In search of Road Signs

[Fabian]

Arncliffe, NSW


By fabianamuso at 2012-02-13

[roofromoz]

The Horsley Drive approaching Wallgrove Road at Horsley Park



Corner of Hume Highway and Johnston Road at Bass Hill

[Fabian]

Amazing that Olympic signage is still floating around 12 years later, like the marathon line markings in parts of the city.

Meanwhile I did find some street signage that has survived the ages at Homebush, NSW.


By fabianamuso at 2012-03-03

[roofromoz]

Originally Posted by Fabian

Amazing that Olympic signage is still floating around 12 years later, like the marathon line markings in parts of the city.

There is other "remnant" signage also around Horsley Park for the equestrian, Penrith for the rowing and I think Rooty Hill for the softball.

[Fabian]

Harold Park Paceway may be history but the signage is still around. This one was taken recently at Johnston Street, Annandale.


By fabianamuso at 2012-03-16

[roofromoz]

James Ruse Drive and Grand Avenue at Rosehill.

[lajofa]

Originally Posted by Fabian

Meanwhile I did find some street signage that has survived the ages at Homebush, NSW.

That sign was in worse condition 30 years ago. Considering the heavy maintenance costs of a sign like that compared to long lasting alternatives, I'd say some local NIMBYs are pressuring the local council to splash out big ratepayers' bucks in the hope that Homebush will become 'the next Paddington'.

[Fabian]

It never will. Plus there are the highrises planned for the Parramatta Road corridor through the suburb.

[roofromoz]

Is this a signage fail?



This is on the Old Hume Highway heading west out of Mittagong back towards the Hume Highway. The old highway is the road that is shown by the line at the bottom going left to right... isn't the standard for diagramatic signs like this that the motorist is on at the bottom of the line going up and down?

[exocet]

The development of the signage typeface Wayfinding Sans Pro by Ralf Herrmann

[mubd]

56K WARNING!

A couple of signs on the M4, heading east:

Start M4 sign, coming from the Great Western Highway


Russell St Exit signage:


Penrith Exits signage


International Regatta Centre signage


Mulgoa Road Exit signage:


M7 and Wallgrove Road Exit signage:


M7 Exit signage:


Welcome to hell: A VMS warning of impending doom a little too late:


Another (older?) VMS:


Church Street Exit sign (note fuckton of traffic ahead):


Silverwater Road Next Exit sign:


Distance sign, accompanied by traffic which is unnecessarily leaving the left lane:


Back onto Parramatta Road...30 more minutes of this crap before the city.

[Maroon Grown]

I really rate Sydney's road signage. It is so consistent, well placed and has clear messaging.

[brianc68]

Originally Posted by Maroon Grown

I really rate Sydney's road signage. It is so consistent, well placed and has clear messaging.

Agree. I think it's consistently good. Without wanting to start ww3 I think as a visitor, Melbourne's signage is generally lacking - there's just not enough of it. You go for too long without signage on major roads. Brisbane's is a bit haphazard and random, but there is plenty of it, and wherever you are you can quickly be directed to the city, or to the sunshine and gold coasts.

[mubd]

56K WARNING!

Some more photos:

Southern Cross Drive and General Holmes Drive signs:


VMS alerting travellers that the Cleveland St exit ahead is closed:



Lane allocation sign for South Dowling St and Eastern Distributor:



Another lane allocation sign:



A ludicrous sign that encourages drivers to cross the solid white line:



Cleveland St Exit (closed during peak hour):



Toll charges sign (referring to the Eastern Distributor as the M1):



VMS that directs people wishing to use the William St (also Cross City Tunnel) exit into the left lane:



Old toll booths:



City exit signage:



VMSes displaying destinations for the Cahill Expressway and Sydney Harbour Tunnel:



VMS displaying destinations for Cahill Expressway exit:



The road with the best scenery in Sydney, the Cahill Expressway (shame it's so short however).



A view inside the 270 degree loop:



The Harbour Bridge's lane direction lights:



The first sign for the Warringah Freeway:



Warringah Freeway overhead lane allocation signs:



Some more freeway overhead lane allocation signs (note the carriageway on the right is reversible):



Sign for traffic coming out of the Sydney Harbour Tunnel portal (note the erroneous use of "Motorway" when the road is actually called the Warringah Freeway):



Lane allocation signs for the freeway mainline, Military Rd and Falcon St exits:



Lane allocation signs:



Lane Cove Tunnel and Pacific Highway/Longueville Road/Reserve Road exit signage:



Toll charges sign, with exposed alphanumeric route marker:



Pacific Highway, Reserve Road Exit signs



Longueville Road and Pacific Highway Exit signs:

[Maroon Grown]

Originally Posted by brianc68

Agree. I think it's consistently good. Without wanting to start ww3 I think as a visitor, Melbourne's signage is generally lacking - there's just not enough of it. You go for too long without signage on major roads. Brisbane's is a bit haphazard and random, but there is plenty of it, and wherever you are you can quickly be directed to the city, or to the sunshine and gold coasts.

Brisbane's is very haphazard. whilst you might be able to find your way to the city, gold or sunshine coasts, you'd be buggered if you needed to find your way through the suburbs. there are so many major intersections in brisbane without even basic signage telling you which suburb the crossroad will take you to.

i.e. busiest intersection on the northside - gympie & hamilton roads, chermside. the only signage at this intersection displays the road name. it does not provide any other information i.e. suburb, airport or shopping centre entry information whatsoever. further to this, there is absolutely no road signage at all in chermside on gympie rd whatsoever telling motorists how to enter the westfield car parks. rediculous!

[lajofa]

What's the difference between up arrows and down arrows for the lane allocations in Sydney? (e.g. note the Chatswood/Epping signs hanging off High St.)

[hornetfig]

Basically, the downward lane arrows - in the US gantry style - are being replaced by the longer, thinner, more descriptive upward lane arrows - in the European (and Victorian) style.

Little stubby up arrows by themselves (without another sign below them) are bad signs. They should never be placed on a gantry, on used for exit diverge signage. The Miller Street exit signage exemplifies everything wrong - multiple styles on one gantry, the poor clarity of US-style gantries, signs that don't line up with lanes, signs with an insufficient number of lane arrows, etc

[Choko]

As a driver, I've always considered the up/down arrows to mean the same thing. Design differences in the signage office perhaps?

[roofromoz]

Another signage fail?



Prospect Highway in Seven Hills. This is in the heart of the Seven Hills CBD, with Centro on the left hand side. Then why is it still a focal point up top? To provide some context, it's directing traffic to the other side of the railway line, which is still Seven Hills with retail, employment areas and residential, but surely the focal point for Seven Hills with respect to signage would be the main commercial centre.

It is a RMS road, but I think this signage would have been done by Blacktown City Council.

[hornetfig]

Originally Posted by Choko

As a driver, I've always considered the up/down arrows to mean the same thing. Design differences in the signage office perhaps?

No, different types of signs. Lane allocation gantries used down arrows, other advance signage uses up arrows (even if it's on a gantry fixture). But mixing the signage type in one place is confusing. And having something that looks like a lane allocation gantry but which doesn't have enough arrows for all the lanes is extremely confusing.