When did newer reflective signs start to replace button copy?

[roadman]

I don't know when Arizona finally made the switch to entirely non-button copy signs though. I wonder what the very first state to make the switch was.

Good question:  I think R.I. was using demountable copy in the late 1970s.  The same with MASS. 

Massachusetts started using demountable copy in place of button copy in the late 1960s/early 1970s.

[SignBridge]

New York DOT's changeover was in the 1980's at least in Region-10 on Long Island. They did a series of sign replacement projects on the state parkways here during that decade. The first project in 1984 was the last button-copy signing done here. Subsequent projects in the late 80's were not button-copy and used a slightly lighter shade of green sheeting. Interestingly, another replacement project done in 2013 went back to a slightly darker green. Some of those 1984 button-copy signs are still with us I'm happy to say.

Someone mentioned New Jersey earlier. When I-80 was built in 1964 the original signs were button-copy with non-reflective green, which looked the same as reflective green sheeting during the day. At night the backgrounds looked black. This surprised me as a teenager, because New York State had been using reflective green sheeting since about 1959 when the Long Island Expwy. was extended from Queens into Nassau County.