# Road Signs
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-signs/409632
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [June 27, 2007, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-signs/409632 "2007-06-27T12:45:19Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Captain\_Socks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Socks)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2007, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-signs/409632/1 "2007-06-27T12:45:19Z")
The other day I was just outside of Baltimore when I saw road signs on the highway giving me the distance to New York, which is relatively far away. A few days later in the same region, I saw a sign that had an arrow and “Texas”. That has to be the farthest road sign I have ever seen. I’m in Baltimore and I see signs for Texas. And it didn’t give a city. It just gave the state. Also, I’ve heard of signs in Eastern Ohio that give New York as a control city. What are signs like that you’ve seen?
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### Author:  [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2007, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-signs/409632/2 "2007-06-27T12:57:22Z")
I haven’t seen it personally, but [this](http://www.route50.com/US_50_Sign.jpg) is allegedly (one of?) the most extreme ones in the USA. It’s in Ocean City, MD at one end of Highway 50.
Strangely, at the other end you get [this one](http://www.route50.com/sacramento-sign.jpg).
Where did the other 36 miles go?
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### Author:  [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2007, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-signs/409632/3 "2007-06-27T13:09:19Z")
[QUOTE=Colophon]
I haven’t seen it personally, but [this](http://www.route50.com/US_50_Sign.jpg) is allegedly (one of?) the most extreme ones in the USA. It’s in Ocean City, MD at one end of Highway 50.
[/QUOTE]
Yes, that’s on the bridge as you leave Ocean City. I’ve seen it many times. It’s always good for a giggle on the way home from vacation.
As for the OP, along I-95 North in Baltimore, New York is the default city listed. The signs also mention Philadelphia, but New York seems to win out. Along the entrance ramps, it almost always says,
“I-95 North
New York
Philadelphia”
I always thought that was a little odd - Philadelphia should be listed first, since you’re going to get to Philly first.
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### Author:  [@Madd\_Maxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Madd_Maxx)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2007, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-signs/409632/4 "2007-06-27T14:46:42Z")
Texas, MD is a small town in Baltimore County. You drive through it without even noticing you have left Hunt Valley/Cockeysville and into Timonium. There is also a California, MD.
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### Author:  [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2007, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-signs/409632/5 "2007-06-27T14:52:04Z")
Leaving Wilmington NC there is a sign for Bakersfield CA at the other end of I 40.
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### Author:  [@Madd\_Maxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Madd_Maxx)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2007, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-signs/409632/6 "2007-06-27T15:01:45Z")
There is a similiar long distance sign on I-70 W leaving Baltimore. It has four cities and distances listed.
Columbus 420
St.Louis 845
Denver 1700
Cove Fort 2200
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### Author:  [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2007, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-signs/409632/7 "2007-06-27T15:15:24Z")
[QUOTE=Colophon]
Where did the other 36 miles go?
[/QUOTE]
It’s possible that over the years route 50 has changed a bit and one side has revised their sign and the other hasn’t.
There’s one in Gettysburg, PA that has the mileage for Gettysburg, SD I think. The sign is really small and in the middle of the city so I don’t remember what it said exactly.
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### Author:  [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2007, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-signs/409632/8 "2007-06-27T15:17:08Z")
Thought I posted this 😕
US 41 ends/begins near Copper Habor, MI.
In town there is a sign that says something like:
Calument 35
Houghton 47
Miami, FL 1990
I had a pic of the US 41 end sign, but it seems to gone from the net.
Brian
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### Author:  [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2007, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-signs/409632/9 "2007-06-27T15:50:39Z")
[QUOTE=Colophon]
I haven’t seen it personally, but [this](http://www.route50.com/US_50_Sign.jpg) is allegedly (one of?) the most extreme ones in the USA. It’s in Ocean City, MD at one end of Highway 50.
Strangely, at the other end you get [this one](http://www.route50.com/sacramento-sign.jpg).
Where did the other 36 miles go?
[/QUOTE]
Nowhere; that picture (of the sign in Sacramento) is of the old sign; the new one matches the Ocean City sign. It’s also telling that the old and new sign have the same distance, except for the reversal of the last two digits. Mistake? Prank? Or intentional change?
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### Author:  [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2007, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-signs/409632/10 "2007-06-27T16:20:09Z")
[QUOTE=N9IWP]
Thought I posted this 😕
US 41 ends/begins near Copper Habor, MI.
In town there is a sign that says something like:
Calument 35
Houghton 47
Miami, FL 1990
I had a pic of the US 41 end sign, but it seems to gone from the net.
Brian
[/QUOTE]
I’m looking out my window at US 41 right now. But I’m a little closer to the southern end of the road. FYI it’s also called the Tamiami Trail since it goes "_Ta Miami."_
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### Author:  [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2007, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-signs/409632/11 "2007-06-27T17:18:55Z")
I’ve also seen the road sign for Sacramento at Ocean City, MD.
In the interests of research, I plugged both cities into Mapquest.
Ocean City, MD, at N Philadelphia Ave and 4th St, to Sacramento, CA, at 10th St and I St (at Cesar Chavez Park) is listed as 2859.5 miles. The reverse route (same end points) is 2863.5 miles.
So what happened to the other 200 miles???
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### Author:  [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2007, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-signs/409632/12 "2007-06-27T17:19:33Z")
[QUOTE=Nametag]
Nowhere; that picture (of the sign in Sacramento) is of the old sign; the new one matches the Ocean City sign. It’s also telling that the old and new sign have the same distance, except for the reversal of the last two digits. Mistake? Prank? Or intentional change?
[/QUOTE]
Ah. [Mistake.](http://www.route50.com/sign_battle_saga.htm)
In case people missed it up there, **Madd Maxx** solved the mystery of the OP’s “Texas” sign.
You can see plenty of similar ones in the UK, with signs pointing you to [California](http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=651500&y=315500&z=3&sv=california&st=3&searchp=newsearch.srf&mapp=newmap.srf), [Washington](http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=512500&y=112500&z=3&sv=washington&st=3&searchp=newsearch.srf&mapp=newmap.srf), [New York](http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=419500&y=462500&z=3&sv=New+York&st=3&searchp=newsearch.srf&mapp=newmap.srf), [Quebec](http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=418500&y=543500&z=3&sv=quebec&st=3&searchp=newsearch.srf&mapp=newmap.srf), and so on and so on…
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### Author:  [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2007, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-signs/409632/13 "2007-06-27T17:22:49Z")
[QUOTE=Scuba\_Ben]
So what happened to the other 200 miles???
[/QUOTE]
The bellboy stole it.
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### Author:  [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2007, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-signs/409632/14 "2007-06-27T18:19:30Z")
[QUOTE=Colophon]
The bellboy stole it.
[/QUOTE]
The bellboy’s name wouldn’t happen to end in -GRY, would it?
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### Author:  [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2007, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-signs/409632/15 "2007-06-27T18:39:16Z")
There’s this one, although, to be fair, it doesn’t say how far:
> **[Best Business Signs Colorado Springs, CO | Commercial Signs & Graphics](https://www.coloradospringssigncompany.com/business-signs/)**
>
> Colorado Springs sign company providing commercial & business signs, including building storefront signs, pole signs, monument signs, lobby signs, wall murals, vinyl graphics & more!
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### Author:  [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2007, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-signs/409632/16 "2007-06-27T19:47:45Z")
[QUOTE=Madd Maxx]
There is also a California, MD.
[/QUOTE]
And just north of California, MD is Hollywood, MD. And I’m just a little north of that. 😃
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### Author:  [@Ichbin\_Dubist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichbin_Dubist)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2007, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-signs/409632/17 "2007-06-27T20:19:09Z")
Not quite the same as the OP, but:
Heading east across the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul, you see a sign that says [“Welcome to Asia.”](http://ptrthomas.wordpress.com/2006/07/16/welcome-to-asia/)
“Asia Next 12,000 Exits” would be funnier, though.
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### Author:  [@Captain\_Socks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Socks)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2007, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-signs/409632/18 "2007-06-27T20:57:44Z")
[QUOTE=Madd Maxx]
Texas, MD is a small town in Baltimore County. You drive through it without even noticing you have left Hunt Valley/Cockeysville and into Timonium. There is also a California, MD.
[/QUOTE]
The sign had a longhorn on it.
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### Author:  [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2007, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-signs/409632/19 "2007-06-27T20:59:57Z")
[QUOTE=FairyChatMom]
And just north of California, MD is Hollywood, MD. And I’m just a little north of that. 😃
[/QUOTE]
We’ve been there on our way down to the beach. 🙂
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### Author:  [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2007, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-signs/409632/20 "2007-06-27T22:01:34Z")
I read a long time ago (and it might even be true) that distances on maps and road signs are pegged to the main Post Office in town. So, if the main post office in Sacremento was moved from one side of town to the other, that would change the mileage. By 36 miles? I don’t know; how big is Sacremento?
I’ll spare you the list of “distant” towns in Indiana. 🙂
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