Signs of Change: How the new Clearview font is changing America's highways

From http://TheHardestYear.com : From time to time we take a break from economic stories to show you some of the other interesting things we see along the way. We call them "Detours," and this is one of them.

Something was definitely up with the L's.

In the first weeks of our trip, we began noticing something subtly but decidedly different on the interstate road signs we passed. Something about them was changing and it had to with the lowercase L's. On closer inspection, we realized there was a whole new typeface being used on some signs.

The L's were the most obvious change from the old road sign font. The new ones have "feet." Unlike the old L's, which were essentially vertical lines, the base of the new lower case L curves sharply to the right. The new A, the G the E and the T look quite distinctive as well.

Turns out the new font is called "Clearview" and has been in development for nearly 15 years by a team of traffic experts that includes graphic designer Don Meeker, Penn State Professor Martin Pietrucha, who runs the Pennsylvania Transportation Institute, and Penn State Senior Research Associate Philip Garvey.

We tracked down Pietrucha and Garvey at Penn State's State College campus and learned that a font is sometimes more than just a font. Every angle, curve, shape and stroke on every letter of the Clearview alphabet was engineered, analyzed and tested to maximize readability and reduce the effects of glare.

In this story they explain why a new font was needed for America's road signs and how Clearview is different from what came before. You may never look at a road sign quite the same way again. See all of our stories at http://TheHardestYear.com

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• clearview
• font
• road
• sign
• traffic
• highway
• typeface
• pietrucha
• meeker
• garvey

[ProDeoSolus]

fascinating!



[desmondhammond]

The only thing unfortunate about this video is it says nothing about the research showing that people can READ the signs better...older drivers, drivers under inclement weather conditions, etc. Reading time = distance, distraction, and disruption on increasingly crowded highways with increasingly inattentive drivers. Replacing old signs with clear view increases safety. Its not just pretty.

[desmondhammond]

@MrWatchdawg77 Fair question....but it IS broke. You've had no problem because you've got good eyes. Older drivers, distracted drives (i.e., everyone), and drivers who don't know their way in inclement weather and/or crowded road conditions require more time to read the old signs. That means break lights come on as people slow down to figure out where they're going, people swerve back into lanes when they miss their exits, etc. Rare, maybe, but real when you consider the whole population.

[ahosek]

All of the people ranting about how this is a waste of money etc are short-sighted, slogan-toting blowhards. Highway signs are replaced frequently due to wear, reduced visibility and changes in roads. New signs being made with this font plays a direct role in highway safety, just like use of new anti-reflective materials do.

[Pyrotech56]

@DTownzz Agree 100%. What a total waste of money in a tight economy. Talk about change for the sake of change. HUGE waste of money here, folks...

[LOGINKPW]

@adrianroam95

I AGREE!!! This is just way for Governments to STEAL and WASTE tax dollars! In addition, the neon-yellow signs and roundabouts are especially hideous! These are no better than "old-school" way of things.

[federicomorilla]

Its demonstrated that the use of capital letters is more effective than lower case. The small letters are used for longer texts, but short names, capitalization, are better.

[DBR96A]

Highway signs have life cycles too. Button-copy signs lose their buttons, and reflective signs lose their reflectivity. And I haven't seen any new signs in good condition get replaced simply because they're not using the Clearview font, so please spare us the "waste of taxpayer money" crap.

[adrianroam95]

this new font has been used in BC, Canada for all newer signs. All i can say is that it is HORRIBLE. the traditional FHWA typeface is heaps better.

[paulofranca77]

@hotrod4you2 "HULK SMASHH!