Interstate Shields On Canadian or Mexican BBS/BGS

[mapman1071]

How are Interstate Shields designed and posted On Canadian or Mexican BBS/BGS.

[corco]

Here's one in Alberta

[NE2]

How are Interstate Shields designed and posted On Canadian or Mexican BBS/BGS.

Cheap Mexican labor.

[Alps]

Quebec does pretty well.

[KEK Inc.]

Here's one in Alberta

Dear God, that's awful.


Anywho,
http://goo.gl/maps/LYxSv

BBS in BC.
http://goo.gl/maps/enKxR

Here's some BC shields on I-5.

[Dr Frankenstein]

I disagree with Québec doing it "pretty well." They usually apply their own standard of using Series EM on BGS shields, which makes the shield look awful (it should be D.) Exceptions exist though: most of the I-87 shields on A-30 in Saint-Constant, and a few I-89 shields on A-30 WB in Brossard.

[AsphaltPlanet]

I don't think this is a bad rendition, though I am not much of a font observer:

[1995hoo]

Quebec does pretty well.
....

Now if they learned to spell the name "Plattsburgh"....

[Roadsguy]

Come to think of it, why does Canada use the FHWA font anyway? Or does it just look similar?

[KEK Inc.]

Come to think of it, why does Canada use the FHWA font anyway? Or does it just look similar?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FHWA_Series_fonts

Australia, New Zealand, Peru, and Taiwan also use it.

I don't really have an answer as to why, but I'm guessing they thought it was the most appropriate font to use on their signs.

[agentsteel53]

I don't really have an answer as to why, but I'm guessing they thought it was the most appropriate font to use on their signs.

as do Chile and Argentina.  or, if not exactly that, then something really close.  closer than, say, Michigan custom, for sure.

I don't really have an answer as to why, but I'm guessing they thought it was the most appropriate font to use on their signs.

yep.

now can someone explain Arialveticverstesk to me?  I figure it exists for the same reason that mosquitoes exist, but that doesn't make it a valid choice for anything; especially not highway signs.

[Dr Frankenstein]

Ontario usually does a good job with the Interstate shield.

New Brunswick uses Helvetica on both Interstate and U.S. shields, probably due to their own shields using that font.

The Netherlands also uses the FHWA fonts (or a variant thereof.) Québec jumped on the Clearview bandwagon; they even ended the experimental period and made it official.

Now if they learned to spell the name "Plattsburgh"....

That error has since been corrected.

[FreewayDan]

Here's an I-5 shield along Mexico 2 in Tijuana:
https://www.aaroads.com/west/bca/i-5_san_diego_overhead.jpg

There's also another I-5 shield as far south as Ensenada along northbound Mexico 1:
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=ensenada+mexico&hl=en&ll=31.904084,-116.725423&spn=0.004918,0.026071&safe=active&hnear=Ensenada+Municipality,+Baja+California,+Mexico&gl=us&t=m&z=16&layer=c&cbll=31.904092,-116.725434&panoid=beLhJhqsEF6PW1g3VSJe8Q&cbp=11,280.56,,1,-3.19

[Scott5114]

now can someone explain Arialveticverstesk to me?  I figure it exists for the same reason that mosquitoes exist, but that doesn't make it a valid choice for anything; especially not highway signs.

Helvetica was designed in 1957, and back then it was considered ultra modern. It was heavily used in the 60s, and since then has been a staple of graphic design. This means two things: a) it's often a default system font, so people that don't know better use it for the same reasons your office is filled with documents set in Calibri and/or Times New Roman, and b) general graphic designers that do not have road sign experience reach for it out of habit.

[kphoger]

There's also another I-5 shield as far south as Ensenada along northbound Mexico 1:
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=ensenada+mexico&hl=en&ll=31.904084,-116.725423&spn=0.004918,0.026071&safe=active&hnear=Ensenada+Municipality,+Baja+California,+Mexico&gl=us&t=m&z=16&layer=c&cbll=31.904092,-116.725434&panoid=beLhJhqsEF6PW1g3VSJe8Q&cbp=11,280.56,,1,-3.19

Distant trailblazers, anyone???

[machias]

I don't think this is a bad rendition, though I am not much of a font observer:

The predecesor to that sign listed "Interstate 81" written out in all text.

If memory serves correctly, farther up ON 401 is a "To US 37" shield referring to NY Route 37.

[Duke87]

If memory serves correctly, farther up ON 401 is a "To US 37" shield referring to NY Route 37.

On RR2 in Johnstown:


The following sign has it more or less correct, although they've stuck the black background on a BGS:

[AsphaltPlanet]

The predecesor to that sign listed "Interstate 81" written out in all text.

If memory serves correctly, farther up ON 401 is a "To US 37" shield referring to NY Route 37.

I don't remember the 'Interstate 81' era.  Courtesy Doug, this is the oldest iteration I remember:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dougtone/4118725290/in/set-72157622714179007

On the 401, all the US-37 shields have been replaced with NY-37 signs.  NY-37 was signed with a King's crown at the westbound ramp terminal for a while as well.  This sign has also been replaced:

[broadhurst04]

I don't think this is a bad rendition, though I am not much of a font observer:

They did a good job with the I-81 shield. But why don't they show an actual control city like Syracuse or Watertown instead of just "To U.S.A."? This is as bad as signs in Chicago using Iowa, Wisconsin, or Indiana as control cities. It's as if they're saying, "Nothing worthwhile at this exit. Just keep moving, folks".

[vdeane]

That's exactly what they're saying.  Ontario isn't exactly big on out-of-province destinations.  ON 16 even continues south to RR 2 instead of going over the Ogdensburg Bridge (which is what all the through traffic does), and before being downloaded in Cornwall, ON 138 did the same with the Seaway Bridge.  Though this made a bit more sense before ON 2 was downloaded, but still, on the NY side all these bridges have state highway designations (thought he Seaway Bridge is just a reference route; Ogdensburg is NY 812).

[1995hoo]

To be fair, the signs for US destinations in Montreal aren't exactly specific either–I recall them all saying "U.S.A.," "New York" (presumably meaning the state; one sign said "New-York" instead), or "Vermont." I don't remember the signs in Quebec City because it's been 29 years since I was last there, but I've seen pictures of the signs there simply saying "Maine."

Just off the top of my head, I wonder if part of the theory for using "U.S.A." instead of, say, "Syracuse NY" is to underscore to the motorist that he will be crossing an international border and must go through Customs? Just a thought that has no factual basis. (Of course it's the driver's responsibility to know such things, but we all know some people will be surprised to learn there's a border there.)

[AsphaltPlanet]

OTOH, the crossings in the Niagara Frontier of New York, and in Michigan for Ontario simply sign the crossing as "Canada" as well

[1995hoo]

OTOH, the crossings in the Niagara Frontier of New York, and in Michigan for Ontario simply sign the crossing as "Canada" as well

Yeah, I'm pretty sure I recall I-81 north of either Syracuse or Watertown being signed with a control "city" of Canada (compare to I-87 in the same state, which uses Montreal as the control city with no further designation of province or country). I suppose there isn't really any logical control city in either New York or Canada at that northern end of I-81.

[corco]

Just off the top of my head, I wonder if part of the theory for using "U.S.A." instead of, say, "Syracuse NY" is to underscore to the motorist that he will be crossing an international border and must go through Customs? Just a thought that has no factual basis. (Of course it's the driver's responsibility to know such things, but we all know some people will be surprised to learn there's a border there.)

I think that might be it- The control city in Idaho for the Canadian border is "Canada," with more specific Creston/Eastport signage at the US-95/Idaho 1 junction. Mileage signs exist for Creston, Cranbrook, and Junction BC 3 though. In BC, same thing- there's no signage for Bonner's Ferry or Sandpoint.

Alberta calls the USA- U.S.A. Border but there are mileage signs for Great Falls. Montana uses Lethbridge as the control city on their side of the border though.

Washington/BC have a pretty good relationship city-signing wise. There are a couple US Border signs in BC in the west part of the province, but many say "Seattle." Everything in Washington is "Vancouver B.C." and then smaller cities as you move east. The only place I can think of where "Canada" is a control city is on one lone sign on SR 31 north in the far east part of the state.

[vdeane]

OTOH, the crossings in the Niagara Frontier of New York, and in Michigan for Ontario simply sign the crossing as "Canada" as well

As do the ones in the 1000 Islands.  The ones on the Quebec border list destinations in Quebec.

OTOH, the crossings in the Niagara Frontier of New York, and in Michigan for Ontario simply sign the crossing as "Canada" as well

Yeah, I'm pretty sure I recall I-81 north of either Syracuse or Watertown being signed with a control "city" of Canada (compare to I-87 in the same state, which uses Montreal as the control city with no further designation of province or country). I suppose there isn't really any logical control city in either New York or Canada at that northern end of I-81.

I would use Ottawa.