The Worst of Road Signs

[Quillz]

Yeah, the 1961 spec shields were great. Shame they got retired. I can see the merit behind the 1970 spec shields (can fit Series D numerals, etc.) but it came at the expense of aesthetics.

[froggie]

Aesthetics isn't everything.  Function over form.  Though there's also something to be said for consistency.  Thankfully, MnDOT's pretty consistent.  Wish I could say the same for VDOT or VTrans.

[agentsteel53]

Aesthetics isn't everything.  Function over form.  Though there's also something to be said for consistency.  Thankfully, MnDOT's pretty consistent.  Wish I could say the same for VDOT or VTrans.

and I believe MNDOT still uses '61 spec US shields fairly regularly. 

[Quillz]

Aesthetics isn't everything.  Function over form.  Though there's also something to be said for consistency.  Thankfully, MnDOT's pretty consistent.  Wish I could say the same for VDOT or VTrans.

It's not everything, and it certainly shouldn't be the main issue when designing road signs. But my point was that the early spec shields, I think, were very legible and also looked nice. Some of the newer ones don't have such a balance.

[kurumi]

Square I-290 shield? Just downright ugly.

Or inspiration for a corporate logo: http://280north.com/index.php

[hbelkins]

Does WVDOH still use those slightly misshapen US shields? I saw a set of newish looking shields of those style near Wheeling a few weeks ago.

Yes, and when you see one of these, you can generally guess that was fabricated and installed by state forces (note the little logo) rather than contractors, who seem to get the shield shapes closer to correct.

[froggie]

and I believe MNDOT still uses '61 spec US shields fairly regularly. 

Dunno...not familiar with the '61 specs.  You tell me...

[agentsteel53]

and I believe MNDOT still uses '61 spec US shields fairly regularly. 

Dunno...not familiar with the '61 specs.  You tell me...

that is '70 spec.  But I have seen enough '61 spec shields in the wild (including some with prismatic high-intensity sheeting) that I believe a lot of districts and sign shops pull out the old manual whenever they need to whip up a route marker.

it is much less common in the 36" size, and on guide signs, but the 24" stand-alone shields do tend to be '61 spec quite often.  Not anywhere near all the time, but maybe 30-50% of surviving MN shields are '61 spec, and again there are enough new ones out there for me to believe that they're being made to this day.

[mightyace]

Yes, and when you see one of these, you can generally guess that was fabricated and installed by state forces (note the little logo) rather than contractors, who seem to get the shield shapes closer to correct.

That goes against the grain as we're usually ragging on the contractors for screwing things up.

[hbelkins]

First US 36 sign westbound as you enter Kansas from Missouri:



This is a nonstandard shield shape.

[agentsteel53]

that shield shape shows up in Indiana a lot.

I can't find an example offhand, but I've seen a lot on US-30, especially coming out of Illinois - and there is a "US-249" photo that floats around the internet that I've never bothered to put on the Shield Gallery.  A 24x24 shield, with that shape, and the digits "249" crammed in, sloppily hand-placed, with the "9" a wider series than the other two digits.

[US71]

that shield shape shows up in Indiana a lot.

I can't find an example offhand, but I've seen a lot on US-30, especially coming out of Illinois - and there is a "US-249" photo that floats around the internet that I've never bothered to put on the Shield Gallery.  A 24x24 shield, with that shape, and the digits "249" crammed in, sloppily hand-placed, with the "9" a wider series than the other two digits.

The only US 249 I know of is the MoDOT sign errors along MO 249. 

[Stratuscaster]

that shield shape shows up in Indiana a lot.

Lots of them in Illinois - I know if the myriad of the signs around the US-20/IL-25 interchange in Elgin use them, and I recall a few on US-34 as well.

And they are ugly, just like those odd ones in TN and the "cheeky" ones noted previously.

[roadman65]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/54480415@N08/5802910924/in/photostream

This is got to be a very bad assembly.  Unless you know the cardinal rule of the road, you would not be able to figure it out!

[xonhulu]

On a related note, there used to be an "END 569" on the right side of this sign bridge, as seen in the pictures below:

Regrettably, this is now gone.  Not really sure why, as this is still the end of OR 569.  But, comparing the two photos, they have replaced all the overheads, so the end sign was probably removed at the same time.

Yes, I realize I'm quoting myself, but I have an update: I went through here again today, and the "END 569" has now been restored.  In fact, there are now 2 of them, on each side of this sign bridge.

[Kacie Jane]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/54480415@N08/5802910924/in/photostream

This is got to be a very bad assembly.  Unless you know the cardinal rule of the road, you would not be able to figure it out!

I actually don't have a problem with that one.  A little awkward, yes, but I think similar assemblies are relatively common so you don't have to repeat the shield(s).  And I don't see how it's hard to figure out... if you're headed north or east (or northeast even), you go left; if you're headed south or west, you go right.

[Duke87]

Let's just shove text on a sign with little regard to what position the words are in. Then let's put a cardinal direction in mixed case. Then let's make it Clearview!

[David Jr.]

On Carnation Road (is that the right designaton there?) in Aurora, MO, there is a SPEED LIMIT 30 sign with the "30" in Helvetica Medium.

[Android]

While I notice and often try to take photos of wacko and bad signs, but I'll ignore Helvetica usually.  I certainly don't like it on road signs, but they are unfortunately common enough that I just grimace and try to ignore them. 

"Sorry Officer, that Speed Limit sign was in Helvetica, it ain't valid!"

[Icodec]

First US 36 sign westbound as you enter Kansas from Missouri:



This is a nonstandard shield shape.

Why? Why would those even be made? Why must they do this to us?

[KillerTux]

Not my pic but it has to be here..

[agentsteel53]

 

nice use of classic block fonts there - I like how they added the beveling in the corner of the 7, which is the sort of small detail that will not go unnoticed here.

[Duke87]

Construction signage strikes again.

[Ian]

Re: that OH 739 shield

Electrical tape, eh? 

[mightyace]

^^^^

Has anybody seen one made with duct tape?  

But seriously folks, those handmade numbers look better than a lot of manufactured signs.