Sample Overhead Directional Signs (BGSs)

These are samples to compare Highway Gothic (FHWA Series), Worboys, and Mittelschrift highway sign typefaces with the Clearview typeface.

First sample. Highway Gothic above, Clearview below.

Second sample. Worboys above, Clearview below.

Third sample. Mittelschrift above, Clearview below.

It looks like the Worboys and Mittelschrift are clearer and more legible than the Clearview. And they don't look like f***ing AD COPY, either!

US Routes on Expressway -- Another Idea.

Well I didn't get to get back to this like I intended, but here are some more ideas...

The above two I prefer.

The cues for a freeway (top) and tollway (next) are subtle.

Here's another idea for a Tollway, in lieu of the above.

But some people (especially FHWA bureaucrats!) think Americans have to be hit over the head to get them to pay attention, so...

Any one of these three above can be used instead for the Tollways.

The banner screaming "TOLL!" belabors the obvious that the road you're on is a Toll Road.

More US Routes

This series can be used in part with the ones in my previous post, or without. I posted these in small size at The Great International Highway Makeover a while back.

Regular US Route.

US Alternate Route.

If this is too confusing, just use the previous and suffix it with 'A'.

US Business Loop.

US Route on Tollway.

:^) Purple can be used instead of Prussian Blue.

The first sign above could then be used on freeways.

US Truck Route.

US Historic Route - The Mother Road.

US Scenic Route (2di).

Road through the Cumberland Gap.

US Scenic Route (3di).

The Avenue that's known as AIA.

I'd extend it to Canada using David Sturm's idea, also endorsed by R.V. Droz.

Tomorrow I'll throw up some other ideas how to treat US Routes on Expressways (Freeways and Tollways).

US Routes on Expressway.

By Expressway I mean what "road geeks" call Freeway. They are for the non-Interstate highways that are fully-controlled access (no traffic lights or intersections, no driveways) that are up to interstate standards* or otherwise.  Here are some examples.

Route US 1, no tolls.

Various sections in New England, 

the Northeast, North Carolina and Florida. 

Where Route US 1 is a toll road:

Tobin Bridge, Boston; GWB Bridge, New York;

and Delaware River Bridge, Trenton NJ - Morrisville PA.

Small size shown here.

Route US 19 in Pinellas County, Florida,

and in Metro-North Atlanta, Georgia.

Small size shown here.

Route US 93 in Vegas.

Route US 101 in California.

Bud Schuster Freeway in PA.

Unless they use the scheme for US Route Interstates in my previous post.

* Interstate standards: 12-foot travel lanes, a full 10-foot right hand breakdown lane, full left hand breakdown land for highways three travel lanes or more in one direction, 16'-6" clearance underneath the overhead bridges (overcrossings and sign bridges), no more than 6 percent grade.. 

Interstates

Once upon a time RV Droz speculated that sometime in the future the US DOT FHWA will propose replacing the trademark Interstate Shield with a simple red, white and blue circle.

Well I came up with what I thought the FHWA would mandate: something even worse! Like what they did to the old cut-out US Highway shields.

Worst Interstate Highway route marker.
Ever.

Then I came up with my own idea for rectangular Interstate Highway route markers and a way to accommodate the 238 Freeway in California and the Bud Schuster Freeway in Pennsylvania.

A regular two-digit Interstate route marker.

A regular three-digit Interstate route marker.

This one is for the Bud Schuster Freeway. The number I-99 can be retired, or used east of 95.

This method of numbering an interstate with no available two-digit number in sequence follows the British method for numbering A-routes classified as Motorways.

This one is for the 238 Freeway in California.

And here is something extra: an Interstate Parkway (Jed A. Wilkinson's idea) following the present Shield design.. 

More Ontario Signs.

I had posted previous an idea for Ontario's Expressway route markers.

Well I have some more up my sleeve!

Here's another Ontario Expressway route marker idea.

 This time more similar to Quebec's Autoroute route marker signs.

And this can be for the principal Provincial Highways.

More Louisiana Highway Signs.

I have two other schemes. One is a five-sided cutout shape with the point down, the other is knockoff on the Florida state outline highway route marker.

First the five-pointed cutout scheme.

Purple, gold and green: Mardi Gras colors.

This can be for primary State Highways.

And this can be for the secondaries.

Now the state outline scheme.

This first one can be for the primary State Highways.

Again, Purple, gold and green.

This second one can be for the secondaries.

This third one can be for the Parish (County) Roads and State Highways given back to the Parishes.

Or, it can be used instead of the ones above for the State Highways.

And this is an example of a hyphenated route in the same colors.

More Louisiana Signs

Here are some ideas for a new color Louisiana state route marker sign. Presently the green-and-white ones are being replaced by black-and-white ones, and the route markers on the overhead directional signs have microscopic typeface! 

Credit: Codyg1985 at aaroads.com forum

The offence is on an overhead signbridge. 

Note the sign on the left is a "double Clearview." 

It directs to Clearview Parkway, and the typeface is Clearview.

Now the closeup of the offence.

Look how tiny the typeface is on the sign!

Who can see the route number going by at 50 miles an hour?

Epic beancounting FAIL, Gov. Jindal!

Now I have some better ideas:

The first idea and the one I like best is to copy Quebec's designs but use purple, gold and green -- Mardi Gras colors!

This would be for regular State Highway routes.

Not Mardi Gras colors, but ----
this would be for County Roads including devolved State Highways.
Use Canary Yellow for the number for better visibility at night!

And these would be for the limited access State Highways that aren't interstates:

Rte. 25 (extended south) Lake Pontchartrain Causeway.

Rte. 3132 Inner Loop Expway.

Rte. 3139 Earhart Expwy.

I have some other ideas, too. Next post.