The Worst of Road Signs

[roadman]

Poor man's CMS.

Damn, how many terms are there for those types of signs? VMS, CMS, DMS, EMS, matrix display (digital), etc.

This has been discussed before.  The FHWA term for years was variable message sign (VMS), then it was changed to changeable message sign (CMS) with the 2000 MUTCD.  The term was then changed again to Dynamic Message Sign (DMS), although this never formally appeared in the MUTCD.  The 2009 MUTCD refers to such signs as Changeable Message Sign (CMS).  Now do you want me to explain the blue lines in hockey.

[jakeroot]

Poor man's CMS.

Damn, how many terms are there for those types of signs? VMS, CMS, DMS, EMS, matrix display (digital), etc.

This has been discussed before.  The FHWA term for years was variable message sign (VMS), then it was changed to changeable message sign (CMS) with the 2000 MUTCD.  The term was then changed again to Dynamic Message Sign (DMS), although this never formally appeared in the MUTCD.  The 2009 MUTCD refers to such signs as Changeable Message Sign (CMS).  Now do you want me to explain the blue lines in hockey.

That's cool to know. Funny they'd change their mind so many times.

I'll pass! 

[djlynch]

Construction signage from another thread.  I know it's construction signage, but even construction signage shouldn't be hit with an ugly stick this bad.

Poor man's CMS.

Am I the only one who actually prefers these to the portable digital ones? The most common variety around here, where you have a fixed grid of three lines of eight characters, usually takes two or three different displays for even fairly simple messages and I feel like that takes my eyes off the road directly in front of me for much longer than if I was reading a fixed sign with the same message.

Now that I think about it, I'm wondering what's stopping the higher-resolution LED signage that has become available in recent years from being used in mobile applications. It exists in fixed applications to display MUTCD-compliant signage like the variable speeds on the Lake Washington bridges in Seattle, so it's not visibility or weather hardiness. A portable, digital display that's otherwise identical to a permanent sign seems like the best of all possible worlds.

[Scott5114]

I see no reason why it'd be anything other than costs. VMSes in construction zones are normally provided by the contractors. Why upgrade to a fancier model if the DOT isn't specifying it?

[jeffandnicole]

I see no reason why it'd be anything other than costs. VMSes in construction zones are normally provided by the contractors. Why upgrade to a fancier model if the DOT isn't specifying it?

At least in NJ, they're part of the bid package.  Ultimately, the state, and thus, the taxpayers, are paying for those signs.  And when you dive further into the bid package, they're told what those signs should say, and for how long.  The requirements are ultra-specific!

[csw]

From a state whose signs are usually pretty great, this travesty is posted along the turnpike in Beckley, West Virginia.

[hbelkins]

From a state whose signs are usually pretty great, this travesty is posted along the turnpike in Beckley, West Virginia.

There were quite a few odd signs along the WV Turnpike between Beckley and Cabin Creek several years ago, but they ended up being replaced. There are a couple more oddities in the Beckley area, too, along with a couple of button copy signs that were still hanging on last time i was there.

[csw]

There were quite a few odd signs along the WV Turnpike between Beckley and Cabin Creek several years ago, but they ended up being replaced. There are a couple more oddities in the Beckley area, too, along with a couple of button copy signs that were still hanging on last time i was there.

The only button copy left is on the blue services signs. Most of them are empty, but there's at least one on just about every exit between Princeton and Charleston. For example

[UCFKnights]

I see no reason why it'd be anything other than costs. VMSes in construction zones are normally provided by the contractors. Why upgrade to a fancier model if the DOT isn't specifying it?

I can think of a few other reasons: I imagine the reliability of an LCD being thrown around and abused during construction probably isn't as good. Also the difficulty of inputting messages into the screen a MUTCD compliant manner.

Infact, even the permanent VMS near me that are full color screens that display travel times revert to a simulated dot matrix look when they enter a temporary message... only exception might be when its a real long term change/message, but that would be really rare since they'd usually have to make a sign for it then anyways.

[hbelkins]

The button copy overhead on the southbound side is gone?

[csw]

I don't know about that. I will be driving southbound through there in a few weeks though and I'll keep an eye out.

[Bruce]

Seen at the Lowe's/Chick fil A parking lot in Lynnwood, WA



It is trying to point towards northbound I-5, but using a less direct route.

[jakeroot]

Seen at the Lowe's/Chick fil A parking lot in Lynnwood, WA

https://i.imgur.com/C6RaWs3.jpg

It is trying to point towards northbound I-5, but using a less direct route.

The shield is perfect, apart from that glaring "N". With that, WA finally has a suffixed route, even if it makes no sense

[stevashe]

Seen at the Lowe's/Chick fil A parking lot in Lynnwood, WA

https://i.imgur.com/C6RaWs3.jpg

It is trying to point towards northbound I-5, but using a less direct route.

The shield is perfect, apart from that glaring "N". With that, WA finally has a suffixed route, even if it makes no sense

I'm glad we get to join the party, only a few decades late!

[Brandon]

Seen at the Lowe's/Chick fil A parking lot in Lynnwood, WA

https://i.imgur.com/C6RaWs3.jpg

It is trying to point towards northbound I-5, but using a less direct route.

The shield is perfect, apart from that glaring "N". With that, WA finally has a suffixed route, even if it makes no sense

Yeah, it looks great until you see the "N" and the fact the background is red.

[TheGrassGuy]

[ErmineNotyours]

[kphoger]

Code Select Expand


[img]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:I-US1_shield_on_Gun_Hill_Road.jpg[/img]


That is not the URL for an image file.  It is the website where an image file is hosted.

Below is what you should have put between the img tags.

Code Select Expand


https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/I-US1_shield_on_Gun_Hill_Road.jpg/450px-I-US1_shield_on_Gun_Hill_Road.jpg


[US 89]

snipped image

It’s also not your photo. I’m sure the original photographer (Adam Moss) would appreciate a credit for that, as it’s generally bad form to post unattributed photos that aren’t yours.

[Scott5114]

snipped image

It's also not your photo. I'm sure the original photographer (Adam Moss) would appreciate a credit for that, as it's generally bad form to post unattributed photos that aren't yours.

I already called him out for using one of mine from Wikipedia without attribution.

[djlynch]

I see no reason why it'd be anything other than costs. VMSes in construction zones are normally provided by the contractors. Why upgrade to a fancier model if the DOT isn't specifying it?

I can think of a few other reasons: I imagine the reliability of an LCD being thrown around and abused during construction probably isn't as good. Also the difficulty of inputting messages into the screen a MUTCD compliant manner.

Infact, even the permanent VMS near me that are full color screens that display travel times revert to a simulated dot matrix look when they enter a temporary message... only exception might be when its a real long term change/message, but that would be really rare since they'd usually have to make a sign for it then anyways.

Realistically, I think the MUTCD-compliant signs would have to be designed elsewhere and transferred to the VMS as image files, but if I were designing the control systems, I'd include a plain text mode as well. TxDOT is willing to let a portable VMS replace permanent signage for the duration of a project rather than requiring a temporary sign, and that's the application where I think the MUTCD-compliant displays would be most useful, but even a higher-resolution text sign would be preferable to the status quo.

[Scott5114]

There's no reason the text couldn't be rendered in black Series D on an orange background instead of a fake dot matrix display, though (which would be harder to program than just using whatever OS or library's built-in OTF-rendering routine).

I don't think most VMSes are actual LCD screens, anyway–that'd be pretty silly–instead they used red/green/blue LEDs as pixels.

[countysigns]

https://tinyurl.com/rtbxkmy

This was done "in house" by Toledo's traffic engineering department.  Off center mounting (if you click past the sign, you can see how half-assed the mounting is) and the arrows look fugly.

[JoePCool14]

From a state whose signs are usually pretty great, this travesty is posted along the turnpike in Beckley, West Virginia.

At least the Trauma Center is nearby...

[amroad17]

^ That sign has been like that for around 25 years.