Come with us now to, a time when
“Men were men, roads were roads, and signs were signs!”
All photographs by Michael Summa; Commentary by Comrade Mr Yamamoto and Michael Summa.
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The predecessor to the STATE SPEED LIMIT 55 sine. Taken in 1969. |
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Early cast iron signs still standing in 1976 near the Rockefeller Estate. |
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Michael Summa's commment on this one:
Whenever I was pedaling in NYS I would keep an eye out down embankments for possible forgotten fallen signs. here in 1977 while meandering along the old alignment of NY 22 - NY 55, sure enough I spotted this one. It was so heavy I could not even lift it upright for a better photo so the best I could do was clear away as much growth as I could. (wonder if it's still there?) |
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Looking north on Old NY 22 at the Pawling-Dover town line in 1977,
just north of where the above snap was taken. |
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An “Arrows Up” junction sign in 1976 on NY 22 in Valhalla. |
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Michael Summa sez:
1976-I believe this one, complete with cat eye marbles, was in New Berlin, I do know it was on a side street facing traffic approaching NY 8. (It was mighty cold out that day so the polaroid did not come out that well). Note the "N.Y. STATE" on the advisory speed sign. |
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Michael Summa sez:
1976-this 30” side road diamond would have been considered oversize in the 1950’s. By the time the diamond warning signs were enlarged from 24"to 30", the arrows on any straight lines were eliminated. In this particular instance, there should have been an arrow on the left, since this was approaching the junction of NY 137 to the left and straight ahead between Scotts Corners and Pound Ridge. This was the terminus of the former NY 394. Note here the black out of "N.Y. STATE" on the advisory speed, I don't think it would have been done by the same "artist" who covered over the five. |
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1977-CURVE signs along the old NY 55 alignment west of Pawling. |
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Dutchess County Highway 21 meets NY 22-55 near Wingdale in 1977.
This is pretty much the same now, though the beacon has been replaced by a signal. The STATE SPEED LIMIT 55 sign is still there, in the same place; which is rather silly considring it's proximity to the junction. |
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NY 55 east of the Taconic State Parkway. |
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NY 55 junction on the Taconic State Parkway-1975.
Michael Summa was amazed at the length of the mast arms on the half-gantry here. That half-gantry stood until last year, when it was replaced by a full-span box gantry. |
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1977-The elevated junction of NY 22 and NY 55 at Pawling.
Of course it’s not the same now-This butterfly gantry is gone. The left northbound lane under the bridge has been closed off(with paint) to make a turn lane for the Quaker Hill Road(DC 67) signal just north of here. You’re looking south here. |
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Green BRIDGE SPEED LIMIT sign westbound on the Tappan Zee Bridge.
This is the predecessor to the current variable electric signs. This sign is changed by flipping the left digit. The “Mall” referred to is the central reservation; Now the home of the 7th lane and zipper barrrier. |
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Rare demountable letter sign possibly on NY 119 in Elmsford. |
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“I shall call him ‘Mini-Shield’” Disco Version.
Michael Summa sez: At the same location as the above snap-near US 9. I’ve tried to determine the sizes of these markers by measuring from the 2-inch vertical spacing between mounting holes in the “L” post and I still can’t be sure. The cardinal direction plates look like 16” X 8” to me. That makes the Thruway trailblazer appear to be 18”. I know for sure that 20” sizes were made. The IH 287 shield appears to me to be smaller than the standard 30” X 25” size, but I can’t be sure there, either. At any rate, all these were mounted [directly] to the “L” post, no “Z-bars” here indicating their age being from the late ’50s/early ’60s. |
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US 9 southbound in Westchester County. |
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NY 164 eastbound in Putmam County in 1977.
This is a link between NY 311 and NY 22 with a bunch of haircut places. |
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1977-NY 218 meets and joins US 9W here near West Point.
Going straight takes you to NY 293 and US 6 near Long Mountain. |
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1977-at the Bear Mountain Roundabout, looking north.
These butterfly gantries are gone, now, all signs have been moved to the verge. The arrows aren’t as huge, either. |
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1975-The junction and northern end of the southern join of NY 28 and NY 30 in Margretville,
42 miles west of Kingston and the IH 87. Today's stop sign doesn't have the lenghty “Zed” bars. There’s a beacon here, now. |
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Odd village sign westbound on Fair and Main Streets in Margretville-1975. |
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North on NY 30 a piece at Grand Gorge at the junction with NY 23 in Delaware County.
The font on these signs is only found on Thruway signs, and the number set is no longer used. The view is south. |
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The western end of NY 23 near Cincinnatus-1976. |
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You’ve seen this
sign assembly someplace before.
This is what it looks like when it was new(er) in 1976. |
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1976-The junction of NY 167 with NY 5S south of Little Falls. The view looks south.
Those Thruway blazers SHOULD have a “TO” above them . |
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This one has a story-Michael Summa tells it:
1975-at the southern terminus of the TSP at Valhalla. Upon returning to the vehicle I was using at the time, I was approached by the Westchester Police and informed that it was illegal to take photographs along parkway right of way. When I asked why, the officer told me the story of a Japanese tourist who stopped his vehicle IN THE TRAVEL LANE then got out his tripod to take some photos, again IN THE TRAVEL LANE. This led to a horrific fatal crash and led to passage of a no photography along the parkways law. Being that I was parked off the side road approach, the officer let me keep this photo. After all, I convinced him this is where the TSP begins ! |
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Saw Mill blazers-location unknown-1976. |
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NY 100 south of Hawthorne, as near as I can determine-1976
The on-slip actually links into the Sprain, Which links into the Taconic upstream, just short of the Taconic/Saw Mill half-stack. |
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1976-Southbound on the Taconic at the Somers Turnpike junction. |
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1975: *WAY* upstream on the Taconic-
NY 82 looking southeast at the north junction with the Taconic State Parkway. This is in Columbia County near Lake Taghkanic State Park. |
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1975-NY 82 northwest of the above shot: Still facing southeast. |
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NY 17 at IH 84 sometime in the 70’s. |
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1977-Homeslice! “MY” junction on the Thruway.
Thruway sines were originally blue, but this was repainted green to match ferderal standards. That is except for the lack of a cutout shield and a junction plate. (actually text-only sines are still noted in MUTCD standards.) |
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1977-Yeah, this SHOULD be on the classic IH 84 page,
but I don't want to populate that map w/another blob. So NERR atcha. Westbound on the IH 84. |
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Buzzy and fuzzy, but crucial just the same:
This 1976 j124 snap came as a surprise to me. A there are two seperate slips for NY 17A and NY 207. That's not the case anymore. That bridge has been replaced. |
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1976-Up close and peresonal with the westbound NY 17 j129 gore sign.
This is Museum Village Road between Harriman and Chester. |
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1976-Eastbound on NY 17 approaching Harriman.
US 6 leaves via more direct off slip at j130A now. |
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1976-Looking northeast at the junction of NY 5-8-12 southwest of Utica.
Here's a modern picture of the junction, courtesy of Chris Jordan. |
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1976-Another long gone junction configuration and sign north of Utica.
NY 8 also runs along this road, but it’s not noted on the signs. The view is north. |
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1976-Just north of the Thruway on the IH 81 in Syracuse.
JNs 27 and 28 leave the freeway via collector-distributor roads. |
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1976-Further north on IH 81-kind of a tiny arrow there, eh? |
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1977-The Wolf Road junction southbound on the Northway. |
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1977-Meeting the “Free 90” in Albany.
This is a modern picture of the junction. |
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Way up north on the Northway(IH 87), southeast of Peru, NY.
US 9 and NY 22 meet and join east of the freeway, so this junction links these highways indirectly. |
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1976-Further north on the Northway, at Plattsburgh. |
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1977-The “Free 90” in Albany, approaching the IH 787 from the Hudson River. |
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1977-The “Free 90” in Albany, at the IH 87 Northway junction. |
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The IH 287 west immediately after it leaves the IH 95;
This is a redundant slip that allows Midland Avenue traffic to join the IH 95. Day and nite shots. Note the lamppost in the second shot-turned off to save energy. There was an energy crisis or something at the time. This map shows the junction. |
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The northern end of the IH 678 in Da Bronx;
or the southern end of the Hutchinson River Parkway, your choice. the first is a day shot; the second at night. The third is from the IH 95 south(actually west)bound |
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Tailend for the Whitestone Bridge tolls on the southbound IH 678.
This is in the opposite direction from the above snaps. |
OI! Dig on the
Whole Series!!
Not just Top Ho and Spiffing! It's Summariffic!
OI! Don’t miss THIS!
Dig Classic Interstate 84!!!!
and Classic Lawn GuyLand!
New England Sine Chowda!
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