The Worst of Road Signs

[Zeffy]

http://goo.gl/maps/jrFdA

That "End 27" sign is blocking the "Jct 4" sign, especially if you are further away than this picture.

What's up with the size of that MA-4 shield? Holy crap, that looks like it was made for an Interstate.

[deathtopumpkins]

http://goo.gl/maps/jrFdA

That "End 27" sign is blocking the "Jct 4" sign, especially if you are further away than this picture.

What's up with the size of that MA-4 shield? Holy crap, that looks like it was made for an Interstate.

MA's started using those giant oversized ones everywhere. They wouldn't be so bad, IMHO, if the directional banners matched the width of the shield.
I would make a guess as to the size, but I'd rather not have 10 people call me an idiot for not being able to tell by looking at it.

[Zeffy]

I would make a guess as to the size, but I'd rather not have 10 people call me an idiot for not being able to tell by looking at it.

I'm gonna guess 48x48. I know standard is 36x36 or 24x24, so that's what I'm basing it off of.

[Alps]

I would make a guess as to the size, but I'd rather not have 10 people call me an idiot for not being able to tell by looking at it.

I'm gonna guess 48x48. I know standard is 36x36 or 24x24, so that's what I'm basing it off of.

36x36 look huge when they're on a surface street, FWIW. That said, they just feel bigger than 36x36, despite my never having gone and measured one.

[Kacie Jane]

Just from a quick eyeball of the street view, my inkling is that the 27 is 24x24 and the 4 is 36x36. The 4 doesn't actually look outrageously huge to me, and it's definitely not twice the size of the 27.

[spooky]

Just from a quick eyeball of the street view, my inkling is that the 27 is 24x24 and the 4 is 36x36. The 4 doesn't actually look outrageously huge to me, and it's definitely not twice the size of the 27.

I believe you are right, and 36x36 would be in line with state standards.

[SidS1045]

MA's started using those giant oversized ones everywhere.

I'm wondering if it's some kind of overcompensation.  For many years MassDOT and its predecessor agencies were constantly criticized for an overall lack of highway shields, especially in the Boston metro area (while some other states, like NY, seem to be obsessive/compulsive about it).

[corco]

Alberta....

[Molandfreak]

Alberta....

I know it's not what you're talking about, but I love, love, LOVE the inverted I-15 shield!

[okroads]

Street view since i've never managed to get a photo:


I-40 westbound approaching Shawnee, OK.

Here is one of the pictures I have of this sign:


DSC07298 by okroads, on Flickr

[_Simon]

I've heard of "No through street" and "Not a public thoroughfare", but never "No Through Fare".  From Bridgewater, NJ:

[Scott5114]

Helvetica, too. Classy.

[vdeane]

It's saying there's no fare for through traffic.  Isn't it nice of them to let you use the road for free?

[formulanone]

Sounds like something that should be on Georgia's formerly-tolled SR 400...

[Aerobird]

Hi everyone. Just found the forum, and decided to sign up after spending some time away from roadgeekery (no time...) and see what I could see.

After cringing through this thread, I decided to chip in my own contribution. This sign went up ~2008 and is still there; it's at the western terminus of Wakulla County Road 61 in Crawfordville, Florida.



This is a contractor-erected sign, and how is it bad, oh let us count the ways...

-"JCT" and a directional on the same pole, ew.
-It's located about twice the distance from the intersection that a "JCT" sign should be, ick.
-It's a sign for FL-369 - which is a secret designation for US-319, wait for it...
-...only to the right from the upcoming intersection. 

Just as bad is the "North FL-369" reassurance shield on US 319 in Leon County where an "END FL-369" sign would be appropriate if 369 was even signed. And there's north/south FL-375 shields on either side of an intersection further south on 319, too.

[1995hoo]

My brother sent this to me yesterday. He didn't say where precisely it is. I presume the property owner posted the sign.

[Zeffy]

Would have been even better if someone whited-out the "W" in TOW. 

[vdeane]

What does it mean to "towe" someone?  At least it's not a toe-away zone... that sounds painful.

[agentsteel53]

also, compressed Arialveticverstesk??  wtf.

[Alex]

Taken last month, two sets of badly fonted Detour signs for BL I-85 and U.S. 29-70 posted in the High Point area.

[Billy F 1988]

GACK! What the hell is that font of the 85?! Jesus! That's gotta be Franklin Gothic Bold or close to it! Blegh! Arial on the 29 and 70?! Dumbnut contractors! They're like "Oh, we don't care! We just make a sign and slap on the numbers and that's it! C'mon, yo! At least put a little more thought into following the MUTCD! Good lord!

[Big John]

^^ That looks like Franklin Gothic bold on all of them.  The "2" in 29 swings too much to be Arial

[Big John]

And on the Saturday Wisconsin road meet, we saw a bunch of WI 160 detour signs all in Arial bold.  Sorry no pictures.  Wrong font and overkill in the number of signs used.

[D-Dey65]

http://goo.gl/maps/7NWLx

I think this warrants a 'what'.

Standard NJDOT sign back before roundabouts entered the MUTCD. One that used to be on NJ 10 WB at Livingston Circle many, many years ago: (from my first digital camera in 2001)

I remember those on some trips into New Jersey. 

[Avalanchez71]

These bastards are popping up in Tennessee.

https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=35.636921,-87.016847&spn=0.007612,0.016512&sll=36.159213,-86.782293&sspn=0.007597,0.016512&oq=nashville+hwy+&hnear=Nashville+Hwy,+Columbia,+Tennessee+38401&t=m&z=17&layer=c&cbll=35.636846,-87.016904&panoid=9gmRgbpa-pmiUIOsLB1Urw&cbp=12,248.37,,1,0

Fixed it for you.  Or, rather, for mobile device users.  See also: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=5716.0

Thanks.  I just emailed TDOT over these and then I also cc the email over the Chairman of the House Transportation Committee to see what is the deal with these bastards.

Just three years ago, this is what was there:

That's the only reason I took a detour to Columbia in 2010. Glad I got in before the change; I would have been furious. (My photo, on 412 WB: http://www.flickr.com/photos/therealkurumi/5232317292/in/set-72157625403354483)

I got TDOT to replace the bastard text only sign with regular signs.  They did screw up the font, however.