Highway-advance signs with no control cities

[nwi_navigator_1181]

IIRC, many exit signs along the OH Turnpike only list the route number(s) but no control cities/destinations.

And the mainline control was "THRU TRAFFIC".  Last time I was on the Turnpike, the OTC had some newer signs with a control "city".

The pattern is/was:
2 miles out - marker - no control city
1 mile out marker and control city
1/2 mile out - marker and control city (NEXT RIGHT)
at exit - THRU TRAFFIC (ahead) Marker, control city EXIT ONLY (even if no lane was there)

THRU TRAFFIC is slowly disappearing and being replaced by control cities on pull-throughs (e.g., Toledo westbound until I-280, then Chicago; Toledo eastbound until there then Cleveland until I-90 leaves, then Youngstown) and the new pull-throughs usually don't have arrows down at the thru lanes and are therefore a lot smaller than the previous THRU TRAFFIC ones which were wide enough to point down at 3 lanes.

Another peculiarity of the EXIT ONLY on the signs at almost all the exits is that EXIT ONLY is in white on green, not black on yellow--and indeed as said above, there is almost never an actual exit-only lane!  The exception is westbound after the mainline toll barrier at the exit for OH 49 (exit 2, I think--not numbered in the field) which actually does have a yellow field.  It lacks a control city, but so does all the other signage for that exit.  (OH 49 is the amazing route that you cross on so many cross-state roads; I-70 and US 30 multiplex with it, and the Turnpike's exit for it is so notable as it's near the state line and is a diamond interchange on a road dominated by traditional ticket-tollway trumpets.)
Also, when the new pull-throughs are installed, the bad white-on-green EXIT ONLY seems to be disappearing.

Just returning from our Cleveland vacation, I can vouch for this. The Ohio Turnpike is a unique beast when it comes to signage, especially the "THRU TRAFFIC" feature. Also unique is how the sign schemes change between Cleveland and Toledo. After the lanes reduce (or before the lanes extend, if you're heading east), I-80/90 is relegated to "THRU TRAFFIC." In between those areas, the signs become overhead trailblazers with control cities, just like what the original poster said.

The Ohio 49 interchange is different because it gives travelers one chance to enter and drive through northern Indiana or Ohio without entering that particular state's toll system.

Speaking of toll systems, there are some interchanges on the Northwest (Jane Addams) Tollway in Illinois where the advance signs themselves don't have control cities, but are mentioned in auxiliaries before the exit proper. They are Illinois 31, Illinois 25, and Illinois 59, all situated between Elgin and O'Hare . Oddly enough, these are the only interchanges in that entire tollway that do such a thing.

[SignBridge]

I'm surprised to hear of all this oddball signing in many states. Especially the practice of adding information on later signs in a sequence. This is a violation of MUTCD Section 2E-33-07 which states: "the legend on the advance guide signs shall be the same as the legend on the exit direction sign". However there is also a provision (Sec. 2E-35) for additional destinations to be shown once on a "supplemental guide sign" displayed after the first advance sign. My native New York DOT mostly adheres to correct practice though there may be exceptions.

The Manual also requires destinations on Interstate highways to be the next control city on the route. Of course we know that in some cases other kinds of "destinations" might make more sense. In the New York City area for many years bridge and tunnel names were used, which I liked. But that is gradually changing to borough and city names in recent years. In some cases both are shown.

Destinations such as "Southwest Suburbs" and "Eastern Long Island" worked well for many years too but on Long Island NYSDOT is changing to Riverhead, Hauppauge and Islip for highways outbound from NYC. It's all good!

[roadman65]

The Indianapolis Beltway (I-465), has none used for itself.  Even though it serves as connector between I-70 and I-69 you would think that Fort Wayne (and a TO I-69 shield) would be used for NB I-465 on the east side junction from I-70.  Then where I-74 is concurrent with I-465, you think that Peoria and Cincinnati would be used as those are the cities for the one interstate that will always be in two segments for years to come.

[Stratuscaster]

Speaking of toll systems, there are some interchanges on the Northwest (Jane Addams) Tollway in Illinois where the advance signs themselves don't have control cities, but are mentioned in auxiliaries before the exit proper. They are Illinois 31, Illinois 25, and Illinois 59, all situated between Elgin and O'Hare . Oddly enough, these are the only interchanges in that entire tollway that do such a thing.

Similar on I-88/Reagan Memorial Tollway. If I recall, there are no control cities on any of the exits between the Tri-State/Eisenhower and the IL-56/Sugar Grove exit, except for I-355. All the control cities are on auxiliary signs. Perhaps a leftover setup from when the tollway only went out to Sugar Grove?

[national highway 1]

Usually on NSW Freeway Fork AD (advance directional signs) we have the straight-ahead destination omitted on the 2km advance signs, but they are included on 1km advance signs:

[hobsini2]

Speaking of toll systems, there are some interchanges on the Northwest (Jane Addams) Tollway in Illinois where the advance signs themselves don't have control cities, but are mentioned in auxiliaries before the exit proper. They are Illinois 31, Illinois 25, and Illinois 59, all situated between Elgin and O'Hare . Oddly enough, these are the only interchanges in that entire tollway that do such a thing.

Similar on I-88/Reagan Memorial Tollway. If I recall, there are no control cities on any of the exits between the Tri-State/Eisenhower and the IL-56/Sugar Grove exit, except for I-355. All the control cities are on auxiliary signs. Perhaps a leftover setup from when the tollway only went out to Sugar Grove?

No that was not a left over thing. If it was, they would have changed them with the new signage when the widening of 88 was done 2 years ago. 
Control cities in general in Illinois do not exist except on auxiliary signs or at interstate junctions east of I-55 on I-80, north of I-80 on I-57, northeast of Rt 53 on I-55, East of Annie Glidden Rd on I-88, east of Rt 47 on I-90, and not at all on I-94.

[roadman65]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/54480415@N08/7377325450/in/photostream

The Exit 38 signage along I-81 Northbound near Pulaski, NY.

[Mr_Northside]

I-70 in Maryland - Exit 5 is signed just for MD-615

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Hancock,+MD&hl=en&ll=39.691139,-78.12438&spn=0.017535,0.038581&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=36.915634,79.013672&hnear=Hancock,+Washington,+Maryland&t=m&z=15&layer=c&cbll=39.691179,-78.13272&panoid=uEuzaL2TvDELgdx8Nc-LlA&cbp=12,70.88,,0,-3.45

[jcarte29]

In North Carolina on I-40 there are quite a few times that US 64 intersects with out control cities listed, and I think on a couple occasions for US 74 in the western part of the state

[nwi_navigator_1181]

In North Carolina on I-40 there are quite a few times that US 64 intersects with out control cities listed, and I think on a couple occasions for US 74 in the western part of the state

There's one instance on I-24 at U.S. 64 between Monteagle Mountain and Chattanooga in Tennessee, as well.