Rarity of State-Named Shields in New England

[deathtopumpkins]

I know Maine and Connecticut still post state-named shields fairly often (Maine I'd say 90%, and Connecticut the majority are), but in the other New England states they seem to be pretty rare. I've never seen a Rhode Island or New Hampshire one in the wild, and I've only seen one Massachusetts (I-195 at an onramp in Fall River) and one Vermont (I-91 on a random state highway in New Hampshire, of all places) example in the wild.

Are my observations consistent with what others have noted? I'd like to try and find a shield from each state.

[NE2]

Yes, Massachusetts was one of the first to neuter.
Rhode Island has some ass-ugly non-cutouts. Examples near the bottom: http://www.alpsroads.net/roads/ri/ri_2/

[hbelkins]

There are at least two, maybe three, state-named I-91's on the route northbound once you pass Bennington.

[KEVIN_224]

Did you mean Brattleboro? I-91 doesn't go through Bennington (town or county).

As for the state named shields in Connecticut, that can still vary. You get this assembly as you leave the area of New Britain Stadium (AA-level baseball) and Willow Brook Park at the New Britain/Berlin town line:



The road you turn onto is part of CT Route 71 (New Britain Road on the Berlin side and South Main Street on the New Britain side).

[agentsteel53]

Vermont state-maintained routes are neutered almost completely by now - which includes mainline interstates, but town-maintained are chock full of 60s and 70s '57 spec shields.



dig the embossed arrow.

NH is a tough find; the city of Manchester has put up some new ones, but all others are stragglers from the late 80s at the latest.  there's at least two I think in Concord on or near US-3.  maybe a dozen total.

MA is even tougher... I believe 1978 was the last time they put up state-named shields, and there are maybe only two left.  (93 in left median on 99 northbound, '70 spec, and 495 at the junction of two town roads in Upton, 18" '57 spec and beat to Hell... any others I'm forgetting?  the 195 in Fall River still there?)

[shadyjay]

Yeah good luck in VT.  All signage north of White River Jct on I-91 has been replaced in recent years and the majority has on I-89 as well.  Some I-91 state name shields are still around, between Exits 4 (Putney) and 8 (Ascutney).  Though the majority of the onramp signs have been replaced with neutered shields, a couple of mainline shields with the state name are still out n' about.  And I think there's one just after I-89 SB ramp merges onto I-91 SB, right by the newly rebuilt rest area there.  There were a pair of old state name I- shields for 89 and 91 coming out of the VA Hospital in White River Jct on US 5, but I think they may be gone.  Definitely may be some kicking around on US 5 in Brattleboro. 

As for Bennington, there's a I-92 shield hidden off US 7 and VT 9, if you know where to look 

[agentsteel53]

As for Bennington, there's a I-92 shield hidden off US 7 and VT 9, if you know where to look 

if you look at it in just the right light, you can see where it says I-90N underneath.

[Alex]

I know Maine and Connecticut still post state-named shields fairly often (Maine I'd say 90%, and Connecticut the majority are), but in the other New England states they seem to be pretty rare. I've never seen a Rhode Island or New Hampshire one in the wild, and I've only seen one Massachusetts (I-195 at an onramp in Fall River) and one Vermont (I-91 on a random state highway in New Hampshire, of all places) example in the wild.

Are my observations consistent with what others have noted? I'd like to try and find a shield from each state.

Definitely a region devoid of state-named shields outside of CT and ME.

Rhode Island did at one point have a few mainline state-named shields on Interstate 95:
https://www.aaroads.com/northeast/rhode_island050/i-095_nb_exit_003_01.jpg
https://www.aaroads.com/northeast/rhode_island050/i-095_nb_exit_004_01.jpg
https://www.aaroads.com/northeast/rhode_island050/i-095_sb_exit_003_01.jpg

I would think side roads in Vermont towns likely will still have some state named shields left. Andy and I stumbled upon this one along Union Street in Newport in 2007, which is ahead of the US 5/VT 105 turn:
www.aaroads.com/shields/show.php?image=VT19610913

The two in Massachusetts mentioned by Jake:
www.aaroads.com/shields/show.php?image=MA19614951
www.aaroads.com/shields/show.php?image=MA19790932

[deathtopumpkins]

I've driven by that MA 93 shield and never noticed it before...

And yes Jake, the 195 in Fall River was still there as of last year when I unexpectedly stumbled upon it:
http://i.imgur.com/9Q7OS.jpg

I haven't been down to Fall River since last summer though.

And now that someone's mentioned it I do think I found a state-named 93 shield along northbound NH 28A in Manchester. Thought I got a picture of it, but I can't find it now.

As for Vermont, I've driven pretty thoroughly through Bennington, Windham, and Windsor counties and not found any state-named shields except for a Vermont I-91 shield along NH 103 or NH 12 in Claremont, NH. I've only driven a few miles of 91 and 89 though, so any mainline ones I would have missed. There certainly weren't any on US 5 in Brattleboro, unless I'm blind.

[agentsteel53]

And now that someone's mentioned it I do think I found a state-named 93 shield along northbound NH 28A in Manchester. Thought I got a picture of it, but I can't find it now.

was it old or new?  the new ones have large numbers, in Series E. 

As for Vermont, I've driven pretty thoroughly through Bennington, Windham, and Windsor counties and not found any state-named shields except for a Vermont I-91 shield along NH 103 or NH 12 in Claremont, NH. I've only driven a few miles of 91 and 89 though, so any mainline ones I would have missed. There certainly weren't any on US 5 in Brattleboro, unless I'm blind.

that would be astonishing, given that as recently as 2008, there were dozens upon dozens of them.  try Bellows Falls, St. Johnsbury, or White River Junction - but if you don't find any, please don't tell me!

[deathtopumpkins]

It was probably one of those new ones.


And I happen to have a reason to be in Brattleboro one of the next few weekends (maybe next... I'll be in Poughkeepsie this coming weekend), so I'll try and scour the town again for state-named shields. I may just not recall correctly. It has been a year and a half since I really explored Brattleboro.

[shadyjay]

And I happen to have a reason to be in Brattleboro one of the next few weekends (maybe next... I'll be in Poughkeepsie this coming weekend), so I'll try and scour the town again for state-named shields. I may just not recall correctly. It has been a year and a half since I really explored Brattleboro.

Start with these:
http://www.alpsroads.net/roads/vt/us_5/s.html

Last time I was down that far south, there were definitely some state name I-shields on US 5 between VT 9 West and the rotary at VT 9 East/I-91 Exit 3.  No idea if any of them are still around.

[agentsteel53]

when you say this is "a square", do you mean a letterbox, or like a Massachusetts shield?

I know of only one square in VT - is this another??

[deathtopumpkins]

I'd hazard a guess that 103 is a "letterbox" shield, rather than an MA/ME square.

Though Jake, don't forget that long, long ago VT did use squares with the state name at the top, a few of which are still kicking on town roads: http://i.imgur.com/5Zdvb.jpg (VT 8A, one of the only shields for it - taken a few months ago).

And I happen to have a reason to be in Brattleboro one of the next few weekends (maybe next... I'll be in Poughkeepsie this coming weekend), so I'll try and scour the town again for state-named shields. I may just not recall correctly. It has been a year and a half since I really explored Brattleboro.

Start with these:
http://www.alpsroads.net/roads/vt/us_5/s.html

Last time I was down that far south, there were definitely some state name I-shields on US 5 between VT 9 West and the rotary at VT 9 East/I-91 Exit 3.  No idea if any of them are still around.

I'll definitely be going back in search of those then.

[agentsteel53]

Though Jake, don't forget that long, long ago VT did use squares with the state name at the top, a few of which are still kicking on town roads: http://i.imgur.com/5Zdvb.jpg (VT 8A, one of the only shields for it - taken a few months ago).

difference being - those are 16x14.  the Mass-style squares are 24x24.

[deathtopumpkins]

Oh I know, I'm not saying there's any potential for confusing the two. I was just pointing out that VT did at one point use squares.

[agentsteel53]

Oh I know, I'm not saying there's any potential for confusing the two. I was just pointing out that VT did at one point use squares.

got it.  for me, had the 103 been a 24x24 square, that would have been quite the find, because right now all we have as evidence of VT using 24x24 NH/MA style squares is that route 14... and we're not really sure if it was borrowed from NH (NH is right across the river from WRJ), or printed on an NH blank, or made just for one year, or who knows what.

this in contrast to the 16x14 state named rectangles, which are a well-known Vermont product of which quite a few examples exist, so we can figure that they were made for a while.

[deathtopumpkins]

I think it would be a safe bet to say the square 14 is a one-off.

When I go up to Brattleboro I'll run up the road to Bellows Falls and take a look at that 103 shield up close.

[Alps]

when you say this is "a square", do you mean a letterbox, or like a Massachusetts shield?

I know of only one square in VT - is this another??

Okay, so I've found at least 50 squares in VT, between the original VERMONT generation and the latter wordless one that you're picturing here.

[agentsteel53]

I'd like to see more examples of the wordless 24x24 Mass-style, if you have any.

the "letterbox" style (24" outer square, approximately 23x20 inner rectangle, thus wider border top and bottom than left and right) is pretty common, or at least was as of several years ago.

[Alps]

I'd like to see more examples of the wordless 24x24 Mass-style, if you have any.

the "letterbox" style (24" outer square, approximately 23x20 inner rectangle, thus wider border top and bottom than left and right) is pretty common, or at least was as of several years ago.

No, that 14 was a one-off in my experience.

[hbelkins]

Yes, Brattleboro. I get Brattleboro, Bennington and Barrington (as in Great Barrington, Mass.) confused. Doesn't help that the I-91 exit for VT 9 west has both Brattleboro and Bennington listed as destinations.

[deathtopumpkins]

Yes, Brattleboro. I get Brattleboro, Bennington and Barrington (as in Great Barrington, Mass.) confused. Doesn't help that the I-91 exit for VT 9 west has both Brattleboro and Bennington listed as destinations.

Brattleboro would be 9 east, not west. 

[Alps]

Yes, Brattleboro. I get Brattleboro, Bennington and Barrington (as in Great Barrington, Mass.) confused. Doesn't help that the I-91 exit for VT 9 west has both Brattleboro and Bennington listed as destinations.

Brattleboro would be 9 east, not west. 

Actually, 9 hops on I-91 at that point per signage. (It technically goes through the city, though.) That exit is "9 west" and the next one is "9 east."

[KEVIN_224]

Steve is correct on that one. One look at the BGS at Exit 2 (picture from 2010) and you can see what threw HB off:



VT Route 9 clearly serves both cities. However, the sign should read as

BENNINGTON
--------------
BRATTLEBORO

Although this is physically the closest exit to downtown, Vermont's DOT should sign Exit 1 in the south end (US Route 5) for downtown traffic. Exit 2 seems better suited for VT Route 9 West while Exit 3 is intended for VT/NH Routes 9 towards Keene, NH.