Unusual destinations on highway signs

[Zeffy]

I don't really get this sign

That's because you didn't continue to the exit: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=40.495918,-74.439776&spn=0.00585,0.012392&cbll=40.495976,-74.439798&layer=c&panoid=j2odvToYKRAdH-a2AJGGKw&cbp=12,173.84,,1,-8.13&t=h&z=17
Yes, it's a weird way of signing a C/D/frontage road.

Wow, I can't tell you how many times I've used that portion of 18 almost weekly and I never connected the legend on the first sign to the legend on the exit sign. 

[Pete from Boston]

Thanks Ian for the pic, I hope you don't mind if I use it to point something out:



New Hampshire uses state initials when there is unlikely to be an ambiguity about which Portsmouth they're talking about. Given that sign's existence, I always found it weird that "Salem NH" isn't a control city on I-93. There's a Salem, MA not too far away so it seems more likely that confusion would exist.

Does any other state use state initials when signing a city within their state? I've only seen NH do it (in this case).

That's so you don't confuse it with, say, the Portsmouth that Portsmouth Naval Shipyard is in.

[NE2]

Does any other state use state initials when signing a city within their state? I've only seen NH do it (in this case).

Washington VA.

[SSOWorld]

Does any other state use state initials when signing a city within their state? I've only seen NH do it (in this case).

Washington VA.

Pennsylvania disambiguates Washington, PA from Washington DC on I-70 (even if they're far enough from each other with one south of Pittsburgh on I-70 and the other "referenced" from Breezewood (of all places))

[PHLBOS]

Does any other state use state initials when signing a city within their state? I've only seen NH do it (in this case).

Washington VA.

Pennsylvania disambiguates Washington, PA from Washington DC on I-70 (even if they're far enough from each other with one south of Pittsburgh on I-70 and the other "referenced" from Breezewood (of all places))

Beat me to it; Washington, PA

[hbelkins]

Does any other state use state initials when signing a city within their state? I've only seen NH do it (in this case).

Washington VA.

You can also find signs for Jamestown, KY and Jamestown, TN on and along US 127 in Clinton County, Ky.

And westbound traffic on US 460 past the Blacksburg/Christiansburg area signs for Bluefield, WV; while eastbound traffic on US 460 from the Kentucky state line eastward signs merely for Bluefield. I don't recall seeing any Bluefield, VA signs along that route.

[cjk374]

I don't really get this sign

That's because you didn't continue to the exit: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=40.495918,-74.439776&spn=0.00585,0.012392&cbll=40.495976,-74.439798&layer=c&panoid=j2odvToYKRAdH-a2AJGGKw&cbp=12,173.84,,1,-8.13&t=h&z=17
Yes, it's a weird way of signing a C/D/frontage road.

Is "Old Bridge" a town, or actually an old bridge?

[NE2]

Is "Old Bridge" a town, or actually an old bridge?

No.

It's a township and an unincorporated community in East Brunswick Township. The latter is a relatively major junction point if you look at a map. The current bridge at the site is an ugly 1998 job.

[Pete from Boston]

Does any other state use state initials when signing a city within their state? I've only seen NH do it (in this case).

Washington VA.

You can also find signs for Jamestown, KY and Jamestown, TN on and along US 127 in Clinton County, Ky.

And westbound traffic on US 460 past the Blacksburg/Christiansburg area signs for Bluefield, WV; while eastbound traffic on US 460 from the Kentucky state line eastward signs merely for Bluefield. I don't recall seeing any Bluefield, VA signs along that route.

It has struck me as odd for decades that for the same exit just inside Connecticut on I-84, Massachusetts signs "Holland MA" and "Union CT," while Connecticut signs "Union" and "Holland Mass."

I guess Connecticut only feels the need to distinguish with the out-of-state town.  Perhaps both feel people will think "Holland" alone leads to Rotterdam?  Couldn't be.

Does Massachusetts append both states at any other border exits? 

[bassoon1986]

In Louisiana I've also seen "Racetrack" and "Industries" used.

Exit 17A on I-220 in Bossier City had Racetrack until recently when it was changed to E. Texas St.

Exit 78 on I-20 puts "Industry" at LA 563

and I believe there was "Industries" in the Lake Charles area as well. Maybe at I-210 exit 1A/ I-10 exit 26?

[bzakharin]

I feel like "Allentown" should be disambiguated on I-195 in NJ. I've lived in NJ for 23 years and still haven't heard of it except for the control city and exit destination. Allentown, PA, however, is close enough and pretty well known, though there isn't a very good way to get there from where it's used as a destination. Maybe via US 1 and the PA Turnpike?

[odditude]

I feel like "Allentown" should be disambiguated on I-195 in NJ. I've lived in NJ for 23 years and still haven't heard of it except for the control city and exit destination. Allentown, PA, however, is close enough and pretty well known, though there isn't a very good way to get there from where it's used as a destination. Maybe via US 1 and the PA Turnpike?

it's not very close at all.

[hotdogPi]

There used to be the Salem NH / Salem MA problem, where people looking for Salem MA ended up in Salem NH.

[Pete from Boston]

There used to be the Salem NH / Salem MA problem, where people looking for Salem MA ended up in Salem NH.

What changed?

[hotdogPi]

There used to be the Salem NH / Salem MA problem, where people looking for Salem MA ended up in Salem NH.

What changed?

"Concord NH" is used now (although I think Manchester would be better).

[PHLBOS]

There used to be the Salem NH / Salem MA problem, where people looking for Salem MA ended up in Salem NH.

I know for the Manchester, MA vs. Manchester, NH; the former was officially renamed Manchester-By-the-Sea circa 1989.  Although some newer BGS' & LGS' still use just Manchester when referring to the seaport town.

[NJRoadfan]

NJ likes to point people to a ferry that is 130 miles away: http://goo.gl/maps/HG1Oh

There is also the infamous "Del Water Gap" on I-80 west. As someone once said, its a control geological formation. Yes, I realize there is a borough called Delaware Water Gap across the river in PA, but NJDOT likely doesn't. They don't even acknowledge the larger Stroudsburg PA!

[Roadrunner75]

NJ likes to point people to a ferry that is 130 miles away: http://goo.gl/maps/HG1Oh

In the same vein, I've always liked the "Tacony Palmyra Bridge" signs that dot South Jersey - this one around 60 miles away in Somers Point:
https://www.google.com/maps?ll=39.311895,-74.612714&spn=0.000004,0.00327&t=m&z=19&layer=c&cbll=39.31183,-74.613313&panoid=9LcuMW1dXpSkrjLEwIqRsg&cbp=12,90.06,,0,4.39

[hubcity]

NJ likes to point people to a ferry that is 130 miles away: http://goo.gl/maps/HG1Oh

In the same vein, I've always liked the "Tacony Palmyra Bridge" signs that dot South Jersey - this one around 60 miles away in Somers Point:
https://www.google.com/maps?ll=39.311895,-74.612714&spn=0.000004,0.00327&t=m&z=19&layer=c&cbll=39.31183,-74.613313&panoid=9LcuMW1dXpSkrjLEwIqRsg&cbp=12,90.06,,0,4.39

There are a lot of them, aren't there? I had begun to wonder if maybe it was because it was the first bridge crossing from south Jersey to Pennsylvania, and the signs were there to say "this is the only way to get across the Delaware." That's not the case, though; the Ben Franklin predates it by three years (and the Trenton Makes bridge's predecessor beats that to existence by 120 years, even though that wouldn't be all that convenient for someone in Salem county.)

A mid-century marketing plan gone horribly malignant, perhaps?

[Pete from Boston]

NJ likes to point people to a ferry that is 130 miles away: http://goo.gl/maps/HG1Oh

It's odd that it has BGS status, but less so that it's signed there.  Both roads lead to/toward Delaware; it's important to realize which one you need to be on. 

There is also the infamous "Del Water Gap" on I-80 west. As someone once said, its a control geological formation. Yes, I realize there is a borough called Delaware Water Gap across the river in PA, but NJDOT likely doesn't. They don't even acknowledge the larger Stroudsburg PA!

I was wondering when that was going to come up.  It's usually one of the first in any unusual-destination-type thread, and certainly the oddest one posted that much in this part of the country. 

[Pete from Boston]

There used to be the Salem NH / Salem MA problem, where people looking for Salem MA ended up in Salem NH.

I know for the Manchester, MA vs. Manchester, NH; the former was officially renamed Manchester-By-the-Sea circa 1989.  Although some newer BGS' & LGS' still use just Manchester when referring to the seaport town.

The Globe went heavily into this in a recent article:

This happens via a ritual that everyone in the "Manchester"  camp has been through many times.

"Where do you live?"  the ritual begins.

"Manchester."

"New Hampshire?"

At this point, the resident will offer some other descriptive — "North Shore"  or "Cape Ann"  or "Near Gloucester."  Anything that will save them from the words coming out of their mouth.

"Ohhh . . . "  the ritual concludes, as the person catches on. It is here their tone changes, as if they've spied the ruse by placing a monocle to their eye. ". . . by-the-Sea."

[vegas1962]

There's the equally infamous (or maybe famous, depending on perspective) destination of "Mackinac Bridge" that is used as the bottom control city on mileage signs and on all BGS pull-throughs on I-75 North pretty much everywhere north of Flint.

[NWI_Irish96]

I don't know how common this is, but the unincorporated area of Cementville is one of the destinations for Exit 7 (IN 60) on I-65 in Indiana. 

[bzakharin]

There is also the infamous "Del Water Gap" on I-80 west. As someone once said, its a control geological formation. Yes, I realize there is a borough called Delaware Water Gap across the river in PA, but NJDOT likely doesn't. They don't even acknowledge the larger Stroudsburg PA!

It's probably referring to the national recreation area by that name, which is partially in NJ. After all, NJ  seems to be allergic to signing out of state locations when they're not in NYC, hence no Srtoudsburg. Alternatively, it could be the Delaware Water Gap Toll Bridge, since NJ likes signing bridges, but I don't think anyone calls it that.

[Zeffy]

"Zarephath" is on a supplemental guide sign for I-287 Exit 12 in New Jersey:

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.54507,-74.534704,3a,15y,337.45h,88.53t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sKQWECatC2kj-nc6gIoRNRw!2e0

Zarephath is an unincorporated census-designated-place within Franklin Township.

EDIT: Really? That mistake was just stupid of me...