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Overheads above Governors Dr. in Huntsville. The middle two panels are newer than the 14th Street panels, which use buttons. There likely used to be panels referencing AL 20, the old designation of I-565, in the middle. | 2008-03-05 |
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The western terminus of I-565 where the roadway continues as AL 20,east of Decatur. | 2008-03-29 |
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Decatur seems to have a lot of exotic signage and regulations on its roads. AL 20 has a lower speed limit when wet, as seen here. | 2008-03-29 |
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US 31, AL 20 Corridor V, US 72 Alternate Corridor V shields, Decatur. The US 31 shield looks pregnant. | 2008-03-29 |
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Ancient trapezoidal recreational overhead above US 31 in Decatur for Point Mallard Park. I'm not sure what it was when the sign was posted, but it is now a water park. | 2008-03-29 |
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They spelled it wrong. In front of Home Depot, Decatur. | 2008-03-29 |
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I-65 exit 282. Several places along I-65, sign panels are installed on single steel poles, like this one. | 2008-03-29 |
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I-44 eastbound exit 266, Lewis Rd. Several interchanges in this area of southwest St Louis County still had what was apparently the original signage, when this photo was taken. Because the signs were weathered and the road was being resurfaced anyway, I assume that by now they've been replaced. Note the exit tab on this one was added fairly recently. | 2006-07-16 |
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Looking south from the Chain of Rocks Bridge north of St Louis. Once upon a time, this carried Route 66 across the Mississippi. Read more. Now, the bridge only carries bike and foot traffic. Several times while I lived in St Louis, I rode my bike along the Riverfront Trail, across the bridge into Illinois, and back. This shot was taken at the bridge's famous bend. The tower in the middle of the river was once an intake for the St Louis water system. That's my bike, too. | 2007-10-07 |
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Miniature BGS posted on the back of traffic light beams on Eager Rd. where it meets Brentwood Blvd. Presumably, with the Hwy 40 project, the interchange will change enough that these will obsolesce. | 2006-06-04 |
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Old overhead above Delmar Blvd. at its interchange with I-170 and McKnight Rd. | 2006-04-01 |
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Traffic heading east on I-44 is given the option of using 270/255 to avoid going through the city. Also note the Missouri-style interstate mile marker. | 2006-06-04 |
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A nice shot of the buttons on these overheads that once hung over Hanley Rd. at 40. | 2007-02-14 |
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I-44 exit 272, MO 141. Note the U-turn lane marked on the previous offramp. | 2006-07-16 |
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BGS for US 82 West on US 45 Alternate. The tacked-on MS 25 shield is common in the area, because the state realized after many years that there was no explanation as to how MS 25 got from Starkville to Aberdeen. | 2007-01-01 |
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Brand new US 641 and TN 54 shields on the square in Paris. Note that the state route shield is suffering from the effects of "desktop" sign production--no longer is the state outline a faithful representation of the actual state shape, nor is the font the same as it once was. This appears to be an "artist's conception" of how the sign is really defined. The same has been done to the Scenic Parkway shield. Finally, the directional banner with the larger initial letter is now being adopted in Tennessee. | 2007-11-01 |
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US 70 and TN 22 Business shields on the square in Huntingdon. These use the new-style directional banners. | 2007-01-01 |
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A view of some early-morning valley fog in Crossville, along US 127 just south of I-40. | 2008-03-01 |
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US 70 is the only US highway split into 'N' and 'S' segments. Both segments are entirely within Tennessee. The eastern terminus of 70N is at US 127 in downtown Crossville. | 2008-03-01 |
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Shield for US 127 Alternate in Crossville. I am not sure where this goes or how long it is. Note that Tennessee normally signs alternate routes with an "A", not the separate "Alternate" shield. | 2008-03-01 |
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TN Secondary 101 shield, Crossville. | 2008-03-01 |
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A view of the loooooong descent heading south on US 127 in the vicinity of the border between Cumberland and Bledsoe Counties. The road is consistently this steep for about two miles. | 2008-03-01 |
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Guidance for trucks approaching the TN 8-TN 111 interchange on US 127. The "27" actually is printed on a cutout shield, as would be used on a BGS, but you almost cannot see it at all. | 2008-03-01 |
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TN 8 and 111 shields, Dunlap. TN 8 is one of the few single-digit state routes that stays signed for a significant length. | 2008-03-01 |
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At the US 127/TN 111 interchange. This is a standards-skirting BGS. The strangest part is the odd shape of Tennessee inside the route shield. | 2008-03-01 |
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This sign is supposed to protect a bridge by dramatically warning drivers that their trucks are too tall to pass underneath it. Looks like it works. Kimball. | 2008-03-01 |
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The elusive single-digit state route makes a rare appearance in Kimball. TN Secondary 2 is the unsigned designation of US 41 between Murfreesboro and Chattanooga. Presumably this part is a former alignment of US 41, and is thus signed with the old designation. | 2008-03-01 |
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Overheads on US 72 on the outskirts of South Pittsburg. | 2008-03-01 |
| State | Type | Description | Date |
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Typical Northern Alabama exit BGS on I-65 at AL 36 near Hartselle. The exits are numbered, but the numbers are used sparingly. This sign appeared to be fairly old. | 2008-02-03 |
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Two button signs paired with a modern one in downtown Birmingham. | 2008-02-03 |
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To I-65, I-565 West, and customized Alternate US 72 shield at the 565 onramp from Old Madison Pike in Huntsville. The US 72 shield flaunts the highway's designation as Appalachian Regional Development Commission Corridor V. | 2008-02-10 |
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Overheads for I-565 exits 19A-B-C in Huntsville. The rightmost sign is Alabama's own style of signing roads passing above interstates. These signs use Clearview and mark mileage precise to the tenth. | 2008-02-10 |
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Rear view of a louvered sign panel over Memorial Parkway in Huntsville. | 2008-02-10 |
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I suppose this is the first indication that I-565 has commenced, coming into Huntsville from the east. | 2008-02-10 |
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Alabama's notoriously gigantic 24" shields at the eastern terminus of I-565. US 72 exits the roadway just west of this installation. | 2008-02-10 |
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Beginning the "descent" into Huntsville from the east on US 72. | 2008-02-10 |
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Shields on Oakwood Ave. at its intersection with Memorial Parkway (US 231/431). | 2008-02-10 |
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Some BGS in Alabama are not made of solid sheeting, rather louvered panels. I have never seen these outside the state. A few are used in Huntsville, in this case over Memorial Parkway. | 2008-02-10 |
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Another louvered BGS over Memorial Parkway for Cook and Oakwood Avenues. | 2008-02-10 |
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Louvered overheads at the intersection of University Dr (US 72) and Research Park Blvd (AL 255). | 2008-02-10 |
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Button signage for universities in Bloomington. | 2007-08-17 |
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Classic Illinois: Brown square-stock framework supporting button BGSes with full-width exit tabs. I-55 in Bloomington. | 2007-08-17 |
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I didn't include this so much for the sign but for the background. This was taken on I-80 southwest of Chicago in absolutely miserable road conditions. Glad I wasn't driving. | 2008-01-01 |
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Illinois-style overhead at I-55 exit 236. | 2007-08-17 |
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Krebs Station Rd. in southern McCracken County is signed as KY 999. Clever misguided teenagers could hang this sign upside-down in their hangout. | 2007-07-17 |
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Old KY 381 and 339 shields in Sedalia. There was a time when most three-digit state route shields in Kentucky were round and used a narrow font, which sometimes appeared hand-painted. | 2007-07-17 |
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The first Missouri exit on I-155 westbound, MO 84 and Supplemental Y. Caruthersville is known mostly for two things: it is the home of the Casino Aztar, and was also devastated by a tornado in 2006. | 2007-07-18 |
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Vintage button BGS at the onramp to I-55 North from Missouri K in Cape Girardeau. A nice find. Note that Perryville is used instead of St Louis as the control city. | 2007-07-18 |
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The northern terminus of MO 267 is just past the crossing of the River des Peres by Lemay Ferry Rd. in St Louis. | 2007-10-09 |
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Relatively new I-64 Missouri shield paired with a significantly older US 40 shield at the onramp from Berthold Ave. Link to Google map. The ramp is mostly used by traffic entering the highway from McCausland Ave. | 2007-10-09 |
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It's not every day you can walk right up to a full-size overhead BGS setup. Memorial Drive, in front of the Arch grounds, follows I-70 for a few blocks while 70 is below street level. Old button BGSes were used here until they were replaced with these new ones sometime during 2007. | 2007-11-17 |
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Signage over the newly reworked Busch Stadium exit ramp from westbound 64/40. The ramp ends essentially at 9th and Clark. | 2007-11-17 |
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Hastily posted Detour I-64 West shield on Clark between 9th and 10th Streets. | 2007-11-17 |
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A view of the intersection of Hampton and Oakland, footsteps south of the Hampton interchange with 40. The overheads are pretty old and I expect them to come down during the rebuilding of the highway. Note the layout: traffic entering 40 eastbound takes the ramp crammed between Oakland and the offramp from 40 for southbound Hampton. The extremely tight curve of the offramp means it's probably bound for a makeover during 2009. | 2007-11-17 |
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Close-up of a button BGS over Hampton as it passes over 40 and enters Forest Park. | 2007-11-17 |
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Overhead for the 40 onramp from Grand Blvd. just south of Reinert Hall (SLU) and the Mothership Del Taco. | 2007-12-18 |
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Where many major surface streets cross into the city limits, a granite pillar such as this one marks the line. Unfortunately this one, in the Delmar Loop, has been the victim of graffiti. | 2007-12-19 |
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This sign, listing St Louis's sister cities around the globe, often accompanies other signage at the city limit. Here a bolt has fallen out and the sign has responded accordingly. | 2007-12-19 |
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Through central St Louis County, Limit Avenue follows the city boundary, just a few yards to its west. Though the street is by no means continuous, the name is reused in several neighborhoods, suggesting it once was. | 2007-12-19 |
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Entering the county, leaving city jurisdiction. A matching sign is mounted on the opposite side of the pole. | 2007-12-19 |
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Button overhead at the onramp to 40 from Brentwood Blvd. The buttons have held up well, it appears. | 2007-12-22 |
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Now-familiar "CLOSED" banner posted over old 40 onramp signage. This photo was deliberately overexposed for effect. In Brentwood. | 2007-12-22 |
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Signage diagramming the eastern terminus of I-44 and southern terminus of Truman Parkway in downtown St Louis, where these roads split from northbound I-55. | 2007-12-22 |
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Westbound on 40 at Clayton/Skinker/McCausland, looking up the ramp toward Clayton Rd. | 2007-12-26 |
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Entering the big curve westbound on 40 between the Clayton/Skinker ramp and the McCausland ramp. Coming the other way, eastbound, it's kind of fun (but dumb) to speed through this sweeping downhill curve. | 2007-12-26 |
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Another shot from 40 looking up toward the McCausland exit. Get used to the sight of traffic, too. | 2007-12-26 |
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Ancient signage at an I-70 onramp in St Charles. Possibly 1950s vintage. Buttons still working. | 2007-12-26 |
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Shields for all four St Louis interstates along Leonor K. Sullivan Blvd., below the floodwall, in the shadow of the railroad bridge. | 2007-12-29 |
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The only MO Supplemental Route actually entering St Louis City is Route D, Page Blvd. It is unusual to see any of these routes with a directional banner. | 2008-01-03 |
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Shields at the intersection of Tesson Ferry (MO 21) and Lindbergh (US 50/61/67) in Concord Village, south St Louis County. The US 50 shield should have the double arrow beneath. | 2007-04-08 |
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Shields for MO 21 and 30 on Gravois at the intersection with Tesson Ferry and Rock Hill Roads, Affton. Tesson Ferry, which is the name for the road leading south from here, is MO 21, making this the northern terminus. | 2007-05-29 |
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BGS, I-55 exit 191, MO 141. The first southbound exit in Jefferson County. | 2007-06-02 |
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At the junction of TN 22, TN 431, and US 45E just outside Martin, where northbound 22 and 45E bypass the city. I believe TN 431 follows the former route of TN 22 through the business districts, and continues west (north) to Union City. | 2007-07-18 |
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TN 43 is a hidden co-designation of the route of US 45E. It is signed only in South Fulton and here, as the western half of the bypass around Martin. 45E follows a more central route through the city. | 2007-07-18 |
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TN 431 is known as Reelfoot Ave. through Union City, and this is its exit from the TN 22 freeway. Reelfoot was a Indian chief of legend with a deformed foot, hence the English name. The avenue is named either for nearby Reelfoot Lake, or for the Reelfoot Packing Company, which once operated a pork rendering plant located in Union City. | 2007-07-18 |
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Overhead signage on the north side of the Union City bypass (TN 22). Note the wrong-way multiplex, TN 214 North and US 45W South. This allows access to downtown. | 2007-07-18 |
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TN 51 is a controlled-access highway between Union City and Dyersburg. In Dyersburg, one can use I-155 to reach I-55 in the Missouri Bootheel, for the purposes of reaching, as the sign says, St Louis. | 2007-07-18 |
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I-155 "straight ahead." Dyersburg. | 2007-07-18 |
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The eastern terminus of I-155. For its entire length, I-155 is cosigned with US 412. | 2007-07-18 |
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I-155 Tennesee Exit 2, TN 181. This carries the Great River Road through Dyer County. | 2007-07-18 |
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TN 54 mis-signed as a secondary highway in Dresden. | 2007-07-18 |
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