What state has the best looking milage markers?

[kphoger]

That's just the federal MUTCD style.

To be used on federal routes, of course. 

[Brandon]

quarter-mile markers

I saw those recently, I think in Illinois. Not being familiar and not usually seeing fractions, they looked a little weird. But if it saves 20% on signage, why not?

It actually flows from what ISTHA used to use, 1/2-mile mile markers.  So they made them enhanced and added the 1/4 and 3/4 markers.

[Brandon]

Some places (Indiana) can't make up their mind or vary by district on placement.

Illinois also only have enhanced mile markers in select districts. D8 has green ones in the St Louis Metro East with both median and side placement, and D9 has blue ones on the sides along I-57. I don't recall seeing them in the other districts.

District 2 uses them on US-20 around Rockford.  The caveat being that the US-20 mile markers are based on the US-20 postmiles that start at the Winnebago/Stephenson County line.

[CtrlAltDel]

I have to admit that I'm partial to the old school D10-3.



I understand the safety reasons behind having mile markers every 0.1 or 0.2 miles, but I find the close repetition distracting, especially with the enhanced versions.

[architect77]

I don't think they're necessary to be posted every 1/10th of a mile either. Every 2/10ths is more than adequate

I think 0.2 mi. is good too, although I don't complain when they're every 0.1 mi.  I'd be OK with quarter-mile markers instead, which I think some states do.

and a smaller sign with just the digits and perhaps a small shield  are adequate.

I think the shield isn't necessary on every sign.  Once every whole-number or some multiple is good.  In Mexico, the km-markers have the route shield on every fifth one, and that's adequate.

This makes me wonder if the call boxes along interstates in the California desert are still installed and functional. I made 9 trips to Southern Calif. in the 90s before cell phones were commonly used.

There were emergency call boxes on interstates in the Southern Calif. desert every 1 or 2 or 3 miles I can't remember for people who got stranded in the inhospitable environment. I wonder if cell phones rendered them no longer necessary.

[ran4sh]

Enhanced mile markers on multiplexed surface routes would sure make it easier to know which route's mileage scheme they're following.

... but only if it's done correctly.

I've seen enhanced mile markers on multiplex routes where multiple routes are identified on the sign but the mileage is only correct for one of them.

[kphoger]

I've seen enhanced mile markers on multiplex routes where multiple routes are identified on the sign

  not happy

[OCGuy81]

All I know is that Oregon definitely doesn't. We just typically slap a small green "MILE (insert mile here)" sign on the side of the highway. Some miles don't even have them.

The closest I've seen is half mile markers on OR-217.

I get frustrated when mile markers randomly reset because you're on a new "Highway" (internal Oregon highway, not the actually marked route)