Ever witness a sign self-destructing?

[bandit957]

Have you ever personally witnessed a road sign self-destructing? I have!

When I was growing up, back in the late '70s, I was at my grandparents' house looking out the front window. This window faced a rail line that was guarded with the familiar crossbuck signage. It had a "2 TRACKS" plate, with the number above the "TRACKS" part. I actually saw the "TR" fall off the "TRACKS", so all that remained was "2 ACKS." It was like that for years after.

[agentsteel53]

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since the first three photos were taken by HB Elkins, I'd say he gets credit for witnessing a sign self-destructing.  I've only spotted the sign once - last photo.

[hbelkins]

I have a more recent photo of that sign, from July 2012:





Check out these photos from the late winter and early spring of 2000:









On I-64 westbound in Franklin County, Ky.

[agentsteel53]

damn - I'm glad that 25E is still there, but still... what a wreck!

[Brandon]

damn - I'm glad that 25E is still there, but still... what a wreck!

Nothing a bit of reflective black paint can't solve.

Guerrilla repainting of signs anyone? 

[agentsteel53]

in this case, it should be a non-reflective black.

the best solution is to take down the old sign and replace it with a new one made to identical specs.

where's that "big ass" smiley when I need it?

[roadman65]

I remember the old FL Colored route shields that self destructed over time that led to their replacement of FHWA approved black on white signs.

[Brandon]

I remember the old FL Colored route shields that self destructed over time that led to their replacement of FHWA approved black on white signs.

I thought that was due to non-conformity, not due to the fading of a few colors such as the red.

[roadman65]

I remember the old FL Colored route shields that self destructed over time that led to their replacement of FHWA approved black on white signs.

I thought that was due to non-conformity, not due to the fading of a few colors such as the red.

Actually both reasons played a part.  I had it confirmed from the District 5 Public Information Office.  Even back in the 90's FDOT was complaining about the cost of constant replacement of the old shields as the bright sun does fade colors fast, when the standard shields became the norm, FDOT rejoiced that the life span of them was a lot longer.

[cpzilliacus]

Have you ever personally witnessed a road sign self-destructing? I have!

Saw an overhead sign panel on I-695 (Southeast Freeway) in the District of Columbia come apart in the wind, though I did not see it come crashing down to the pavement.

[FightingIrish]

Posted this one last week in another thread. A little worn, but still a classic:



Just hope it doesn't come down when they change the road to WIS 175 next year.

[huskeroadgeek]

This video was the first thing I thought of when I saw this thread:

[Billy F 1988]

Wow. Have the road officials replaced the gantry that broke off during the high wind storm? They should if they haven't already. The guy who filmed it was lucky the 32 Ave N sign didn't crash on top of him because there would certainly have been a major trauma injury.

[ET21]

Good lord that gantry!! 

Put that to a good bass beat and it's dancing 

[Alps]

I once saw a couple of panels of a VMS flicker from displaying messages to solid broken squares.

[DandyDan]

I remember a few weeks ago when I was going to the local shopping center that one of the speed limit signs along the way had detached itself from the one of the bolts holding it to its post.  Then there was a thunderstorm with lots of wind and the next day, I saw that sign lying on the ground.  It's all been replaced.

[thenetwork]

On I-64 westbound in Franklin County, Ky.

Now THIS is what I picture when someone says that Kentucky uses demountable copy on their BGSs!!   

[hbelkins]

If you'll look at the signs, you'll notice that the lower case letters don't line up with the shadows of the "V" and the "F" for the town names.

This leads me to believe that the sign was an original from 1971 when the road opened. When it came time for a signage upgrade, the demountable copy from the original sign was removed, new vertical sheeting was placed over the old sign, then new lettering and a US 60 route marker were mounted to the sign.

It also appears that all the new Clearview signage on I-64 in Illinois was done by re-sheeting the existing signage.

[Zeffy]

This video was the first thing I thought of when I saw this thread:

Well, that will strike fear in me every time I'm about to go under an overhead gantry... although, why in the world was that gantry BOUNCING?

[Sykotyk]

High winds. Reason why certain areas use those massively overbuilt gantries.

[Scott5114]

High winds. Reason why certain areas use those massively overbuilt gantries.

Which makes me wonder about Oklahoma going to monotube gantries....

[hm insulators]

This video was the first thing I thought of when I saw this thread:

I was thinking the same thing; I remember watching that on the Weather Channel.

[Henry]

This video was the first thing I thought of when I saw this thread:

I remember seeing that one!

[Brandon]

It also appears that all the new Clearview signage on I-64 in Illinois was done by re-sheeting the existing signage.

A lot of the downstate signage appears to be re-sheeting jobs.  Most of the signs are the same size as before.  District 1 (Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Will Counties) seems to be alone in replacing instead of re-sheeting signs for Clearview.

[Alex]

Old U.S. 13 shield pointing toward a former alignment (French Street) in Wilmington, Delaware:


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