed limits, does not Vermont have only a 50 mph maximum on non freeways?  I know that the Super 2 part of US 7 does allow 55 mph, but that is a freeway. 

US 2 has some occasional 55mph zones in isolated areas.

[cpzilliacus]

Were it my call to make, such assemblies would be mandated by the MUTCD at every freeway entrance in the United States.

Not to change the topic, but since someone brought it up, I've never really seen the point of these signs, rather, I've just seen them as being extra clutter. Wisconsin doesn't even have it in their library of signs, however, I did see one rogue one at an on-ramp near downtown Milwaukee the other week. What do these signs tell the driver that they shouldn't already know based on other signs, pavement markings, and geometries? How does this sign change any of their behavior? Count me as one who hopes it never becomes mandated by the MUTCD.

I have never seen even one in the states I drive in the most (Md., Va., D.C., W.Va., Del., Penna., N.J., N.Y., N.C. and S.C.).

The reason I am in favor of such assemblies is I think they prevent at least some wrong-way incursions onto freeways - and - in areas where a driver is in unfamiliar territory, it makes it much easier to find the entrance to the freeway, in particular at night and in snowy, foggy or heavy rain conditions.

Isn't that what proper [upstream] route marker signage is for? The average driver doesn't care if they're entering a freeway, expressway, parkway, etc., they care about the route number and direction/destination.

[Emphasis added to your words above]

Consistency is good.  Those Caltrans-style FREEWAY ENTRANCE assemblies make it consistently clear where the entrance ramp(s) are, and what direction they lead drivers to.  Especially in the dark or when conditions are bad.  They also benefit older drivers.

I don't live in California, and I have not (at least not yet) driven my own vehicle there from the Atlantic coast.  So all of my miles are in a vehicle belonging to someone else.  I know some parts of Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego Counties pretty well, but I found that more than once, those assemblies made it much easier for me to find my way correctly onto the freeways.

I can see the benefit of such a sign at parclo location, such as what is shown in Figure 2D-14, but not as a mandate at all instances of an on-ramp. What would be the point at a diamond interchange ramp or SPUI?

Parclos and SPUIs may be the places where such assemblies are most needed.  But why stop there?  We are not talking about large overhead structures here.

My opinion is that if such assemblies are to be used, they should be predictably used at all freeway and toll road entrances.  Combine them with the consistent assemblies used by Caltrans to deter wrong-way entry, and I think there is significant public benefit.

[jp the roadgeek]

The only other state that has a 50 mph maximum, is Delaware

Don't know of any 2 lane roads in CT or RI that have a 55 MPH speed limit.  Max I've seen is 50 in rural areas.

[oscar]

In Arizona, one highway can inherit its mileposts equal to the mileposts of another highway it branches from. For example, if AZ 79 branches off AZ 77 at milepost 95, the next milepost on AZ 79 will be milepost 96. Many of the older state and US highways do this. This also explains the mileposts and exit numbering for I-17.

Alaska sometimes does that too.  AK 3's mileposts at its southern end pick up on AK 1's mileposts, with 36 the lowest AK 3 milepost.  North of Fairbanks, the Steese Highway changes number from AK 2 to AK 6, but the milepost sequence stays the same, while AK 2's mileposts reset to zero with the name change to the Elliott Highway.  Most unusually, AK 1's mileposts south of Anchorage pick up on AK 9's mileposts -- including both the Seward Highway part of AK 1 east of the AK 9 junction, and the Sterling Highway part west of that junction.  So when you travel south on AK 1, the mileposts descend from 124 in Anchorage to 38 east of the AK 9 junction, then start ascending again on the other side of the junction, from 37 near the junction to 171 in Homer.  All this because Alaska mileposts follow named rather than numbered highways. 

Alaskans also generally refer to highways by name rather than number, but so do Hawaiians (they both seem to consider route numbers a lower-48 thing). 

[cpzilliacus]

In Arizona, one highway can inherit its mileposts equal to the mileposts of another highway it branches from. For example, if AZ 79 branches off AZ 77 at milepost 95, the next milepost on AZ 79 will be milepost 96. Many of the older state and US highways do this. This also explains the mileposts and exit numbering for I-17.

Alaska sometimes does that too.  AK 3's mileposts at its southern end pick up on AK 1's milemarkers.  Most unusually, AK 1's mileposts south of Anchorage pick up on AK 9's mileposts -- including both the part east of AK 1 east of the AK 9 junction, and the part west of the junction.  So when you travel south on AK 1, the milemarkers descend to 38 east of the AK 9 junction, then start ascending again on the other side of the junction.  (Alaska milemarkers follow named rather than numbered highways, and AK 1 goes through a name change at the AK 9 junction.)

Does Alaska 11 have mileposts all the way up to its northern terminus?

[xcellntbuy]

Texas is the only state where I've seen U-turns under underpasses leading from one frontage road to the other. They are actually quite handy.

They also exist under Interstate 595 in south Florida.

[Revive 755]

Texas is the only state where I've seen U-turns under underpasses leading from one frontage road to the other. They are actually quite handy.

They also exist under Interstate 595 in south Florida.

There's some in Missouri:

* MO 367 freeway north of I-270
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=st.+louis&hl=en&ll=38.779995,-90.23486&spn=0.004997,0.008256&sll=42.032432,-88.091192&sspn=0.215482,0.528374&hnear=St+Louis,+Missouri&t=k&z=18

* US 40 at the MO 141 interchange:
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=st.+louis&hl=en&ll=38.642136,-90.508236&spn=0.00354,0.008256&sll=42.032432,-88.091192&sspn=0.215482,0.528374&hnear=St+Louis,+Missouri&t=k&z=18

* There were going to be a few along the joint section of MO 94/MO 364, but they were cut due to funding constraints.

Illinois has just one that I know of right now at the Elign O'Hare and Mecham Road:
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Elk+Grove+Village,+IL&hl=en&ll=41.9922,-88.044643&spn=0.003369,0.008256&sll=41.9923,-88.045388&sspn=0.003369,0.008256&oq=elk+gro&t=k&hnear=Elk+Grove+Village,+Cook,+Illinois&z=18

There has been one proposed under I-290 at Woodfield Road, and I think the Elgin O'Hare Extension may get a couple.


Does anyone other than Springfield, IL have a one-way couplet that extends beyond the downtown area with a 'left side drive' setup, complete with a grade separated transition back to a traditional two-way roadway?
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=springfield,+il&hl=en&ll=39.806429,-89.673631&spn=0.002462,0.004128&sll=41.991777,-88.047309&sspn=0.026952,0.066047&hnear=Springfield,+Sangamon,+Illinois&t=k&z=19

[oscar]

Does Alaska 11 have mileposts all the way up to its northern terminus?

Yes.  They start at MP1 about a mile north of jct AK 2, and end at MP413 on the south edge of Deadhorse.  No mileposts for the last two miles to the terminus at Lake Colleen Drive.

[pianocello]

Only in Michigan (almost): Michigan left turns.

Only in Illinois: centered exit tabs.

[cjk374]

Only in Louisiana (maybe not totally): Are 3di's squished into 2di shields. I know other states do this, but we seem to have it across the board. I-220 and US 171 come to mind

The opposite happens in Texas, with 2di interstate routes placed within a 3di shield.

Louisiana is the only state that can fit 5 digits (refering to the state route shields) on what most states would consider to be a 2 digit shield.  I never knew there was such a thing until I started noticing Arkansas's shield sizes, then Mississippi's. Then after being on this site I read about them.  Now Louisiana has what most states would consider to be a 3 digit shield.  You could probably fit 7 or 8 digits on these signs!   

What has shocked me so far about this thread is how many things some states have in common.

[CentralCAroadgeek]

Only in Illinois: centered exit tabs.

Also in Oregon...

[Kacie Jane]

Only in Illinois: centered exit tabs.

Also in Oregon...

And Washington (centered text on a full-width tab).  Centered tabs are less common but still easily found in New Jersey and Connecticut.

[roadman65]

Only in Michigan (almost): Michigan left turns.

Only in Illinois: centered exit tabs.

Michigan left turns are on US 301 now on MD's Eastern Shore.
Kacie Jane is right about NJ.  I have not been to the Pacific North-West, but I can also tell you that NYS has some places  with centered  exit tabs and have them photographed on my flickr page as well.

In fact, I believe that Georgia is one of a kind with its exit numbers being on the main part of the sign inside a rectangle just like the PA Turnpike interchange names and unlike the NJ Turnpike that has the exit numbers within the sign, but not in a separate box.

[DaBigE]

Were it my call to make, such assemblies would be mandated by the MUTCD at every freeway entrance in the United States.

Not to change the topic, but since someone brought it up, I've never really seen the point of these signs, rather, I've just seen them as being extra clutter. Wisconsin doesn't even have it in their library of signs, however, I did see one rogue one at an on-ramp near downtown Milwaukee the other week. What do these signs tell the driver that they shouldn't already know based on other signs, pavement markings, and geometries? How does this sign change any of their behavior? Count me as one who hopes it never becomes mandated by the MUTCD.

I have never seen even one in the states I drive in the most (Md., Va., D.C., W.Va., Del., Penna., N.J., N.Y., N.C. and S.C.).

The reason I am in favor of such assemblies is I think they prevent at least some wrong-way incursions onto freeways - and - in areas where a driver is in unfamiliar territory, it makes it much easier to find the entrance to the freeway, in particular at night and in snowy, foggy or heavy rain conditions.

Isn't that what proper [upstream] route marker signage is for? The average driver doesn't care if they're entering a freeway, expressway, parkway, etc., they care about the route number and direction/destination.

[Emphasis added to your words above]

Consistency is good.  Those Caltrans-style FREEWAY ENTRANCE assemblies make it consistently clear where the entrance ramp(s) are, and what direction they lead drivers to.  Especially in the dark or when conditions are bad.  They also benefit older drivers.

I don't live in California, and I have not (at least not yet) driven my own vehicle there from the Atlantic coast.  So all of my miles are in a vehicle belonging to someone else.  I know some parts of Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego Counties pretty well, but I found that more than once, those assemblies made it much easier for me to find my way correctly onto the freeways.

I can see the benefit of such a sign at parclo location, such as what is shown in Figure 2D-14, but not as a mandate at all instances of an on-ramp. What would be the point at a diamond interchange ramp or SPUI?

Parclos and SPUIs may be the places where such assemblies are most needed.  But why stop there?  We are not talking about large overhead structures here.

My opinion is that if such assemblies are to be used, they should be predictably used at all freeway and toll road entrances.  Combine them with the consistent assemblies used by Caltrans to deter wrong-way entry, and I think there is significant public benefit.

Until there is some hard numbers/research released on the effect of such signage, I think we'll have to agree to disagree. Many of the interchanges are turning into sign forests already, regardless of whether the Freeway Entrance sign is an overhead structure or not. We've gotten by just fine without them around here for so long, I say use the limited money on signage elsewhere. The wrong way issues we are having cannot be solved by signage...rather they are of the inebriated driver variety. You could post a million flashing signs and they'd still not get the message.

[roadman65]

True in the last post.  I did not want to make too many quotes, so I started another post in regards to the last one.

No matter what road agencies do.  No matter how many signs go up.  No matter how simple you can make it for drivers, some drivers do not get the message.  Overhead lane control with EXIT ONLY for ending lanes does not stop last minuet lane changes, especially with the dotted lines used in conjunction with the black on yellow exit only warnings.  Even my first time seeing the dotted pavement markings in my 1988 trip to CA, I instantly figured out what those lines meant.  Being that they were by themselves to the far right, made me realize something was happening to that lane I was in.  Within a split second, I figured out my lane was exiting as there could be no other explanation to why those dotted lines were there.

What gets me is experienced truck drivers drive in exiting lanes and make their way back at the point of diverge.  I used to operate a CB radio, so I know that truckers do indeed know the roads and most likely road geeks of the 80s were using these like I did then for great road conversations before internet came in to the scene.

  All truckers that had radios, back in the day were able to talk freely about every instance and things about highways and actually did.  Yet, in 1989 when I used to travel I-287 to work many CB gabbing truck drivers were suprised that the right lane of the four lane carriageway of I-287 NB at NJ 27  became the ramp to NJ 27 south and quickly weaved over into the main roadway.

In Celebration, FL it took many warning signs and flashing yellow lights and red flashing STOP signs along with overhead flashing beacons (now fully operational signal since Celebration High School opened nearby), and a  large wall at the southern end of World Drive to inform motorists that the roadway ended and a retention pond beyond the pavement ending.  This is all because many motorists would drive into the pond when a moron with a half a brain could figure out that the road was ending and intersecting with another road!  I will even bet that to this day, the wall at the end gets crashed into spite everything including a 35 mph posted speed limit on World Drive.

[cpzilliacus]

Until there is some hard numbers/research released on the effect of such signage, I think we'll have to agree to disagree.

That is perfectly O.K.

Many of the interchanges are turning into sign forests already, regardless of whether the Freeway Entrance sign is an overhead structure or not.

In my opinion, putting them overhead defeats the purpose of having them.  Caltrans-style FREEWAY ENTRANCE assemblies should be on both sides of every ramp in order to "show the way" for drivers.

We've gotten by just fine without them around here for so long, I say use the limited money on signage elsewhere. The wrong way issues we are having cannot be solved by signage...rather they are of the inebriated driver variety. You could post a million flashing signs and they'd still not get the message.

I agree with you that many wrong way drivers are about drivers that are drunk or otherwise impaired.  But I think that obsessively signing on- and off-ramps to and from freeways (as Caltrans does) are one way to deter (not prevent) wrong-way incursions (and the resulting head-on and frequently fatal wrecks).

[cpzilliacus]

True in the last post.  I did not want to make too many quotes, so I started another post in regards to the last one.

No matter what road agencies do.  No matter how many signs go up.  No matter how simple you can make it for drivers, some drivers do not get the message.  Overhead lane control with EXIT ONLY for ending lanes does not stop last minuet lane changes, especially with the dotted lines used in conjunction with the black on yellow exit only warnings.  Even my first time seeing the dotted pavement markings in my 1988 trip to CA, I instantly figured out what those lines meant.  Being that they were by themselves to the far right, made me realize something was happening to that lane I was in.  Within a split second, I figured out my lane was exiting as there could be no other explanation to why those dotted lines were there.

You quite probably have a much  better "search pattern" (as they called it in my driver education class) than many other drivers out there.

What gets me is experienced truck drivers drive in exiting lanes and make their way back at the point of diverge.  I used to operate a CB radio, so I know that truckers do indeed know the roads and most likely road geeks of the 80s were using these like I did then for great road conversations before internet came in to the scene.

Those truck drivers are not unique in that obnoxious driving behavior.

All truckers that had radios, back in the day were able to talk freely about every instance and things about highways and actually did.  Yet, in 1989 when I used to travel I-287 to work many CB gabbing truck drivers were suprised that the right lane of the four lane carriageway of I-287 NB at NJ 27  became the ramp to NJ 27 south and quickly weaved over into the main roadway.

I remember those sorts of discussions on CB radios as well.

In Celebration, FL it took many warning signs and flashing yellow lights and red flashing STOP signs along with overhead flashing beacons (now fully operational signal since Celebration High School opened nearby), and a  large wall at the southern end of World Drive to inform motorists that the roadway ended and a retention pond beyond the pavement ending.  This is all because many motorists would drive into the pond when a moron with a half a brain could figure out that the road was ending and intersecting with another road!  I will even bet that to this day, the wall at the end gets crashed into spite everything including a 35 mph posted speed limit on World Drive.

I have never been in metropolitan Orlando, Florida - but I have driven in other parts of the Sunshine State, including Tampa-St. Petersburg and Miami-Dade and Fort Lauderdale.  The number of bad drivers in both parts of the state (both elderly drivers who should have their driving privileges permanently revoked; and in Miami, ultra-aggressive drivers, many of which were (supposedly) Cuban-American) was impressive in a very bad kind of way.

I wonder how many of the drivers you describe above might be elderly and no longer qualified to operate a motor vehicle on the public highway network?

[Kacie Jane]

In fact, I believe that Georgia is one of a kind with its exit numbers being on the main part of the sign inside a rectangle just like the PA Turnpike interchange names and unlike the NJ Turnpike that has the exit numbers within the sign, but not in a separate box.

Nope.  That's what I meant in my post when I said "centered text with full-width tab".

Exit 171 in Georgia: http://goo.gl/maps/LU8gd
Exit 171 in Washington: http://goo.gl/maps/HOUUi

In fact, had I not just proven it wrong, I'd have been tempted to put this up as an "only in Washington".  Full-width tabs are also common in Illinois and Maryland, but there they have the good sense to put the text on the right side (or left for left-hand exit).

[cpzilliacus]

Full-width tabs are also common in Illinois and Maryland, but there they have the good sense to put the text on the right side (or left for left-hand exit).

Maryland? I cannot name even one (at least not currently).

[NE2]

Michigan left turns are on US 301 now on MD's Eastern Shore.

Those are J-turns; you cannot go straight across US 301 like you can at a Michigan Left.

[Kacie Jane]

Full-width tabs are also common in Illinois and Maryland, but there they have the good sense to put the text on the right side (or left for left-hand exit).

Maryland? I cannot name even one (at least not currently).

I may have been mistaken.  I think I was merely remembering their tendency to have far too much greenspace in their tabs, and my nonfunctional brain chose to visualize it as something else.

[silverback1065]

Only in California, cut out us route shields that say U.S. on them.

[oscar]

Only in California, cut out us route shields that say U.S. on them.

There's one in Nevada (really a sign error of the best kind):

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=3959.msg86834#msg86834

But California has to be the only state where the standard route marker for every level of highway (Interstate, US, state, county) is a cutout.  Other states (Virginia, for example) have some US and state route cutouts, but they are not the norm and, regrettably, are becoming less common.