BLVD vs BLV; What's used in your area?

[freebrickproductions]

Someone pointed out on Facebook in the traffic light and signs group that Huntsville uses BLV for the boulevard abbreviation, as can be seen here:

Singer Traffic Lights by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Singer Traffic Lights by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Most of the other places I've been to use BLVD for the abbreviation, and heck, I even use BLVD for boulevard.
What's used in your area, BLV or BLVD?

[corco]

BLV would be an error (or at the very least, really bad practice that would irk state 9-1-1 officials) anywhere that it's used. The United States Post Office, which is recognized by local 9-1-1 agencies as the authority that sets these abbreviations (so that the E9-1-1 address for a structure matches the mailing address of a structure), only allows BLVD.

[Kacie Jane]

I'd never seen BLV for boulevard.  However some places like to standardize everything to two letters, resulting in BL, or more rarely, BV.

[Indyroads]

BLV would be an error (or at the very least, really bad practice that would irk state 9-1-1 officials) anywhere that it's used. The United States Post Office, which is recognized by local 9-1-1 agencies as the authority that sets these abbreviations (so that the E9-1-1 address for a structure matches the mailing address of a structure), only allows BLVD.

The only variations I usually see is

Ave or Av       for avenue, but most often out west it is Ave not Avc. that seems to be more common in NYC
Boise Ave
Watt Ave
Hazel Ave

NYC: 5 Av, 7 Av



Ln or La         for Lane. Mostly out west they use Ln such as in CA and NV but more common out east such as here in IN they use La for lane.

Santa Rosa: Farmer Ln
Citrus Hts: Greenback Ln
Stockton: Hammer Ln
etc

Indianapolis: Wallace La
Lebanon IN: Anderson Ln

I have seen  both   Bl and Blvd used for boulevard but never Blv ... that would seem to be a typo.

Sunrise Bl
Sierra College Blvd
Chinden Blvd

[1995hoo]

In the US, I've never seen anything other than "Blvd," except of course where the word is spelled out in full (such as the peculiarly-named street in Richmond called simply "Boulevard"). In Quebec it's abbreviated "Boul," such as "Boul. Ville-Marie" in Montreal. I've always thought "Boul" seems more logical than "Blvd" simply because the latter seems like an arbitrary four letters.

The potential downsides of "BL" would be (1) if you use a lowercase "l" it might look too much like a "1" (and indeed some people who learned to type on typewriters STILL use a lowercase "l" instead of a "1") and (2) it might conceivably be ambiguous if there are also "business loops" in the area.

[spooky]

BLV would be an error (or at the very least, really bad practice that would irk state 9-1-1 officials) anywhere that it's used. The United States Post Office, which is recognized by local 9-1-1 agencies as the authority that sets these abbreviations (so that the E9-1-1 address for a structure matches the mailing address of a structure), only allows BLVD.

The MUTCD also lists acceptable abbreviations and only allows BLVD.

[golden eagle]

I've always seen Blvd., with the occasional Bl.

[freebrickproductions]

There are a few street signs along Triana Boulevard that say "BLVD", but most of them say "BLV".
I've never seen BL.

[TheStranger]

I've always thought "Boul" seems more logical than "Blvd" simply because the latter seems like an arbitrary four letters.

I've always assumed the logic behind "Blvd" is to make sure that the very last letter of the original word is included, i.e. street as "St", avenue as "Ave", freeway as "Fwy."   Lane as either La or Ln is an exception, though in the latter case I guess it's because of the emphasis on the "n" as opposed to the silent "e" in the full word. 

[Zeffy]

I've never seen Blv used in New Jersey. I think I have seen a "Bl" somewhere though. Otherwise it's always Blvd.

[apeman33]

Some of the signs along Broadway Boulevard in Salina say "BROADWAY BD".

[txstateends]

In highway applications, I only see BLVD.  The only possible time I've seen any other abbreviation, including BLV, would have been in phone books.

[mjb2002]

When they were still using all-caps, Aiken used BD.

[webfil]

The potential downsides of "BL" would be (1) if you use a lowercase "l" it might look too much like a "1" (and indeed some people who learned to type on typewriters STILL use a lowercase "l" instead of a "1") and (2) it might conceivably be ambiguous if there are also "business loops" in the area.

France solved the case of the l/1 and adopted "Bd" as common abbreviation for boulevard.

[roadman65]

Florida uses BV on Orange County Road signs.  They also use Py for Parkway.

When I lived in New Jersey we used LA for Lane instead of LN.  I did not know the latter was around until after moving out of the Garden State.  Sort of like someone born and raised in Louisiana thinking that all 50 states use the term Parish for regional government, until they find out that 48 other states use County.  I am not knocking you guys down south, but I met a girl from Baton Rouge who thought that all states used the term Parish until she moved to Orlando.

[myosh_tino]

From my own observations in California, boulevards are abbreviated as BLVD or BL.  Here are other abbreviations I've seen...

Street -- St
Lane -- Ln
Avenue -- Av and Ave
Drive -- Dr
Court -- Ct
Circle -- Cir
Expressway -- Expwy
Freeway -- Frwy or Fwy

[freebrickproductions]

I've mostly seen "Ave" here in Huntsville. There is some "Av", but it's mostly "Ave" from what I can tell.

[1995hoo]

"Expressway" seems to be one of the most divergent ones. I've normally seen "Expwy." In the Tampa area, it's "Exwy," which I find really weird. I've seen "Expy" as well.

[Scott5114]

Norman has one random sign with "Prkwy", while most Parkways in town are abbreviated Pkwy.

[Arkansastravelguy]

I've seen Blv in North Carolina but out of the million or so miles I've traveled I've seen it maybe 2 or 3 times


iPhone

[rickmastfan67]

I think I've seen some signs with 'BV' for Boulevard.

[roadman65]

I have seen something interesting today.  On Landstar Boulevard in Orlando's Meadow Woods, I saw the new thin LED overhead backlit signs show Cr for Circle on Rhode Island Woods Circle street sign.

[MillTheRoadgeek]

Here in Virginia, we pretty much always use Blvd. I have maybe spotted a Blv once, but that's just a little "variety" that the sign guys do.

[ET21]

BLVD

[hm insulators]

Not a lot of "boulevards" in my area (Phoenix), but lots of boulevards in the Los Angeles area. Just in the Glendale/Pasadena area you have Colorado Blvd., Foothill Blvd., Brand Blvd., Tujunga (tuh-HUNG-gah) Canyon Blvd., Verdugo Blvd. and others. Most of the time the various municipalities use "Blvd," but there are some "Bl"-s. Never saw a "Blv."

Anybody ever see any "Bvd"-s?