The Hidden Secret of U.S. Highway Signs

Описание: The Hidden Secret of U.S. Highway Signs

If you’ve ever driven long distances across the U.S., you might notice something strange: highway signs don’t all look the same.

Most states use a font called Highway Gothic, the classic American road sign font that’s been around since the 1940s. But in 2004, a new font called Clearview was introduced, designed to be easier to read — especially at night.

Here’s where it gets interesting: states weren’t required to use Clearview. Some adopted it, others stuck with Highway Gothic. That means if you drive up Interstate 75 from Florida to Michigan, you’ll actually see the fonts change as you cross state lines.

Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee stick with Gothic. But once you hit Kentucky and Ohio, Clearview starts appearing. Then by the time you reach Michigan, almost every sign is Clearview — except for a brief period from 2016 to 2018, when the federal government banned it, only to reverse the decision later.

So the next time you’re on a road trip, look closely. The geography of road signs is hiding in plain sight.

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