Carytown & Museum District News Events in Richmond Virginia, West of the Boulevard

October 23, 2008

22 Comments.

1. So very pretty and sparkly!

   Many folks worked over several years to get these installed. Sincerest thanks to each of you!

   Fiona @ October 23rd, 2008 at 1:27 pm

2. they should auction off the old signs

   daniel @ October 23rd, 2008 at 2:05 pm

3. I like the signs, but it seems there are better things to spend the money on, potholes, gas street lights, bike lanes, etc

   Al @ October 27th, 2008 at 11:28 pm

4. I like them; they are far more attractive than those green things.

   If you look up on the wall of the Black Swan Books at Main and Robinson, there is a real antique — and blue — sign reminiscent of European-style street markers.

   I can’t right off hand think of any in WoBSoC that are as old or original. But I may see them so often that I don’t notice; if memory serves, there may be some originals back in there east of Boulevard, south of Cary, north of the Powhite, by the bus barns. (NoPSoC).

   Harry @ October 28th, 2008 at 11:14 am

5. @Al

   if there are ideas you have for improvements the community can take on or coordinate some city involvement, get involved with the local neighborhood associations. all that I have been involved with are open to ideas and always looking for new volunteers. the street signs along Monument, through the Fan and in the MD are there because the community chose to get involved with the project and raise matching funds. Those signs are not a gift from the city.

   Fiona @ November 3rd, 2008 at 12:12 pm

6. Though I am a fan of new blue, these signs are dangerously unreadable just like the green ones. Instead of placing miniscule signs at intersections, street names should hang over the road and be clearly readable to drivers within safe distances. I personally have always hated street signs because I can never read them and, I hate to say this to all the people who worked to make the new signs a reality, the blues ones make an already bad situation even worse. I can barely read them. The sane alternative is to hang street signs across streets. I’m sure not everyone would agree, but, in terms of safety, it would be far superior to what we know currently have.

   bopst @ November 3rd, 2008 at 3:17 pm

7. I think the blue looks great but I also have trouble reading them. I thought it was just because I’m basically blind.

   Valerie @ November 3rd, 2008 at 9:39 pm

8. I find the reflective surface of the new signs to be an improvement for visibility both at night and during the day. I would have to vote NO WAY JOSE to signs overhanging the streets. with respect, perhaps what is called for here is as simple as a new contact lens prescription. just an idea.

   Fiona @ November 4th, 2008 at 9:58 am

9. They look GREAT and so perfect for our neighborhood. The old signs looked kind of rough and the new ones make it looks like people care abotu the neighborhood. A huge thanks to all of you who worked so hard to make this happen.

   Christopher Small @ November 4th, 2008 at 1:42 pm

10. I have to agree with Fiona on the sign visibility thing- I find these new ones easier to read than the old ones (of course, maybe its just ‘cus they are new).

    The old timey blue look is pretty cool too.

    I guess I’m squarely in the “pro-new sign” group…

    CMD @ November 4th, 2008 at 2:21 pm

11. I like the new blue signs, I actually find them easier to read even with my horrible night vision.

    libby @ November 4th, 2008 at 7:43 pm

12. I still see green signs in the hood. All they all going to go blue in honor of our new President? I still can’t believe it…

    bopst @ November 5th, 2008 at 11:24 am

13. The final goal is for all signs within the hood (read as: boundries of the Museum District) to be blue except those along Monument

    Fiona @ November 7th, 2008 at 1:10 pm

14. When will Hanover @ Nansemond go Blue?

    jay @ November 9th, 2008 at 12:01 am

15. Re: Jay, et al.

    FYI – Anywhere that you still see green street signs, they will probably be attached to a 2-inch galvanized pole. Those locations are waiting on the installation of historically accurate new york-style signposts to replace the galvanized pole. When the new signposts are installed, the new blue blades will then be attached to them.

    Brandon Mears @ November 10th, 2008 at 11:43 am

16. is it clear whether WotBSoC (South of Carytown) is getting these? I don’t think we’re officially the Museum District. Did we have the democratic blue signs way back when?

    daniel @ November 10th, 2008 at 6:31 pm

17. The blue signs currently going up in the Museum District are the results of several years of effort coordinated by the Museum District Association for the Museum District with the City of Richmond, just as the Fan District and Monument Avenue projects were coordinated by their associations in years passed.

    I understand that Carytown South Neighborhood Association is currently re-organizing. Perhaps a sign replacement in Carytown South is a project that interested residents could coordinate through them. As for the proper historical color of the signs in that area, Virginia Historical Society and Virginia state library would be good places to start that research.

    Shelley @ November 12th, 2008 at 9:47 am

18. I like the look of the new signs and they’re an improvement over the old signs, but I think they missed an opportunity to make the signs even better. I would have preferred larger text and upper-case/lower-case lettering, which is easier to read and more pleasing to the eye than ALL CAPS. FHWA actually has standards on street name sign design and I’m not sure that these signs meet those standards.

    Still beats the (relatively) new brown signs on the pedestrian bridge to Belle Isle, where they failed to notice a typo on the signs (pedestrian is spelled “pedestrain”).

    Marc @ November 22nd, 2008 at 12:02 pm

19. The signs at the intersection of Nansemond and Patterson are reversed. Who do I contact about this?

    Lauren Phipps @ December 20th, 2008 at 12:23 am

20. I moved to the Richmond area just over three months. I am rather confused that money would be spent on changing the color of street signs, rather than improving traffic safety by installing signs where they are most appropriate and readable. I have worked in Arizona, designing highways and every traffic signal has an overhead sign that is readable from at least 200 feet away. Most intersections with traffic signals in this area have no overhead signs and if you are new, you cant find your way even when you are carrying a map. Even more importantly, you are a danger to other drivers as you slow and take your attention from driving and try to find the road name. I think jurisdictions here should seriously consider traffic safety before they consider any aesthetics, such changing street color just because they look pretty. I comment those who worked hard on this, but it is misplaced effort. Please, install legible overhead street sign on ALL traffic signals and make sure street signs on minor intersections are also legible;not just pretty. Safety MUST come first and form what I have seen so far, this apparent lack of consideration for traffic safety from a signs standpoint is potential negligence on the part of the jurisdiction.

    Nellow @ December 21st, 2008 at 11:23 am

21. Lauren,
    There is a short list of corrections being managed by the MDA Sign Project Committee with the City and the installers. It seems that intersection is already on their list. Thanks for bringing it up.

    Shelley @ December 22nd, 2008 at 11:52 am

22. I agree that they are a fine improvement.

    Cyn @ December 31st, 2008 at 8:47 pm

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