Interstate 2

[Bobby5280]

I would consider TX DOT's practice of putting 2 digit markers on 3 digit shields on Interstate highway overhead signs a pretty widespread thing. I've seen it in Amarillo, Lubbock, El Paso, Wichita Falls, Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, along a lot of I-35, I-20 and I-45. I think it's more rare to see a 2 digit marker on a 2 digit shield -again for overhead signs.

Another odd one, TX DOT likes to put 3 digit markers on 2 digit shields along some Interstate highways. There's examples of it on I-635 in Dallas and I-610 in Houston. TX DOT just wants to be oddly different.

[OCGuy81]

Never noticed the 3di on a 2di. I'll have to look for that when I'm in Dallas in February.

I always thought the 3di thing was just another example of everything being bigger in Texas. :-)

[Alps]

Those 69E shields seem awfully cluttered, like the characters are squeezed in there.

Meanwhile, I-2 has a nice 3-di sized shield all to itself!

Sorry if this is too OT, but is the TxDot norm the use of 3-di shields for 2-di routes?

Anyone else notice that US 83 is directionless?

[bugo]

Those 69E shields seem awfully cluttered, like the characters are squeezed in there.

Meanwhile, I-2 has a nice 3-di sized shield all to itself!

Sorry if this is too OT, but is the TxDot norm the use of 3-di shields for 2-di routes?

Anyone else notice that US 83 is directionless?

This sign insinuates that it is E-W:

[lordsutch]

US 83 is/was consistently signed East/West along the freeway; I can't recall offhand where it finally gets signed north/south (only drove 83 once to the Valley; going via Hebbronville is faster despite the CBP checks).

[NE2]

Looks like the directions were erroneously placed above the Interstate shields rather than above all shields. US 83 is signed north-south on I-69E and east-west on I-2. It changes back to north-south at the Hidalgo-Starr County line (west Sullivan City limits). So there are only about 10 miles of independent east-west US 83 remaining.

[Bobby5280]

Never noticed the 3di on a 2di. I'll have to look for that when I'm in Dallas in February.

You can check out examples of it on Street View in Google Earth/Maps.

One notable example with I-635 on 2 digit shields: overhead signs along US-75 (North Central Expressway) leading into the Dallas High Five interchange. You can see the same thing in at least one or two places where I-30 approaches I-635. The interchange at I-35E had some similar occurrences, but as the interchange has been going through its re-build new I-635 overhead signs have featured 3-digit shields.

I-820 in Fort Worth has similar examples. Both interchanges where I-20 and I-820 meet in Fort Worth have side by side examples of I-20 on 3 digit shields and I-820 on 2-digit shields.

I-610 in Houston has lots of 2 digit shields on overhead signs there. It's rare to see I-610 on a 3-digit shield there other than ground mounted signs.

San Antonio is one city that bucks Texas' odd treatment of 2-digit and 3-digit Interstate routes on overhead signs. Most overhead signs there have I-35, I-37 and I-10 on 2-digit shields while I-410 is only on 3-digit shields.

[bugo]

Texas High Five interchange, southbound:

[erik_ram2005]

Interstate Shields are up along I-2 in south Texas. no sign of exit numbering yet.

[NE2]

Is there explicit signage of the west end of I-2?

[cjk374]

Those are good looking shields.  I just knew they were gonna be 3di shields like on the BGSs.

[NE2]

Those are good looking shields.  I just knew they were gonna be 3di shields like on the BGSs.

what

[Brian556]

The number two is too close to the word TEXAS.

Don't Mess With Texas.

If a number two was close to the word OKLAHOMA, that would be ok because....well....

[NE2]

If a number two was close to the word OKLAHOMA, that would be ok because....well....

[bugo]

The number two is too close to the word TEXAS.

Don't Mess With Texas.

If a number two was close to the word OKLAHOMA, that would be ok because....well....

Why does the wind blow in Oklahoma? Because Texas sucks.

[texaskdog]

The number two is too close to the word TEXAS.

Don't Mess With Texas.

If a number two was close to the word OKLAHOMA, that would be ok because....well....

Why does the wind blow in Oklahoma? Because Texas sucks.

If it weren't for that football team that used to be good no one would ever think of Oklahoma.

[Bobby5280]

Those are good looking shields.  I just knew they were gonna be 3di shields like on the BGSs.

Texas DOT usually confines its odd-ball, backwards treatment of 2-digit and 3-digit Interstate shields to big green overhead signs. Ground mounted markers are usually proper in the basic sense: 2-digit routes on 2-digit markers and 3-digit routes on 3-digit markers. That doesn't take into account the horrible spacing issues that result from over-sized numerals on neutered shields. Now, I'm not 100% certain on this, but I could have sworn I've seen some I-610 ground mounted markers in Houston using 2-digit shields. There's definitely a bunch of them on overhead signs.

[erik_ram2005]

Is there explicit signage of the west end of I-2?

I'm not sure, I haven't been out to the west end of I-2 yet, but I should be able to confirm this within the next week as I will have some errands to run in that direction.

[texaskdog]

Is there explicit signage of the west end of I-2?

I'm not sure, I haven't been out to the west end of I-2 yet, but I should be able to confirm this within the next week as I will have some errands to run in that direction.

Or does it just go right into Mexico?

[oscar]

Is there explicit signage of the west end of I-2?

I'm not sure, I haven't been out to the west end of I-2 yet, but I should be able to confirm this within the next week as I will have some errands to run in that direction.

Or does it just go right into Mexico?

I thought the AASHTO approval for I-2 made it clear that the route, for now, ends where the freeway ends, near where Business US 83 peels away from US 83 east of La Joya,  That is fairly close to the border, but AFAIK there are no bridge or ferry crossings of the Rio Grande in that area.

There was no I-2 signage ("begin", "end", or otherwise) at or near freeway's end or the Bus 83 junction, when I drove there last year.  But then I-2 signage was sparse along the entire route.  Maybe that has changed, and is worth checking out.

[bugo]

Are there that many end signs in Texas? The only two that I'm aware of are at the I-30/US 75/I-45/I-345 interchange.

[OCGuy81]

Really nice seeing the state name on those new shields.  Love to see that become a national trend again, and not just California (or as we're seeing now, Texas)

[bassoon1986]

I've seen "END" on some dead end FM routes but I can't recall any on US highways. Does 27, 37, 44, or the south end of 45 have anything?

[wxfree]

End signs are not common.  Other than the ones mentioned in Dallas, the only one I recall is for US 285.

[texaskdog]

Really nice seeing the state name on those new shields.  Love to see that become a national trend again, and not just California (or as we're seeing now, Texas)

It seems redundant but when you're on a long trip sometimes it's a nice reminder