Regional signing practices that are unusual compared to everyplace else

[PurdueBill]

Ohio's slanted arrows to indicate option lanes stopped within the past 3 years, after the 2009 MUTCD explicitly banned downward slanting arrows.

No, that practice has not stopped in Ohio.

Indeed the music may have stopped but the arrows continue to dance.  Dancing arrows have been recently appeared on I-70 on Clearview carbon copies of only 10-year-old reflective-copy (not even button copy) signage at OH 4's departure--although admittedly the previous signs had the arrows dancing way too far.  Other new signs also have dancing arrows too. 

Diagrammatic signage with stippled arrows (e.g., OH 8 approaching the Turnpike) has also appeared relatively recently). 

[Takumi]

Lynchburg District: Use of "Left on Green Arrow Only" signs next to protected left turn signals, as opposed to "Left Turn Signal" (or no signage).

Around Richmond and Hampton Roads it's almost always no signage, from what I've seen. The only "Left Turn Signal" sign I know of is in the Williamsburg area.

[jeffandnicole]

Lynchburg District: Use of "Left on Green Arrow Only" signs next to protected left turn signals, as opposed to "Left Turn Signal" (or no signage).

NJ uses Left on Green Arrow Only as well.

For a long while, there was one protected left turn intersection where the sign read "Left on Arrow Only".  So if I have a red arrow, I can still turn, correct? 

[Brandon]

Lynchburg District: Use of "Left on Green Arrow Only" signs next to protected left turn signals, as opposed to "Left Turn Signal" (or no signage).

NJ uses Left on Green Arrow Only as well.

As does Illinois (some older installations still use "Left Turn Signal").

[SidS1045]

Surprised that no one has yet mentioned the "paddle" signs in Massachusetts.

What they looked like until maybe 15-20 years ago:

(with the old Massachusetts font on the upper sign)

What they look like now:


What they used to look like, probably about 30 years ago:


Our city/town lines are often marked by a "bookleaf" sign.

An older example (current bookleaf signs are flat on the bottom):


(All signs from alpsroads.net.)

[theline]

Lynchburg District: Use of "Left on Green Arrow Only" signs next to protected left turn signals, as opposed to "Left Turn Signal" (or no signage).

NJ uses Left on Green Arrow Only as well.

For a long while, there was one protected left turn intersection where the sign read "Left on Arrow Only".  So if I have a red arrow, I can still turn, correct? 

Indiana commonly uses "Left on Arrow Only," but nearly all signals use red and yellow balls. You won't get an arrow unless it's OK to proceed.

[6a]

Lynchburg District: Use of "Left on Green Arrow Only" signs next to protected left turn signals, as opposed to "Left Turn Signal" (or no signage).

Do they still use the flashing 'LEFT TURN MUST YIELD' signs?

[TheStranger]

California's "internal tab" format for exit tabs is pretty unusual as is, but the version of it along the Golden Gate Bridge southbound as installed a year or two ago by the Golden Gate Bridge Highway & Transportation District is a new twist:

[Brandon]

^^ Looks like Washington, IDOT, or old school Utah.

[The High Plains Traveler]

Minnesota has ACCELERATION LANE ENDS and RIGHT/LEFT ACCELERATION LANE in a warning sign format. They also have BYPASS LANE and BYPASS & TURN LANE for shoulder lanes that allow passing of left-turning vehicles at T and crossroad intersections respectively.

[codyg1985]

Texas has GUARDRAIL DAMAGE ahead for damages guardrails.

[Tom958]

Texas has GUARDRAIL DAMAGE ahead for damages guardrails.

Is it April Fools' Day?

[Brandon]

Texas has GUARDRAIL DAMAGE ahead for damages guardrails.

Is it April Fools' Day?

No, TxDOT seriously does that.

[hbelkins]

I don't know how quickly it is to get guardrail repaired in Texas, or if it's done by contractors or by state forces, but in Kentucky there's often a delay in getting damaged guardrail repaired because it's generally done by contractors. Kentucky usually puts some barrels or cones next to the damaged guardrail if there's room on the shoulder. Putting up a sign to temporarily alert drivers to the damage is pretty easily done, as well.

[connroadgeek]

Texas has GUARDRAIL DAMAGE ahead for damages guardrails.

Is it April Fools' Day?

No, TxDOT seriously does that.

Why not just fix the guardrail? In Connecticut, state police radio in what type of guardrail and the length that is damaged. They've also parked a trooper at a damaged guardrail spot until DOT fixes it which is usually in short order to free up said state trooper.

[jakeroot]

Texas has GUARDRAIL DAMAGE ahead for damages guardrails.

Is it April Fools' Day?

No, TxDOT seriously does that.

Why not just fix the guardrail? In Connecticut, state police radio in what type of guardrail and the length that is damaged. They've also parked a trooper at a damaged guardrail spot until DOT fixes it which is usually in short order to free up said state trooper.

WSDOT has a tendency to leave guardrails damaged for a few weeks, unless it's an end-piece. That said, I've seen guardrails go for months without being touched. The concept of putting a state trooper next to the damage is definitely unheard of in Washington.

[cjk374]

Louisiana will put up ROUGH ROAD signs instead of fixing the damn road. 

[vdeane]

Louisiana will put up ROUGH ROAD signs instead of fixing the damn road. 

There are quite a few of those in NY.  There's even one that got left behind on a recently resurfaced road.

[cpzilliacus]

Massachusetts:
"Thickly settled"
"Dangerous SLOW Intersection", "Children SLOW Crossing", and similar

"Low Salt Area?"

[cpzilliacus]

I don't know how quickly it is to get guardrail repaired in Texas, or if it's done by contractors or by state forces, but in Kentucky there's often a delay in getting damaged guardrail repaired because it's generally done by contractors. Kentucky usually puts some barrels or cones next to the damaged guardrail if there's room on the shoulder. Putting up a sign to temporarily alert drivers to the damage is pretty easily done, as well.

Maryland SHA and MdTA also put out the barrels if a guardrail has been damaged. 

I think both rely on contractor forces to repair and replace them as well.

[iowahighways]

For many years Iowa included blue signs with the interchange number at JCT assemblies with Interstate highways. This example is along US 63, from 2010:


There are still a handful left, but those have mostly been phased out within the last five years as BGS have replaced assemblies and distance signs along interchanges. Here's the same spot, in 2011:

[Pink Jazz]

Not sure if this counts, but Arizona now puts the exit number on a tab on all of its new logo signs (including all of the new Phoenix area urban logo signs), while most other states only use exit tabs for logo signs containing more than one service type.  The tab is larger than standard, spanning the entire sign on vertical orientation signs.

Also, on most New Mexico logo signs that contain a single service type, the service type is aligned to the upper left, while the exit number is aligned to the upper right, with a large space between them.  Most other states have the service type and exit number center aligned with a dash between them.

[cpzilliacus]

How many states use Caltrans-style FREEWAY ENTRANCE assemblies?

If there was one mandatory change that I would impose on all freeways in all parts of the United States, it is the use of these assemblies at all entrance ramps.

[mapman1071]

How many states use Caltrans-style FREEWAY ENTRANCE assemblies?

If there was one mandatory change that I would impose on all freeways in all parts of the United States, it is the use of these assemblies at all entrance ramps.

Arizona only uses them in Yuma County (I-8) & Mohave County (I-40)
I seen them in Nevada on I-80 In Reno-Sparks
Some New York counties use them Instead of Freeway Entrance "Parkway Entrance"

[Scott5114]

Is FREEWAY ENTRANCE really all that helpful? I've only traveled in states with MUTCD-standard freeway ramp signage and haven't really had an issue finding ramps.