I'm curious as to what kind of large distances are shown on mileage aisngs in your area. What's the farthest places you've ever seen given on signs that indicate how far away you are?

There are a few that I have seen that are interesting to drive past.

One is just west of Baltimore, where I-70 starts. It gives the mileage to Columbus OH, St. Louis MO, Denver CO, and Cove Fort UT.

http://www.interstate-guide.com/images051/i-070_et_27.jpg

Another one I've seen is near downtown Richmond, VA. It gives the mileage going southbound, and includes the distance to Miami, which is the southern terminus.

Lastly, US Route 50 is an at-grade road that goes from Ocean City, MD, to San Francisco. In Ocean City, you can see a sign that gives the distance to San Francisco. The sign is so popular, and has been stolen or vandalized so much, that it was taken out of the ground (like a regular stop sign sits in the ground), and placed on an overhang.

So, what long-distance mileage signs are there where you're from?

This sign is located on US-50 (E/B) in West Sacramento (some 140 km East of San Francisco). It is posted right at the fork where I-80 and US-50 split apart. The sign was installed only 3 years ago.

http://www.route50.com/sacramento-sign-new.jpg

And below is its complementary from the other end of US-50 :)

http://www.route50.com/US_50_Sign.jpg

The second one was installed earlier because I found it online some 4-5 years ago.

These signs obviously have no value in terms of practical application and serve rather as the mere symbol. No one travelling across the country would stay on US-50 for the entire trip.

http://www.westcoastroads.com/california/images025/i-040_eb_exit_001_02a.jpg

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a203/ixic/walserbergM3.jpg

it's quite a curiosity in Europe such long. this one is right after A-D border. and i remember that i saw in Spain sign to Madrid near Barcelona

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/4412/picture124mediumqs0.jpg

A Dutch lookalike sign in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain

Here is one in Portugal,near the border with Spain :)

http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/7648/a601lj3.jpg

Here is one in Portugal,near the border with Spain :)


khhhm, topic is about long distances. 156 km is not too long.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a203/ixic/walserbergM3.jpg

it's quite a curiosity in Europe such long. this one is right after A-D border. and i remember that i saw in Spain sign to Madrid near Barcelona

Soon after the German-Swiss border by Basle (Basel) it says Berlin - 850 km (about 530 mi). :)

Leaving Amsterdam on the A1 you see a sign wich gives the distances to Berlin and Copenhagen, don't know the distance.

Leaving Amsterdam on the A1 you see a sign wich gives the distances to Berlin and Copenhagen, don't know the distance.

Those are one of a kind signs, and not embedded to the signage on those motorways

^^
Aren't most of the signs posted here 'one of a kind signs'?

Russia:

Vladivostok 2400km
Moscow 7200km

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/5518/vladivostoktoulanude8pu2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://www.route50.com/sacramento-sign-new.jpg

These signs obviously have no value in terms of practical application and serve rather as the mere symbol. No one travelling across the country would stay on US-50 for the entire trip.

Here's an "incomplete" list:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_long-distance_mileage_signs_on_interstates

This is curious. Does anyone know if there's any kind of standardisation in determining what destinations are put into these signs? It seems absurd for someone to put in the terminus of the highway on the sign...and if strangers to the road see it, they might think that there are no major destinations along the route! (What I always thought the signs portrayed)

Here's an "incomplete" list:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_long-distance_mileage_signs_on_interstates

This is curious. Does anyone know if there's any kind of standardisation in determining what destinations are put into these signs? It seems absurd for someone to put in the terminus of the highway on the sign...and if strangers to the road see it, they might think that there are no major destinations along the route! (What I always thought the signs portrayed)

I think it's just for fun. Termini are put on just to kind of show how far that Interstate or road will take you if you keep using it.

Certainly you don't expect the federal government to list every single large and medium-sized city on one Iterstate from coast to coast? It would be ridiculous to see a sign in Boston at the beginning of I-90 that says:

WORCESTER x MI
SPRINGFIELD x MI
ALBANY x MI
SYRACUSE x MI
BUFFALO x MI
ERIE x MI
CLEVELAND x MI
SOUTH BEND x MI
CHICAGO x MI
MADISON x MI
LA CROSSE x MI
SIOUX FALLS x MI
BILLINGS x MI
BUTTE x MI
COUER D'ALENE x MI
SPOKANE x MI
SEATTLE x MI

A typical mileage sign would probably give the distances to Worcester, Springfield, and Albany. Any other cities would show up on distance signs as you went west into Massachusetts and New York. If a super-distance sign was put up, I would expect it to show just the biggest of the cities, like Cleveland, Chicago, and Seattle. There is a bit of a logical explanation for putting far-away cities like that on a sign, because the Interstate goes to those cities for a reason, and commercial trucks or people driving cross-country would be able to use one road to get from Boston to Seattle.

This is how i like it:

1st: Next exit
2nd: First regional destination
3rd: Control City
4th: Control City or Remote Focal Point (usual in smaller countries).

Near urban areas maybe a 5th; a destination on an intersection interstate, which route should be logical. (like Pittsburgh and New York on the I-80 between Cleveland and Youngstown in Ohio)

Here in Europe, the farthest away I've seen was in France, where some signs indicate Paris at long distances... even above 800km's in some of the most "remote" places.

Usually there aren't many destinations indicated from other countries in the signs, which kind of limitate things for Europe. ;)
Although there are certain exceptions... you can see the distance to Barcelona in motorways in southern France at distances of more than 400 km's.

Also, in Spain the same motorway goes from Algeciras to Barcelona, and up to the border with France... so you could have signs indicating Barcelona at a distance of more than 1000 km's from Barcelona (near Algeciras), but I think there aren't any. Just distances to closer cities like Malaga, Valencia, etc.

I think it's just for fun. Termini are put on just to kind of show how far that Interstate or road will take you if you keep using it.

Certainly you don't expect the federal government to list every single large and medium-sized city on one Iterstate from coast to coast?


No of course not! I would think it would list the three closest cities. From experience I know they list the three closest cities in the urban areas, and in the rural areas they would have one of those signs every 50 miles or so, and then when a smaller town comes up, it would get its own sign.

Here in Europe, the farthest away I've seen was in France, where some signs indicate Paris at long distances... even above 800km's in some of the most "remote" places.

800kms? I haven't seen that, but then again, i haven't drove the whole French autoroute system.

http://franceautoroutes.free.fr/photos/a62/A62-039-B.jpg

Strasbourg 560km near Grenoble
http://franceautoroutes.free.fr/photos/a48/A48-008-B.jpg

I have ever see see more than 1000 km in France on A6 motorway : Milan about 1500 km

The longest distance sign I have seen in Estonia:
http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/3083/stockholm412vo6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

^^ :crazy: Ok, this is certainly the weirdest destination-sign I've ever seen: pointing to a city, for which you must use a ferry, and the distance counts in the ferry distance. I believe you have signs for Helsinki as well then, if coming from Riga. :crazy:

I think http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/4412/picture124mediumqs0.jpg wins by far the stockholm one by far has weirdest destination-sign.

800kms? I haven't seen that, but then again, i haven't drove the whole French autoroute system.

http://franceautoroutes.free.fr/photos/a62/A62-039-B.jpg

Well, I'm not sure about the 800 km's... it was just a +/- random number, but I think I've distances around that in France.

I have ever see see more than 1000 km in France on A6 motorway : Milan about 1500 km

Milan about 1500km on the A6? How can that be, if the distance between Paris and Milan is under 1000km??

I think http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/4412/picture124mediumqs0.jpg wins by far the stockholm one by far has weirdest destination-sign.

But that's just a touristic sign, not a real sign, and definatly not a road signs, so it doesn't really qualify for this.

^^ I know that :) for now the Siberian one wins by far :)

If I remember correctly there is a sign showing Paris on the A10 in Italy near the french border. Can anyone confirm this?

^^ I know that :) for now the Siberian one wins by far :)

Well, that one in Siberia you showed looks like the one in the canary islands. Just for tourist(well, not touristic, if it's in Siberia :D ) purposes or whatever.... clearly not the real thing. ;)

I can also paint a sign in my street showing the distance to Singapore and put it into a wooden telephone pole. ;)

Also, in Spain the same motorway goes from Algeciras to Barcelona, and up to the border with France... so you could have signs indicating Barcelona at a distance of more than 1000 km's from Barcelona (near Algeciras), but I think there aren't any. Just distances to closer cities like Malaga, Valencia, etc.

There is a sign near Marbella on AP-7 indicating the distance to Barcelona.

Also, in Spain, on radial highways near Madrid you have signs indicating the distance to the cities you can go using that highway. For example, on A-1: Burgos, Santander, Logroño, Bilbao, Vitoria, San Sebastián and Irún.

Well, that one in Siberia you showed looks like the one in the canary islands. Just for tourist(well, not touristic, if it's in Siberia :D ) purposes or whatever.... clearly not the real thing. ;)

I can also paint a sign in my street showing the distance to Singapore and put it into a wooden telephone pole. ;)

It's not joke/tourist/whatever false thing, it's on a road on Siberia :)

http://dreamers1.com/russia/Ulan_Ude/Ulan_Ude_Pictures.htm

Well, I'm not sure about the 800 km's... it was just a +/- random number, but I think I've distances around that in France.



Milan about 1500km on the A6? How can that be, if the distance between Paris and Milan is under 1,000km??
.
It will maybe around 1,000 km and not 1,500 but with motorway Milan is at more than 1,000 km of Paris

http://dreamers1.com/russia/Ulan_Ude/Ulan_Ude_Pictures.htm

:master: Thanks for this site, I was looking for it more than an hour! Now I can publish this sign, pointing to Chita. :)
http://img373.imageshack.us/img373/6626/itakt1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

:cheers:

It's not joke/tourist/whatever false thing, it's on a road on Siberia :)

http://dreamers1.com/russia/Ulan_Ude/Ulan_Ude_Pictures.htm

Still, I don't consider it to be eligible for this.
Though the sign Verso just posted(from that same website) would be! And although not 7200km, 1815km is still quite far away. :D

Btw: Quite a nice landscape in southern(I guess, from the landscape and the fact that the transsiberian railway passes nearby that it's southern) siberia. :)

^^ It's even more than 1,000 miles!:D I agree, that sign for Moscow (7,200 km) isn't very useful (it's interesting though), but to point to Chita, if standing in Khabarovsk, is the only logical thing.:cheers:

It will maybe around 1,000 km and not 1,500 but with motorway Milan is at more than 1,000 km of Paris


From www.viamichelin.com:
Paris-Milan: Distance: 854km including 816km on motorways

Anyway, if there are signs near Paris with the distance to Milan that would still be a great distance.

There is a sign near Marbella on AP-7 indicating the distance to Barcelona.



Well, than that signs near Marbella must state a distance of a little bit more than 1000km's to Barcelona. We should see a photo of that one!

Also, in Spain, on radial highways near Madrid you have signs indicating the distance to the cities you can go using that highway. For example, on A-1: Burgos, Santander, Logroño, Bilbao, Vitoria, San Sebastián and Irún.


I guess the best you can get would be a little bit over 600 km's for Barcelona and La Coruña.

Well.. maybe in north Mexico.. The longest I've seen is of Cancun 1000 km, from Coatzacoalcos, in South Veracruz.

In California, the longest useful posted distances I have seen were 420 miles (670 km) from Sacramento to LA and 400 miles (640 km) from Redding, CA to Portland, OR.

I think it would be quite convenient if upon leaving San Diego they posted distances to some major cities that I-5 runs through (e.g. LA, Sacramento, Portland, Seattle). From San Diego to Seattle it would be impressive 2000 km, and yet it would not be useless because many tourists indeed cross the entire West Coast on I-5 (some non-tourists do too).

this is one of the longest in Croatia. actually, there should be few more on the same motorway few exits before, or even on border crossing.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a203/ixic/A4-D28/IMGP1388.jpg

^^ How 'bout this?;) Split - 403 km (or sth like that).

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/3170/a7ld7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://www.homepage.hispeed.ch/Dj-Micky/sm05/Sommerferienteil1.htm

If I'm not wrong, leaving Madrid on the A-1 you can see a sign with the distance to Paris, 1300 km aproximately. I think it's the farthest pleace I've seen on a official sign -at least in Spain-.

Well, than that signs near Marbella must state a distance of a little bit more than 1000km's to Barcelona. We should see a photo of that one!

It says 1000km and is just past Marbella, maybe around Benalmadena, I've seen it too, we were doing the drive from Marbella to Barcelona and this sign nearly made me cry.

In the U.S., I think these rare signs are somebody's sense of humor. The interstate highway system has standards for these type of things, but some jurisdictions do it anyway. However, the sign out of Baltimore on I-70 is reasonable, as this road is a direct route to Denver. I guesss the significance of the Cove Fort, Utah mileage on this sign, is it is the terminus of I-70. However, how many travel from Baltimore to Cove Fort, Utah as a destination? My guess would be about zero!

In the UK, places over 100 miles (with the exception of London) aren't usually shown on distance signs. While signing a place that is over 500 miles or something like 1000km away isn't necessary, I'd like to see signs to places in the UK from further away. The M6 is the longest motorway in the UK and when travelling south from Scotland, Manchester and Liverpool which are the first large cities when travelling in this direction are not signed until about 60 miles or 100km away.

I've noticed since being in the US that much bigger distances are put on signs. Can any Floridians explain to why Perry, Florida is placed on the signs from virtually all parts of the state? From what I can gather it's a fairly insignificant small town in northern Florida. I've seen signs to Perry from over 200 miles away. It puzzles me.

Does this count??? :D

I found this picture, Pier at Puerto Vallarta (Mexico)

http://www.dropshots.com/photos/109685/20061129/b_143332.jpg

^^ Naah, I don't like such signs; they can be funny, but that's all. We'd probably like to see road signs, and even here, I personally, would only be interested in destinations that are logical (pointing to Moscow in Khabarovsk still isn't very logical, despite Moscow's size and importance as a capital city; it's just too far away, there are other cities on the way).

This one probably falls in under the same category.. Although it is a real sign and you can drive there, it's mostly just for fun.. The only ones who actually do follow the sign drive camper vans ;)

http://breogfjellsport.no/npl/blog/wp-photos/20060115-223505-4.jpg


Lindesnes is the southernmost part of Norway and Nordkapp (North Cape) is the northernmost part.

^^ You can't believe how long such a small (and European) country as Norway is, can be!

Norway and Sweden are huge countries for European standards.

This one probably falls in under the same category.. Although it is a real sign and you can drive there, it's mostly just for fun.. The only ones who actually do follow the sign drive camper vans ;)

I would say it counts because it actually serves a purpose, if the camper van drivers are planning to make the long trip up there. Plus it's not some touristy thing put up by the local hotel- it's an actual official highway sign.

http://www.dropshots.com/photos/109685/20061129/b_143332.jpg

Hang on a sec, the circumference of the Earth is only just over 40,000km - wouldn't Moscow be about 1,500km closer if you pointed at it in the opposite direction?!? :nuts:

^^ Why easier when it can go harder... :D

^^ Why easier when it can go harder... :D



Of course:lol:

Can any Floridians explain to why Perry, Florida is placed on the signs from virtually all parts of the state? From what I can gather it's a fairly insignificant small town in northern Florida. I've seen signs to Perry from over 200 miles away. It puzzles me.

I can. Not only am I Floridian, but I live in Perry!

Perry is located at the crossroads of several major state highways. Because of that, it has long been a destination for people hundreds of miles away. Lots of people come to Perry--not to visit us, but to get somewhere else.

The Florida Department of Transportation has recently changed its guidelines for signs, though, so many of the Perry mileage signs will be going away in the future. On top of that, interstate highways with more lanes and higher speed limits have drawn traffic away from the state highways.

In the U.S., I think these rare signs are somebody's sense of humor. The interstate highway system has standards for these type of things, but some jurisdictions do it anyway. However, the sign out of Baltimore on I-70 is reasonable, as this road is a direct route to Denver. I guesss the significance of the Cove Fort, Utah mileage on this sign, is it is the terminus of I-70. However, how many travel from Baltimore to Cove Fort, Utah as a destination? My guess would be about zero!
Cove Fort, UT is the west end of I-70. It is a 'middle of nowhere' speck on the map where traffic on I-70 meets I-15 and continues on southwestwards towards to the Las Vegas, NV and Los Angeles, CA areas. It is a major highway junction.

As for other more 'fanciful' distance signs, there used to be one for 'Miami, FL' on US 41 as it leaves the parking lot at its north end at the northern tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula in Michigan. I don't know if it is still there or not.

Mike

Nice. I can't believe the distance in this picture:
http://picasaweb.google.nl/ASWchris/A9PerpignanOrange/photo#5137617139187154962
Have you seen anywhere else in Europe with such long distances on highway signs?

Nice. I can't believe the distance in this picture:
http://picasaweb.google.nl/ASWchris/A9PerpignanOrange/photo#5137617139187154962
Have you seen anywhere else in Europe with such long distances on highway signs?
In Germany:
http://rippachtal.de/12/A12-1-02-50.jpg
http://rippachtal.de/05/A05-1-01-50.jpg

401 km is nothing. I mean, it's a lot actually, but there are plenty of signs across Europe with longer distances. Would be interesting to know the longest one. I can't remember seeing a sign with 1,000 km or more in Europe. I know there's a sign for Berlin - 850 km - soon after Basel, already in Germany, of course.

Paris is signed on the italian A10 near the french border with more than 1000km if I remember correctly. But it's only signed once.
Barcelona is also signed quite early on the french A8 near Aix-en Provence, must be about 450km.

And the proof, straight from my hard disk: :D

http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/930/img0321tp6.jpg

If I'd travel there, I'd not know what Parigi would be (in the first moment) ;)

If I'd travel there, I'd not know what Parigi would be (in the first moment) ;)

Parigi? Probably some kind of food.:lol:

Now I've also noticed that E1 road (on the left of those destinations in France). I thought E1 was in Portugal...

^ Indeed, where did they get E1, it's in Portugal, Spain, Ireland and UK, not Italy. And who cares for Paris here, that's nonsense. Oh, and is there any sign later that uses the word "Paris", not "Parigi"?

Paris is not signed the whole route, right? Than this sign makes no sense. We have some signs near Amsterdam that sign København, Berlin, London, Paris & Luxembourg once.

:crazy:

Paris is not signed the whole route, right? Than this sign makes no sense. We have some signs near Amsterdam that sign København, Berlin, London, Paris & Luxembourg once.

photo please ;)

here is a sign near Munich
http://autobahnatlas-online.de/Bildergalerie/A99_00220.jpg
http://autobahnatlas-online.de

If I'd travel there, I'd not know what Parigi would be (in the first moment) ;)

you wouldn't know for Parigi, but you would know for Nizza and Marsiglia?

btw, signs up to 500 km are not rare nor worth to mention, those over 500 km are more special (for Europe). we also have a thread about longest destances on signs ;)

Miami is signed already somewhere near Richmond. That's what i call a long distance.

you wouldn't know for Parigi, but you would know for Nizza and Marsiglia?

btw, signs up to 500 km are not rare nor worth to mention, those over 500 km are more special (for Europe). we also have a thread about longest destances on signs ;)

Nizza is also the german spelling for Nice :D and driving in that direction, Marsiglia should be clear, too ;)

Parigi sounds like Luigi. :D

edit out ;)

I'll merge it ;)

Anyone has pics of the German A5 closer to Switzerland, direction Karlsruhe?

it says: via A5, A7, A2 Berlin 850 km
http://autobahn-bilder.de/images/A5%20Ri%20Kassel/Weil-Karlsruhe/Bild%20164.jpg
http://autobahn-bilder.de/inlines/a5.htm#A5%20Richtung%20Kassel

;)

but you could safe 20km when you'd drive via A5, A6, A9 (if Google Maps is right) ;)
using A5, A7, A4, A9 is also about 20km shorter ;)
and A5, A6, A81, A3, A7, A70, A71, A4, A9, too :D

Some South African ones that I know of...


In Durban, on the N3 leaving town. Just after passing the interchange with the N2, the sign indicates 558km to Johannesburg.
I think that the N2 leaving Port Elizabeth in the direction of Cape Town has a sign that indicates around 750km to Cape Town, but I'm not too sure.
The furthest I've seen was when I was in Cape Town in January, and noticed a sign on the N1 indicating ~970km to Bloemfontein. It's a few kilometers past the R300 interchange.


These long distance markers are the exception rather than the rule in this country though. Most signs indicate the distance to the next town (regardless of size), and the next town of some significant size. Take the N3 for example (the Durban to Johannesburg road), which I've travelled on quite frequently. As you leave Durban, the first place of any significance is Pietermaritzburg, so that appears on all the distance markers. After Pietermaritzburg, Harrismith. After Harrismith, Jo'burg. Besides those towns that are indicated, smaller towns that come up before them are also indicated as you approach them.

Unfortunately, I don't have any photos to show you. I can search the web though if you're interested.

and A5, A6, A81, A3, A7, A70, A71, A4, A9, too :DLOL! :D Yeah, this is the one. ;) It's more of a cosmetic thing, but it isn't useless either.

Anyway, one more:

http://img467.imageshack.us/img467/2485/samara2114kmrw4.jpg

:D

http://autobahn-bilder.de/images/A5%20Ri%20Kassel/Weil-Karlsruhe/Bild%20164.jpg

but you could safe 20km when you'd drive via A5, A6, A9 (if Google Maps is right) ;)
using A5, A7, A4, A9 is also about 20km shorter ;)
and A5, A6, A81, A3, A7, A70, A71, A4, A9, too :D

I remember this sign :)

And i prefer A5/A6/A9, because driving this way, i can avoid all big cities.

This is in Argentina, between Mendoza and San Luis.

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u171/marcelocuri/S3500817.jpg


I never realized the reason, since the brazilian border is almost 2000km from this point!! :nuts:

photo please

These are the signs in The Netherlands Chris was talking about:

On the A1 near Muiden:
http://dd50.inducks.org/wegen/imgb/b001/a1berlin.jpg

On the A2 near Abcoude:
http://dd50.inducks.org/wegen/imgb/b006/a2luxembourg.jpg

On the A4 near Hoofddorp:
http://dd50.inducks.org/wegen/imgb/b009/a4london.jpg

it's interesting to see such long destinations. i've been thinking and i realized why we actually don't have them: we have made totaly order in traffic signs about 5-6 years ago and in law there are strictly defined destinations at signs. i don't know it exactly, but it has something with local centre, regional centre, county centre, macroregional centre, and i know there are in one paragraph foreign cities that can be signed.

theres a sign in south spain for barcelona for 1000km.

I found this one on another forum, it's on the BR-174 road near Manaus (Brasil), and it shows the distance to Caracas (Venezuela) as 2047 KM.

http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/8154/placayh4.jpg

Sorry about the quality but it's readable, i'm sure there must another sign showing a greater distance, though probable not that much.

Cool thread! It seems the longest displayed distance in Europe is around 1000km.
By any chance, does anyone know what's the longest distance one can encounter on the French highways?

^^ I saw Bordeaux signed about 600km away near Rouen on the A13.

Actually i bet i've seen the longest distance road sign in Europe. In the town Kirkenes, 3000 inhabitants on the russian border in Northern Norway there's a sign on E6-highway saying Oslo, 2502 km and Rome, 5102 km. And some closer towns. Though E6 highway changes name in Trelleborg after just 3120 km. Unfortunately i didn't manage to find a picture. The first town you reach on this highway after Kirkenes is with 16.000 is inhabitants Alta, after 520 km.

I've seen signs in Australia of over 1000km.

Actually i bet i've seen the longest distance road sign in Europe. In the town Kirkenes, 3000 inhabitants on the russian border in Northern Norway there's a sign on E6-highway saying Oslo, 2502 km and Rome, 5102 km. And some closer towns. Though E6 highway changes name in Trelleborg after just 3120 km. Unfortunately i didn't manage to find a picture. The first town you reach on this highway after Kirkenes is with 16.000 is inhabitants Alta, after 496 km.

That's just cosmetic, especially Rome. Who cares for Rome in Kirkenes?

Yeah, we're not looking for cities that are signed once here, but continuously signed cities.

Yes, because when you get to Oslo you're halfway to Rome! They don't sign Rome anywhere else on that road;D

I think Rome is there because E6, which has its northern terminus in Kirkenes, used to go all the way to Rome (and beyond?). Since they changed the European highway numbering system some time ago, however, E6 is confined to Norway and Sweden only.

This may not be very long by world standards, but its pretty long for Iceland.

http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/701/icelanddistance01ah5.jpg

Iceland also has some of the coldest distance signs.

http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/5093/icelanddistance02jg1.jpg

I've seen signs in Australia of over 1000km.

In Australia, there are hundreds of signs with distances over 1000km, particularly in the west and north (up to 4,000km between Perth and Darwin). Sometimes 1000km won't even get you to the next city.

Here are two located at Ipswich, near Brisbane. After Toowoomba, the next major city is Darwin!

http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/7602/darwindistancedd9.jpg

http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/5528/darwindistance2nw9.jpg

The shortest one i've ever seen was:

ESPANHA 0,5
I have never seen a non-Portuguese location on a Portuguese sign.

^^ That's real bad. You know, in this time and age, borders are becoming invisible in the Schengen era. There is no need anymore to only sign a border.

I have never seen a non-Portuguese location on a Portuguese sign.

Really? Even Madrid?

:master: Thanks for this site, I was looking for it more than an hour! Now I can publish this sign, pointing to Chita. :)
http://img373.imageshack.us/img373/6626/itakt1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

:cheers:

In Moscow or St Petersburg is there any mileage sign for Vladivostok ? :D :D

^^ That's real bad. You know, in this time and age, borders are becoming invisible in the Schengen era. There is no need anymore to only sign a border.

Why not? Different country, different laws, customs, language. Surely theres still loads of reasons for a sign even though the actual physical border no longer exists.

In fact, i think the shortest distance i seen is in bulgaria, on the highway, GREECE 0,4.

Why not? Different country, different laws, customs, language. Surely theres still loads of reasons for a sign even though the actual physical border no longer exists.

Yeah, but in this case, the border is the ONLY destination signed. How do you know if this is the right border crossing? What's the harm in signing a major foreign cities on the way?

I agree...

Can any Dutch person confirm that Stockholm is listed in one of the Amsterdam ring road signs? I heard that from a friend once, but no pictures of that have been posted here.

No it's not. Only Berlin and København are signed in that direction.

I happened to make a pic of that sign 2 days ago:
http://lh3.google.com/ASWchris2/R82TLH81q_I/AAAAAAAAGU8/qM4QfZTPQMc/IMG_6261.JPG?imgmax=800

^^ What's the purpose of writing Copenhagen in the Netherlands? Hamburg is more than enough, I think it's even bigger than Copenhagen, right?

Those signs are just for fun.

On the A2, a sign read Luxemburg, and on the A4, London and Paris are signed once.

I think it's done for "European Unity" sake or something.

@ Verso: Well, these signs only appear once, not all the way to Copenhagen. There is also a sign near Abcoude with Luxembourg, and one on the A4 with Paris and London (perhaps one more, but I don't remember). I don't exactly know why those signs are there, but I thought it had got something to do with promoting the E-roads (see Chriszwolle's pic: via E30 and E231)

Interesting. Well, Paris or even London aren't so useless IMO, but Copenhagen? :dunno:

Miami is signed already somewhere near Richmond. That's what i call a long distance.

http://www.aaroads.com/mid-atlantic/virginia095/i-095_sb_exit_052_01.jpg

Yeah, I have found it at www.aaroads.com - on I-95 South

That is about 950 miles or 1530 kilometers. Atlanta is also not the nearest town by the way, with around 530 miles or 850 kilometers.

Chris: Why is Copenhagen written in the Danish way though?

Why is Copenhagen written in the Danish way though?


In The Netherlands the idea is that cities are signed in the spelling that the destination city uses locally. So Aken becomes Aachen, Luik is signed as Liège, etc.

In many places this principle is not consistently implemented, but it is the idea.

In the province of Friesland four municipalities have chosen Frisian as the official language, so the signs to these towns (also from places not using frisian) are in Frisian. Roordahuizim (nl) is signed as Reduzum (fr), Eernewoude (nl) is signed as Earnewâld (fr), etc.

In short: the language of the destination determines the spelling.

There are many situations in which names are not usually translated, because they are names...

It makes sense to sign names of cities in their local language. People in smaller countries or who live near borders know name of cities on the other side of the border in both theirs and the local language. But tourists may not. I mean, if you didn't know much Italian how are you supposed to know Parigi is Paris?

In The Netherlands the idea is that cities are signed in the spelling that the destination city uses locally. So Aken becomes Aachen, Luik is signed as Liège, etc.

In many places this principle is not consistently implemented, but it is the idea.

In the province of Friesland four municipalities have chosen Frisian as the official language, so the signs to these towns (also from places not using frisian) are in Frisian. Roordahuizim (nl) is signed as Reduzum (fr), Eernewoude (nl) is signed as Earnewâld (fr), etc.

In short: the language of the destination determines the spelling.

I've noticed this too. I did a bit of a road trip involving Austria, the Czech Republic and Hungary in 2002. I noticed that in Austria, Prague was signed as Praha and that in the Czech Republic, Vienna was signed as Wien.

There's a not too different situation in these parts - in areas where Afrikaans is widely spoken, some signs are in Afrikaans while others are in English. This is particularly prevalent in Johannesburg, Pretoria and Bloemfontein where a lot of people speak Afrikaans. An Afrikaans sign is very rare here in Durban, as people who speak that language in Durban are few and far between.

I wonder how many tourists have been slightly confused by that though... ;)

Here's an example for you, which I found on Panaramio through Google Earth. This sign is on the the N1, around 200km away from Bloemfontein and 600km from Johannesburg. "Kaapstad" is the Afrikaans name for Cape Town.

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l116/ron2k-za/misc/1005745.jpg

In the province of Friesland four municipalities have chosen Frisian as the official language, so the signs to these towns (also from places not using frisian) are in Frisian. Roordahuizim (nl) is signed as Reduzum (fr), Eernewoude (nl) is signed as Earnewâld (fr), etc.

In short: the language of the destination determines the spelling.

As far as i know, small places are signed in Frisian language, but the larger cities (Leeuwarden, Sneek, Heerenveen etc) are signed in Dutch.

Interesting. Well, Paris or even London aren't so useless IMO, but Copenhagen? :dunno:

Lol, makes it fun for us northerners. :P

Though short national E-roads, such as these, are useless:

E231 – Amsterdam – Amersfoort
E232 – Amersfoort – Hoogeveen – Groningen
E311 – Breda – Gorinchem – Utrecht
E312 – Vlissingen – Breda – Eindhoven

The whole E-network is useless in my opinion, except for those countries which use it as their main numbering scheme.

The whole E-network is useless in my opinion, except for those countries which use it as their main numbering scheme.

I think the idea of an European numbering system makes sense, particularly since the entire continent is more and more integrated. National borders mean less and less, even though national culture means more and more. As long as the E roads actually are the most important links, they should be useful. However, in too many countries, those numbers aren't properly signposted.

Imho, it makes better sense to be guided from Prague to Berlin along the E55 than on the D8, A17, A4 and A13. For instance.

To the thread, the longest non-touristy distance sign I know of in Norway, is the one stating that it's 900 kms to Narvik. It's found just north of Trondheim.

The problem is, the E-road network is made in a grid, while the continent's geography doesn't favor that like in the United States ( the E-network is based on the US Highway & Interstate Highway system), making a lot of routes not making any sense, especially north-south or diagonal routes.

The whole E-network is useless in my opinion, except for those countries which use it as their main numbering scheme.

i absolutely agree. it could be usefull if you travel at some extra long distances, for instance, from Greece to Sweden or similar. but you'll not follow E65 in that case neither because you can travel on much shorter way and much better roads if you don't follow that route

POLAND:

http://images6.fotosik.pl/102/37b1f4eb55a03ae4.jpg

^^ :lol: Bratyslawa & Wieden! :rofl: Good thing Bratislava is somewhat intelligible, or else I would think Wieden is the Polish border village (if I didn't look at the distances)!

^^ Yes, that is our langluage's charm:)

Some examples:
Italy - Włochy
Roma - Rzym

Now I cannot recall any other examples


-----------------------------

\/ Bruksela not Burksela :)

haha, Rzym is great :D

do you know these cities? ;)
Paryz
Madryt
Londyn
Monachium
Burksela
Mediolan
?

I don't understand it. I tried to visit legendary Monachium, but i couldn't find it. I always arrived in München. Something went wrong or what? ;)

Anyway: Danube = Dunaj

And something special for Patrick:
Akwizgran, Ratyzbona, Brunszwik, Lipsk, Pasawa, Kolonia :)

i absolutely agree. it could be usefull if you travel at some extra long distances, for instance, from Greece to Sweden or similar. but you'll not follow E65 in that case neither because you can travel on much shorter way and much better roads if you don't follow that route

Well, the main problem is just that. The older (pre-early-80s) system made more sense, if you ask me. Still, that's no reason to discard the system as a whole, and many, even longer, E numbered links, actually do make sense - E5, E15, E35, E30, E40, E50 don't need much adjustment at all, E45, E55, E60, E80 wouldn't need that many changes either. Even the E65 will make reasonable sense come the new Polish stretches, and if a north-south motorway link through Albania were to be included as a part of that E road, it would make close to perfect sense.

Danube = Dunaj

= Vienna in Slovenian :)

As far as i know, small places are signed in Frisian language, but the larger cities (Leeuwarden, Sneek, Heerenveen etc) are signed in Dutch.

True, but that has nothing to do with size. The places signed in Frisian are in one of the four municipalities that use Frisian as THE official language. Each town in Friesland has only one official name. The municipality decides whether that's the Frisian or the Dutch name. Only four rural municipalities have chosen to use the Frisian names. That's why only these small towns are signed in Frisian.

But this is starting to get quite off topic...

I don't understand it. I tried to visit legendary Monachium, but i couldn't find it. I always arrived in München. Something went wrong or what? ;)

Anyway: Danube = Dunaj

And something special for Patrick:
Akwizgran, Ratyzbona, Brunszwik, Lipsk, Pasawa, Kolonia :)

ok, without looking to wikipedia:
?, Rostock?, Braunschweig, Leipzig?, Passau?, Köln ;)

1. Aachen, 2. Regensburg :)

It'd be nice if all the main routes were E-routes and that the E-routes were the main ones used by nations. In an ever more integrated European continent, it makes sense that the main motorways connecting major cities throughout the continent have the same name.

That some countries sign the E-routes only sometimes/really sporadically just makes it really confusing. Some standardization would be really nice.

POLAND:

http://images6.fotosik.pl/102/37b1f4eb55a03ae4.jpg

Nice you have Budapest on a distance board in Poland! :) In Hungary we don't have any boards indicating the distance to a country which we don't border. I think the longest distance signed on boards here is the one indicating Ljubljana (400+ km)near Budapest. But I remember seeing a pic about a sign somewhere near the Romanian border indicating Bucuresti which can be even more. If I find pics I'll post them.:cheers:

^^ Let me do it for you:http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/3764/spa0454ee6.jpghttp://img111.imageshack.us/img111/6933/im000004ev4.jpg:)

^^ Let me do it for you::)

Oh thanks :okay:
These are which I meant. That one with Bucuresti 630km must be the longest distance indicated in Hungary. It is more than the length of the country from West to East :cheers:

In the Netherlands we don't really have long distance signs. We have those ones with Luxembourg, Berlin, Copenhagen, Paris and London, but those only appear once. As far as I know the longest distance shown over here (and which is indicated every few km) is the indication of Maastricht near Amsterdam on the A2, showing a distance of 205 km.

On the German A2, Amsterdam is signed over more than 300 km though.

The sign with Bucharest has disappeared. :(

Ooops, wrong thread...

You're in Downtown Seattle, and you see a sign for Portland, Oregon.

On the German A2, Amsterdam is signed over more than 300 km though.

Yes, but that's not within the Netherlands

On the Spanish A-1 in the province of Alava, I saw last year a sign indicating Algeciras. I don't remember the exact distance, but it was something like 1040 km. I don't know if it's still there.

1020 km to paradise!

http://img185.imageshack.us/img185/7438/dscf0745gk1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

The image was taken when entering the state of Tabasco, in south Mexico..

(photo of the user nikkodemo)

In the Netherlands, we consider this as far :ohno::

http://i29.tinypic.com/ejcrw7.jpg

(if you can't read it: it says "Groningen 175")

well, small and dense-populated countries have other scales ;)

well, small and dense-populated countries have other scales ;)

Yes, it's comparable with a 500 km sign in Germany. The longest continiously marked destination is Maastricht, near Amsterdam, signing a distance of 205 km. :cheers:

^^ Is this the longest continuously marked DUTCH destination, or any (foreign) destination?

It's the longest continuously signed distance destination. We do not sign very far foreign cities. Like Brussel can't be found on Dutch signage (however i think it should be signed near Breda). I don't know what's the longest distance foreign signed city. Perhaps Köln or Osnabrück.

^^ Is this the longest continuously marked DUTCH destination, or any (foreign) destination?

Yes, it is. We have some foreign cities that are continually signed, like Osnabruck or Oberhausen, but that is only short before the border. The longest distance sign in the Netherlands is Copenhagen, which is signed once near Amsterdam on the A1, 773 km.

Again, Chris and I managed to reply to someone exactly at the same time :lol:

Ok, then we beat you by 5 km. :D

On the Spanish A-1 in the province of Alava, I saw last year a sign indicating Algeciras. I don't remember the exact distance, but it was something like 1040 km. I don't know if it's still there.

Was the sign yellow or blue? If it was yellow, then it's a temporary sign they put to show the distance to the port of Algeciras, one of the southernmost points in the Iberian Peninsula, where the Moroccans/Algerians who live in Europe take the ferry to cross the Strait of Gibraltar to return to their countries during the summer. BTW, these sings are always written in Arabic letters (apart from the Spanish version in the Roman ones obviously).

Was the sign yellow or blue? If it was yellow, then it's a temporary sign they put to show the distance to the port of Algeciras, one of the southernmost points in the Iberian Peninsula, where the Moroccans/Algerians who live in Europe take the ferry to cross the Strait of Gibraltar to return to their countries during the summer. BTW, these sings are always written in Arabic letters (apart from the Spanish version in the Roman ones obviously).

No, it was a white sign with black letters and it didn't look temporary for me, that's why I got surprised. It was only written in Spanish and I think it indicated another city too, but I can't remember right know :nuts:

Btw it was exactly in Decembre 2006 when I drove there so not that useful for Maghrebis! :tongue2:

After exit from Antalya and turn left on the Interchange on D400
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d158/ont1991/PA060010.jpg

Alaska:
http://i34.tinypic.com/2z8nlmt.jpg
As far as I'm concerned the furthest signed distance in Alaska is Deadhorse at the beginning of the Dalton, 454 miles. They should sign Seattle near Anchorage, it's only 2400 miles :D
btw, this picture is taken quite close to Wasilla, the town that Palin used to be the mayor of.

Was the sign yellow or blue? If it was yellow, then it's a temporary sign they put to show the distance to the port of Algeciras, one of the southernmost points in the Iberian Peninsula, where the Moroccans/Algerians who live in Europe take the ferry to cross the Strait of Gibraltar to return to their countries during the summer. BTW, these sings are always written in Arabic letters (apart from the Spanish version in the Roman ones obviously).

No, it is blue, and Lisbon, Madrid and Valladolid are signed too.
Lisbon is some 880 km away.

No, it is blue, and Lisbon, Madrid and Valladolid are signed too.
Lisbon is some 880 km away.

You're right, I saw it again in April! It's located after Alsasua and it's a permanent sign :) I think it says Algeciras 1044 km and Lisbon more or less what you said. Not bad at all :cheers:

I will have to find the photo I took in 1993-1994 as I was driving from Yellowknife, scan it, and post it. I recall the mileages were quite extensive. All in the order of 2,000 km's.

7,602 kilometers to Paris. http://www.xs4all.nl/~ernstmul/images/msn60/smile006.gif

It's on the D11 road in French Guiana.

http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/3894/d11td2.jpg

Personally the craziest long distance sign I saw was at the border between Morocco and Algeria near Oujda. It listed Oran, Algiers, Tripoli, Cairo, and Mecca, more than 6,000 km away. Unfortunately I can't find a picture of it.

This one is in Algeria, on a road going into the Sahara desert:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2210/2068445158_ecea22b227.jpg

This one is in Morocco, on a road going south:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1036/1137641914_e17c0af53b.jpg

As for this one, also in southern Morocco, it is simply precious! (translation: "Timbuktu, 52 days")
http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/5248/tombouctouok7.png

And in case you get lost in the desert: :D
http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/2840/eauqi6.png

This one is in Algeria, on a road going into the Sahara desert:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2210/2068445158_ecea22b227.jpg

I read Timmoun the first time I saw this picture :D

Yeah, that's the Algerian way of writing Timon. I'm famous all over the world :D

ah is very curious because i see signs like 525,371,773 km, here in North America 500km is not a big distance, i olove this long distances forum:D

ah is very curious because i see signs like 525,371,773 km, here in North America 500km is not a big distance, i olove this long distances forum:D

When I first read your post, I thought you meant 525 million kilometres. :lol:

I wonder what the shortest distance posted on a motorway sign is...

Good question. I never look at that really. I will have a look at that next time I'm on the motorway :)

I wonder what the shortest distance posted on a motorway sign is...One Burj Dubai, in Berlin:
http://rippachtal.de/113/A113-2-98-02-50.jpg
-> http://rippachtal.de

That's odd.

You have 0.5 km a few pages back, but I'm sure there are shorter distances, like in EU countries, pointing to another EU country (its neighbor), like 100 m to France, or even shorter.

Yeah, but I think they mean on regular distance signage, and not notification signage or something (like on overheads or distances to an intersection etc).

In Queensland, Australia:
The lowest interchange/exit signage distance on a motorway that I've seen is 200m.
The lowest locality sign distance I've seen is 800m (for a suburb), but that was on a regular arterial road.

I'll see what I can find on the net, but I doubt that there would be anything lower than 100m / 500m respectively (apart from national borders). Then again, if that 70km/h-60-50-40-30-20-10-Stop sign sequence is real, who knows what sort of distances there could be...

Interesting Mileage Signs I have found:

This mileage sign for Buffalo, Albany, and New York City was taken on I-90 Eastbound as you get into New York from Pennsylvania. I find it odd that they would have NY City on mileage signs, despite the face I-90 doesn't go into New York. I think at 490 miles, New York City is probably the highest distance on a mileage sign in the Northeast U.S.
http://www.floraltreasures.ca/199.jpg

Same Interstate, different location, this time on I-90 EAST as you get into New York from Massachusetts. Mileage for Albany, New York City, and Buffalo.
http://www.floraltreasures.ca/i-090_wb_exit_b2_04.jpg

Matt, here's a mileage sign that definitely get your attention. It's taken on I-95 Northbound outside the Baltimore metro area. Here it lists Wilmington, Delaware, Philadelphia, and New York City. BTW, notice how crowded this interstate is.
http://www.floraltreasures.ca/i-095_nb_exit_067a_01.jpg

Mileage sign on Interstate 80 Westbound. Notice they have Toledo marked on mileage signs below Cleveland, they have Toledo marked that way on Interstate 90 mileage signs, too, before getting into Cleveland.
http://www.floraltreasures.ca/1329346711_68b84eb33c_o.jpg

Mileage sign on I-90 Eastbound in Ohio, before the Pennsylvania border. Erie, Pennsylvania, and the first time Buffalo, NY is seen on mileage signs on I-90 east.
http://www.floraltreasures.ca/1329469913_733ca9cf21_o.jpg

Mileage sign on I-80 Westbound showing Youngstown at a mere 10 miles and the very distant New York City at 405 miles. What I find interesting is past Youngstown, there are no cities of any considerable size until you get to New Jersey.
http://www.floraltreasures.ca/1329516591_5acbb2cd1f_o.jpg

I find it odd that they would have NY City on mileage signs, despite the face I-90 doesn't go into New York.

Probably because the New York Thruway leads to New York, but I think the route via I-86 and NY-17 is probably shorter.

BTW, notice how crowded this interstate is.

Really? I don't think this interstate seems crowded on that picture. Such traffic density is pretty normal outside rushhours in the Netherlands.

I find it odd that they would have NY City on mileage signs, despite the face I-90 doesn't go into New York. I think at 490 miles, New York City is probably the highest distance on a mileage sign in the Northeast U.S.
I think it's good that distance signs show more than destinations on the road you are on. People change roads every now and then, y'know ... In Germany it's very common to show the focals of the first intersecting Autobahn along with the focals of the road you are on. The 'intersecting' focals are separated from the 'through' focals by a horizontal line and the sign shows the number of the intersecting Autobahn.

A place like NYC does draw a lot of traffic, so there's nothing wrong with signposting it even on roads that don't lead to NYC proper. I presume this sign is placed not too far before the I-86, where you would turn off to NYC.

ChrisZwolle, that thought of I-90 being the NY Thruway as well as I-90, never occurred to me, it makes perfect sense now. Yes, the I-86/NY 17 route is shorter, and cheaper, too. The Thruway is a toll road. I-86/NY 17 is 388 miles, compared to 460 for the Thruway, albeit I-86/NY 17 is more hilly.

I think it's good that distance signs show more than destinations on the road you are on. People change roads every now and then, y'know ... In Germany it's very common to show the focals of the first intersecting Autobahn along with the focals of the road you are on. The 'intersecting' focals are separated from the 'through' focals by a horizontal line and the sign shows the number of the intersecting Autobahn.

A place like NYC does draw a lot of traffic, so there's nothing wrong with signposting it even on roads that don't lead to NYC proper. I presume this sign is placed not too far before the I-86, where you would turn off to NYC.

That sign is just after you get into New York State from Pennsylvania on I-90/Thruway, and it is a couple of exits after I-86, but you were close. But now I know that I-90 is also the Thruway, it does make good sense to show NYC on those signs, Albany, too, being as it is the capital of New York state. However, from PA to Buffalo on I-90 east, Buffalo is the control city.

Another interesting thing to prove the mileages for the the Thruway is that as you go north on I-87 from New York City Metro area to Upstate New York, Buffalo is shown on mileage signs, even though I-87 doesn't go to Buffalo, but because it's on the Thruway, that's why it's shown.

In Germany, they show distances to cities on upcoming intersections? Kind of confusing. In New York State and Canada, they usually only show distances to the closest towns and cities on the highways (and multiplexed highways).

In Germany, they show distances to cities on upcoming intersections? Kind of confusing. In New York State and Canada, they usually only show distances to the closest towns and cities on the highways (and multiplexed highways).
The German system is never confusing, because those towns and cities on intersecting highways are properly separated from the towns and cities on the highway you are driving on. See for instance the sign below. I think the information is useful, as it gives information about the roads you are going to cross. You could in a way regard this type of signage as very advanced directional signage; you know what's coming up before you actually reach the first signs of the intersection.

http://rippachtal.de/04/A04-1-55-50.jpg

The longest in Slovenia:http://www4.slikomat.com/08/0602/e4t-IMG-36.jpg (http://www.Slikomat.com/slika/2734913.htm)

You mean by distance or by sign length? :D

By sign length this one (http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee119/Verso1/Highways052.jpg) probably wins. :lol:

8 destinations :omg: Must be fun to look for a certain location when you pass with 130 km/h :lol:

In the Netherlands they usually say 5 destinations per sign is the max, especially on high-speed roads.

There should be PARK and READ car park in front of this croatian sign.

There should be PARK and READ car park in front of this croatian sign.

You think Croatians would put "HR" oval on their own sign? :lol: (it's in Slovenia)

8 destinations :omg:

Would you like to see 9?
Praha, D1 (http://images32.fotosik.pl/269/adbac5f835ed87f5.jpg)
Praha, Metsky Okruh (http://images23.fotosik.pl/222/b688a6cc78fe9c51.jpg)

If 9 is not enough, try 11.
Praha, at Mrazovka tunnel (http://images29.fotosik.pl/222/4d4738ce5ca3e49e.jpg)

Still this Slovenian sign looks like more, because it's ordened in a row. Those Czech signs are very chaotic though.

Actually, those Czech ones aren't mileage signs.:)

Distance signs are mainly placed for information purposes. If you can't read them in full, you're not missing an exit or so. On directional signage like those Czech signs, not being able to read in full is trickier. 11 focals on one directional sign is an absolute shocker. The way those eleven focals are placed on the sign makes it even worse.

In tunisia, on the road through lybia and eventually to cairo (&beyond) - 2591 (km)
http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/5782692.jpg

i think i have found the longest one in Croatia (witout international destinations) - at border crossing Terezino Polje at D5 stands distance sign to Split. i forgot exact distance, but something about 580 km

Lol @ Split by Terezino Polje. And anyway, I remember a sign with 603 km to Dubrovnik (or sth like that) on D8 right after the exit for Krk.

2,591 km to Cairo. :cool:

Lol @ Split by Terezino Polje. And anyway, I remember a sign with 603 km to Dubrovnik (or sth like that) on D8 right after the exit for Krk.

2,591 km to Cairo. :cool:

actually, you can find Split along D5. i saw it also near Garešnica (at D45) and probably it could be near Virovitica, Veliki Zdenci and Okučani. but it is kinda lol :) however, D5/D45 are used by many hungarian tourists in the summer who are avoiding busy A4 and border crossing Goričan. so it is kinda usefull.

there was Dubrovnik near Rijeka, i remember it, but i doubt if it is still there.

On a second thought, it isn't so crazy, but only if you go over Banja Luka (which would be more than enough on signs, but Split is a Croatian destination). But from Terezino Polje to Split is only 450 km via Banja Luka. 580 km can only be via Zagreb, in which case I think it's unnecessary to sign Split, when you have Zagreb on your way. Just when you're already close to Zagreb. We should sign Koper in Lendava - more than 300 km. :cool:

possible thing is that those tourists which i see ther are from counties Baranya, Tolna and Bács-Kiskun because better detouring for busy Goričan would be Nagykanizsa - Iharosberény - Csurgó - border crossing Berzence/Gola and further Koprivnica - Vrbovec - Zagreb...

here is one of them, at D45 at exit of city Garešnica.
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a203/ixic/DSC01416.jpg

but when you reach A3 motorway, all those far destinations dissappear
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a203/ixic/DSC01417.jpg

800kms? I haven't seen that, but then again, i haven't drove the whole French autoroute system.

making an ancient quote :D

Spain, AP15 near Pamplona:

http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/6923/navarra1.jpg

This is in Algeria, Tamanrasset (South) - 1920 km from the capital city.

http://img.over-blog.com/630x470-000000/0/50/37/57/2cv/2cv-algerie-tam-panneau.jpg

Here is one of the longest distances on a Polish motorway distance sign:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.gajda/autostrady/jedrzychowice_19.jpg


Would you like to see 9? ...
If 9 is not enough, try 11.

I can do one better: 12 destinations, 7 road numbers and strictly there should have been two country codes, CZ and SK, but the 'artist' ran out of room. Here is one from Vienna that was posted in the Austrian thread earlier:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.gajda/autostrady/zat_004.jpg

Not to be imitated.


.

On E75 near Leskovac, Serbia, there is sign pointing Athens at 890km. Later, before Vranje there is 780 km to Athens sign. I will make pictures next time.

wow, in Europe 600 or 800 km are a lot kilometers rigth?

In Morocco!

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2002/2240899129_d5bd451903_b.jpg

In Morocco!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3304/3278650217_c9a97b310f_o.jpg

In Morocco!

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2002/2240899129_d5bd451903_b.jpg

Nouakchott is the capital city of Mauritania, but where is "Saint Louis" ?

Nouakchott is the capital city of Mauritania, but where is "Saint Louis" ?

It's city in Northern Senegal.

It's city in Northern Senegal.

Ok! thanks.

Distance sign from road nr. 61 in Ísafjörður, Iceland.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3474/3741247526_b4e278cb65.jpg

As you can see there are two ways to get to Reykjavík. You can turn right just after this sign to go on road nr. 60, it's the shorter route but is only open during summers and takes you over some primitive dirt tracks that haven't changed for 50 years. Or you can continue straight on road 61 which is open all year and has a paved surface all the way. The longest distance on the sign is to Akureyri, my home town, and I regularly make that drive like every other month or so.

Well, after almost 3 years...

There is a sign near Marbella on AP-7 indicating the distance to Barcelona.

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z58/ciceron00/1-ap-7.jpg

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z58/ciceron00/2-ap-7.jpg

http://maps.google.es/maps?hl=es&ie=UTF8&ll=36.52295,-4.846902&spn=0,359.969101&z=16&layer=c&cbll=36.522758,-4.84661&panoid=cVwdKq3ISB5CCGoQkhu9mw&cbp=12,156.5,,1,3.25



Also, in Spain, on radial highways near Madrid you have signs indicating the distance to the cities you can go using that highway. For example, on A-1: Burgos, Santander, Logroño, Bilbao, Vitoria, San Sebastián and Irún.

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z58/ciceron00/2-a-1.jpg

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z58/ciceron00/1-a-1.jpg


http://maps.google.es/maps?hl=es&ie=UTF8&ll=40.522771,-3.650755&spn=0,359.98455&z=17&layer=c&cbll=40.522522,-3.650915&panoid=V7Q6gE1xVdrSqNOYtoXsoQ&cbp=12,60.52,,0,9.78

Couldn't find the one indicating Paris though.

It's city in Northern Senegal.

I've never heard of Saint Louis. I think it would be better to sign Dakar (if necessary at all).

I've never heard of Saint Louis. I think it would be better to sign Dakar (if necessary at all).

Actually it's quite well known city in Western Africa and it's first bigger city after Mauritanian border. If you would have plan to drive through Mauritania and on to other countries along this road it would make sense for you. I would sign Dakar also.

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m307/Stuttjukken/Norwegian%20roads-8/Gratangsbotn-6.jpg

Kirkenes, just around the corner :lol:

^^ Other direction:

http://www.trentobike.org/Countries/Russia/Tour_Reports/Crossing_into_Russia/Kirkenes.jpg

Norway is an incredibly long country, when you're in Oslo, you're half way to Roma. I think it's a great way to show how long Norway is.

Norway is an incredibly long country, when you're in Oslo, you're half way to Roma. I think it's a great way to show how long Norway is.
ok, it is not that long, but it is very long indeed. when you're in Oslo, you're half way to Milano (air distance)

Actually, Oslo - Kirkenes is 2.425 km if you keep within the Norway proper (cutting through Sweden would save 500 km).

Oslo - Roma is 2.510 km, so the comparison works out quite well.

Actually, Oslo - Kirkenes is 2.425 km if you keep within the Norway proper (cutting through Sweden would save 500 km).

Oslo - Roma is 2.510 km, so the comparison works out quite well.

that's corredct and that's approximate road distance, which is indicated at that sign :)

Very interesting, CasaMor. Thank you!

Do you have more pics from that region?

Very interesting, CasaMor. Thank you!

Do you have more pics from that region?

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/52/134377215_a157cc37a9_o.jpg

^^ Translation:
Al Argoub 38
Laguira 394
Nouabidou 389
Nouackchot 904
Dakar 1430

:) We have also these!

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2108/2230858556_d3fb3a7f05_b.jpg

Thanks! :)

The first sign is near Dakhla, right?

Thanks! :)

The first sign is near Dakhla, right?

Yup! :)

Couldn't find the one indicating Paris though.

There it is:

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm158/rpc08/Semttulo-14.jpg

Autovía A-1 between Alsasua and Etxegarate, just after the service station.

There was also one indicating Lisbon and Algeciras in the opposite direction but I can't find that...

Nouakchott is the capital city of Mauritania, but where is "Saint Louis" ?
Saint-Louis du Sénégal, the oldest French colony in Africa, and oldest European style municipality in Africa too! Inhabitants of Saint-Louis du Sénégal had French citizenship (unlike people in the other French colonies who were just legally "indigenous people"). They are still proud of it today.

A few pictures from Russia.

M8 Arkhangelsk 294 km, Moskva 940 km.
http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/9576850.jpg

M18 (E105) Saint Petersburg - Murmansk.
http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/22746280.jpg

The other direction (S.-Peterburg 1382 km).
http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/22803987.jpg

M56 Lena Highway - Yakutsk 112 km, B. Never 1052 km.
http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/8326241.jpg

M56 Kolyma Highway - Topolinoe 189 km, Batagay 900 km, Ust-Kuyga 1295 km, Magadan 1504 km, Deputatskiy 1519 km.
http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/15662798.jpg

The other direction (Yakutsk 1959 km).
http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/23847926.jpg

:cheers:

The last picture could easily have been in Alaska, regarding road layout (a few open meters next to the road) and scenery.

Not too long, just wanted to post a sign of my city's name! :lol: :lol:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3031/2871692313_405605734a_b.jpg

:cheers:

You havent seen anything till you come to Australia.
Distances over 1000km are common and they are not one off's either.
For example there are distance signs with Darwin on them on the Warrego Highway west of Brisbane which say:
Darwin 3437
Darwin 3423
Darwin 3418
Darwin 3414

There are some signs in Southern Sydney showing a distance of more than 1000km for Melbourne. On the Stuart Highway numbers regulary reach in excess of 1400-1500km. On the Barrier Highway in NSW Perth is shown as 2800km.
From an Australians point of view I find it hard to see how 600-800km is a large number for a distance sign. Driving 600km is not very far at all.
You can drive on the Great Northern Highway from Perth for more than 3200km and still be on the same Highway and in fact you havent even left the state.

Ekaterinburg 190 km, Moscow 2340 km, St Peterburg 3040 km
http://images.drom.ru/images/4483/12804/125263.jpg

Ekaterinburg 190 km, Moscow 2340 km, St Peterburg 3040 km
http://images.drom.ru/images/4483/12804/125263.jpg

Thats more like something we see in Australia, some big numbers.
Thats an unusual gantry arrangment, something we dont see in Australia.

Distances over 1000km are common and they are not one off's either. For example there are distance signs with Darwin on them on the Warrego Highway west of Brisbane which say: Darwin 3437 / Darwin 3423 / Darwin 3418 / Darwin 3414
And that's about where it stops and you won't see any reference to Darwin until you make it to Three Ways. And that's the issue elsewhere in Australia too. One or two signs showing a town very far away and then nothing for the next few hundred kilometers. After the very first sign showing Perth somewhere in NSW, you'd have to wait until deep into WA for the next one. Also, on the long road between Perth and Darwin, you can pretty much forget about any reference to either of these capital cities.

The longest connection that is signposted continuously, if I'm not mistaken, is Darwin - Alice Springs. Still some 1450 kilometers.

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz266/varzuga/100_2.jpg

Don't see many large distances in new Zealand, though some major cities show distances of up to 200km.

Indeed, this is about the highest value I have spotted there
http://www.autosnelwegen.net/NZ/S_PICT0846.JPG

An unofficial sign in Te Anau
http://www.autosnelwegen.net/NZ/S_PICT1038.JPG

the fuel-distances are interesting as well ;)
http://www.autosnelwegen.net/NZ/S_PICT0954.JPG

And of course signs like this one can be found anywhere in the world ;) (This is in NZ)
http://www.xs4all.nl/~egavic/NZ/S_PICT0887.JPG

And that's about where it stops and you won't see any reference to Darwin until you make it to Three Ways. And that's the issue elsewhere in Australia too. One or two signs showing a town very far away and then nothing for the next few hundred kilometers. After the very first sign showing Perth somewhere in NSW, you'd have to wait until deep into WA for the next one. Also, on the long road between Perth and Darwin, you can pretty much forget about any reference to either of these capital cities.

The longest connection that is signposted continuously, if I'm not mistaken, is Darwin - Alice Springs. Still some 1450 kilometers.

Whilst this is largely true, there are other long distancers in Australia which are continuously signposted. From Cockburn to Sydney, Sydney is signposted regulary from 1,205km.
From Brisbane, Cairns is signposted continuously from the Gteway in Brisbane from 1,1717km.
From Sydney Melbourne (via Princes Highway) is continuously signposted from 1,035km.
From Dubbo, Adelaide is continuously signposted from 1,223km.
I believe there was a new sign erected recently near Pt Augusta South Australia, which has both Darwin and Perth mentioned on it.

The pictures on Oz Towns and Cities (http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/bruce.html) suggest that Cairns gets a mention every now and then between Brisbane and Townsville, but nothing more than that. Most definitely not "signposted continuously". When driving from Cairns to Brisbane, you would see even fewer references to Brisbane (which is odd, since Brisbane is the larger city of the two). In any event, there is more continuity of Brisbane and Cairns on the Bruce Highway than after Port Augusta. Because after Port Augusta, it will be hundreds of kilometers before you see the next sign to Darwin / Perth. The sign at Port Augusta is not new, by the way. I have seen pictures of more than ten years ago referring to Western Australia / Perth and Northern Territory / Darwin.

http://www.ozroads.com.au/NSW/Highways/Barrier/21.JPG
Go oz.

^^ It's kind of ironic that the smallest continent has some of the biggest distances in the world.

It's not that weird. Outside the largest cities in Australia, there aren't much other points of population, especially further west and north.

I wonder though, if Perth is a continuously signed destination here or if it just pop up every once in a while along the Barrier Highway.

^ I just knew someone would start explaining to me why Australia has so big distances. I'm not that ignorant, I know most of Australia is desert, but it's still ironic. ;)

More of the same...
http://www.yourglobaltravelguide.com/wp-content/gallery/south-australia-adelaide/town-distance-sign.jpg

I wonder though, if Perth is a continuously signed destination here or if it just pop up every once in a while along the Barrier Highway.
As far as I know, it's a one-off on the Barrier Highway, then a few signs in Port Augusta and then you have to wait until deep in Western Australia.

Really? Even Madrid?

No, not even Madrid. It's Espanha untill the border. Same the other way around.
P.S I just realized that I posted the post that led to your comment in 2008.

Transcontinental Highways in the US begin by posting distance to other end. This is the eastern terminus of I-40 in Wilmington, North Carolina.
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w102/architect77/barstow2.jpg

Barcelona announced 507 km in advance, in France.

http://i50.tinypic.com/jqm1ja.jpg

That's not a winner in France. 667 kilometer to Lyon (http://maps.google.com/maps/sv?cbp=12,143.37,,1,5&cbll=50.337248,2.805774&panoid=&v=1&hl=nl&gl=) here and 676 kilometers to Paris (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=nl&geocode=&q=Toulouse,+france&sll=50.337244,2.805784&sspn=0.010436,0.019205&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Toulouse,+Haute-Garonne,+Midi-Pyr%C3%A9n%C3%A9es,+Frankrijk&ll=43.669253,1.419876&spn=0,359.980795&t=h&z=16&layer=c&cbll=43.669154,1.419965&panoid=Zi8okVGwgS1oo15oHump8Q&cbp=12,47.23,,0,5.1) here at Toulouse.

^^Actually, yours aren't winners either. THIS one is the winner. 7,602 km to Paris, signposted on the D11 road in French Guiana. :D

http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/3894/d11td2.jpg

Lisbon and Algeciras signed in the spanish A-1, between Alsasua and Vitoria-Gasteiz:

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm158/rpc08/a1spain.jpg

^^Actually, yours aren't winners either. THIS one is the winner. 7,602 km to Paris, signposted on the D11 road in French Guiana. :D

http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/3894/d11td2.jpg

That's cheating, you can't sign a destination that's not accesible by road from French Guyana. If there's some kind of way too long ferry connection to mainland France, the distance won't tell you nothing, when you'll be sailing more than 7000 of those kilometers to Paris

Barcelona announced 507 km in advance, in France.

http://i50.tinypic.com/jqm1ja.jpg

this is between A52 and Aix, right? i have never noticed (or better said - remembered) that tunnel at that place!

It's funny how in some countries like France they use only strictly utilitarian distance signs, whereas in other countries like Spain and the US they love those "feel good" signs where they indicate distances to far-away places that are of little practical use. For example in the picture posted by rpc08 above, if that sign had been in France, they would have indicated the distance only to Madrid, they would not have indicated the distance to Lisbon, let alone Algeriras (:nuts:), which is of little practical use. If French authorities were into "feel good" signs, I suppose they could place a sign on the Franco-Italian border indicating the distance to Brest. That would surely be an impressive sign.

Which makes me think, what about people tell us what's the longest driveable distance in their country. Driveable on land that is. In France, the longest driveable distance is between Menton on the Italian border and Brest in Brittany: 1475 km/917 miles in total (distance indicated by viamichelin.com). What about your country?

http://i46.tinypic.com/6tifea.png

PS: I suppose if I want to finesse things a bit, I can take the distance between Menton and Plouguerneau near Brest, which is even longer at 1,503 km/934 miles. It takes 14 hours and 5 minutes to cover the distance according to viamichelin.com. 1,451 km is on motorways (toll cost: 92.10 euros), the rest on normal roads.

KM 0:
http://i46.tinypic.com/jaud8m.jpg

KM 1,503:
http://i45.tinypic.com/dg1our.jpg

It's funny how in some countries like France they use only strictly utilitarian distance signs, whereas in other countries like Spain and the US they love those "feel good" signs where they indicate distances to far-away places that are of little practical use.
Feel good indeed, but implemented with taxpayers' money. We have a few of those "feel good" signs close to Amsterdam. They indicate the distances to Brussels, London and Paris (on the A4), to Luxembourg (on the A2) and to Berlin and Copenhagen (on the A1). They're nice in a way, but generally considered a waste.

One further consideration to be made in respect of this type of fun is of course the continuity principle: when a town is signposted, people expect to be in a position to refer to that town until they reach it. Now a one off "fun reference" to Brest won't really distract people, but for good signposting it should generally be clear what the focals of the route are, i.e. that you can focus on Marseille and Nice but not on Brest. You only confuse drivers by including a reference to a remote focal point once every five distance signs or so. Then again, maybe there is also a difference in perception of distance signs. In Europe, they are commonly perceived as a form of reassurance. The distance signs should confirm to you that you're still on the right way. In the Americas, reassurance is generally done through trailblazers, not inasmuch through pull-through signs or distance signs. Distance signs are indeed much more information than a form of guidance. That leaves much more room for the fun references.

It's funny how in some countries like France they use only strictly utilitarian distance signs, whereas in other countries like Spain and the US they love those "feel good" signs where they indicate distances to far-away places that are of little practical use. For example in the picture posted by rpc08 above, if that sign had been in France, they would have indicated the distance only to Madrid, they would not have indicated the distance to Lisbon, let alone Algeriras (:nuts:), which is of little practical use.


Well, during the summer the A-1 is full of Moroccans/Algerians (or Europeans of Moroccan/Algerian origin) who live in Europe (mainly France, the Netherlands and Belgium) and travel to the North of Africa taking a ferry in Algeciras, so I find that indication quite useful.

The same goes with Lisbon, there are lots of Portuguese (still not as many as the aforesaid) who live in France, Luxembourg, Belgium, etc. and return to Portugal via A-1/A-62 during the summer. Maybe indicating the distance to Portugal instead of Lisbon would make more sense though.

Well, during the summer the A-1 is full of Moroccans/Algerians (or Europeans of Moroccan/Algerian origin) who live in Europe (mainly France, the Netherlands and Belgium) and travel to the North of Africa taking a ferry in Algeciras, so I find that indication quite useful.
I knew someone would say that. But then with that kind of logic, we could also place a sign at the Perthus on the Franco-Spanish border indicating the distance to Calais, given how many English tourists use that road. We could also place a sign on the Brenner Pass at the Austro-Italian border indicating the distance to Bari, given the number of Albanian immigrants who return to Albania during the summer. In fact we could place lots of signs to lots of far-away places with that kind of logic. In the end it's not a very convincing justification. It's hard to deny it's primarily a "feel good" sign. I saw a similar "feel good" sign when I crossed the border between Morocco and Algeria. The sign indicated the distances to Algiers, Tripoli, Cairo, and Mecca. Too bad I didn't take a picture.