New Signage for Parkways in New York City

[dgolub]

I recently got an email from the NYSDOT announcing that they're going to be adopting a new style of signage for parkways in New York City, similar to what's currently in use on Long Island.  They're requesting submissions of ideas of what the signs should look like.  The deadline of submitting something is at the end of next week.  I've posted a copy of the document that they sent me, which provides additional information about their plans and how to submit ideas for the signage, on my web site at http://www.greaternyroads.info.

[NE2]

Not sure I like some of the initials they plan to use. Be for the Belt Parkway? Mo for the Mosholu?

[Alex]

I like the idea of trailblazers to accompany these parkways.

Not sure I like some of the initials they plan to use. Be for the Belt Parkway? Mo for the Mosholu?

At least it indicates (Subject to Change).

[roadman]

I recently got an email from the NYSDOT announcing that they're going to be adopting a new style of signage for parkways in New York City, similar to what's currently in use on Long Island.  They're requesting submissions of ideas of what the signs should look like.  The deadline of submitting something is at the end of next week.  I've posted a copy of the document that they sent me, which provides additional information about their plans and how to submit ideas for the signage, on my web site at http://www.greaternyroads.info.

Ah yes - let the public design guide signs.  Isn't that what STANDARDS are for.

Just another example of politicans affecting "transparency" and "civic engagement" in government, and how these "necessary efforts" are nothing more than a waste of everybody's time and the taxpayer's money.

[agentsteel53]

the interstate shield was designed by public contest.  it turned out quite well.

(it was the '70-spec neutered horseshit that was done with no public input!)

[agentsteel53]

Submission Deadline
- First Round Submission Deadline ...........06/22/2012
- Second Round Submission Deadline.......07/23/2012.

that's ... timely.  looks like I won't be submitting any designs.

that said, I'll bet eighty trillion dollars that the signs will end up looking just like the Long Island ones, except with the Empire State Building in the Phallic Symbol slot.

[NE2]

Ah yes - let the pubic design guide signs.  Isn't that what STANDARDS are for.

They're not designing guide signs. They're designing a STANDARD shield design to go on guide signs (and independent mounts).

[1995hoo]

I recently got an email from the NYSDOT announcing that they're going to be adopting a new style of signage for parkways in New York City, similar to what's currently in use on Long Island.  They're requesting submissions of ideas of what the signs should look like.  The deadline of submitting something is at the end of next week.  I've posted a copy of the document that they sent me, which provides additional information about their plans and how to submit ideas for the signage, on my web site at http://www.greaternyroads.info.

Ah yes - let the pubic design guide signs.  Isn't that what STANDARDS are for.

Just another example of politicans affecting "transparency" and "civic engagement" in government, and how these "necessary efforts" are nothing more than a waste of everybody's time and the taxpayer's money.

Based on the typo, I just got this unfortunate mental image of someone whipping out his.... well, never mind how he created the signage.

[dgolub]

Submission Deadline
- First Round Submission Deadline ...........06/22/2012
- Second Round Submission Deadline.......07/23/2012.

that's ... timely.  looks like I won't be submitting any designs.

that said, I'll bet eighty trillion dollars that the signs will end up looking just like the Long Island ones, except with the Empire State Building in the Phallic Symbol slot.

The email that they sent me said that they're accepting submissions until the end of next week.  I'm assuming that they're extending the deadline beyond what's stated in the document.

[dgolub]

Not sure I like some of the initials they plan to use. Be for the Belt Parkway? Mo for the Mosholu?

Yes, I was thinking that B and M might be more appropriate, but they're probably trying to avoid confusion with Long Island, where those letters are used for the Bethpage Parkway and the Meadowbrook Parkway, respectively.  However, I'm not sure why they find it necessary to use lowercase letters.  That seems to deviate from what's done on Long Island.  (SO is used for the Southern Parkway, and SA is used for the Sagtikos Parkway.)  Maybe, they could use BE and ME instead.

[Alps]

I suggested to them to use capital letters only, and offered a phone number to talk about it - so far they haven't bitten, though my phone is AWOL at the moment...

Anyway, here was my suggestion:

[xcellntbuy]

Excellent design.

[national highway 1]

Anyway, here was my suggestion:

Is that Freedom Tower, the new 1 WTC?
I do like the sillhouette of the Brooklyn Bridge, looks great.

[Ian]

I suggested to them to use capital letters only, and offered a phone number to talk about it - so far they haven't bitten, though my phone is AWOL at the moment...

Anyway, here was my suggestion:

^ If they're only choosing one design, it should be that.

[Alps]

Anyway, here was my suggestion:

Is that Freedom Tower, the new 1 WTC?
I do like the sillhouette of the Brooklyn Bridge, looks great.

Indeed it was. Thank you all!

[mp_quadrillion]

Whatever they choose, I hope they pick something readable.

One of the things that I noticed on my most recent trip to the NYC area was that lots of businesses will pay good money for a full-color sign that's totally illegible. I find that a little odd.

As for government-issued signs.. I'm sure someone in OK thinks their 2006 redesign of the state highway shield was OK. But at high speed (read "in practice") they leave you guessing. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Oklahoma_State_Highway_numbered_road_shields.svg

You wouldn't think designing a functional sign is hard, but it can be.

[NE2]

You wouldn't think designing a functional sign is hard, but it can be.

It's too hard for Kentucky:


Old design:

[hbelkins]

Actually, Kentucky has changed designs since that top one. I hate the new design and is one of the things that was done in the administration of Gov. Ernie Fletcher with which I totally disagreed. They were looking to get as much mileage as possible out of that "Unbridled Sprit" logo and a change to the parkway signs was one of the options they chose.



Makes it a bit difficult to differentiate between the routes when the signs all look the same.



The Mountain and Daniel Boone parkways and the Kentucky turnpike had distinctive signage. The others had the parkway names either spelled out or abbreviated, but the colors and the color schemes were different. WK and BG had white on blue or blue on white, Purchase and Cumberland had larger first letters in blue on white, Green River was spelled out, Pennyrile was green on white with a larger first letter, and Audubon was brown. I miss the old Kentucky parkway signage.

As to Steve's design, I like it a lot. Only thing I'd change is the spelling out of Roosevelt's name. I'd just put "Drive" in that space, kinda like the old WK and BG Parkway signs in Kentucky.

[NJRoadfan]

Yes, I was thinking that B and M might be more appropriate, but they're probably trying to avoid confusion with Long Island, where those letters are used for the Bethpage Parkway and the Meadowbrook Parkway, respectively.  However, I'm not sure why they find it necessary to use lowercase letters.  That seems to deviate from what's done on Long Island.  (SO is used for the Southern Parkway, and SA is used for the Sagtikos Parkway.)  Maybe, they could use BE and ME instead.

A prototype design perhaps? 



These have been posted at the Exit 11 median gas station for at least 10 years now.

[dgolub]

A prototype design perhaps? 



These have been posted at the Exit 11 median gas station for at least 10 years now.

I doubt that this plan has been in the works for that long.  Besides, it used the lighthouse used for Long Island parkways, and they said they'll be using something different in the city.

[Alps]

Yes, I was thinking that B and M might be more appropriate, but they're probably trying to avoid confusion with Long Island, where those letters are used for the Bethpage Parkway and the Meadowbrook Parkway, respectively.  However, I'm not sure why they find it necessary to use lowercase letters.  That seems to deviate from what's done on Long Island.  (SO is used for the Southern Parkway, and SA is used for the Sagtikos Parkway.)  Maybe, they could use BE and ME instead.

A prototype design perhaps? 

These have been posted at the Exit 11 median gas station for at least 10 years now.

I'd sooner think that these were put up by someone reading the wrong specs for a Parkway shield, or NYCDOT saying "we don't have one, here, use Long Island's", more than any actual plan to start using them. That said, given where the Belt runs, I could see using the LI design for that and the Cross-Island.

[D-Dey65]

I recently got an email from the NYSDOT announcing that they're going to be adopting a new style of signage for parkways in New York City, similar to what's currently in use on Long Island.  They're requesting submissions of ideas of what the signs should look like.  The deadline of submitting something is at the end of next week.  I've posted a copy of the document that they sent me, which provides additional information about their plans and how to submit ideas for the signage, on my web site at http://www.greaternyroads.info.

This is what I miss out on for not being in New York anymore.

 

[roadman]

Based on the typo, I just got this unfortunate mental image of someone whipping out his.... well, never mind how he created the signage.

Typo corrected in my post.  Sorry about that.

[national highway 1]

I suggested to them to use capital letters only, and offered a phone number to talk about it - so far they haven't bitten, though my phone is AWOL at the moment...

Anyway, here was my suggestion:

Steve, so FDR Dr is on the East Side of Manhattan. WTC is on the West Side (on West Street). For FDR Dr I suggest using the Empire State Building in place of Freedom Tower. I would suggest Freedom Tower to be used on the HH Parkway (Henry Hudson Pkwy, NY 9A) shield.

[SidS1045]

Steve, so FDR Dr is on the East Side of Manhattan. WTC is on the West Side (on West Street). For FDR Dr I suggest using the Empire State Building in place of Freedom Tower. I would suggest Freedom Tower to be used on the HH Parkway (Henry Hudson Pkwy, NY 9A) shield.

I think the whole idea is, just like the LI parkways, to have a unified design for the NYC parkways, not one dependent on the road's location.