POLL: The best state highway shield

[CaseyBuck]

It's kinda boring, but the state highway shield here in Oregon is an upside-down version of California's "miner's spade" shield, but in black and white. I'm kinda surprised they don't use the state's shape as the shield; it's fairly square, and the numbers would fit in just fine.

By the way, better quality examples of all the shields (including Interstate, US Highway, and County Route markers) are available here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numbered_highways_in_the_United_States

[PriceFanArmadillo]

Took Kentucky (circle) off. Didn't forget about Illinois; deliberately left it out since it's just a white square with a number and "ILLINOIS". Problem with that is, if you're on Illinois 55 and you glance at a shield, it looks too much like a Speed Limit 55 sign. Now what if you're on Illinois 80...?

Try living by Illinois 2. 

Actually, I was driving down Illinois 25 one night about two weekends ago...the fact that about once a mile, they had Illinois 25 signs and directly between each 25 sign was a Speed Limit 40 sign.....?  Holy crap that was confusing.

[mrbrown2195]

I picked Louisiana.  What can I say?  I'm biased.  Besides, it's one of the few colorful ones--the regular US highway signs are already boring ol' black and white.  And it's shaped like a boot!  C'mon... boot!

I don't know if you've noticed, but the state has recently started to replace the old green and white signs with black and white ones (albeit, completely at random). I've ran into one a few days ago up near Baker and saw a couple in the Shreveport area a while back. I thought it was a fluke, but I just found a blog about it.

[TwinsMetsFan]

Heh, somebody voted for New York? I'm a native and lifelong New Yorker and I'm no fan of our shield. When only roadgeeks know what the outline of the shield represents, it's a bad symbol to use. Consider that nearby Pennsylvania and Ohio use distinctive, easily recognizable state features (Keystone and state outline, respectively) instead of using something as obscure to the general public as the state seal, as New York does.

I voted for Vermont, since it's the most unique (IMO) of the northeastern state highway shields, but South Carolina's new shield isn't half bad either.

[therealcu2010]

My vote is for Washington.  It just reminds me of a quarter. I dunno why. 

[BRB_TheFireball]

I find Kansas' sunflower-shaped shields to be the most pleasing to the eye, so I voted for that one.

[PimpinJC]

I voted for Utah because it seems a bit more detailed than most of the rest.

[joechopchop]

I voted for my home state...Pennsylvania.  There aren't any other states that I know of that utilize a keystone on their state highway signs.  Ohio and Florida aren't half-bad either.  BTW, somebody forgot to include New Jersey in this poll (although a circle is quite uninspired). 

[heelsrule1988]

South Carolina must have changed theirs... I remember it used to be just the outline of the state. Can't go with my home state, though... the diamond is lame. Utah's beehive is pretty cool, so I'll go with that.

[Casey]

I voted for Colorado since it has the state flag's image on it.  But I have a soft spot for Iowa's simple circle done in Series C.  Like some of you, I have a fascination with road signs, particularly creative ones.  This is one of my favorites, found in Burlington, Iowa, just after a low clearance sign for a low bridge:

[Plinkoman]

How DARE you forget about Texas!  That's just plain wrong!  Everyone knows that everything is bigger in Texas! 

Hey, I'm in Texas right now!  I'm visiting with kinfolk and I must say that it is nice out here!  I'm in Fort Worth right now and this weekend I'm going to the PBR!  Anyway- nice state(everything is western and rodeo related!  I'm in heaven!)

Despite all this, I voted for Georgia!

[Alfonzo]

I visited Washington a couple of summers ago, and I do admit that the profile of George Washington was eye-catching, so I picked that.

I'm from New York State, and I'm SHOCKED that someone voted for it! That symbol for the "Excelsior" shield is absolutely boring! I always thought so!

[Flerbert419]

My NY state pride overcame my better judgment.

[Alfonzo]

OK, you're forgiven.  I love my home state, too. That's why I wish it had a better highway symbol! 

[Scott5114]

By the way, the reason I excluded the circle states is because that's the "MUTCD default" shield. Basically the feds said "if you can't come up with something better, use this." So Iowa, Mississippi, NJ, et al basically did nothing and just had their shield handed to them. (Oklahoma used to be a circle state too, but switched to the present day "meat cleaver" design in 2006 to bolster state pride leading up to the Centennial.)