Unique, Odd, or Interesting Signs aka The good, the bad, and the ugly

[Rothman]

"SEE YA!" on the back of a historical marker in Naples, NY on NY 21:

[Rothman]

Sorry for the multiple posts.

Yield to the blind in North Collins, NY:

[Amaury]

Eh, just seems like another way to designate the location of curves.  Doesn't seem totally odd.  Just some extra attention being made to the road.

Hm. What's it supposed to designate to the driver, though?

A yellow cautionary curve sign showing 40 MPH tells the driver that that is the recommended speed for the curve, though there are many curves that I don't even have to slow down for. Some yes, but not all. For the most part, it seems those signs are more for semis and other large vehicles.

What's a sign saying curve 53.1 or whatever number supposed to designate to the driver? It is a green sign, so would it just be for information? Like a sign saying Entering Grant County?

[Rothman]

Eh, just seems like another way to designate the location of curves.  Doesn't seem totally odd.  Just some extra attention being made to the road.

Hm. What's it supposed to designate to the driver, though?

A yellow cautionary curve sign showing 40 MPH tells the driver that that is the recommended speed for the curve, though there are many curves that I don't even have to slow down for. Some yes, but not all. For the most part, it seems those signs are more for semis and other large vehicles.

What's a sign saying curve 53.1 or whatever number supposed to designate to the driver? It is a green sign, so would it just be for information? Like a sign saying Entering Grant County?

Not all signage is for drivers.  There are a lot of signs out there for maintenance workers and the like.

[74/171FAN]

Honestly, the whole area of US 22 EB approaching I-78 WB (at Exit 3)/NJ 173 EB has everything IMO.  (https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBRQ4Y)

[roadman65]

https://maps.app.goo.gl/XKi4hnpKfXSViXHWA
The newer version of the PA Turnpike Entrance shield.  Instead of being cut out it's a rectangular sign.

Accompanied with an I-81 pancake shield this all looks interesting.

[TBKS1]

A very sad sign (taken on MO 90 near Noel, MO)

[74/171FAN]

On CR 519 NB heading north of US 22 in Phillipsburg, NJ (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10221741028875467&set=a.10221741134878117)

[roadman65]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/54480415@N08/54135178728
An interesting colored speed limit sign.

[LilianaUwU]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/54480415@N08/54135178728
An interesting colored speed limit sign.

Orange speed limit signs in construction zones are standard in Québec.

[Big John]

On CR 519 NB heading north of US 22 in Phillipsburg, NJ (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10221741028875467&set=a.10221741134878117)

Confused.  A culvert is made to carry water in it, not traffic.

[LilianaUwU]

On CR 519 NB heading north of US 22 in Phillipsburg, NJ (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10221741028875467&set=a.10221741134878117)

(low culvert ahead)

Confused.  A culvert is made to carry water in it, not traffic.

Well, the underpass is culvert-shaped, at least.

[vdeane]

On CR 519 NB heading north of US 22 in Phillipsburg, NJ (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10221741028875467&set=a.10221741134878117)

(low culvert ahead)

Confused.  A culvert is made to carry water in it, not traffic.

Well, the underpass is culvert-shaped, at least.

Yep, that's a culvert.  Note the vegetation on top.  In some ways, culverts have more in common with tunnels than bridges.

This one is more obvious.

[pderocco]

A culvert is a tunnel, but for water, not for a road. Since this goes under some earth, it's a regular road tunnel, not a culvert.

[vdeane]

A culvert is a tunnel, but for water, not for a road. Since this goes under some earth, it's a regular road tunnel, not a culvert.

I would say that what matters is how it's built, not what the road crosses.

[Big John]

A culvert is a tunnel, but for water, not for a road. Since this goes under some earth, it's a regular road tunnel, not a culvert.

I would say that what matters is how it's built, not what the road crosses.

A feature of a true culvert is that it structurally goes the full way around, including the bottom. Those examples don't have the bottom as an integral portion.

[Rothman]

A culvert is a tunnel, but for water, not for a road. Since this goes under some earth, it's a regular road tunnel, not a culvert.

I would say that what matters is how it's built, not what the road crosses.

NYSDOT says span width!

[Big John]

A culvert is a tunnel, but for water, not for a road. Since this goes under some earth, it's a regular road tunnel, not a culvert.

I would say that what matters is how it's built, not what the road crosses.

NYSDOT says span width!

WisDOT uses a 20' length as a legal definition regardless of the actual structure type. So a culvert >= 20' long is legally a bridge and a bridge < 20' long is legally a culvert.

[pderocco]

A culvert is a tunnel, but for water, not for a road. Since this goes under some earth, it's a regular road tunnel, not a culvert.

I would say that what matters is how it's built, not what the road crosses.

NYSDOT says span width!

WisDOT uses a 20' length as a legal definition regardless of the actual structure type. So a culvert >= 20' long is legally a bridge and a bridge < 20' long is legally a culvert.

So if a drainage tunnel goes under a thirty foot wide freeway, they call that a bridge?

[pderocco]

A culvert is a tunnel, but for water, not for a road. Since this goes under some earth, it's a regular road tunnel, not a culvert.

I would say that what matters is how it's built, not what the road crosses.

I'm just looking it up in the online dictionaries. If water is routed under a road through a large round galvanized corrugated steel pipe, you'd call that a culvert, wouldn't you? I know I would. But if cars drove through a round pipe with a roadway in it, which is how lots of underwater tunnels are constructed, I'd call that a tunnel, not a pipe.

[Big John]

A culvert is a tunnel, but for water, not for a road. Since this goes under some earth, it's a regular road tunnel, not a culvert.

I would say that what matters is how it's built, not what the road crosses.

NYSDOT says span width!

WisDOT uses a 20' length as a legal definition regardless of the actual structure type. So a culvert >= 20' long is legally a bridge and a bridge < 20' long is legally a culvert.

So if a drainage tunnel goes under a thirty foot wide freeway, they call that a bridge?

They use length along the centerline of the roadway going over it, regardless of its width.

[vdeane]

A culvert is a tunnel, but for water, not for a road. Since this goes under some earth, it's a regular road tunnel, not a culvert.

I would say that what matters is how it's built, not what the road crosses.

I'm just looking it up in the online dictionaries. If water is routed under a road through a large round galvanized corrugated steel pipe, you'd call that a culvert, wouldn't you? I know I would. But if cars drove through a round pipe with a roadway in it, which is how lots of underwater tunnels are constructed, I'd call that a tunnel, not a pipe.

I feel like this is becoming an "I'll know it when I see it" distinction, because I would consider the first to be a culvert and most underwater tunnels to be tunnels.  But then there's Culvert Road, where the sign literally says culvert even though it goes under water...

[Amaury]

I've seen signs like this around Washington, and they're not faded, just blank.

This one is on WA 243 northbound before the junction with WA 26, installed in 2016: https://maps.app.goo.gl/NjckEHtjyudvnicr8

This one is on I-90 westbound at Exit 154, installed in 2016: https://maps.app.goo.gl/tKyuoF7J5aV3KDDG7

Those are two I remember. I think there are some more, though.

[ClassicHasClass]

"Let's make it really clear there's an exit here."
https://maps.app.goo.gl/jzAPqTJAC9G4jkJE6

"Hey, boss, we ran out of lowercase button-copy D's. But don't worry, we totally fixed it. No one will notice!"
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Ak3YRUgZNGcef5248

I suspect this sign originally read Central Livermore and was greened out to say "Dwntn Livermore": https://maps.app.goo.gl/ap55u7nnMvU4ewBA7
So, of course, when the sign was replaced completely, giving Caltrans the opportunity to do it properly, what does it read?
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Mc8GXoayLG5qai1b7

[Rothman]

In North Syracuse, NY: