Practices in One State You'd Like to See in Other States

[CrossCountryRoads]

Oh yeah one thing I forgot to mention that is in EVERY state except for California which I would like to see in California as well is a consistent marking of their Interstates by the mile and numbering the exits based off the mile markers.  I know they do this already on some interstates in some areas of the state, but last time I was on I-40 from Needles to Barstow, there were no mile markers and the exits weren't numbered.  Has this changed on I-40 yet?

And I guess I could just pose the question to those of you who live out there:  What Interstates in CA do you know of that are marked by the mile and have numbered exits?  Is I-40 one of the few that isn't (or wasn't)?  Like I said I haven't been out there in 3 years so I don't know if this has changed much or not yet, so I thought I would ask.

[CentralCAroadgeek]

Back on topic.

California's internal exit "tabs." That's all I want to see.

I think you might be the first person to like the internal tabs.  I don't mind them, but definitely prefer external ones.

Well he's not the only one, I like them too. Can't imagine California without them.

[roadfro]

Oh yeah one thing I forgot to mention that is in EVERY state except for California which I would like to see in California as well is a consistent marking of their Interstates by the mile and numbering the exits based off the mile markers.  I know they do this already on some interstates in some areas of the state, but last time I was on I-40 from Needles to Barstow, there were no mile markers and the exits weren't numbered.  Has this changed on I-40 yet?

And I guess I could just pose the question to those of you who live out there:  What Interstates in CA do you know of that are marked by the mile and have numbered exits?  Is I-40 one of the few that isn't (or wasn't)?  Like I said I haven't been out there in 3 years so I don't know if this has changed much or not yet, so I thought I would ask.

California doesn't do the traditional mile markers except in very limited circumstances, partially due to extensive use of postmile system. Thus, there's very few (if any) mile markers on interstates. All the interstates have numbered exits based on mileage though.

[myosh_tino]

Oh yeah one thing I forgot to mention that is in EVERY state except for California which I would like to see in California as well is a consistent marking of their Interstates by the mile and numbering the exits based off the mile markers.  I know they do this already on some interstates in some areas of the state, but last time I was on I-40 from Needles to Barstow, there were no mile markers and the exits weren't numbered.  Has this changed on I-40 yet?

And I guess I could just pose the question to those of you who live out there:  What Interstates in CA do you know of that are marked by the mile and have numbered exits?  Is I-40 one of the few that isn't (or wasn't)?  Like I said I haven't been out there in 3 years so I don't know if this has changed much or not yet, so I thought I would ask.

There are two highways that I know of that have green mile posts.  CA-58 from the base of the Tehachapi Mountains to Boron and US 6 from outside of Bishop to the Nevada stateline.  I'm not sure if these were installed on an experimental basis but the reason why California does not use the green mile posts is because each highway already has black-on-white postmiles.  The problem is, these postmiles are for maintenance purposes only (not for navigational purposes) and reset at the county line.

As far as exit numbers are concerned, according to the Caltrans' Exit Numbering website, as of 2008 more than half of the almost 6,000 freeway exits have been signed with an exit number (exit direction, advance guide, or gore point sign).  Of the more than 23,000 signs in the state, a little more than 7,200 signs have been replaced and/or retrofitted with an exit number.

For the most part, a majority of signs on the major interstates (5, 8, 10, 15, 40 and 80) have been replaced with signs that include an exit number.  However, the rest of California's freeway system including the 3DIs (x05, x10, x15, x80), US routes (101 and 50) and state highways is a bit hit-or-miss.  I know up here in northern California, freeways within San Mateo county (I-280, I-380, US 101, CA-92) are well signed with exit numbers while in Santa Clara county, numbered exits are quite spotty.

[Tarkus]

I'd like to see Oregon-style speed signs (without the word "limit") on them in other states.  Vastly, vastly more readable.  We've started getting more "standard" ones here in Oregon recently, and they're appreciably more difficult to read.  (Of course, should I ever get a ticket in an area where the standard MUTCD design is prevalent, I could try that excuse. :police:)  And on that note, I'd like to see the numerals from other states (Nevada's, at the least) end up on our "limitless" speed signs.

[sandiaman]

I like  the  fact  that  both California  and  Idaho  (maybe  some  other  states  ) post  the  population  on  city  limit  signs, so  you  can  gauge   what  the  city  might  have  in  it by  its  size.  This  is  helpful if  one  is  traveling and  not  framiliar  with  the  area.  Even  more helpful on  interstates.

[Big John]

I like  the  fact  that  both California  and  Idaho  (maybe  some  other  states  ) post  the  population  on  city  limit  signs, so  you  can  gauge   what  the  city  might  have  in  it by  its  size.  This  is  helpful if  one  is  traveling and  not  framiliar  with  the  area.  Even  more helpful on  interstates.

Wisconsin and Illinois also do this, but not on freeway signs.

[SSOWorld]

Minnesota does on all signs

[roadman65]

I like  the  fact  that  both California  and  Idaho  (maybe  some  other  states  ) post  the  population  on  city  limit  signs, so  you  can  gauge   what  the  city  might  have  in  it by  its  size.  This  is  helpful if  one  is  traveling and  not  framiliar  with  the  area.  Even  more helpful on  interstates.

Wisconsin and Illinois also do this, but not on freeway signs.

I like what is done on the QEW in Ontario, Canada.  They have the population of the city with the amount of interchanges the city has servicing it. 
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Grimsby,+ON,+Canada&hl=en&ll=43.189471,-79.494324&spn=0.015926,0.042272&sll=27.698638,-83.804601&sspn=9.892242,21.643066&oq=grimsb&t=h&hnear=Grimsby,+Niagara+Regional+Municipality,+Ontario,+Canada&z=15&layer=c&cbll=43.189476,-79.493978&panoid=vuzQAUvnRR88soh0nghoaw&cbp=12,315,,0,0

[hobsini2]

I like  the  fact  that  both California  and  Idaho  (maybe  some  other  states  ) post  the  population  on  city  limit  signs, so  you  can  gauge   what  the  city  might  have  in  it by  its  size.  This  is  helpful if  one  is  traveling and  not  framiliar  with  the  area.  Even  more helpful on  interstates.

Wisconsin and Illinois also do this, but not on freeway signs.

I like what is done on the QEW in Ontario, Canada.  They have the population of the city with the amount of interchanges the city has servicing it. 
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Grimsby,+ON,+Canada&hl=en&ll=43.189471,-79.494324&spn=0.015926,0.042272&sll=27.698638,-83.804601&sspn=9.892242,21.643066&oq=grimsb&t=h&hnear=Grimsby,+Niagara+Regional+Municipality,+Ontario,+Canada&z=15&layer=c&cbll=43.189476,-79.493978&panoid=vuzQAUvnRR88soh0nghoaw&cbp=12,315,,0,0

I like the practice that Wisconsin used to do more often but seems that they are stopping it with the Interstate exits that serve a city. This is what I mean.

Madison Exits
US 12-18      1 1/4
Hwy 30         5 1/2
US 151         8

Sorry I couldn't find the sign I was looking for.

[on_wisconsin]

^Like this one:

?

[nwi_navigator_1181]

Indiana does it...once (as far as I know). On I-65 North:

Gary Exits
Ridge Road 1 1/4
I-80/94      2
15th Ave    3 1/2

I think this is also done (sparsely) in Illinois. I seem to recall a sign for exits in the Kankakee area on I-57.

Nonetheless, I think that would be a great practice to follow for secondary controls. Take I-65 south near Lafayette. Instead of, "Lafayette, Next 3 Exits," for example, there could be a sign that goes a little something like this:

Lafayette Exits
NORTH Indiana 25                    2
Indiana 26                              5
Indiana 38, SOUTH Indiana 25    9

[tdindy88]

Those signs are also used in Vincennes for US 41, Washington for US 50 (called exits despite the fact that they aren't, and SR 37 uses them for Martinsville, Bloomington and Bedford (the former two are probably endangered with the pending I-69 construction.)  But I sure wouldn't mind seeing their use in other spots. Beyond I-65 in Lafayette, they could also be used for Lebanon and Columbus. I-70 could use them with Terre Haute and Richmond, I-69 with Anderson/Muncie and I-64 with Evansville. As for Illinois, I know I've also seen similar signage with Champaign and Effingham so I thought those were pretty standard there.

[nwi_navigator_1181]

Those signs are also used in Vincennes for US 41, Washington for US 50 (called exits despite the fact that they aren't, and SR 37 uses them for Martinsville, Bloomington and Bedford (the former two are probably endangered with the pending I-69 construction.)  But I sure wouldn't mind seeing their use in other spots. Beyond I-65 in Lafayette, they could also be used for Lebanon and Columbus. I-70 could use them with Terre Haute and Richmond, I-69 with Anderson/Muncie and I-64 with Evansville. As for Illinois, I know I've also seen similar signage with Champaign and Effingham so I thought those were pretty standard there.

I thought there were more signs along I-57 in Champaign and Effingham. It's been a long while since I trudged up I-57.

I agree wholeheartedly about the other secondaries in Indiana with that same treatment. Instead of a small sign with "Next X Exits," a larger sign with the specific exits and mileage would suffice greatly. I didn't even know they did this on non-interstates, and it would be a great service when the U.S. 31 freeway conversion is complete.

[tdindy88]

The Champaign ones I saw on I-74, there's also one specifally for University of Illinois exits. The Effingham one was on I-70, but I believe those communities are also covered on I-57 as well.

[luokou]

There are several mileage signs like that in Portland for its surrounding cities in the metro area.  On the Interstate Bridge (note the ODOT manufactured signs using WSDOT specs) http://goo.gl/maps/6sxRr

Three of these exist for Beaverton exits, two westbound and one eastbound on US-26.  And there's at least another one for Gresham exits on I-84 eastbound.  I really do like this practice, but it seems that new mileage distance signs in the Portland metro no longer do this. It would also be very useful in SoCal, considering how many cities blanket the LA/OC metro area down here, though I bet sign height caps make this unfeasible.

[myosh_tino]

I'd like to see Oregon-style speed signs (without the word "limit") on them in other states.  Vastly, vastly more readable.  We've started getting more "standard" ones here in Oregon recently, and they're appreciably more difficult to read.  (Of course, should I ever get a ticket in an area where the standard MUTCD design is prevalent, I could try that excuse. :police:)  And on that note, I'd like to see the numerals from other states (Nevada's, at the least) end up on our "limitless" speed signs.

This brings up an interested question.  According the SHSM, the 60x48 speed limit signs has 16-inch numerals which is rather small IMO.  A few have popped up in California but the majority of the speed limit signs on California freeways use 20-inch numerals.  If readability is an issue as Oregon transitions to "SPEED LIMIT" vs "SPEED" signs, perhaps ODOT should adopt the California standard.  While the numerals aren't the same size as the Oregon "Speed" signs, they are bigger than the FHWA standard.

Speed Limit Signs --- California (20" digits) vs Oregon (30" digits) vs FHWA (16" digits)...

Note: I do not have specs for the Oregon "SPEED" sign.  My sign was based on approximations made while manipulating a photo of a "SPEED" sign.

All of this makes me wonder why the FHWA 60x48 speed limit sign uses rather small digits.  The 30x24 FHWA speed limit sign uses 10-inch digits so why not use 20-inch digits in the 60x48?

[djsinco]

I like the concept of a minimum speed for any vehicle in the left lane when there are 3 or more lanes climbing a grade. CO has had them for several years, and I recently saw the same in use in VA.
Why should an empty truck have to keep right, while a bus or slow camper is allowed to block the passing lane? Preservation of traffic flow is the main idea, correct?

[hobsini2]

^Like this one:

?

Yes that was what I had in mind. Thanks.