The Worst of Road Signs

[Brandon]

As of August 2011, this was on I-96 eastbound at exit 174 in Livonia, MI: http://goo.gl/maps/b4XeX

I believe this may have been a temporary sign, but I wouldn't be surprised if this one's still here (I didn't see if it was there when I drove past this spot in November 2012), but if it is, it'll most likely be replaced as this part of I-96 will close soon for major reconstruction.

It is a bit odd for MDOT.  Usually they use the slide right style of arrow for exits, not one below the legend.

[thenetwork]

As of August 2011, this was on I-96 eastbound at exit 174 in Livonia, MI: http://goo.gl/maps/b4XeX

I believe this may have been a temporary sign, but I wouldn't be surprised if this one's still here (I didn't see if it was there when I drove past this spot in November 2012), but if it is, it'll most likely be replaced as this part of I-96 will close soon for major reconstruction.

It is a bit odd for MDOT.  Usually they use the slide right style of arrow for exits, not one below the legend.

As of August 2011, this was on I-96 eastbound at exit 174 in Livonia, MI: http://goo.gl/maps/b4XeX

I believe this may have been a temporary sign, but I wouldn't be surprised if this one's still here (I didn't see if it was there when I drove past this spot in November 2012), but if it is, it'll most likely be replaced as this part of I-96 will close soon for major reconstruction.

It is a bit odd for MDOT.  Usually they use the slide right style of arrow for exits, not one below the legend.

I have seen that "temporary" style of BGS on Michigan freeways since the 90s -- Usually in place of a single-pole overhead gantry that was either damaged or knocked over. 

There were many temporary BGS's installed along I-75 between Toledo and Detroit in the early 90's after they found that the anchor bolts on some of the single pole gantries were defective.  One gantry in particular was knocked over in the wind as I recalled, and as a result, the remaining gantries were inspected and questionable ones were replaced with signs similar to the one on I-96.

[MDOTFanFB]

There were many temporary BGS's installed along I-75 between Toledo and Detroit in the early 90's after they found that the anchor bolts on some of the single pole gantries were defective.  One gantry in particular was knocked over in the wind as I recalled, and as a result, the remaining gantries were inspected and questionable ones were replaced with signs similar to the one on I-96.

How long were these temporary BGSes installed? I wouldn't be surprised if at least one survived into the 2000's. Also, exactly which single-pole gantries along this part of I-75 were defective?

[thenetwork]

IIRC, The sign which blew over and started the evaluation of similar-designed gantries was a single-pole gantry on NB I-75 at the Erie/Temperance Exit (Exit #2), this was back about 1990, give or take a couple of years, and it was after the complete rebuild of the roadway. (I was living in Toledo at the time).  The temporary sign was up well into the 90s, but according to GSV, there is a gantry with a BGS in clearview at that spot.

I did manage to find a 2006 photo of one of these "Temporary replacement" signs (this may or may not have been replaced once before with a similar ground-mounted BGS).  It looks better than the one on I-96, but as you can see, this type of sign needs to be on an overhead gantry:

http://www.toledoblade.com/Weather/2006/12/05/Light-snowfall-turns-roadways-slick.html


And here is a more current photo -- with the gantry FINALLY replaced properly:

www.google.com/maps/place/Erie,+MI/@41.765518,-83.48107,3a,35.7y,183.64h,87.4t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sAoUyTHbn2Kbg_S1RFC0QXg!2e0!4m2!3m1!1s0x883b791daeb7d19d:0xe4925759fcd595a6

[PurdueBill]

This pic of mine from December 2007 as I recall shows the same "belongs overhead" situation.  Wonder if it dates back to the original temporary replacement....guessing probably not based on its condition but one may never know now that it's been replaced with a sign on a cantilever featuring Clearview, of course.

[Scott5114]

Anyone have an example of one of these "single-pole" gantries?

[Mapmikey]

The one I've seen photographed was in 2004, for VA 5. It was replaced by 2011 with something I've probably posted in this thread before...a vertically stretched shield on a rotated three-digit blank.

Did you mean this assembly?

No, it was the VA 5 cutout on Ironbound Road. The Hopewell unisign hasn't been replaced with anything.

nuts...i was meaning to quote the message before yours...about a 1950s posting involving two state routes

[Eth]

Anyone have an example of one of these "single-pole" gantries?

You mean something like this?

[vtk]

I think the guys are referring to a pole way over to the right of the "clear zone" with a cantilevered gantry reaching over to support a sign over the travelled lanes.

[jakeroot]

Anyone have an example of one of these "single-pole" gantries?

You mean something like this?
IMG

I think the guys are referring to a pole way over to the right of the "clear zone" with a cantilevered gantry reaching over to support a sign over the travelled lanes.

Like this?

[vtk]

I think the posts were so far from the roadway they didn't even need barriers in front of them.  Or I might have misunderstood some GLR posts over a decade ago.

[JoePCool14]

This pic of mine from December 2007 as I recall shows the same "belongs overhead" situation.  Wonder if it dates back to the original temporary replacement....guessing probably not based on its condition but one may never know now that it's been replaced with a sign on a cantilever featuring Clearview, of course.

For some reason, I really like that.

[jbnv]

For some reason, I really like that.

They could have left the arrow off and just had the "EXIT ONLY." However, that would have looked really odd on a non-overhead sign. The arrow makes it clear that it's referring to the rightmost lane. Not that such an indicator is really needed (think, McFly)... it's just comforting. And it's shorter than "RIGHT LANE EXIT ONLY."

[vtk]

For some reason, I really like that.

They could have left the arrow off and just had the "EXIT ONLY." However, that would have looked really odd on a non-overhead sign. The arrow makes it clear that it's referring to the rightmost lane. Not that such an indicator is really needed (think, McFly)... it's just comforting. And it's shorter than "RIGHT LANE EXIT ONLY."

How about RIGHT LANE | ONLY?
https://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&ll=39.935186,-82.934954&spn=0.004467,0.007081&t=h&z=17&vpsrc=6&layer=c&cbll=39.935253,-82.935013&panoid=e7pPjuIuNK1-F_LXXV54Qg&cbp=12,167.55,,1,2.15

And technically it's on an overhead sign, but the sign just isn't aligned over the lane for some reason.

[KEK Inc.]

Anyone have an example of one of these "single-pole" gantries?

You mean something like this?
IMG

I think the guys are referring to a pole way over to the right of the "clear zone" with a cantilevered gantry reaching over to support a sign over the travelled lanes.

Like this?

That's just a standard Washington sign bridge, which is much like most European sign bridges (a simple steel prism structure).  They're similar to tubular designs, but not really too great for really windy areas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3h1_UqJuC4

[Scott5114]

This pic of mine from December 2007 as I recall shows the same "belongs overhead" situation.  Wonder if it dates back to the original temporary replacement....guessing probably not based on its condition but one may never know now that it's been replaced with a sign on a cantilever featuring Clearview, of course.

For some reason, I really like that.

Would that qualify as a "dancing arrow"?

[Brandon]

This pic of mine from December 2007 as I recall shows the same "belongs overhead" situation.  Wonder if it dates back to the original temporary replacement....guessing probably not based on its condition but one may never know now that it's been replaced with a sign on a cantilever featuring Clearview, of course.

For some reason, I really like that.

Would that qualify as a "dancing arrow"?

Probably, but the sign in question is gone now, IIRC.

Here is the current signage: https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=41.761669,-83.478541&spn=0.004618,0.010568&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=41.761572,-83.480592&panoid=z__nBZt1N4FBynyXd42Krg&cbp=12,24.46,,1,-6.25

https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=41.758652,-83.480623&spn=0.00465,0.010568&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=41.758376,-83.480624&panoid=viTSXNc9XxHpg129rCycmQ&cbp=12,15.79,,1,-5.69

[JoePCool14]

Eww, with clearview too!

[Zeffy]

Eww, with clearview too!

Typical of MDOT. Same with O(hio)DOT.  Perfectly good Highway Gothic replaced with Clearview... and then they use it in the exit tab and you just want to kick the tab off the sign.

Or is that just me?

[jbnv]

Saw this today. A temporary sign, but an ugly one nonetheless.

[hotdogPi]

Saw this today. A temporary sign, but an ugly one nonetheless.

How would it look if the 51 wasn't tilted?

[Zeffy]

How would it look if the 51 wasn't tilted?

Just as worse, because there's Arialveticverstesk in BOTH the shield itself and the 'DETOUR' banner. Yeeeeech. Oh and the shape of the shield is just ugly.

[Scott5114]

There is nothing right with that sign.

[Zeffy]

There is nothing right with that sign.

Well there is, and it's the arrow banner. It could be worse - it could be an arrow made from MS Paint or office. 

[sammi]

There is nothing right with that sign.

Well there is, and it's the arrow banner.

No, it's a rotated M6-3.