Single Overheads Requiring 4+ Shields

[cpzilliacus]

Breezewood is a control city?

Unfortunately, some at Maryland SHA seem to think so.  Of course, it is unworthy of that honor.

I guess with all those businesses...

Anyway, the middle-photo sign looks kinda weird.

Those businesses should not be there.

[Mr_Northside]

Breezewood is a control city?
I guess with all those businesses...

I don't think it has anything to do with the businesses, or the size of Breezewood itself (which is an unincorporated location)... I'm sure it's a control city just because it is a well-known (not just in the traditional traffic-lights-on-an-interstrate way)  junction of 2  main routes (I-70 & I-76).  Sort of like New Stanton to the west. 
I'm also pretty sure that the location of the photo in question (Hancock, MD) is used as a control city in places, since it's a junction of I-70/68/US-522.

Those businesses should not be there.

I'm gonna have to disagree with that.  They set up where they were allowed to.  Some might even pre-date I-70.
Hell... they even have the right to lobby / petition for policies they feel best help their business.

It's "The Powers That Be", that has chosen not to stand up and "do the right thing", and correct this anomaly (With what seems like would be two relatively easy ramps to the old TPK alignment, bypassing the traffic signals).

[CentralCAroadgeek]

Here is one on US-101 south towards the 4-Level Interchange in LA:


And one of its CA-110 northbound counterparts:

[BamaZeus]

What is that funky building in the background that looks like the world's largest playground slide?

[NE2]

What is that funky building in the background that looks like the world's largest playground slide?

Ramón C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts.

[roadman65]

I was cruisin through street view and found one assembly with 5 shields on one large sign.
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Wilmington,+NC&hl=en&ll=34.234051,-77.96731&spn=0.009101,0.021136&sll=27.698638,-83.804601&sspn=9.892242,21.643066&oq=wil&t=m&hnear=Wilmington,+New+Hanover,+North+Carolina&z=16&layer=c&cbll=34.23405,-77.967027&panoid=gtqg4DGT8-ZVHiNJ_LyN-Q&cbp=12,97.01,,0,0

On NB US 17, EB US 74, and EB US 76 entering Wilmington at the US 421 Interchange is this located.

[Bud8Amp88]

Here's perhaps the only overhead in Nova Scotia containing 4 provincial highway shields on one sign:
http://goo.gl/maps/PVJK5

I suspect it's a relic of the days where the interchange just before this gantry was a rotary (roundabout, traffic circle, whatever...). Strange that it was never updated, since it implies that NS-111 exits itself. Doesn't really matter since all the other gantrys approaching Exit 4 are correct.

[hbelkins]

I was cruisin through street view and found one assembly with 5 shields on one large sign.
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Wilmington,+NC&hl=en&ll=34.234051,-77.96731&spn=0.009101,0.021136&sll=27.698638,-83.804601&sspn=9.892242,21.643066&oq=wil&t=m&hnear=Wilmington,+New+Hanover,+North+Carolina&z=16&layer=c&cbll=34.23405,-77.967027&panoid=gtqg4DGT8-ZVHiNJ_LyN-Q&cbp=12,97.01,,0,0

On NB US 17, EB US 74, and EB US 76 entering Wilmington at the US 421 Interchange is this located.

Here's a shot I took of this signage back in the summer.

[roadman65]

I was cruisin through street view and found one assembly with 5 shields on one large sign.
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Wilmington,+NC&hl=en&ll=34.234051,-77.96731&spn=0.009101,0.021136&sll=27.698638,-83.804601&sspn=9.892242,21.643066&oq=wil&t=m&hnear=Wilmington,+New+Hanover,+North+Carolina&z=16&layer=c&cbll=34.23405,-77.967027&panoid=gtqg4DGT8-ZVHiNJ_LyN-Q&cbp=12,97.01,,0,0

On NB US 17, EB US 74, and EB US 76 entering Wilmington at the US 421 Interchange is this located.

Here's a shot I took of this signage back in the summer.

Your shot is better!

I also noticed that there are seven control cities in addition to eight shields.  Sine salad or overkill for sure!  All you need is to be passing an 18 wheeler and you have missed the boat.

[KEK Inc.]

I was cruisin through street view and found one assembly with 5 shields on one large sign.
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Wilmington,+NC&hl=en&ll=34.234051,-77.96731&spn=0.009101,0.021136&sll=27.698638,-83.804601&sspn=9.892242,21.643066&oq=wil&t=m&hnear=Wilmington,+New+Hanover,+North+Carolina&z=16&layer=c&cbll=34.23405,-77.967027&panoid=gtqg4DGT8-ZVHiNJ_LyN-Q&cbp=12,97.01,,0,0

On NB US 17, EB US 74, and EB US 76 entering Wilmington at the US 421 Interchange is this located.

Here's a shot I took of this signage back in the summer.

Time to break out the binoculars while driving!

[yakra]

North end of the Maine Turnpike.
Why the weird layout and empty greenspace? There used to be a TO [3] there, before the northern Augusta bypass and Exit 113 opened.

[cpzilliacus]

Those businesses should not be there.

I'm gonna have to disagree with that.  They set up where they were allowed to.  Some might even pre-date I-70.
Hell... they even have the right to lobby / petition for policies they feel best help their business.

It's "The Powers That Be", that has chosen not to stand up and "do the right thing", and correct this anomaly (With what seems like would be two relatively easy ramps to the old TPK alignment, bypassing the traffic signals).

Allow me to re-phrase - the businesses would not be there (at least not in the quantities observed on the ground) if not for the presence of a breezewood.

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (PennDOT and PTC) should have followed the lead of other states that once had many breezewoods, but have remediated them - specific examples include Ohio and New York, where there were once quite a few of them (especially Ohio, but Ohio DOT and the Ohio Turnpike Commission have gotten rid of all of them).   But Pennsylvania will not do anything about any of its breezewoods without a shove from Congress.

Other than Pennsylvania, the only states (I can think of) with breezewoods are New Jersey (Belmawr, with the non-connection between the Turnpike and I-76/N.J. 42/ACE) and Florida (the Sunshine State has a "semi-breezewood" at Fort Pierce where the northbound Turnpike and I-95 finally diverge from each other, with the Turnpike turning inland in the direction of Orlando and I-95 continuing along the Atlantic Coast toward Jacksonville (here).

[NE2]

Other than Pennsylvania, the only states (I can think of) with breezewoods are New Jersey (Belmawr, with the non-connection between the Turnpike and I-76/N.J. 42/ACE) and Florida (the Sunshine State has a "semi-breezewood" at Fort Pierce where the northbound Turnpike and I-95 finally diverge from each other, with the Turnpike turning inland in the direction of Orlando and I-95 continuing along the Atlantic Coast toward Jacksonville (here).

Florida has a half at the Turnpike and SR 528, and a simple non-connection at SR 417. Ohio still has one at the Turnpike and I-475, and a non-connection at I-271. Kansas has one at the Turnpike and US 54-400. New York has one at the Thruway and I-790.

[kphoger]

Kansas has one at the Turnpike and US 54-400.

Huh?  The connection between the KTA and US-54/400 is (except for the toll booth) a full freeway connection.  If you're referring to the stoplight at the Kellogg frontage road crossover, that's simply because that portion of Kellogg is not a freeway yet.  The freeway portion of Kellogg ends at Rock Rd (or the Eastern St bridge, if you prefer), and doesn't resume until east of Augusta–a distance of 15 miles.  At any rate, I believe the next construction project on the books includes the elimination of that stoplight as well as a few to the east.

[NE2]

If you're referring to the stoplight at the Kellogg frontage road crossover

Indeed. There's a single light between two freeways.

[jeffandnicole]

Other than Pennsylvania, the only states (I can think of) with breezewoods are New Jersey (Belmawr, with the non-connection between the Turnpike and I-76/N.J. 42/ACE)...

The difference is that Breezewood contains the thru-routing of I-70 on local streets.  One doesn't need to go thru a town to continue on the Turnpike or 76/42.  There are dozens of examples of non-direct connections between two different routes.

[NE2]

The difference is that Breezewood contains the thru-routing of I-70 on local streets.

This is really an accident of numbering. If I-78 were extended to Pittsburgh via 81-76-376, it wouldn't make the Carlisle breezewood any worse.

[cpzilliacus]

Other than Pennsylvania, the only states (I can think of) with breezewoods are New Jersey (Belmawr, with the non-connection between the Turnpike and I-76/N.J. 42/ACE)...

The difference is that Breezewood contains the thru-routing of I-70 on local streets.  One doesn't need to go thru a town to continue on the Turnpike or 76/42.  There are dozens of examples of non-direct connections between two different routes.

You are, of course, correct.

It's not nearly as blatant as the breezewood in Breezewood.

But that still doesn't excuse the lack of a connection between the Turnpike and that collection of routes.

[kphoger]

If you're referring to the stoplight at the Kellogg frontage road crossover

Indeed. There's a single light between two freeways.

Five years ago, you couldn't have said that, because the intersection at Kellogg & Rock was also a stoplight.  The only reason that one stoplight is noteworthy now is that the freeway portion of Kellogg is steadily being extended eastward, and that lone stoplight got left in between phases of construction.  This is really the opposite of Breezewood, which is against freeway-zation.

[Ace10]

Other than Pennsylvania, the only states (I can think of) with breezewoods are New Jersey (Belmawr, with the non-connection between the Turnpike and I-76/N.J. 42/ACE)...

The difference is that Breezewood contains the thru-routing of I-70 on local streets.  One doesn't need to go thru a town to continue on the Turnpike or 76/42.  There are dozens of examples of non-direct connections between two different routes.

You are, of course, correct.

It's not nearly as blatant as the breezewood in Breezewood.

But that still doesn't excuse the lack of a connection between the Turnpike and that collection of routes.

I would think there wouldn't be a direct connection between Florida's Turnpike and I-95 where they start paralleling each other south of Fort Pierce just to prevent (or at least deter) lots of southbound traffic from easily getting onto I-95 to shunpike. It's more of a deterrent if there is no freeway-to-freeway connection, though FDOT/FTE does make it easy because they post TO Turnpike/TO I-95 guide signs on the other roadways.

I do see the New Jersey Turnpike (I-95) and I-295 parallel each other for quite a distance, too, with at least one direct connection between the two just after crossing the Delaware. There aren't any other direct connections that I can see; the easiest fully-freeway one would be via I-195 near Trenton.

As said above, though, drivers aren't required to exit, go through non-controlled-access intersections, and then go back onto the freeway to continue on the same route in either of the cases above.

[NE2]

I would think there wouldn't be a direct connection between Florida's Turnpike and I-95 where they start paralleling each other south of Fort Pierce just to prevent (or at least deter) lots of southbound traffic from easily getting onto I-95 to shunpike.

On the other hand, Jax-Miami traffic would be more likely to hop on the Turnpike if there were direct ramps.

[agentsteel53]

On the other hand, Jax-Miami traffic would be more likely to hop on the Turnpike if there were direct ramps.

why is that?  solely because 95 sucks through Fort Lauderdale?

[cpzilliacus]

On the other hand, Jax-Miami traffic would be more likely to hop on the Turnpike if there were direct ramps.

why is that?  solely because 95 sucks through Fort Lauderdale?

Been many years since I was in Florida, but given a choice between Florida's Turnpike and I-95 from Miami to Fort Pierce, I would much rather pay the tolls and enjoy the lower number of interchanges on the Pike.  Of course, it would be even nicer if the Florida toll roads would get with the program and join the E-ZPass Group.

[formulanone]

On the other hand, Jax-Miami traffic would be more likely to hop on the Turnpike if there were direct ramps.

why is that?  solely because 95 sucks through Fort Lauderdale?

It's not terrible until you hit the Golden glades. Boring, yes. Sucks...not as bad as the tolled rollerball match Miami-Dade has made most of I-95, or a free parking lot.

[roadman65]

On the other hand, Jax-Miami traffic would be more likely to hop on the Turnpike if there were direct ramps.

why is that?  solely because 95 sucks through Fort Lauderdale?

You haven't driven through West Palm Beach lately?