Florida recently changed their welcome signs to say "Welcome to the Free State of Florida". Because clearly the War on Woke is what is the most important thing ever in the history of Florida, and not hurricane insurance.
New Jersey deserves a special look. The standard one is the one clearly inspired by a postcard (https://www.flickr.com/photos/triborough/6623233925/), but the New Jersey Turnpike Authority uses its own Welcome to New Jersey signs on its roadways (NJ Turnpike and Garden State Parkway) that is completely different (https://www.flickr.com/photos/rdowens/52801990906/) which mention the roadway and also list the current Governor and Lt. Governor. It's another fun quirk for the Garden State (which neither sign mentions!)
The Parkway trapezoids are definitely unique, and have managed to survive even though some of them are being replaced with more standard rectangular signage. The Turnpike also used to have its own unique entrance signs (https://www.flickr.com/photos/triborough/7000576272/) to go along with their unique exit signage, but they were replaced with more standard green signs several years ago.
Oooh, I'd never seen one of those white Turnpike signs before! But that brings up another issue: the unique Turnpike arrow. Nothing else quite like it!
The Turnpike had it's own manual for signing conventions until about 2013 when it finally switched over to the FHWA Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. The old neon REDUCE SPEED signs were replaced around then - you linked to my post on it on UW back in the day.
Other instances of trapezoidal signing, all removed for standardized signing:
GWB approaches in NJ (probably Port Authority maintained)
Delaware Service Plaza (Delaware Turnpike)
The Parkway also had unique exit signs into the 1980s - trapezoidal with an arrow in a circle on the top right or left, depending on exit direction. I think the Conn. Turnpike had that design too, but I only know from photos. Some toll roads also had blue background signs instead of green.
State DOTs have their own guides as well, I saw PennDOT is expected to release an update soon. Example from https://www.pahighways.com/mutcd/ (a road geek/road school/highway enthusiast site)
State level manuals may vary in public availability. As for the NJ Turnpike Authority, I wouldn't count on any of them being easy to find. I joke that Turnpike might answer only to God, but even He would have to pay the toll.
Definitely agree about Rhode Island, they should incorporate Lively Experiment much more. I'm curious about the Wisconsin sign- "Open for Business" looks temporary, is this ever changed to anything else? Do they keep 'business hours' and if you roll into the state at 3 AM it says "Sorry, closed"?
I love the way it looks but I have always HATED the phrase “Welcome to Colorful Colorado.” I love my home state but there’s a much better way to sell it than…this.
When touring colleges in NH a couple yrs ago we chuckled as we were greeted by the “Live free or die” state logo on the welcome sign. It became our rally cry as we found ourselves uncharacteristically breaking rules right and left.
Paul, you're setting the standard for arcane fact finding. I feel compelled to respond. The other information you sometimes see posted on "welcome to the State" signs is the state motto. Usually you'll know it for your own state, but not others, and sometimes there are more than one. A good quiz is to guess what each state's is. For example- Texas: the Lone Star state. For Delaware, it could be: The Diamond State (small but precious), but the official name is The First State (factually true as Delaware was the first state to sign the U.S. Constitution in December 1787. Maybe you can win a few bar bets!
Congrats on the rebrand, Paul! Between this post about welcome signs and the initial "bumps vs. humps" posts, I'm starting to wonder if you aren't an incognito traffic engineer! ;)
The Wisconsin sign (I'm tempted to call it "Big Woody") is along major highways that cross the state line. Cross on a country road and there are smaller metal signs, blue with a green state line, simply saying "Welcome to Wisconsin." Also, for many years, the area that had "OPEN FOR BUSINESS" had a wooden sign with the governor's name. And that was when they had two-year terms instead of four.
In just the first week or so, I love the random rabbit holes of curiosity this new format of yours is venturing into.
Florida recently changed their welcome signs to say "Welcome to the Free State of Florida". Because clearly the War on Woke is what is the most important thing ever in the history of Florida, and not hurricane insurance.
New Jersey deserves a special look. The standard one is the one clearly inspired by a postcard (https://www.flickr.com/photos/triborough/6623233925/), but the New Jersey Turnpike Authority uses its own Welcome to New Jersey signs on its roadways (NJ Turnpike and Garden State Parkway) that is completely different (https://www.flickr.com/photos/rdowens/52801990906/) which mention the roadway and also list the current Governor and Lt. Governor. It's another fun quirk for the Garden State (which neither sign mentions!)
Nice! I especially like the Garden State Parkway's on-ramp signs, which are trapezoidal -- a very unusual shape for U.S. highway signage! https://whyy.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Parkway_Entrance.jpg
The Parkway trapezoids are definitely unique, and have managed to survive even though some of them are being replaced with more standard rectangular signage. The Turnpike also used to have its own unique entrance signs (https://www.flickr.com/photos/triborough/7000576272/) to go along with their unique exit signage, but they were replaced with more standard green signs several years ago.
Oooh, I'd never seen one of those white Turnpike signs before! But that brings up another issue: the unique Turnpike arrow. Nothing else quite like it!
The Turnpike had it's own manual for signing conventions until about 2013 when it finally switched over to the FHWA Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. The old neon REDUCE SPEED signs were replaced around then - you linked to my post on it on UW back in the day.
Other instances of trapezoidal signing, all removed for standardized signing:
GWB approaches in NJ (probably Port Authority maintained)
Delaware Service Plaza (Delaware Turnpike)
The Parkway also had unique exit signs into the 1980s - trapezoidal with an arrow in a circle on the top right or left, depending on exit direction. I think the Conn. Turnpike had that design too, but I only know from photos. Some toll roads also had blue background signs instead of green.
William, do you have a copy of that sign manual that you referred to? I'd love to see it!
There is a MUTCD web site at https://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/
State DOTs have their own guides as well, I saw PennDOT is expected to release an update soon. Example from https://www.pahighways.com/mutcd/ (a road geek/road school/highway enthusiast site)
State level manuals may vary in public availability. As for the NJ Turnpike Authority, I wouldn't count on any of them being easy to find. I joke that Turnpike might answer only to God, but even He would have to pay the toll.
Not a state sign, but I've always found memorable your Brooklyn's own LEAVING sign: "Leaving Brooklyn: Fuhgeddaboudit"
I always feel good when I cross the border into my home state of Georgia and see the "We're Glad Georgia's on Your Mind" signs.
https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2016-03-23_11_04_47_%22Welcome_-_We%27re_glad_Georgia%27s_on_your_mind%22_sign_along_northbound_Interstate_85_entering_Harris_County,_Georgia_from_Chambers_County,_Alabama.jpg
On another note, how do folks feel about governors' names on signs? I'm against it. (Had to get that off.my chest.)
Definitely agree about Rhode Island, they should incorporate Lively Experiment much more. I'm curious about the Wisconsin sign- "Open for Business" looks temporary, is this ever changed to anything else? Do they keep 'business hours' and if you roll into the state at 3 AM it says "Sorry, closed"?
I love the way it looks but I have always HATED the phrase “Welcome to Colorful Colorado.” I love my home state but there’s a much better way to sell it than…this.
When touring colleges in NH a couple yrs ago we chuckled as we were greeted by the “Live free or die” state logo on the welcome sign. It became our rally cry as we found ourselves uncharacteristically breaking rules right and left.
NH is the only state that doesn't require adults to wear a seatbelt, so I've always thought that the motto should be "Live free AND die."
Washington has it’s normal sign, which I like:
https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/washington-state-gm1021333836-274306154
But I’ve always looked forward to this as I drive I-5 from Oregon into WA:
https://x.com/wsdot_sw/status/1659680654299385856
And there have been a variety of iterations:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/15939150051
Paul, you're setting the standard for arcane fact finding. I feel compelled to respond. The other information you sometimes see posted on "welcome to the State" signs is the state motto. Usually you'll know it for your own state, but not others, and sometimes there are more than one. A good quiz is to guess what each state's is. For example- Texas: the Lone Star state. For Delaware, it could be: The Diamond State (small but precious), but the official name is The First State (factually true as Delaware was the first state to sign the U.S. Constitution in December 1787. Maybe you can win a few bar bets!
There is one specific sign entering Idaho that has somehow become tradition to put stickers on. A few years ago they took it down, auctioned it off, then installed a second blank sign next to the new one just for stickers. https://idahonews.com/news/local/state-auctions-off-welcome-to-idaho-sign-covered-in-stickers
I also enjoy the old joke that the signs into Idaho should say, “Welcome to Idaho, set your watch back 20 years.”
Awesome!
Alaska’s is a generic “Welcome to,” but there’s no more beautiful location for a sign: https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/alaska-welcome-sign-snowcapped-mountains-background-2164766705
Sounds likely. I don't drive south as much as I used to.
Congrats on the rebrand, Paul! Between this post about welcome signs and the initial "bumps vs. humps" posts, I'm starting to wonder if you aren't an incognito traffic engineer! ;)
RE: Rhode Island's welcome signs, they've been updated in recent years (https://c8.alamy.com/comp/JGD4WY/discover-beautiful-rhode-island-welcome-sign-JGD4WY.jpg), though your "lively experiment" idea is a sharp one we ought to consider!
The Wisconsin sign (I'm tempted to call it "Big Woody") is along major highways that cross the state line. Cross on a country road and there are smaller metal signs, blue with a green state line, simply saying "Welcome to Wisconsin." Also, for many years, the area that had "OPEN FOR BUSINESS" had a wooden sign with the governor's name. And that was when they had two-year terms instead of four.
I believe Tony Evers has switched back to having his name on the signs. The "Open for Business" was a Scott Walker slogan.
Having lived in Colorado for about a decade, I am very fond of "Welcome to Colorful Colorado," both the sign and the unique phrase: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rock_chalk_jhawk_ku/50164739731/in/pool-988503@N20/