Favorite state highway shields?

Started by KCRoadFan, August 02, 2020, 10:00:04 PM

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Eth

Quote from: Gnutella on August 04, 2020, 06:36:02 PM
A Georgia route marker should look like this.

Absolutely agreed. Unfortunately it seems that we stopped using this particular shape sometime around the early 2000s. Of the various designs employed since, some of them use a more accurate state outline, but they are, IMO, less effective as a route marker.


Rothman

I am glad that Idaho still retains Sad Nixon on their shield.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

plain

While it's a state outline, the other half of the Idaho sheild looks like a man with a weird nose looking down at the ground.

EDIT: I didn't see the post above mine before posting lol
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csw

Quote from: oscar on August 04, 2020, 07:05:06 PM
Quote from: csw on August 04, 2020, 06:48:26 PM
You are right about one thing here, and one thing only: that the settlement of Providence Plantations had no slaves, and wasn't what you think of as a typical plantation. "Plantations" here is a misnomer - from what I read, common usage of the word in the 17th century equated to "settlement" or "colony".

Perhaps not all plantations had slaves, but the fact that people are defending something that is still so closely associated with slavery isn't a good look.

But not plantations in northern states that never had slavery. Or Hawaiian plantations (lots of old ones, when sugar and pineapple were king), which likewise were slave-free. The association of northern and Hawaiian plantations with slavery is sloppy thinking at best. (But I'm not sure RI's governor was buying into that, rather than just giving lip service to the bogus association of RI's plantations with slavery.)
Of course the ones outside of the South didn't have slaves, I understand that. I hear the word "plantation", I think of Southern plantations, with slaves. If you say "plantation" to the average person, they're going to think of Southern plantations, with slaves. Similarly, "holocaust" is a normal dictionary word, but the average person sees or hears it and thinks about The Holocaust. All Rhode Island is trying to do is eliminate the possibility of association with Southern plantations. Again, I think it's commendable that they want to get rid of any possibility of association with slavery. (By the way, this is a great example of just how deeply ingrained slavery is in American culture.) Keeping around a few extra words that the general population doesn't even know about just for the sake of history isn't worth it. Besides, the longer name would still be preserved in history books anyways - that's what history books are for, right?

TravelingBethelite

I will concede that Kansas has a fantastic shield, probably my favorite. I am a fan of their particular usage of thick numerals.

Missouri's design is a little smoothed-out and sloppy for my tastes. I have seen a more detailed and accurate rendering of the state outline from time to time, especially on construction signage. Even within standard signage, there is a vast range in the quality (and accuracy) of state outlines.

The one thing that once endeared me to Connecticut's signage has been its way out in the last few years. CTDOT used to cram three-digit route numbers into thin-bordered squares in elegant Series B. Recently, they've been ripping the older signs out (both in and out of construction zones) and replacing them with ugly thick-bordered rectangles in comparatively ugly Series E (or F, I'm not sure).
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StogieGuy7

Quote from: csw on August 04, 2020, 09:17:39 PM
Quote from: oscar on August 04, 2020, 07:05:06 PM
Quote from: csw on August 04, 2020, 06:48:26 PM
You are right about one thing here, and one thing only: that the settlement of Providence Plantations had no slaves, and wasn't what you think of as a typical plantation. "Plantations" here is a misnomer - from what I read, common usage of the word in the 17th century equated to "settlement" or "colony".

Perhaps not all plantations had slaves, but the fact that people are defending something that is still so closely associated with slavery isn't a good look.

But not plantations in northern states that never had slavery. Or Hawaiian plantations (lots of old ones, when sugar and pineapple were king), which likewise were slave-free. The association of northern and Hawaiian plantations with slavery is sloppy thinking at best. (But I'm not sure RI's governor was buying into that, rather than just giving lip service to the bogus association of RI's plantations with slavery.)
Of course the ones outside of the South didn't have slaves, I understand that. I hear the word "plantation", I think of Southern plantations, with slaves. If you say "plantation" to the average person, they're going to think of Southern plantations, with slaves. Similarly, "holocaust" is a normal dictionary word, but the average person sees or hears it and thinks about The Holocaust. All Rhode Island is trying to do is eliminate the possibility of association with Southern plantations. Again, I think it's commendable that they want to get rid of any possibility of association with slavery. (By the way, this is a great example of just how deeply ingrained slavery is in American culture.) Keeping around a few extra words that the general population doesn't even know about just for the sake of history isn't worth it. Besides, the longer name would still be preserved in history books anyways - that's what history books are for, right?

I don't mean to derail this thread (which is a great subject).  But I just think that we shouldn't pander to the poorly educated, nor should we tear down our shared history. And the "dropping" of "2 words" shows ignorance, political opportunism (pandering to the ignorant) and short-sightedness. Leaving it alone, simply because it never had anything to do with slavery, would have been the best thing to do.  Just my POV. 

Scott5114

Quote from: StogieGuy7 on August 05, 2020, 01:01:15 PM
And the "dropping" of "2 words" shows ignorance

Most likely because they're dropping three words, presumably.
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Scott5114

Quote from: TravelingBethelite on August 05, 2020, 12:46:56 AM
I will concede that Kansas has a fantastic shield, probably my favorite. I am a fan of their particular usage of thick numerals.

Kansas uses bog-standard Series D on two-digit routes and C on three-digit. There's nothing particularly "thick" about them.

Maybe you're thinking of Nebraska and its penchant for using Series D Modified for no real reason?
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1995hoo

Quote from: Scott5114 on August 04, 2020, 01:05:56 PM
I propose that they name it "Ri", pronounced like the bread, so that they will have a name that can actually fit inside the state on maps.

If that happened, then I want to move to Massachusetts immediately north of the state line to found a town called Pastrami.
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Road Hog



This has been my avatar since right after I joined the board. I took the boring Texas square, made an outline of the Alamo with the border and added proper series numbers. I now think that the flag is a little overdone and can probably go away. But I hope TxDOT has a redesign contest with the Texas bicentennial coming up.

jmacswimmer

Quote from: 1995hoo on August 05, 2020, 01:40:39 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on August 04, 2020, 01:05:56 PM
I propose that they name it "Ri", pronounced like the bread, so that they will have a name that can actually fit inside the state on maps.

If that happened, then I want to move to Massachusetts immediately north of the state line to found a town called Pastrami.

Don't put it too close to Cape Cod, lest the Sandwich Police want a word with you about it.
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StogieGuy7

Quote from: Scott5114 on August 05, 2020, 01:31:36 PM
Quote from: StogieGuy7 on August 05, 2020, 01:01:15 PM
And the "dropping" of "2 words" shows ignorance

Most likely because they're dropping three words, presumably.

Yeah, you got me - I forgot about the ever-offensive word "and".

paulthemapguy

All states with colorful interesting designs > All states with monochrome interesting designs > (colored sign with a state outline >) State outlines > state name in a box or boring monochrome shape > empty circles > empty squares. 

i.e.
1. CO, MN, CA, KS, NM, VT
2. WA, OR, AK, ND, NE, UT, MI, NY, NH, PA, ID (ID is interesting to me because the number's outside the state)
(2.5. SD, plus WY & SC for having colors but otherwise boring designs)
3. OK, TN, GA, FL, AL, LA, AZ, NV, MO, AR
4. IL, IN, MT, RI, TX, MD (plus NC, VA, HI for being a boring single shape)
5. NJ, MS, KY, IA, DE
6. CT, WV, ME, MA
Avatar is the last interesting highway I clinched.
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Henry

For me, it's the classic CA miner's spade! Although I agree that KS' sunflower is pretty freaking cool...
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STLmapboy

#89
Quote from: Thing 342 on August 04, 2020, 01:09:04 AM
Idaho (2020 redesign)
+: State outline
-: Zero outline, removal of state name, no outline, so numbers are pushed right up against the edge of the shield, looks bad in positive contrast
Grade: D-

There was a redesign? What does old vs new look like?
Nvm, found it. Looks like crap.
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Missouri>>>>>Illinois

Bickendan

CA, OR eagle shields (no longer used :(), OR modern shield, BC, MN, NM, ID

formulanone

Quote from: Rothman on August 04, 2020, 08:48:59 PM
I am glad that Idaho still retains Sad Nixon on their shield.

I can't un-see that now. Or a sad caricature of Bob Hope.

hbelkins

Quote from: kphoger on August 04, 2020, 05:12:50 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on August 04, 2020, 04:50:37 PM
Not necessarily any smaller than the digits in the North Carolina and Michigan diamonds, the Utah beehive, the Tennessee triangle, or the Colorado flag.

Colorado, Utah, and Michigan all have shorter digits than Idaho.

North Carolina is approximately the same, though with a heavier stroke and better width.

Tennessee triangles knock Idaho out of the park when it comes to digit height, though.



In practice, Tennessee triangle digits aren't nearly that big.

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Ketchup99

Shields that try to be too fancy are the worst, IMO, and states like Nevada (with pathetically small digits) are a no-go for me. I'd rather take the simple, straightforward square or circle. In particular, CT and WV have great shields with thick borders that look pretty nice.

DandyDan

Quote from: formulanone on August 06, 2020, 09:30:10 AM
Quote from: Rothman on August 04, 2020, 08:48:59 PM
I am glad that Idaho still retains Sad Nixon on their shield.

I can't un-see that now. Or a sad caricature of Bob Hope.
I always thought the Idaho-Montana border looked like Abraham Lincoln, which means Abraham Lincoln is always looking into Idaho.
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StogieGuy7

Quote from: Henry on August 05, 2020, 07:33:25 PM
For me, it's the classic CA miner's spade! Although I agree that KS' sunflower is pretty freaking cool...

I have to agree.  And the classic miner's spade looked awesome with the bear and the button copy route numbers! Never cared for the green spade as much because of the way it just blends into the BGS, which I've long found to be boring.  On it's own, it looks good - but not even close to the prior series' that it replaced.

kphoger

Which one is better or the two below?

   

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StogieGuy7

Quote from: kphoger on August 07, 2020, 03:03:15 PM
Which one is better or the two below?

   

Both are awesome, Oregon may have an edge in this one. Of course, CA used button copy on the numerals so....extra credit.

KCRoadFan

Quote from: jmacswimmer on August 05, 2020, 01:59:58 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on August 05, 2020, 01:40:39 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on August 04, 2020, 01:05:56 PM
I propose that they name it "Ri", pronounced like the bread, so that they will have a name that can actually fit inside the state on maps.

If that happened, then I want to move to Massachusetts immediately north of the state line to found a town called Pastrami.

Don't put it too close to Cape Cod, lest the Sandwich Police want a word with you about it.

Not to mention all the towns in Massachusetts that end in "ham"  (including Chatham and Eastham on the Cape).

plain

Quote from: kphoger on August 07, 2020, 03:03:15 PM
Which one is better or the two below?

   

I'm really liking that Oregon one. I would just make the state name a little smaller so the numbers could be bigger.
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