Pre-computerization contract signing plans

[J N Winkler]

One of my long-term projects is to assemble a complete set of pattern-accurate contract signing plans from all 50 US state DOTs and other agencies (including local and toll road agencies) which maintain freeway-standard facilities.  Before the widespread use of computer software to produce signing plans, it was fairly rare for most state DOTs to produce pattern-accurate sign designs for inclusion in contract signing plans.  The following table summarizes my efforts to determine which ones did and which ones didn't.

State	PA before computerization?	scanned?	Acquired?
AL
AK
AZ	Yes	Yes	Yes
AR
CA	No	Yes	Yes
CO
CT
DE
FL	No	No	No
GA	No	Yes	Yes
HI
ID
IL	No	Yes	Yes
IN
IA	No	Yes	Yes
KS
KY	No	Yes	Yes
LA
ME
MD	No	Yes	Yes
MA
MI	No	Yes	Yes
MN	Yes	Yes	Yes
MS	No	Yes	Yes
MO
MT
NE
NV	Yes	Yes	No
NH
NJ
NM
NY
NC	No	Yes	Yes
ND
OH	No	Yes	Yes
OK
OR	No	Yes	Yes
PA	Yes	Some	No
RI
SC
SD
TN
TX	No	Yes	Some
UT
VT
VA
WA	No	Yes	Yes
WV
WI	Yes	Yes	No
WY

Here are samples from old contract signing plans for several states (most dating from the 1960's and 1970's):

*  PennDOT



*  MnDOT



*  Arizona DOT



I frankly doubt I will have obtained a complete library of pattern-accurate signing plans in ten years--much depends on how far various state DOTs and turnpike agencies go in establishing publicly accessible electronic document management systems with this information uploaded to them.

[Alps]

I don't quite follow what you're looking for - these look like fairly standard signing plans to me you could find in any contract.  The first two go into a bit more detail on the alphabet dimensions than I'm used to, but the last one looks exactly like some plans I've drawn up even as recently as yesterday.  I presume any DOT that has Sample Plans (such as NJDOT) would have what you're looking for.

[J N Winkler]

Essentially, what I am looking for is every signing contract ever done that has pattern-accurate sign designs.  For MnDOT alone that is over 500 contracts (the very first being sign installation on I-35W in Minneapolis in 1959).

[agentsteel53]

Essentially, what I am looking for is every signing contract ever done that has pattern-accurate sign designs.  For MnDOT alone that is over 500 contracts (the very first being sign installation on I-35W in Minneapolis in 1959).

what is the reference number for that one?  I'd love to find that on the DVD you sent!

[froggie]

Curious about that I-35W signing contract myself...see how it compares to my memories of the signage growing up (and before MnDOT added exit numbers on 35W).

[J N Winkler]

The I-35W signing contract from 1959 is state project (SP) 2782-37.  The full plans set (43 sheets total) can be downloaded through MnDOT's EDMS (requires Internet Exploder):

http://dotapp3.dot.state.mn.us/cyberdocs_guest

The long-shaft arrows on exit direction signs are really funky.

There was a later signing contract, SP 2782-79, which was done (I think) in the mid-1960's and seems to have no provision for exit numbers.  I don't think these were introduced in Minnesota until the late 1960's.  These old signing plans are valuable for documenting something else MnDOT used to do but now does no longer, i.e. putting exit numbers on interchange sequence signs.

Many of the signing sheets from the 1960's and 1970's are actually for message revisions.  The top part of the sheet shows "inplace legend," while the bottom shows the new legend--typically formed by drilling out demountable copy, trimming the sign panel, replacing text expressions of the type "Minn 47" or "County J" with shields, etc.

[Truvelo]

requires Internet Exploder