Prematurely failing retroreflective sheeting

[Pink Jazz]

I would like to know, does anyone know some examples of installations of retroreflective sheeting failing prematurely?

Here in the Phoenix area it seems that many of the BGS on the US 60 Superstition Freeway have their retroreflective sheeting cracking and peeling.  The Superstition Freeway was one of the first freeways in the Phoenix area to lose much of its button copy signage, and these signs were installed in the early 2000s.  Many of the older button copy signage along Loop 101 seems to be in better shape than these early retroreflective signs on the US 60 Superstition Freeway.

[Brian556]

What type of sheeting is it?

[Pink Jazz]

What type of sheeting is it?

Not sure.  Note that these signs have a retroreflective background, but the characters are demountable copy.  The characters are still in good shape and only the background is peeling, so I don't think ADOT is in any hurry to replace these signs.  Newer pre-Clearview signs (which have a larger exit tab than the earlier signs) are still in great shape, including all of those on the Loop 202 SanTan Freeway (although the yellow background "EXIT ONLY" portions of some signs have faded slightly).

[kendancy66]

I live in Southern CA, and I see a lot of examples of this occurring.  The sheeting peels off just like skin off of a snake.  I wonder if excessive sunlight and warm weather are the cause?

[Beeper1]

Most of the BGS on US-6 on Cape Cod (especially between exits 1 and 6) that were put up in the late 90s have suffered really badly from this.  The primary green sheeting and the reflective sheeting on the text and route shields peeled and faded to the point where some signs were barely readable at night within just 5 years or so of being put up.  Many are still there, but some of the worst ones have been totally replaced.

[PHLBOS]

Along I-95 in Northeast Philly, the northbound BGS' for Exit 35 (PA 63) and the southbound BGS' for the Cornwell Heights Park-and-Ride were peeling like crazy after the first year or two.  These BGS' were erected in the early 2000s.  Within the past year, most of these BGS' were finally replaced.

One example along I-95 Southbound

I've seen a couple other similar-vintage BGS' elsewhere in the Keystone State that have the same peeling problem.

[Mergingtraffic]

This sign on I-95 NB in West Haven, CT was put up around 2002 and is already hard to see at night.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.270303,-72.972091,3a,75y,58.82h,83.89t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s8FZCiHWTkeWwr8eEKzqj7g!2e0

[odditude]

Along I-95 in Northeast Philly, the northbound BGS' for Exit 35 (PA 63) and the southbound BGS' for the Cornwell Heights Park-and-Ride were peeling like crazy after the first year or two.  These BGS' were erected in the early 2000s.  Within the past year, most of these BGS' were finally replaced.

One example along I-95 Southbound

I've seen a couple other similar-vintage BGS' elsewhere in the Keystone State that have the same peeling problem.

The Woodhaven Road signs were tagged extensively, and the sheeting started failing shortly after crews cleaned off the graffiti. Much of the other signage along the corridor is of a similar vintage and is holding up well.

[ekt8750]

The big Woodhaven Road split signs were thankfully replaced a few months ago.

[PHLBOS]

The Woodhaven Road signs were tagged extensively, and the sheeting started failing shortly after crews cleaned off the graffiti. Much of the other signage along the corridor is of a similar vintage and is holding up well.

The southbound exit BGS for the Cornwell Heights Park & Ride had similar failing sheeting as well and was installed at the same time that the northbound BGS' for PA 63/Woodhaven Road; when the Park & Ride access ramps were built.  All the other BGS' that haven't experienced the sheeting failures in that area were erected either before or after that project.

The big Woodhaven Road split signs were thankfully replaced a few months ago.

I already mentioned such in Reply #5.   

[roadfro]

As Caltrans rebuilt I-80 over Donner Summit towards the Nevada line, the replaced all the BGSs (the first generation of exit numbering on this stretch). I'm not sure if it was the reflective sheeting, or just the sheeting in general, but many of the new signs had significant peeling issues after just one or two winter seasons.