A Word on Interstate Numbers and Signs

There are two interstates who stick out like sore thumbs ‘coz their numbers are out of sequence: I-238 in the San Francisco Bay Area and I-99 in central Pennsylvania. The former was probably just as well since locals have always known it as the 238. The latter, which used to be US-220 and still is, is the result of GOP political corruption and pigheadedness! (I have also heard that certain interests in Penna. wanted I-67 for the next freeway over... so that area would have two out-of place Interstates: one of which would be more suited for Maryland’s Eastern Shore and the Carolina Low Country or Mass. State Road 3 to Cape Cod, and the other one would be more suited running north from Indianapolis into Michigan!)

And there are rumors afoot that the Feds want to replace the familiar shield with a square to cut down on wastage of resources. If that is true, I believe they would pick a truely ugly design like this:

I would rather they choose a better, more colorful design. Here are two examples:

Defnitely easy to understand and a classier design than the hideous shield-in-a-square design that would be similar to the one the FHWA mandated for our US Highways’ signs, including Florida, which used to have a wonderful kaleidescopic array of such signs!

And with my design, something could be done about the two obnoxiusly out-of-place road numbers!

California’s I-238:

And of course, Pennsylvania’s notorious Bud Shuster Freeway!