The Worst of Road Signs

[kkt]

Well here's another sign. All I can say is, these signs are completely screwed up.

What do they do, roll dice to see where on the panel each shield or arrow should go?

[PHLBOS]

I concur, those horrificly laid-out I-95 BGS' are indeed in Maryland.  The listed New York and Baltimore destinations for each direction is the dead give-away.  It's located along the exit ramp from I-695 West (Exit 33) to I-95 just northeast of Baltimore.

[1995hoo]

Perhaps the empty space on those signs is intended for the planned, but currently deferred, ramps to the Express Toll Lanes? Maryland has done that sort of thing in the past–consider the signs on the Capital Beltway at the US-50 interchange that have the US-50 shield shoved off to the right to leave room for the I-595 shields that were ultimately never posted (or, perhaps, never had their greenout removed).

In particular, there's no reason why the southbound sign from I-695 to I-95 would need that much extra space.

Edited to add: For those unfamiliar with the original plan, here's what was proposed there.

[mhh]

Keep Left? Really?   

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.627645,-82.950719,3a,15y,76.05h,84.9t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1syq-vE4YaPIDltlxqb3xn1A!2e0

[1995hoo]

Keep Left? Really?   

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.627645,-82.950719,3a,15y,76.05h,84.9t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1syq-vE4YaPIDltlxqb3xn1A!2e0

At least it's a proper sign. Compare it to this one in Northwest DC (I'm sure I've posted it in this thread at some point in the past):

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Vermont+Ave+NW+%26+T+St+NW/@38.915495,-77.026136,3a,75y,36.37h,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1ssz4g-x-FOzvbtGhcmTVo1w!2e0!4m2!3m1!1s0x89b7b7e58adc15e1:0xc213bce0f61b013c!6m1!1e1

[FLRoads]

Taken at the off-ramp from I-10 westbound at U.S. 165 near Iowa, Louisiana. There are several of these awful shields between I-10 and its southern terminus at U.S. 90.

[PHLBOS]

Perhaps the empty space on those signs is intended for the planned, but currently deferred, ramps to the Express Toll Lanes?

Such may have well been the case.
A close-up of the gore LGS shows the I-95 shield on a detachable green steel plate that may be covering up an Express Toll banner & I-95 shield (in a different spot)

In particular, there's no reason why the southbound sign from I-695 to I-95 would need that much extra space.

Based on your posted pic along with scanning through Google Earth; those express toll lanes do run all the way down the the I-895 split; so the intent was indeed to have split Express/local ramps for I-95 South as well.

[jakeroot]

At least it's a proper sign. Compare it to this one in Northwest DC (I'm sure I've posted it in this thread at some point in the past):

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Vermont+Ave+NW+%26+T+St+NW/@38.915495,-77.026136,3a,75y,36.37h,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1ssz4g-x-FOzvbtGhcmTVo1w!2e0!4m2!3m1!1s0x89b7b7e58adc15e1:0xc213bce0f61b013c!6m1!1e1

Honest to god, how do you fuck that up? Aren't "keep right" signs manufactured in large numbers?

[jbnv]

Taken at the off-ramp from I-10 westbound at U.S. 165 near Iowa, Louisiana. There are several of these awful shields between I-10 and its southern terminus at U.S. 90.

Good grief. As a native Louisianian I'm deeply embarrassed by that. Even more than the Clearview-in-shields signs in Baton Rouge and Lake Charles.

Also, another demerit for the missing "TO" banner over the 90 shield and the misplaced "SOUTH" banner.

BTW, small correction: I-10 eastbound.

[jakeroot]

Also, another demerit for the missing "TO" banner over the 90 shield and the misplaced "SOUTH" banner.

I know jack about signing, so I must ask: Should it go in this order?

_{[NORTH/US-165/*LEFT*] -- [SOUTH/US-165/*SLIGHT RIGHT*] [TO/US-90/*SLIGHT RIGHT*]}

[VCB02FromRoblox]

Perhaps the empty space on those signs is intended for the planned, but currently deferred, ramps to the Express Toll Lanes? Maryland has done that sort of thing in the past–consider the signs on the Capital Beltway at the US-50 interchange that have the US-50 shield shoved off to the right to leave room for the I-595 shields that were ultimately never posted (or, perhaps, never had their greenout removed).

In particular, there's no reason why the southbound sign from I-695 to I-95 would need that much extra space.

Edited to add: For those unfamiliar with the original plan, here's what was proposed there.

That's a very interesting idea. But the confusing thing is these signs on the Outer-loop of I-695 are not wasting space.


Or you just can't access the I-95 Express Lanes from that portion of the interchange? Anyway that may actually be the reason why.

[texaskdog]

I nominate the VA state highway signs

[JoePCool14]

Taken at the off-ramp from I-10 westbound at U.S. 165 near Iowa, Louisiana. There are several of these awful shields between I-10 and its southern terminus at U.S. 90.

Good grief. As a native Louisianian I'm deeply embarrassed by that. Even more than the Clearview-in-shields signs in Baton Rouge and Lake Charles.

Also, another demerit for the missing "TO" banner over the 90 shield and the misplaced "SOUTH" banner.

BTW, small correction: I-10 eastbound.

What idiot would think that that looks ok.

[jakeroot]

That's a very interesting idea. But the confusing thing is these signs on the Outer-loop of I-695 are not wasting space.

From the looks of the diagram (see below), the only ramp that has access to the express lanes is the ramp on the south side of the interchange (left side of diagram below), I-695 outer loop towards I-95(S). You can see the stub from the air. It's the only stub you can see from the air, and it just so happens to be the ramp with the overly large BGS. The rest of the directions will have centrally-located express lane access.

[JoePCool14]

That is a lot ramps.

[rickmastfan67]

That's a very interesting idea. But the confusing thing is these signs on the Outer-loop of I-695 are not wasting space.

From the looks of the diagram (see below), the only ramp that has access to the express lanes is the ramp on the south side of the interchange (left side of diagram below), I-695 outer loop towards I-95(S). You can see the stub from the air. It's the only stub you can see from the air, and it just so happens to be the ramp with the overly large BGS. The rest of the directions will have centrally-located express lane access.

And if you look at those signs in StreetView, you can clearly see the greenout hiding the Express Lane info.
http://goo.gl/maps/CnT1r

[1995hoo]

That is a lot ramps.

Note they have not built all of them. The ones connecting to the Express Toll Lanes have been deferred indefinitely.

[FLRoads]

Good grief. As a native Louisianian I'm deeply embarrassed by that. Even more than the Clearview-in-shields signs in Baton Rouge and Lake Charles.

Also, another demerit for the missing "TO" banner over the 90 shield and the misplaced "SOUTH" banner.

BTW, small correction: I-10 eastbound.

This assembly is actually off the loop ramp from I-10 westbound. I probably should have elaborated that in my description.

BTW, good catch on the missing TO banner. I was too shocked by that ugly shield to even notice that small error!! lol

And yes, those Clearview numbered shields are pretty horrific once you see them in person!

[jakeroot]

That's a very interesting idea. But the confusing thing is these signs on the Outer-loop of I-695 are not wasting space.

From the looks of the diagram (see below), the only ramp that has access to the express lanes is the ramp on the south side of the interchange (left side of diagram below), I-695 outer loop towards I-95(S). You can see the stub from the air. It's the only stub you can see from the air, and it just so happens to be the ramp with the overly large BGS. The rest of the directions will have centrally-located express lane access.

And if you look at those signs in StreetView, you can clearly see the greenout hiding the Express Lane info.
http://goo.gl/maps/CnT1r

Another mystery solved by AARoads.

[VCB02FromRoblox]

Alright guys, I'm sure you can already tell what the problem is with this sign.

[hotdogPi]

Alright guys, I'm sure you can already tell what the problem is with this sign.

I am really not sure what the problem is.

[Zeffy]

I am really not sure what the problem is.

Well, you have one arrow pointing downwards and one arrow pointing diagonally-right. You should have one or the other, not both.

EDIT:

Another mystery solved by AARoads.

As a CSI: Miami fan that was awesome.

[okroads]

DSC03006 by okroads, on Flickr

A very wide U.S. 1 shield. Photo taken by me in Titusville, FL on 3-19-14.

[Scott5114]

Alright guys, I'm sure you can already tell what the problem is with this sign.

You think this is "worst of road signs"? You should be required to drive the entire Oklahoma turnpike system.

[jakeroot]

Alright guys, I'm sure you can already tell what the problem is with this sign.

Image Link

You think this is "worst of road signs"? You should be required to drive the entire Oklahoma turnpike system.

Depending on where VCB02 is from, this might be considered a "worst of". If the sign was in Washington State, for example, this type of error is extremely rare, so I would consider it a worst of.

Regardless, this is more of an erroneous sign. One of the arrows has to come off (not sure which one, however) but everything else is fine (right?).