State Abbreviations on Guide Signs

[wytout]

You know what's funny?  CT doesn't make any mention of the state at all on guide signs when the control city is in the neighboring state like most do.  This sign in Windsor, CT has Springfield as the control city.  The control city being in an immediately neighboring state, it should probably be listed as "Springfield MA" instead of just "Springfield."  As far as anything I've ever seen that's what most states do.

[Truvelo]

Considering there's about 50 different Springfields in the US it might be a good idea to know which one it is

[Bickendan]

You know if Puerto Rico becomes a state, they'll rename a city to Springfield just to get in on the action.

[Jim]

Maybe Connecticut just wants to leave it open, since I-91 North can take you to Springfield, Mass., and then on to Springfield, Vermont.

I seem to recall some signs in southern Vermont that differentiate between the two more carefully, but I can't seem to find a picture in my collection.  It might be at the Springfield exit on I-91 in Vermont where Vermont is specified on the sign.  Maybe someone has more definite memory of this or better yet some pictures.

[shoptb1]

You know if Puerto Rico becomes a state, they'll rename a city to Springfield just to get in on the action.

That'll probably go along with the Spanish-version of the Simpsons.   

[Ian]

You know what's funny?  CT doesn't make any mention of the state at all on guide signs when the control city is in the neighboring state like most do.  This sign in Windsor, CT has Springfield as the control city.  The control city being in an immediately neighboring state, it should probably be listed as "Springfield MA" instead of just "Springfield."  As far as anything I've ever seen that's what most states do.

I think CTDOT thinks everyone should know that Springfield is in Massachusetts. It's a big enough city in the area and people should know where it is.

[corco]

One that's always really confused me that I just remembered as I was cropping photos from my last trip to Kansas City is this one on U.S. 169 north approaching Missouri 152 as you head out of Kansas City and away from Topeka



My thoughts driving down the road were "Topeka? Topeka Kansas!?" "Certainly there must be a Topeka Missouri being referenced" then, realizing no Topeka Missouri, "Am I going the right way?"

Topeka is such a stretch on this stretch of road; you have to take 152 west to I-435 South to I-70 west, and it's pretty far southwest at this point through a maze of roads. A "Topeka Kan." would have been helpful here, since the route from here to Topeka is circuitous and far enough that one would assume a Topeka in Missouri is being referenced...at least that's what I thought driving by, but I don't spend much time in Missouri. Maybe for Missourans this makes more sense, but only the most local of travelers would be on US-169 North right here with the intent of heading to Topeka, so I'd think a more localized control like "Parkville" (just gazing at a map, no idea if that would be logical or not) would be in order.

I think even MoDOT realizes it's a stretch, because at the actual junction they just omit a control city altogether

[Duke87]

You know what's funny?  CT doesn't make any mention of the state at all on guide signs when the control city is in the neighboring state like most do.  This sign in Windsor, CT has Springfield as the control city.  The control city being in an immediately neighboring state, it should probably be listed as "Springfield MA" instead of just "Springfield."  As far as anything I've ever seen that's what most states do.

Well, the signs on the Merritt for exit 27 list "Port Chester, N.Y." and "Armonk, N.Y." as control points for NY120A. Although, that's different. Those are minor places, so mentioning the state is necessary. Control cities such as "Springfield" and "Providence" are major enough not to need it. So Connecticut does this right, if you ask me.

[wytout]

Well, the signs on the Merritt for exit 27 list "Port Chester, N.Y." and "Armonk, N.Y." as control points for NY120A. Although, that's different. Those are minor places, so mentioning the state is necessary. Control cities such as "Springfield" and "Providence" are major enough not to need it. So Connecticut does this right, if you ask me.

Actually, you are right.  I got a bit jumpy in this argument.  I forgot about this first BGS WB on I-84 in Union CT... lists "Union" & "Holland Mass"



Possibly MORE interesting is the Advance guide sign before this which is still in MA, and maintained by MassHighway.  They  must feel that both towns are so insignificant (and they ARE! lol) that they needed to not only put the CT with Union, but the MA with Holland as well.

[J N Winkler]

One that's always really confused me that I just remembered as I was cropping photos from my last trip to Kansas City is this one on U.S. 169 north approaching Missouri 152 as you head out of Kansas City and away from Topeka

But at that point you are still within the Kansas City beltway (I-435), which is signed for Topeka along its western flank.

Topeka is such a stretch on this stretch of road; you have to take 152 west to I-435 South to I-70 west, and it's pretty far southwest at this point through a maze of roads. A "Topeka Kan." would have been helpful here, since the route from here to Topeka is circuitous and far enough that one would assume a Topeka in Missouri is being referenced...at least that's what I thought driving by, but I don't spend much time in Missouri.

But Topeka is much closer at this point than it is on the northern flank of the beltway.  It is a useful destination for drivers originating in communities like Platte Woods and Barry, for which SR 152 is the most direct route to Topeka, and nearby towns like Gladstone and Oakview, for which a SR 152 itinerary is not the shortest or most direct but does offer the possibility of bypassing I-635 and the Kansas City downtown loop.  There is a momentary failure of full free-flow at the SR 152/I-435 interchange but this is nothing compared to dealing with tollbooths on the Turnpike.

I think even MoDOT realizes it's a stretch, because at the actual junction they just omit a control city altogether

That is a failure of continuity in signing since Topeka is signed explicitly at the SR 152/I-435 interchange:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Liberty,+Mo.&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Liberty,+Clay,+Missouri&ll=39.245407,-94.755353&spn=0.004279,0.009645&z=17&layer=c&cbll=39.24541,-94.755579&panoid=ZAx78g6vV2GF02V5rR3dNQ&cbp=12,286.32,,0,3.8

[rschen7754]

Washington does sign Vancouver on I-5 as Vancouver B.C., but then there is a Vancouver, Washington that I-5 goes through as well.

[J N Winkler]

It's not just "Vancouver B.C."--I've seen Eastern Region construction plans which also said "Trail B.C.," "Grand Forks B.C.," etc.

[corco]

Here's most of the non-Vancouver photos I have showing Canadian control cities





The Grand Forks signs seem to omit the periods, but there's room for them





Here's Penticton without a BC



Then of course, in the always vague eastern district (they also sign "Idaho" as a control city on a couple occasions) there's



I'm fairly sure on mileage signs I've seen Abbotsford and Aldergrove marked as "Abbotsford B.C." and "Aldergrove B.C." as well

[Scott5114]

Presumably they don't want to get you confused with Grand Forks N.D.

[SSOWorld]

Wisconsin never puts the neighboring state's abbreviation on guide signs.

For two lane roads, I've seen Illinois do such (ex: Platteville Wisc) but for freeways, no.  (Memphis, St. Louis, Milwaukee and Madison come to mind from Chicago)

[Brandon]

Wisconsin never puts the neighboring state's abbreviation on guide signs.

For two lane roads, I've seen Illinois do such (ex: Platteville Wisc) but for freeways, no.  (Memphis, St. Louis, Milwaukee and Madison come to mind from Chicago)

Of course, IDOT and ISTHA go one further and just omit the city and leave the state i.e. Iowa, Indiana, and Wisconsin on guide signs without cities.

[Alps]

There's a NJ example floating around of "P.A."  Pray tell, what do each of those letters stand for separately?

[shoptb1]

There's a NJ example floating around of "P.A."  Pray tell, what do each of those letters stand for separately?

'Pennsylvania-Alabama'? (You've got Pittsburgh & Philadelphia, and Alabama in between)   heeheheheheh   

[mightyace]

There's a NJ example floating around of "P.A."  Pray tell, what do each of those letters stand for separately?

'Pennsylvania-Alabama'? (You've got Pittsburgh & Philadelphia, and Alabama in between)   heeheheheheh   

As someone born and raised there:

Watch it sucka!

I'd say given the current leadership in the state it means "Pain in the A**" 

[jdb1234]

I have seen Florida use the postal code AL for the city of Dothan on I-10 at the interchange with US 231.

[route56]

But at that point you are still within the Kansas City beltway (I-435), which is signed for Topeka along its western flank.

Only on the Missouri side. Kansas does not sign control cities on 435 or 635 (nor, for that matter, 235 in Wichita or 470 in Topeka).

Going back on topic, Oklahoma City and Des Moines are control Cities on I-35; Limon and St. Louis are control cities on I-70. None of these control cities are signed with the state name.

[Revive 755]

New sign on SB I-270 has "Springfield, Mo/Exit 5B).  Alas, I-270 was already too screwed up to try and grab a picture.

[74/171FAN]

I-295 SB and I-95 SB in VA both use NC when referring to Rocky Mount, NC.   

[huskeroadgeek]

This sort of fits-it's a state name, but it's actually for a city: I always noticed that in Arkansas heading W. on I-40 and in Kansas heading S. on I-35 they say "Oklahoma City" but within Oklahoma it's always just "Okla. City".

[florida]

On I-75 in GA, just across the FL border, there is the old postal abbreviation for Florida used on a sign.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=jennings,+fl&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=31.784549,78.662109&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Jennings,+Hamilton,+Florida&ll=30.641755,-83.187293&spn=0,0.153637&t=h&z=13&layer=c&cbll=30.641755,-83.187293&panoid=_6mvcGygjVG-hb5kwcIcaQ&cbp=12,336.17,,0,3.89