The rogue G28-1 California State Highway Spades

In this short blog we look at the somewhat rare but not unheard-of rogue G28-1 California State Highway Spades.

Part 1; what is the G28-1 California State Highway Spade?

The Caltrans Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices Sign Chart from 2014 ("Caltrans MUTCD") dictates the types of signs and highway shields permitted for traffic control use in California. California is known for it's more ornate cut-out shields which are used for, US Routes, Interstate Highways, and State Routes. The common shields which are typically found through California are:

US Route: G26-2

Interstate: G27-2

State Highway: G28-2

The Caltrans MUTCD provides alternative shields for, US Routes, Interstate Highways, and State Routes. These alternative shields are intended for guide sign usage but aren't explicitly limited to said function. These alternative shields are:

US Route: G26-1

Interstate: G27-1

State Highway: G28-1

The primary reassurance shields for; US Routes, Interstate Highways, and State Highways can be seen depicted below.

Part 2; the rogue G28-1 California State Highway Spades

While in theory the G26-1 US Route Shield and G27-1 Interstate Shield could possible see a non-guide sign reassurance shield use I personally haven't encountered any on the road Conversely I have encountered numerous G28-1 State Highway Spades in use as reassurance shields. I have also acquired several G28-1 California State Highway Spades in my signage collection.

The cover to this blog is an unused G28-1 California State Route 14 ("CA 14") shield I have in my sign collection. This CA 14 is tiny as it measures only 18x18 inches.

I also have a G28-1 style CA 135 shield which can be identified as intended for assurance use given it has two mounting holes. This shield is an older variant which is comprised from reflective paint with vinyl numerals.

In terms of field signage this G28-1 CA 227 shield can be found near Arroyo Grande.

This G28-1 CA 180 shield was found on Whites Bridge Avenue (former CA 180) west of downtown Fresno.

This G28-1 CA 270 shield once served as the first westbound reassurance shield as Bodie Road transitions from State Park maintenance to Caltrans maintenance. Unfortunately this shield was missing upon my last visit to Bodie State Historic Park.

G28-1 shields can be found in use in Yosemite National Park on El Portal Road and the Big Oak Flat Road. CA 140 is marked on El Portal Road whereas CA 120 is marked on the Big Oak Flat Road and Tioga Pass Road.

Know of any other G28-1 State Highway Shields in use around California for reassurance purposes? Know of any G26-1 US Route Shields or G27-1 Interstate Highway Shields in use for reassurance purposes? If so, please feel free to share in the comments, we would love to hear from you.

US Route 62 and US Route 180 in the Guadalupe Mountains

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California State Route 215 was a short-lived state highway which existed in the Los Angeles Metropolitain area after the 1964 State Highway Renumbering. California State Route 215 was aligned from US Route 60 at 5th Street in Pomona north to US Route 66 near Claremont via Garey Avenue. California State Route 215 came to be after California State Route 71 was bisected in Pomona due to relinquishment of a portion of Garey Avenue due to the opening of a portion of the Corona Freeway (now Chino Valley Freeway) during 1958. California State Route 215 was deleted by the Legislature during 1965. The history of California State Route 215 The initial segment of what was to become California State Route 215 was added to the State Highway System as part of the 1909 First State Highway Bond Act. The First State Highway Bond Act defined what would become Legislative Route Number 19 (LRN 19) as running from Claremont to Riverside. The segment of LRN 19 between Claremont and Pomona would in

Paper Highways; unbuilt California State Route 100 in Santa Cruz

This edition of Paper Highways examines the unbuilt California State Route 100 in Santa Cruz. The History of Unbuilt California State Route 100 The route that became CA 100 was added to the State Inventory in 1959 as part of the Freeway & Expressway System as Legislative Route 287 . According to CAhighways.org the initial definition of LRN 287 had it begin at LRN 5 (CA 17) and was defined over the below alignment to LRN 56 (CA 1) through downtown Santa Cruz. - Ocean Street - 2nd Street - Chestnut Street For context the above alignment would required tearing down a large part of the densely populated Santa Cruz. A modern Google imagine immediately reveals how crazy an alignment following Ocean Street, 2nd Street, and Chestnut Street would have been. LRN 287 first appears on the 1960 Division of Highways State Map . In 1961 the definition of LRN 287 was generalized to; from LRN 5 via the beach area in Santa Cruz to LRN 56 west of the San Lorenzo River.