The Worst of Road Signs

[Scott5114]

I wouldn't call that the worst of signs, though the use of text instead of arrows is sort of bleh, as is "MAINTAIN 2 LANES".

The use of a slash in place of a line break on "Airport/Dayton" is dumb though.

[empirestate]

The use of a slash in place of a line break on "Airport/Dayton" is dumb though.

Reminds me of some signage on the Hutchinson River Parkway: http://g.co/maps/6v4tm (Street View link)

Although I know full well it refers to the town/village of Harrison and the nearby Westchester County Airport, it still psychs me out every time as I briefly believe that it's for the airport of Harrison County...

[vtk]

I wouldn't call that the worst of signs, though the use of text instead of arrows is sort of bleh, as is "MAINTAIN 2 LANES".

Central Ave didn't get the worst ones, which may have been put up in a second round after he shot those.  Further north, there are some patches that use mixed-case type and/or are placed in odd locations.  For example, on an exit sequence sign, the distance to I-670 has been patched to say "Right Lane Only".  And there's a sign that's only about 3x4 ft (not sure what the sign originally was) on which they try to cram in "I-71 South Left 2 Lanes"

The use of a slash in place of a line break on "Airport/Dayton" is dumb though.

That's probably because they needed to add Dayton to the sign when I-670 was finished in 2003.  Apparently, SOP would have been to add an extra panel on top left – much like an extra exit tab – saying just "Dayton".  Would you have preferred that?

[Central Avenue]

I wouldn't call that the worst of signs, though the use of text instead of arrows is sort of bleh, as is "MAINTAIN 2 LANES".

Central Ave didn't get the worst ones, which may have been put up in a second round after he shot those.  Further north, there are some patches that use mixed-case type and/or are placed in odd locations.  For example, on an exit sequence sign, the distance to I-670 has been patched to say "Right Lane Only".  And there's a sign that's only about 3x4 ft (not sure what the sign originally was) on which they try to cram in "I-71 South Left 2 Lanes"

Ah, I meant to get pictures of those as well, but I didn't have my camera with me at the time.

Also, I'm a "she", please.

[yakra]

Which way did he go, George?

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

The use of a slash in place of a line break on "Airport/Dayton" is dumb though.

That's probably because they needed to add Dayton to the sign when I-670 was finished in 2003.  Apparently, SOP would have been to add an extra panel on top left — much like an extra exit tab — saying just "Dayton".  Would you have preferred that?

From my notes; ODOT can't seem to make up their mind as to what the control cities here should be for I-670. Originally it was Airport/Convention Center, then Airport/Dayton, then Airport, then Dayton, now back to Airport/Dayton but on a single line instead of the standard double line.
Try reading the MUTCD a sixth time guys! I-71 SB at I-670, photo taken in May, 2004.

[Central Avenue]

The sign before that one has "Dayton" on a single line with a separate airport icon.




The "Dayton" appears to be a patch, too.

[ctsignguy]

The 'Dayton' patches were put into place by ODOT in response to Ohio's political leadership, who disliked the next control city on I-70 west being Indianapolis....that change was made some years ago

[hbelkins]

Indiana has reciprocated. You can see Dayton now on some I-70 signage in Indianapolis.

[vtk]

The 'Dayton' patches were put into place by ODOT in response to Ohio's political leadership, who disliked the next control city on I-70 west being Indianapolis....that change was made some years ago

I don't believe these signs ever said Indianapolis, considering I-670 didn't connect I-71 to I-70 until 2003.  But that also means they didn't say Dayton until then, hence the patches.  I'd say there's a good chance these'll be replaced (with Clearview and enough room for 2 destinations) in 2014 when the first Columbus Crossroads project wraps up.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

Wasn't Indy, that sign said Convention Center previously.

[national highway 1]

The sign before that one has "Dayton" on a single line with a separate airport icon.

Series B on that I-670 shield doesn't seem to work, either...

[Quillz]

I don't mind Series B on '70-spec 3di shields. Especially since there is a tendency nowadays to make the numbers as big as possible. If it means using Series B over badly compressed Series C or D, then I'm all for it.

[Central Avenue]

ODOT uses Series B on 3di shields often enough that it doesn't even look unusual to me anymore.

(Oddly, this only seems to be the case on guide signs; their independently-mounted shields tend to use series D)

[Quillz]

Series B works fine on shields that are narrow or when ridiculously large numbers must be used, for whatever reason.

Although I believe Australia mandates that Series B is only used on shields and signs that are to be read when a car isn't in motion.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

ODOT uses Series B on 3di shields often enough that it doesn't even look unusual to me anymore.

(Oddly, this only seems to be the case on guide signs; their independently-mounted shields tend to use series D)

ODOT has only been using Series B (now that I know that's what that style is called) for the last decade.

[vtk]

ODOT uses Series B on 3di shields often enough that it doesn't even look unusual to me anymore.

(Oddly, this only seems to be the case on guide signs; their independently-mounted shields tend to use series D)

ODOT has only been using Series B (now that I know that's what that style is called) for the last decade.

Did Series B button copy ever exist?

[Alps]

ODOT uses Series B on 3di shields often enough that it doesn't even look unusual to me anymore.

(Oddly, this only seems to be the case on guide signs; their independently-mounted shields tend to use series D)

ODOT has only been using Series B (now that I know that's what that style is called) for the last decade.

Did Series B button copy ever exist?

I've never even seen Series D button copy, and there is a D-Modified alphabet that I presume was for that purpose.

[vtk]

ODOT uses Series B on 3di shields often enough that it doesn't even look unusual to me anymore.

(Oddly, this only seems to be the case on guide signs; their independently-mounted shields tend to use series D)

ODOT has only been using Series B (now that I know that's what that style is called) for the last decade.

Did Series B button copy ever exist?

I've never even seen Series D button copy, and there is a D-Modified alphabet that I presume was for that purpose.

I've seen many examples of D-mod button copy.  Many if not most surviving button copy 3dI shields in Ohio have DM numerals.  Some really old expressway guide signs use DM instead of EM for the capital letters.

In Best of Road Signs, someone posted a California example of C-modified button copy.

I imagine B-modified (button copy or otherwise) would be on the fringe of practicality.

[Quillz]

I don't believe Series B button copy ever existed. And, outside of Quebec Autoroute shields, I rarely see Series B standardized onto any shields at all.

I don't know if I agree with Australia's conclusion that Series B is only legible when in a car that isn't in motion. I have come across various Series B shields and signs before, and haven't had any issues reading them, even at a fast speed.

[iowahighways]

US 63, Denver, IA:


...and the distance sign heading south after that interchange:


The Iowa DOT must have run out of standard-sized lower-case letters when the US 63/County Road C50 interchange opened. Also, while the white square around the pentagon is common on Iowa BGS, the pentagon looks a little different from other county road markers.

[Takumi]

That wouldn't be so bad if they didn't mess up the spacing (especially with Ottumwa) and had Hudson in the same size as the others.

[vtk]

That wouldn't be so bad if they didn't mess up the spacing (especially with Ottumwa) and had Hudson in the same size as the others.

It would still be bad. Just, not quite as bad.

[roadfro]

That wouldn't be so bad if they didn't mess up the spacing (especially with Ottumwa) and had Hudson in the same size as the others.

It really wouldn't be so bad if all the rest of the text was the same style as the Hudson patch... i.e. the sign would be normal...

[Duke87]

Lazy use of Arial I could understand, but how the hell does Helvetica find its way onto a NY 119 shield? Somebody buy a surplus computer from the MTA?