Flashing Lights

[Takumi]

Part 3. Finally made it to the Queen City.
http://lightsflashingbright.blogspot.com/2013/03/a-different-mecklenburg-saga-part-3.html

[kphoger]

I am not trying to be disrespectful, but this thread has too many pictures of things that are not of any interest to me. I mean, does anyone really want to see every VA sign ever placed? The historical stuff is cool, but much of the content is rather ho-hum. I appreciate the effort that you put forth, but I think you should consider more interesting locations for road trips, etc...

I'm not trying to be disrespectful, but . . .

For what it's worth, I find most of the pictures on here to be of little interest to me.  You know my solution?  Not to say so on the thread, but to hardly ever open the thread.  Seriously, just ignore the thread and read what does interest you.  This is a roadgeek forum, and not everything that one person is geeky about will interest everyone else.  Now that you know the contents of the thread, and have determined that you're not interested, just ignore the thread.

Having said that, even as someone geographically removed from the pictures and with little interest in their content, I do still visit the thread every so often to see if there's anything of interest.  You know, because I'm a geek too, and there might be something here I want to see.

[Takumi]

Trying not to go down that road again...so here's part 4. Walking around Charlotte, then back on the road.
http://lightsflashingbright.blogspot.com/2013/03/a-different-mecklenburg-saga-part-4.html

[1995hoo]

It's funny, yesterday afternoon I went out to the library at the Fairfax courthouse and I took Braddock Road to Roberts Road on the way there and I was noticing how many signs we have that still use wooden posts, but none of them are white anymore. I suppose when you think about it there's really little sense to painting them white. I suspect I will not see one anywhere in Fairfax County unless there were to be one somewhere on one of the back roads in the Clifton or Great Falls areas, but even there it seems highly unlikely because (in the case of Clifton, in particular) there aren't any primary routes back there.

I think VDH (Virginia Department of Highways, predecessor to VDOT) used whitewashed (or just white painted) timbers because they were more visible to drivers, especially at night.

Last sign I remember that was mounted on white-painted wooden posts in Northern Virginia was on northbound Va. 110 (Jefferson Davis Highway) in Arlington County - a small green panel with an I-66 shield and a "control city" of Falls Church (the only place I have ever seen Falls Church used that way).  I will snap a picture when I can do so safely.

Only primary highways in Great Falls are Va. 193 and I-495.

I was on northbound VA-110 today and didn't see any white posts, unfortunately. Southbound will require a trip at some other time to see if there might be any. I recall there being some older shields near the turnoff for the Netherlands Carillon, but there's some sort of work going on through there so I wouldn't be surprised to find they've met their doom.

(Frankly, I was just happy to be driving without a crash: I drove up I-295 in DC to go verify the continued availability of parking near the ballpark and I got quite a scare when a van ahead of me abruptly lost a wheel at around 65 mph!)

[1995hoo]

Part 3. Finally made it to the Queen City.
http://lightsflashingbright.blogspot.com/2013/03/a-different-mecklenburg-saga-part-3.html
(image omitted from quote)

The "Harris" referred to on this sign in the blog entry is the same "Harris" whose name makes up part of Harris Teeter:

[1995hoo]

The discussion on page 4 of this thread about the old VDOT white posts now has me looking for them. I've been unsuccessful in spotting any in recent weeks. This thing is the closest I've come; I passed it yesterday. It's at the corner of Roberts Road and Sager Avenue in Fairfax City, so it wouldn't have been posted by VDOT or a predecessor; it's clearly there to mark the splitter island. It's been so long since I've seen any of the old white posts I don't remember whether the black trim on this one was ever a regular part of them. I rather think not, but I just don't recall.

[cpzilliacus]

The discussion on page 4 of this thread about the old VDOT white posts now has me looking for them. I've been unsuccessful in spotting any in recent weeks.

I think I have found two (or three, depending on how you count) relics of VDH or VDHT, both in Arlington County (this might be harder than looking for cutouts!):

(1) Southbound U.S. 29 (North Fort Myer Drive) south of the Key Bridge in front of the Marriott Hotel:



(2) Northbound Va. 110 (Jefferson Davis Highway) between Memorial Drive and Marshall Drive - I believe this is the only place where Falls Church is used as a "control city" for I-66 (look at the right-hand timber supporting this smallish green sign - I think it dates to 1982, when I-66 between I-495 and Rosslyn was opened to traffic).

[cpzilliacus]

The discussion on page 4 of this thread about the old VDOT white posts now has me looking for them. I've been unsuccessful in spotting any in recent weeks. This thing is the closest I've come; I passed it yesterday. It's at the corner of Roberts Road and Sager Avenue in Fairfax City, so it wouldn't have been posted by VDOT or a predecessor; it's clearly there to mark the splitter island.

This certainly "looks right" in terms of a VDH relic (though  given that it is (and presumably was) City of Fairfax maintenance, it would have been the municipality following VDH standards).

[1995hoo]

Nice find on the Key Bridge one. I don't recall the last time I drove over that bridge from DC to Virginia. I used it inbound to DC last night and even that was very rare. So I doubt I'd have ever seen the posts you found.

[djsinco]

I drove past that style of "Welcome to Virginia" signs dozens of times, and just now noticed the similarities to the flowery "Welcome to California" signs. Sometimes I am slow...

[cpzilliacus]

I drove past that style of "Welcome to Virginia" signs dozens of times, and just now noticed the similarities to the flowery "Welcome to California" signs. Sometimes I am slow...

I like the Welcome to Virginia signs  for several reasons:

(1) NO mention of the governor's name (for practical reasons, this is good, since they change every four years, though I dislike elected officials using state resources to post their names on highways).

(2) The cardinal (the state bird of Virginia) is prominently featured;

(3) The dogwood (the state tree) also prominently featured.

I could do without the radar detector and speed measurement devices adjacent.

[djsinco]

I drove past that style of "Welcome to Virginia" signs dozens of times, and just now noticed the similarities to the flowery "Welcome to California" signs. Sometimes I am slow...

I like the Welcome to Virginia signs  for several reasons:

(1) NO mention of the governor's name (for practical reasons, this is good, since they change every four years, though I dislike elected officials using state resources to post their names on highways).

(2) The cardinal (the state bird of Virginia) is prominently featured;

(3) The dogwood (the state tree) also prominently featured.

I could do without the radar detector and speed measurement devices adjacent.

AR put Clinton's name on their "Welcome to..." signs as "Former President," not sure if they are still making the boast or not, haven't been through there in many years.

[Takumi]

Finally had time to get this done. I've been so busy lately, but here's the final part of my trip to Charlotte, a month after it happened. The most notable thing is where I-85 crosses over/under itself.
http://lightsflashingbright.blogspot.com/2013/04/a-different-mecklenburg-saga-part-v.html

[Takumi]

The first part of this weekend's trip to the Eastern Shore. Lots of terrible signage from Norfolk.
http://lightsflashingbright.blogspot.com/2013/04/eastern-shore-trip-part-1-norfolk.html

[1995hoo]

To me, this one is the worst of those. I generally like Clearview when it's done correctly because I find it easier to read at a distance (as I approach my 40th birthday in about a month, I'm well aware of how my vision has changed over the years), but crammed-in large Clearview on too-small signs is the worst. This is hideous. (To draw an example from Northern Virginia, I think the Clearview on the Beltway is mostly quite well-done and the Clearview on I-395 is terrible; the I-395 Clearview is close to what you see here.)

[agentsteel53]

indeed, that is one of my biggest (heh) objections against Clearview - that a lot of authorities which use it insist on making everything too large.

Texas seems to do the best job in making their sign texts proportionate and spaced in an aesthetically pleasing manner.  their use of Clearview is probably the best of any state.

[amroad17]

That is because of VDOT's insistence on signing "Downtown Norfolk" instead of just "Norfolk" (or "Downtown" if the sign is in the city limits).  Which it almost is in this case--about 50 yards.

Just looked at your part 1 photos.  The signage in the Hampton Roads area is getting horrendous!  The state shield looks like an interstate shield with the top part filled in, and the US 60 sign is an interstate shield except it is black and white.  My how things have changed in 18 years since I lived there.

[Takumi]

Yes, Chesapeake is the only city left in South Hampton Roads that's still competent with signage, and even it has its bad ones. At any rate, here's part 2 of my photos. It's the CBBT and Northampton County.
http://lightsflashingbright.blogspot.com/2013/05/eastern-shore-trip-part-2-arriving-in.html

[Rob Adams]

A) Outstanding pictures of Virginia's Easter Shore (I'll be there in a few weeks).
B) Completely randomly great reference to Don Henley's "Sunset Grill."

Two thumbs up! 

[Takumi]

Thanks. I had hoped to finish the entries this week but getting another car has taken up most of my free time.

[Takumi]

Here's part 3. The rest of the Eastern Shore pics.
http://lightsflashingbright.blogspot.com/2013/05/eastern-shore-trip-part-3-hoonage.html

[Takumi]

Finally got to part 4. Virginia Beach to Newport News.
http://lightsflashingbright.blogspot.com/2013/05/eastern-shore-trip-part-4-back-to.html

[dfnva]

The discussion on page 4 of this thread about the old VDOT white posts now has me looking for them. I've been unsuccessful in spotting any in recent weeks.

I think I have found two (or three, depending on how you count) relics of VDH or VDHT, both in Arlington County (this might be harder than looking for cutouts!):

(1) Southbound U.S. 29 (North Fort Myer Drive) south of the Key Bridge in front of the Marriott Hotel:



(2) Northbound Va. 110 (Jefferson Davis Highway) between Memorial Drive and Marshall Drive - I believe this is the only place where Falls Church is used as a "control city" for I-66 (look at the right-hand timber supporting this smallish green sign - I think it dates to 1982, when I-66 between I-495 and Rosslyn was opened to traffic).

I didn't realize those old whitewashed wooden sign posts still existed in Arlington.

Here's one (Yield Sign) at SR-644/Old Keene Mill Rd and SR-638/Rolling Rd in Springfield, VA that manages to still exist. Its surroundings at a Shell gas station that prides itself on beautification probably helps ensure its longevity.
http://goo.gl/maps/l386s

I had thought that was this was the last remaining old-style whitewashed post in Northern Virginia. Glad to be mistaken. Many of these still exist in the mountains, though, often with cutout shields.

[Takumi]

There were a few white posts on the Eastern Shore, notably in the Exmore area.

Here's the first part of my trip to Newport News. Includes US 60, VA 30, and VA 238.
http://lightsflashingbright.blogspot.com/2013/06/set-controls-for-heart-of-glare-part-1.html

[1995hoo]

....

I didn't realize those old whitewashed wooden sign posts still existed in Arlington.

Here's one (Yield Sign) at SR-644/Old Keene Mill Rd and SR-638/Rolling Rd in Springfield, VA that manages to still exist. Its surroundings at a Shell gas station that prides itself on beautification probably helps ensure its longevity.
http://goo.gl/maps/l386s

I had thought that was this was the last remaining old-style whitewashed post in Northern Virginia. Glad to be mistaken. Many of these still exist in the mountains, though, often with cutout shields.

Great find. I know that Shell station. Haven't bought gas there in several years, but I pass it fairly often when I use Rolling Road to go to or from my parents' house out in Fairfax. I'd never noticed the white post, though, probably because if I'm making that right turn I'm always looking in the other direction to see whether I have to stop and yield!

I note the white posts in Takumi's picture up above from May 13. The blog entry he linked there has several more. Nice to see. I don't imagine I'll be on Virginia's Eastern Shore anytime soon, seeing as how the last time I was there was in March 1991!