The Interstate control city signage thread

[sopas ej]

Originally Posted by ChiSoxRox

The number comes from the California Department of Finance. As for the age, that sign is more recent than the June 2022 capture and looks like there wasn't an LA city limit sign there last decade.

It is indeed more recent. I took those pictures on 10/29/23. I'm not sure when that LA city limit sign was put up.

That's the thing with those signs; it's not uncommon for them to be removed because of an accident, or road construction near the shoulder. Often they'll be removed and not replaced for a very long time. I occasionally contact Caltrans through their website (that's how I know I'm in District 7) to report missing or downed signs, or graffiti. The usual response is that they only prioritize very important things like fixing a damaged guardrail or stuff like that; other things like missing city limit or county line signs get lower priority.

[plinko]

^The sign on the 101 coming in from Calabassas lists the population as 4,045,873. IIRC, that's the highest population that CDF ever listed for LA and it was around maybe 2017 or 2018?

[Buckeye Native 001]

Originally Posted by sopas ej

Assuming we're talking about the same "Beach Cities" control city from Corona on the 91 Freeway, that's actually directing you to LA County's South Bay beach cities (Redondo/Hermosa/Manhattan). And then continuing west on the 91, once you get to Orange County, the control city changes to "Los Angeles," then "Artesia" (because to continue on to Los Angeles you're directed to the 5 Freeway), then in LA County it becomes "THRU TRAFFIC," and then just "91 WEST."

I'm almost certain there was a "Beach Cities" sign on the 91 west before the 55 interchange, because the 55 will take you down to Newport/Costa Mesa, but I never much drove further west on the 91 past the 57 or 5 to notice if there was another "Beach Cities" sign? I haven't driven that stretch of freeway since early 2016 though.

[Xing]

Originally Posted by plinko

^The sign on the 101 coming in from Calabassas lists the population as 4,045,873. IIRC, that's the highest population that CDF ever listed for LA and it was around maybe 2017 or 2018?

It was there when I first moved to LA in 2017. I know for a fact it was 2017 when I noticed the sign. There’s another near Malibu off the PCH (although that one is covered in stickers and graffiti). Same number.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by badrunner

This has to be the most stolen highway sign back in the day, before it was renamed. I've seen a few of them in the wild.

Source: https://foursquare.com/v/bong-recrea...44721ec1d8eca6



This is another candidate for "most stolen interstate sign"




It's along I-94 between Chicago and Milwaukee in SE Wisconsin.

I've heard (and this might be entirely made-up) that after numerous thefts decades ago, WisDOT now welds the sign directly to its support structure instead of bolting it to deter thieves.

I've driven past it hundreds of times, but I'm always going 80 mph, so I've never bothered to stop and check if that's true.

[sopas ej]

Originally Posted by Buckeye Native 001

I'm almost certain there was a "Beach Cities" sign on the 91 west before the 55 interchange, because the 55 will take you down to Newport/Costa Mesa, but I never much drove further west on the 91 past the 57 or 5 to notice if there was another "Beach Cities" sign? I haven't driven that stretch of freeway since early 2016 though.

I don't know if maybe a long time ago that was the case, but according to Google Street View, it looks like it has said "Newport Beach" for a while now. I've been driving that stretch fairly regularly now for the past 5 years or so because my parents like to gamble at Pechanga Casino Resort, so maybe 3 or 4 times a year, I drive them from their house in Cerritos to Temecula via the 91 to the 15 and back. I don't recall seeing a "Beach Cities" sign directing people to the Orange County beaches...

[sopas ej]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

This is another candidate for "most stolen interstate sign"

Way up in the northern reaches of California, this supposedly gets a chuckle:
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.3941...8192?entry=ttu

[sopas ej]

Originally Posted by plinko

^The sign on the 101 coming in from Calabassas lists the population as 4,045,873. IIRC, that's the highest population that CDF ever listed for LA and it was around maybe 2017 or 2018?

Incidentally, I think it's already been more than a year ago that I reported missings signs to Caltrans and they still haven't been replaced---the ones on the 101 south at the LA/Ventura County Line; the Los Angeles County Line and Westlake Village City Limit signs are missing, and I think they're still missing. I haven't been out that way in a few months.

[badrunner]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

This is another candidate for "most stolen interstate sign"

That would be perfect for my garage

Another one that gets stolen frequently is the Extraterrestrial Highway sign in Nevada. It's actually missing from most of the streetview images: https://www.google.com/maps/@37.5325...8192?entry=ttu

[Steely Dan]

in a more perfect dimension of our multiverse, the exit number is 420.

[plinko]

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by sopas ej

I haven't been to TJ in a long time... 1993 I believe it was, when I was still a college student. Cheap tacos and beer! I've never driven into Tijuana, I was always afraid of the car insurance thing, in case I was in an accident. Plus back then, I was brainwashed to think that Mexican gasoline was somehow dirtier than California-refined gas. My friend and I parked at the border and walked into Tijuana.

I've known people who've driven from LA to Rosarito Beach. A friend of mine also has been to an apparently burgeoning wine region outside of TJ too.

Anyway, here are the approaches going down the 5 to Tijuana from San Ysidro/San Diego:

https://www.google.com/maps/@32.5526...8192?entry=ttu
]

I am sure those Spanish street names (still on the US side) throw some people who think they may have already crossed the border inadvertently.

[twinpeaks]

Here's one in California that gives me a chuckle if you know what it means.

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.0480...8192?entry=ttu

[TWAK]

Yolo!
https://maps.app.goo.gl/szwXfrctPBjuKVf16
California used to not have exit numbers, at least some of the signs.

[BillM]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Montreal is the (or a, along with Plattsburgh) control city on I-87 in New York State from the Albany area all the way north to the border.

Yes, from Albany it is all Montreal. I remember seeing a milage sign to Montreal on I-87 way below Albany.

[jmecklenborg]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I am sure those Spanish street names (still on the US side) throw some people who think they may have already crossed the border inadvertently.

An interesting topic would be the northernmost/easternmost Spanish street name.

My nomination is The Paseo in Kansas City. I remember driving to KC when I was young and being really thrown off by it since I had never seen a Spanish street name and certainly didn't expect it in the "Midwest".

[Steely Dan]

More than just a little measly street name, how about Toledo, OH.

An entire city in the Midwest with a Spanish name.

[ChiSoxRox]

Originally Posted by jmecklenborg

An interesting topic would be the northernmost/easternmost Spanish street name.

My nomination is The Paseo in Kansas City. I remember driving to KC when I was young and being really thrown off by it since I had never seen a Spanish street name and certainly didn't expect it in the "Midwest".

Not a street but an island: Revillagigedo Island is where Ketchikan, Alaska is located, named for the viceroy of New Spain.

Indeed, Spain technically claimed the coast up to and including the Alaska Panhandle, and the Nootka Crisis erupts in the 1790s when Spain tries to settle Vancouver Island.

Imagine an alternate world where the Spanish Navy is a bit stronger, and arriving in Alaska means being greeted with ¿Cómo estás?

[sopas ej]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I am sure those Spanish street names (still on the US side) throw some people who think they may have already crossed the border inadvertently.

I'm thinking naah, because southern California has a lot of Spanish street names anyway. Driving south through Orange County on the 5, you'll pass exits for Avenida Palizada and Camino Capistrano.

It's funny because many years ago, I took some visiting relatives from the Philippines on a drive down to San Diego and there's an exit for "Las Pulgas Road" near Camp Pendleton. They started laughing, because pulgas means "fleas" in Spanish---and Filipinos use that word too. I assume it was named because of sand fleas?

Las Pulgas Road exit: https://www.google.com/maps/@33.3008...8192?entry=ttu

[iheartthed]

Originally Posted by ChiSoxRox

Not a street but an island: Revillagigedo Island is where Ketchikan, Alaska is located, named for the viceroy of New Spain.

Indeed, Spain technically claimed the coast up to and including the Alaska Panhandle, and the Nootka Crisis erupts in the 1790s when Spain tries to settle Vancouver Island.

Imagine an alternate world where the Spanish Navy is a bit stronger, and arriving in Alaska means being greeted with ¿Cómo estás?

Considering what happened to the rest of Spain's colonies, Alaska would probably still have ended up as a U.S. territory.