Which states still mount the overhead signs on the bridge?

[Mr_Northside]

Unless something has changed VERY recently, PA will still use bridges to mount signs.

A sign mounted on a fairly new overpass on US-119 in the Indiana area (replaced between 2019 & 2020) -  https://goo.gl/maps/VNeNV8WKwAwnyCpK7
They mounted these signs on the overpass @ the 31st St. bridge during the PA-28 upgrade back in 2013 -  https://goo.gl/maps/ek1su9Vxvsekmptv8

[wriddle082]

South Carolina, Tennessee, and Kentucky still mount signs on bridges.

I want to say Georgia has stopped, and I believe they have also fully phased out cantilever gantries, and only use full gantries and single tall posts (which IMO only belong in the median for "Next 3 Exits"  signage, and have no business being used on the outside shoulders for regular guide signage).

[tolbs17]

single tall posts (which IMO only belong in the median for "Next 3 Exits"  signage, and have no business being used on the outside shoulders for regular guide signage).

In North Carolina, we have a few of those, which are becoming increasingly more common. And yes, they are mounted on the outside shoulders.

[Great Lakes Roads]

I don't think that Indiana put new overhead signs on the bridge, although there are still a few relics hanging out on the freeways.

EDIT: I-69 in southern Indiana is the newest highway that I've seen that put signs on a couple of newer bridges, and that was built/opened in 2012.

[wanderer2575]

Michigan is all over the board.  Of recent replacements I have seen some that both the previous and new signs are bridge-mounted, some that removed a sign from a bridge and put the new one on a cantilever or gantry structure, and some that eliminated the structure and mounted the new sign on a bridge.

[DRMan]

New Hampshire definitely still mounts signs on bridges. A very high example here: https://goo.gl/maps/t8jrtLbkRJb2LkPZ7

[Bitmapped]

West Virginia is moving away from bridge-based mounting, but it's not been universal. Some recent sign replacement and bridge repair projects have resulted in new sign structures being installed, but DOH has also replaced existing signs on bridges as part of the western Corridor H sign replacement project and I-79 Exit #99 reconstruction in the past year.

WVDOH used to be really big on using bridges, sometimes to the extreme. There used to be a sign for I-68 Exit #1 mounted in the bridge structure that was so high up it became hard to read: https://goo.gl/maps/KWbeMDiPLwDDJPzV6 It was replaced with a new cantilever-mounted sign as part of a sign replacement project.

[tolbs17]

When looking at some Street View pics on the new highways, it appears that Delaware, Ohio, and New Jersey have all stopped.

So I'm going to break down the list to see which states still mount the signs on the bridges and which don't

_________________________________________

28 states: 15 yes, 12 no and 1 unknown

Arizona: Yes

California: Yes

Connecticut: No

Delaware: No

Florida: Yes

Georgia: No

Illinois: Yes

Indiana: No

Kentucky: Yes

Louisiana: Yes

Maryland: No

Michigan: Yes

Minnesota: Yes

Missouri: Yes

Nebraska: Yes

Nevada: No

New Hampshire: Yes

New Jersey: No

New York: No

North Carolina: No

Ohio: No

Pennsylvania: Yes

South Carolina: Yes

Tennessee: Yes

Texas: No

Virginia: No

Washington: Yes

West Virginia: Sometimes

[Bitmapped]

When looking at some Street View pics on the new highways, it appears that Delaware, Ohio, and New Jersey have all stopped.

So I'm going to break down the list to see which states still mount the signs on the bridges and which don't

_________________________________________

West Virginia: No

West Virginia still does in some cases. New signs have been mounted to overpasses along US 33/Corridor H in the past year.

[tolbs17]

When looking at some Street View pics on the new highways, it appears that Delaware, Ohio, and New Jersey have all stopped.

So I'm going to break down the list to see which states still mount the signs on the bridges and which don't

_________________________________________

West Virginia: No

West Virginia still does in some cases. New signs have been mounted to overpasses along US 33/Corridor H in the past year.

In that case, I'll change it to sometimes.

[tolbs17]

Maryland stopped it looks like.

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1821008,-76.8743734,3a,77.6y,213.19h,92.42t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sWbP3G6__Uf1OxMCQOQhUXQ!2e0!5s20190701T000000!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e1

[US 89]

Utah has been moving away from bridge-mounted signs on freeways. I can't think of any new locations for bridge-mounted freeway signs recently, but if there were signs there already often times they won't have a problem replacing them. This set of bridge-mounted signs, for example, was replaced in 2013 and then again in 2017.

[tolbs17]

Utah has been moving away from bridge-mounted signs on freeways. I can't think of any new locations for bridge-mounted freeway signs recently, but if there were signs there already often times they won't have a problem replacing them. This set of bridge-mounted signs, for example, was replaced in 2013 and then again in 2017.

NCDOT will replace the bridge mounted signs on the same overpass unless if it's not a major highway improvement. Examples include segments of the Fayetteville bypass and the US-64/I-95 interchange.

[MNtoOC]

MnDOT placed two signs at an awkward angle after some bridge and road realignment a couple years ago. The signs are logically right next to each other, which means one actually obscures the other when you're in the rightmost lane as seen here:

https://goo.gl/maps/dkFTXbfB1LNHTFaU6

Interestingly enough, a sign a little ways before this was originally on a Canadian Pacific bridge and was moved to a gantry as can be seen in Google Maps history:

https://goo.gl/maps/zvw4JDSUhurVp8dL8

[tolbs17]

I think MnDOT should just stop mounting signs on bridges.

[fillup420]

This setup on I-77 in Columbia always bothers me. The bridge is at such a sharp angle, yet this is the only spot around with bridge mounted signs. classic south carolina.

[roadfro]

This setup on I-77 in Columbia always bothers me. The bridge is at such a sharp angle, yet this is the only spot around with bridge mounted signs. classic south carolina.

That's straight from the Caltrans playbook!

[Max Rockatansky]

This setup on I-77 in Columbia always bothers me. The bridge is at such a sharp angle, yet this is the only spot around with bridge mounted signs. classic south carolina.

That's straight from the Caltrans playbook!

Very Wheeler Ridge:

https://flic.kr/p/QFhTXL

^^^

Note the bridge date stamp on the left, that tells you all you need to know about Caltrans stance on mounting signs to bridges. 

[GaryA]

Very Wheeler Ridge:

https://flic.kr/p/QFhTXL

^^^

Note the bridge date stamp on the left, that tells you all you need to know about Caltrans stance on mounting signs to bridges.

There was one thing about the older button-copy version of this sign that I don't think carried over to the current sign (at least not to the same extent).

The designers knew it would be mounted at an angle to the roadway, so the I-5 and CA-99 shields were stretched horizontally such that they looked relatively normal when viewed by a driver.  The sign looked very strange if you ever did view it head-on.

[roadman65]

I used to like NJ mounting shields to overpasses. In fact the I-280 and NJ 21 (Exit 15) reconfiguring project added NJ 21 shields on the I-280 overpass on Route 21 S Bound.




https://goo.gl/maps/PAcBSkxmieAyJdvQ7

[tolbs17]

I used to like NJ mounting shields to overpasses. In fact the I-280 and NJ 21 (Exit 15) reconfiguring project added NJ 21 shields on the I-280 overpass on Route 21 S Bound.




https://goo.gl/maps/PAcBSkxmieAyJdvQ7

In a tight area like there I'm sure it will be done.

[roadman65]

I used to like NJ mounting shields to overpasses. In fact the I-280 and NJ 21 (Exit 15) reconfiguring project added NJ 21 shields on the I-280 overpass on Route 21 S Bound.




https://goo.gl/maps/PAcBSkxmieAyJdvQ7

In a tight area like there I'm sure it will be done.

Sayreville once had them on US 9 and NJ 35 on the overpass south of the former Victory Circle. SB it was NJ 35 positioned over the left lane while a U.S. 9 shield pointed down at the right lane. NB it had two US 9 shields over the left through lanes and a NJ 35 shield over the exit lane where the state designation exited the expressway there.

[JoePCool14]

Just based on a quick glance around Milwaukee, and personal knowledge, I think WisDOT avoids the practice of installing BGS on bridges, though they will attach cross-street guide signs and maybe a lane ends sign still. But not always.

Here's an example from I-41/I-94 South at the Mitchell Airport Interchange.
https://goo.gl/maps/wzAbWnXmX8ZmsasZ7

IDOT and ISTHA both are very much okay with the practice, which I suspect is primarily done for cost-reduction (not a bad reason).



As for my opinion on the practice, as long as DOTs incorporate sufficient graffiti-prevention techniques where necessary (Arizona is good for doing this) and that they account for angles, especially on signs with arrows, it's fine. But I also don't care if they don't.

[ClassicHasClass]

Very Wheeler Ridge:

https://flic.kr/p/QFhTXL

^^^

Note the bridge date stamp on the left, that tells you all you need to know about Caltrans stance on mounting signs to bridges.

There was one thing about the older button-copy version of this sign that I don't think carried over to the current sign (at least not to the same extent).

The designers knew it would be mounted at an angle to the roadway, so the I-5 and CA-99 shields were stretched horizontally such that they looked relatively normal when viewed by a driver.  The sign looked very strange if you ever did view it head-on.

I used to love that old 99 sign. Can't find a picture of it in my archives, though.

[tolbs17]

Very Wheeler Ridge:

https://flic.kr/p/QFhTXL

^^^

Note the bridge date stamp on the left, that tells you all you need to know about Caltrans stance on mounting signs to bridges.

There was one thing about the older button-copy version of this sign that I don't think carried over to the current sign (at least not to the same extent).

The designers knew it would be mounted at an angle to the roadway, so the I-5 and CA-99 shields were stretched horizontally such that they looked relatively normal when viewed by a driver.  The sign looked very strange if you ever did view it head-on.

Like this?

https://goo.gl/maps/CSd913ThWiPUuq5L7