Secretly Signed Highways

[hbelkins]

All of Kentucky's parkways have unsigned 9000-series numbers. The only place where I know of a route being posted is on I-64, where the westbound carriageway of the Mountain Parkway passes over the interstate. There's a small green "KY 9000" text sign on I-64, as Kentucky policy (not universally followed) is to post signs identifying the crossing route where a freeway goes over or under a state numbered route.

[Rothman]

All of Kentucky's parkways have unsigned 9000-series numbers. The only place where I know of a route being posted is on I-64, where the westbound carriageway of the Mountain Parkway passes over the interstate. There's a small green "KY 9000" text sign on I-64, as Kentucky policy (not universally followed) is to post signs identifying the crossing route where a freeway goes over or under a state numbered route.

402.

[hbelkins]

All of Kentucky's parkways have unsigned 9000-series numbers. The only place where I know of a route being posted is on I-64, where the westbound carriageway of the Mountain Parkway passes over the interstate. There's a small green "KY 9000" text sign on I-64, as Kentucky policy (not universally followed) is to post signs identifying the crossing route where a freeway goes over or under a state numbered route.

402.

A contractor actually posted KY 402 signs when the KY 11 toll booth cloverleaf was rebuilt in the 1980s, but those signs were quickly replaced with the old-style signs before I could ever get a photo.

When it was KY 114, it was never signed as such.

[US 89]

Florida is one of those states with an unsigned state highway underlay route for every interstate and US highway. In a couple of weird cases in eastern Tallahassee, that state highway is in fact signed:





Most of SR 61 is concurrent with US 319, though there are some independent sections in and south of Tallahassee, so I suppose I understand why it might have a few signs along its 319 overlaps, though this is the beginning of the long overlap from northeast Tallahassee up to the Georgia line. SR 261 is the half of Capital Circle east of Woodville Highway (SR 363) - it is entirely concurrent with US 319 and should not be signed anywhere.

[jay8g]

SR 519 in Seattle is generally unsigned (and forgotten about), but the recent Alaskan Way rebuild has installed shields on a few of the signal-mounted street name signs. The segments between the SR 99 ramps and I-5/I-90 are still completely unsigned. My conspiracy theory is that this was done in response to the controversy over how wide the new street is south of the ferry terminal. 😉

SR 513 is similarly forgotten, but it has one very old reassurance shield in a weird, barely visible spot in the middle of the route.

[Quillz]

Some of Alaska's signed state routes also carry hidden interstate designations. These are never signed publicly but will be displayed on GPS units. But they don't always line up like you'd think. For example, AK-3 is secretly signed as Interstate A4. (Because Interstate A3 is assigned to portions of AK-1).

The secret interstate designations is due solely to receive federal funding. They do not conform to actual interstate design standards at all, except for a few freeway portions in Anchorage.

[bing101]

CA-244 in Sacramento but it's usually refered to as the CA-51/Business 80 @ I-80 interchange ramp.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_State_Route_244

[amroad17]

All of Kentucky's parkways have unsigned 9000-series numbers. The only place where I know of a route being posted is on I-64, where the westbound carriageway of the Mountain Parkway passes over the interstate. There's a small green "KY 9000" text sign on I-64, as Kentucky policy (not universally followed) is to post signs identifying the crossing route where a freeway goes over or under a state numbered route.

https://goo.gl/maps/4Z16Fcrz7CfcL76A8

The former Green River/Natcher Parkway has KY 9007 signed south of the I-65/I-165 interchange (Exit 20) near Bowling Green.  It wasn't signed as such until the Natcher became I-165 even though that was the secret designation for that parkway.  I guess KYTC may consider this section as part of the Natcher.  If not, then Kentucky has its highest signed state highway.

[Declan127]

I would say NY 990V, but that one's completely signed, no half-ass about it.

NY 990L, 961F, and 962J are in the same boat.

[vdeane]

I would say NY 990V, but that one's completely signed, no half-ass about it.

NY 990L, 961F, and 962J are in the same boat.

I don't think the other three are in the same league.  990V is FULLY signed.  Full junction signage.  Reassurance shields.  End signs.  It has it all, comprehensively.  The next-most signed is 961F, and it lacks junction signage from NY 36, and it's reassurance shields lack directional banners.  962J is down to one junction sign per current GSV, though it used to be better signed, and 990L only has one reassurance shield, and I don't think that one was ever particularly well signed.

[US 89]

I would say NY 990V, but that one's completely signed, no half-ass about it.

NY 990L, 961F, and 962J are in the same boat.

I don't think the other three are in the same league.  990V is FULLY signed.  Full junction signage.  Reassurance shields.  End signs.  It has it all, comprehensively.  The next-most signed is 961F, and it lacks junction signage from NY 36, and it's reassurance shields lack directional banners.  962J is down to one junction sign per current GSV, though it used to be better signed, and 990L only has one reassurance shield, and I don't think that one was ever particularly well signed.

Isn't the story behind 990V that whatever town didn't want a touring route, but NYSDOT wanted something so they just signed the ref route instead?

[Declan127]

I would say NY 990V, but that one's completely signed, no half-ass about it.

NY 990L, 961F, and 962J are in the same boat.

I don't think the other three are in the same league.  990V is FULLY signed.  Full junction signage.  Reassurance shields.  End signs.  It has it all, comprehensively.  The next-most signed is 961F, and it lacks junction signage from NY 36, and it's reassurance shields lack directional banners.  962J is down to one junction sign per current GSV, though it used to be better signed, and 990L only has one reassurance shield, and I don't think that one was ever particularly well signed.

I had been referring to the fact that they're all signed at some point, not the fully signed part.

Back to said topic, I'd also mention NY 25C, but that's a contractor error based on old reference markers and not a secret route being exposed.

[TBKS1]

It's been several months now but I went to Pine Bluff earlier today because AR 935 is signed now. This is a Marine Fuel Tax (or MFT) route and they're sporadically found around Arkansas but signage is usually hit or miss. AR 935 was unsigned until around 2018-2019 but I just now got a picture of it today.

[Bruce]

SR 519 in Seattle is generally unsigned (and forgotten about), but the recent Alaskan Way rebuild has installed shields on a few of the signal-mounted street name signs. The segments between the SR 99 ramps and I-5/I-90 are still completely unsigned. My conspiracy theory is that this was done in response to the controversy over how wide the new street is south of the ferry terminal. 😉

SR 519 has a normal shield facing the NB lanes. The lack of signs dates back to the beginnings of the viaduct demolition project, so long before people started freaking out.

[epzik8]

It's been several months now but I went to Pine Bluff earlier today because AR 935 is signed now. This is a Marine Fuel Tax (or MFT) route and they're sporadically found around Arkansas but signage is usually hit or miss. AR 935 was unsigned until around 2018-2019 but I just now got a picture of it today.

I love the subtlety of that. Most laymen probably ignore it.

[jp the roadgeek]

Not a single mention of the CT SSR and SR system?  All are numbered 400 or higher.   While they are state maintained, they are 99.9% unsigned, though a couple were briefly, and some bridge markers contain the numbers.  They can be either actual roads, or an extended exit ramp (or in the case of SR's 695 and 796, both). The formats are as follows:

400 series: Serve mostly state facilities (airports, state parks, maintenance garages) and are found statewide
500 series:  Most routes in DOT Region 1 (most of Hartford and Tolland County, northeaster New Haven County)
600 series: Most routes in DOT Region 2 (most of Middlesex, Windham, New London County)
700 series: Most routes in DOT Region 3 (southern New Haven and Fairfield Counties)
800 series: Most routes in DOT Region 4 (nortwestern New Haven, northern Fairfield, Litchfield Counties, a couple towns in Hartford)
900 series: Extremely short connector routes (many < 1 mile), often the stub of a signed route with incongruous portions at a major junction.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

I'm not about to stop on this ramp for a real pic, lol. SR 315C in Columbus. It's not signed in any other way, and I don't even know why it exists as such in the first place.

<snip photo>
Was that along the ramp(s) between 315 north and 670 east?

[Mapmikey]

I think the only time VA 420 has ever been posted was on some temporary construction signs a few years ago.

This has also been true of WV 106 and MD 61

[74/171FAN]

I think the only time VA 420 has ever been posted was on some temporary construction signs a few years ago.

This has also been true of WV 106 and MD 61

I saw that for MD 935 along MD 36 south of Frostburg last summer.  I have not been back to check up further on that.

[TBKS1]

It's been two years but I want to bring this topic back.

I posted about this back in June 2024, but I took a drive to Moro Bay State Park in Bradley County and saw that AR 600 was signed there. AR 600 is an umbrella designation for all state park roads in Arkansas, and this isn't meant to be signed. I think the reason why this section is signed is because of it being a former alignment of then AR 15, now US 63.



However, just a few days ago, I took a drive to North Arkansas and visited a few state parks there, and I happened to see that AR 600 was also signed at Davidsonville State Park in Randolph County (along with AR 166)...



... and then a little bit further down the road to Lake Charles State Park in Lawrence County, where AR 600 was also signed!

[Max Rockatansky]

CA 244 doesn't have any on Route shields but does have Postmiles paddles with the highway number.  One of them can be seen next to the bridge in this photo from the southbound lanes:

https://flic.kr/p/2qXiYGE

[formulanone]

A few months ago, I found two wonky Alabama 42 shields at the northern terminus of Mobile CR 5. It's the hidden designation for US 98 (and posted to the wiki for posterity).

[bassoon1986]

Louisiana pretty much signs all their routes. Only a few short state routes are not signed more for the sake of causing more confusion.

Spur LA 415
This is pretty much a connector to give access from US 190 to 415. Until I was more into maps and routes, I never even realized 415 continued north of US 190, because the mainline 4 lanes following the spur appear to be the through route. The Spur is only really signed now at the exit ramp:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/ZffE4zQ5W632Lg3c8

And LA 3249 we never signed until more recently when the I-20 interchange at Well Rd in West Monroe was redisgned with a roundabout.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/UyJX9yfUELRkkn2V6

[ElishaGOtis]

US-129 (secret SR-49) is undergoing bridge work in portions of Florida, and as such has a restriction on oversized vehicles. How exactly did the contractor sign the restriction?

PCMS: SR-49 BRIDGE WORK / NO OVERSIZED VEHICLES

And all the detour signs are signed as SR-49 with zero mention to US-129 actually being the road with the restrictions...

 

[Max Rockatansky]

US-129 (secret SR-49) is undergoing bridge work in portions of Florida, and as such has a restriction on oversized vehicles. How exactly did the contractor sign the restriction?

PCMS: SR-49 BRIDGE WORK / NO OVERSIZED VEHICLES

And all the detour signs are signed as SR-49 with zero mention to US-129 actually being the road with the restrictions...

 

Sounds like there are some potential collectors items.