My Proposal: A New Uniform Route Marker for Connecticut CT State Highways

JULY 2009. A Proposal: CT Highway Route Markers Update

Sub-section: A look at my proposals for new CT state route signage.

The main page discusses the purposes of these proposals, and to go into the reasons again here
would be redundant.

PROPOSAL ONE: Preferred Proposal. A new state route marker that coincides with our redesigned
license plates. IT SHOULD BE NOTED: The background coloring in my graphics is likely too deep.
My intention is that the background would be a light blue to white gradient with the same high-readibility
of our current CT license plates.

PROPOSAL TWO: Alternate Proposal, should PROPOSAL ONE be deemed infeasible. The image
below depicts a simpler marker that could be used as an alternate to the preferred proposal.

...................................................................Square Shield....Elongated Size 1.....Elongated Size 2

PERTINENT FACTS AS TO SIGNAGE CREATION:
All signage except for Route 182A (which is a special situation as CT's only road requiring 4-digit signage),
shall use an FHWA Type-D Font in a uniform size. 1- and 2-digit signs shall use a standard size square sign.
3-digit signage with at least one '1' shall use a slightly elongated standard sized sign (say elongated sign size 1).
3-digit signage with no '1' in the route number shall use 2nd elongate size sign, max (say elongated sign size 2).
Route 182A should use elongated size 2, and utilize an FHWA Type-C Font to fit 4 digits in the space provided.
This Route would be the only instance of Type-C usage, as it is CT's only 3-digit A route still in existence.
The signage should use a white reflective background. There should be a medium blue border as shown above
with a far thicker top line. Inside the Medium blue background of the Thick upper line should be a white CT state
icon with "Connecticut" in Light Blue next to it to the right. This should all be centered on the shield. The digits
should use the same medium blue. Please see the next page to see some computer generated images of what this
signage would look like in the field. 3-digit signage should NEVER BE SQUEEZED onto square signs by using a
Type-C or Type-B FHWA Font.

SHIELD DIMENSIONS FOR BOTH PROPOSALS:
Currently CT uses a 24" X 24" Square Shield with an alternate 36" X 36" Large Square Shield for high volume limited access
state highways.
-My Proposals keep the square shields at the same dimensions. 24"X24" for the standard square, and 36" X 36" for the large
square. This is MUTCD recommended size for 1- and 2- digit routes, and applies to my proposals for 1- and 2-digit route numbers.
My proposals each use to elongated shield sizes for 3-digit shields.
-Elongated Size 1: 24"h X 28"w. (a large size may not be necessary but if it were it would be 36"h X 42"w). These dimensions apply
to both proposals for all 3-digit routes with at least 1 number '1' in them. This interim size is proposed for sign aesthetics only. This
size could be abandoned in favor of Elongated Size 3 in the event that 3 shield sizes are seen as unpractical. see below.
In the event that a third shield size is seen as infeasible, unnecessary, or simply too confusing to sign making contractors, Elongated
Size 1 should be abandoned, and Elongated size 2 (described below) should be used for ALL 3-digit shields, as Elongated Size 2's
dimensions are those recommended by the FHWA's MUTCD.
-Elongated Size 2: 24"h X 30"w. Large Size would be 36"h X 45"w. This is the MUTCD standard shield size for 3-digit routes. These
dimensions apply to both proposals for all 3-digit routes with no '1's in them, and to special circumstance route 182A.

A Few additional large size examples of both proposals:

>>>NEXT PAGE>>> Comparisons of current installations, with side-by-side computer enhanced versions showing the new
shield being used in the field.

>>> Pictures of current route markers

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