White Backround signs that are still being designed and used today

[roadman65]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/54480415@N08/8756414318/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54480415@N08/8710894837/in/photostream

Above are some examples of modern day signs with white backrounds that are  still out in the field being used.  The second photo link has the sign to the left of the roadway being used as an actual guide sign.  Most likely in the second photo the MUTCD is not being followed (like with the JUNCTION sign in the foreground) because it acts more as a traffic control sign than a guide sign. 

In Florida, we are using them quite frequently like being done in the first link photo in the past few years especially with shield assemblies.  I was wondering the other such cases being used around, if any, that are being designed or have been created in modern times.

[Scott5114]

Chickasha, OK has all of its city limit signs in black on white. And its mastarm guidesigns went from mixed case white on green, to all-caps black on white

[1995hoo]

Exiting the Outer Loop of I-495 in Virginia at Gallows Road (old Exit 7; I think it's now 51), there's a new (within the past year) black-on-white Clearview guide sign with arrows. Looks like someone just utterly messed up. I'm headed that way this afternoon and will try to get a picture if traffic permits.

[deathtopumpkins]

If I understand correctly, the justification for using black-on-white in these situations is that the signs themselves are technically classified as lane use signs (a subset of regulatory signs) rather than guide signs.

In other words, the signs aren't telling you which way to go for which route, but rather where you HAVE to go from each lane.

[kphoger]

Texas is full of them.

Examples:

(from okroads)


(from wikipedia)


(from flickr) (egad!)

[1995hoo]

Exiting the Outer Loop of I-495 in Virginia at Gallows Road (old Exit 7; I think it's now 51), there's a new (within the past year) black-on-white Clearview guide sign with arrows. Looks like someone just utterly messed up. I'm headed that way this afternoon and will try to get a picture if traffic permits.

Meeting was cancelled, so maybe later this week. The sign I'm describing is not one telling you which lane to use–it's one with the names of the intersecting streets with arrows saying which way to go for each. Should be white-on-green, in other words.

[myosh_tino]

Because trucks are banned from the 1990's section of CA-85, Caltrans put up big white signs on northbound US 101 in south San Jose and CA-17 in Los Gatos denoting the restriction.

[sdmichael]

Caltrans posted a new white/black elevation sign on Angeles Crest Highway at Cloudburst Summit. It replaced a standard green/black sign.

[roadman]

Town line signs on Massachusetts secondary state routes (often referred to as "bookleaf" signs) are black on white.  Directional signs on Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket are also black on white, with teal top and bottom borders.

[roadman65]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/54480415@N08/8755365489/

Here are some more common signs around Florida.  Notice the elongated FL 61 shield that is the same size as the US shields for US 27 and US 90 with their borders.  Some of the newer assemblies have a FL Route shield with a white back round.  In other words white on white.

[agentsteel53]

Town line signs on Massachusetts secondary state routes (often referred to as "bookleaf" signs) are black on white.  Directional signs on Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket are also black on white, with teal top and bottom borders.

are any of those new?  I saw a bunch of them this weekend and they all appeared to be repaints of ancient gantries.

also found a porcelain sign dating to the 1910s - possibly the oldest sign in Mass?  blue with white text!

[NE2]

Aren't these the "bookleaf" signs? http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Scituate_ma_entering_sign.jpg

[Alex]

Sign posted in 2003 for the Bankhead Tunnel. The sign in the opposite direction displays "US 98" in text.

[kphoger]

If I understand correctly, the justification for using black-on-white in these situations is that the signs themselves are technically classified as lane use signs (a subset of regulatory signs) rather than guide signs.

In other words, the signs aren't telling you which way to go for which route, but rather where you HAVE to go from each lane.

Especially seeing that last example, posted by Alex, I wonder if there's MUTCD guidance recommending white backgrounds for road use restrictions.

[deathtopumpkins]

If I understand correctly, the justification for using black-on-white in these situations is that the signs themselves are technically classified as lane use signs (a subset of regulatory signs) rather than guide signs.

In other words, the signs aren't telling you which way to go for which route, but rather where you HAVE to go from each lane.

Especially seeing that last example, posted by Alex, I wonder if there's MUTCD guidance recommending white backgrounds for road use restrictions.

Based on the fact that regulatory signs are black-on-white, logically it would make sense. A quick flip through the 2009 MUTCD doesn't reveal any actual verbiage towards or against that though.

[roadfro]

For road use restrictions, black on white is certainly appropriate...it is a regulatory message, which the white on black scheme covers.

The lane use signs at the beginning of the thread could go either way. The combo shield/banner signs should be white on green and not black on white--that is specified as a MUTCD standard.

[SidS1045]

Aren't these the "bookleaf" signs? http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Scituate_ma_entering_sign.jpg

Yes indeed.

[1995hoo]

Exiting the Outer Loop of I-495 in Virginia at Gallows Road (old Exit 7; I think it's now 51), there's a new (within the past year) black-on-white Clearview guide sign with arrows. Looks like someone just utterly messed up. I'm headed that way this afternoon and will try to get a picture if traffic permits.

I'm a few weeks late in getting this picture. Nice day out today, so I put the top down and took a longer route and made a point of getting a picture of this monstrosity.

[dfnva]

http://goo.gl/maps/FfYn0  --- Especially odd, since the prior sign exiting I-495 was of the normal LGS white-on-green variety, sans directional banners.

[kphoger]

http://goo.gl/maps/FfYn0  --- Especially odd, since the prior sign exiting I-495 was of the normal LGS white-on-green variety, sans directional banners.

Is it just me, or is there no large white sign in that street view?

[1995hoo]

http://goo.gl/maps/FfYn0  --- Especially odd, since the prior sign exiting I-495 was of the normal LGS white-on-green variety, sans directional banners.

Is it just me, or is there no large white sign in that street view?

The white sign I posted is new within the past year. As the Street View shows, the sign was standard colors until it was replaced during the recent construction project.

[kphoger]

Ah, thank you.  I didn't know dfnva's post was related to yours.  I assumed he was linking to a view of a white sign that at some point had been a green sign.

[formulanone]

Located on Alligator Alley:

[Brian556]

In Texas, there are several US 380 TRUCK ROUTE signs that are black and white around Denton. My thought is that they are black and white because the truck route is a regulatory thing, as thru trucks are prohibited on US 380 in Denton.

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=33.224454,-97.172045&spn=0.000018,0.012531&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=33.224197,-97.171959&panoid=ILr4uovl7tK8cw-_6xHSSw&cbp=12,4.26,,1,0

There is one that is green/white. It is newer, and was put up by the contractor when the NB I-35E LOOP 288 exit was relocated several years ago.

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=33.173735,-97.090175&spn=0.000009,0.006266&t=h&z=18&layer=c&cbll=33.173735,-97.090175&panoid=_960dklqzaB8Ri-4ksqmXA&cbp=12,359.89,,0,0

Also, there are these hazardous cargo route signs around Dallas. Again, black and white due to being regulatory.
(notice the orange SPEED LIMIT sign in frame also.)

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=32.934046,-96.902096&spn=0.000036,0.025063&t=h&z=16&layer=c&cbll=32.933855,-96.902074&panoid=9kIJWKjlo03RYc8Ssz_A2Q&cbp=12,197.25,,0,12.7

Then there's one in Gainesville TX on California St.  The city took a new clearview TxDot guide sign, and resheeted it white, and put their own text on it. I tried to upload the pic to photobucket, but it's not appearing in my library. Guess I'll have to try later.

[kphoger]

Then there's one in Gainesville TX on California St.  The city took a new clearview TxDot guide sign, and resheeted it white, and put their own text on it. I tried to upload the pic to photobucket, but it's not appearing in my library. Guess I'll have to try later.

Where is it on California Street?  If you're unable to get the picture, I'll be there in a couple of months.

(FWIW, I've had trouble getting a picture to show up in my library before.  Logging out and trying later, it was magically there.)