Photo Quiz: Where the Hay is that Way Faring Sign At?

[XLFD]

 

Guess the nearest intersection to the following signs.  No 'cheating' by going downtown first, please.  For those not too familiar with Ludington here's a map:

1) a- James & Danaher looking north

    b- Harrison & Ludington looking east

    c- James & Foster looking north

    d- none of the above

 

2) a- James & Danaher looking north

    b- Harrison & Ludington looking east

    c- James & Foster looking north

    d- none of the above

 

3) a- James & Foster looking South

    b- James & Foster looking North

    c- James & Dowland looking South

    d- None of the above

 

4) a- Ludington & Rath looking South

    b- Ludington & James looking South

    c- Ludington & Harrison looking East

    d- None of the above.

 

5) a- Ludington & Harrison looking West

    b- Ludington & Rowe looking West

    c- Foster & James looking South

    d- None of the above

 

6) a- Dowland & James looking North

    b- Ludington & William looking West

    c- Foster & James looking North

    d- None of the above

 

7) a- Ludington & William looking East

    b- Loomis & James looking South

    c- Foster & James looking South

    d- None of the above

 

8) a- Court & James headed South

    b- Ludington & William headed West

    c- James & Ludington headed North

    d- None of the above. 

 

Please record your guesses, before you check it out.  If you do check it out, try not to spoil it for others until at least Tuesday.

[Sweater Cows!]

wow, i thought I did way better. I guess I should have used the map. What do the arrows pointing down mean? stay on that road or 'right here'? or something else?

[Lisa O'Brien]

That they are located in HELL. lol

[XLFD]

My best guess is that those mean you have to do a U-turn and go back as they are behind you, but maybe Lisa is right, and you have to pry open a nearby manhole cover to get to Ludington-Below-Street-Level.

I still haven't gotten what the two library signs (with no arrows) are doing so far up on James Street.  This would be more confusing to someone trying to locate the library, coming off the SS Badger.

[Willy]

I am confused about these signs. Are they meant for motorists or pedestrians or both? I was assuming that all of the signs were on the side of the road where traffic flow would see them but that doesn't seem to be the case. Are these the infamous signgate signs? More wasted tax dollars.

[XLFD]

I think they equally confuse both pedestrians and motorists. 

I actually only focused on the 4 James Street signs for this exercise.  They are all on the east side of the street, most of them are hard to see, near impossible when the leaves come out on two of them.  On Ludington Avenue, the 4 signs are all on the north side, and there is one on William Street heading to the waterfront park.  They also have about 5 low signs in the street right of way (where it is illegal for citizens to put more meaningful signs) to denote parking lots downtown. 

Unlike having reflective capabilities like the green signs with white lettering we still have around downtown, these are especially hard to see after dark even if you could make them out past the trees and other signs.

These are the way-faring signs we would have spent $150,000 on if City Councilor Nick Tykoski hadn't stepped in, did the work, and saved us $100,000; with plenty of thanks to our City Manager John Shay and Nick's wife for not having the bother of competitive bids or contracts, with all the requisite postage and copying costs.

 

[Lisa O'Brien]

I have to say for signs that are meant to guide citizens and visitors alike - they are nonsensical - most notably the signs with points of interest but no directional arrow. Judging by there size, location and most notably lack of reflective material these would have to have been meant for pedestrians. All I can say is thank God the city didn't spend the extra 100K.  I must say that I like the Downtown Ludington logo with the sun on the horizon. But other than that who approved the drawings for these signs - there should be some sort of continuity to them why do some signs have the directional arrows on the left and some on the right.  

[XLFD]

I gave this test to two others who grew up and currently live in Ludington today, and they both got two right.  I congratulated them both for coming in second place so far.

[easymoney]

I no longer live in Lud. But, I question having a sign in front of the bakery, James&Dowland,how many people will be coming into town from Fourth ward? Maybe they should put one on the corner where Gunbergs used to be?

Most 4th warders are familiar with the downtown area

[AQUAMAN]

Easy, I think that sign by the bakery is meant for the offloading traffic coming on the Badger from Wis. and other places. As for the signage, yuuuuuup, that's our hard earned tax dollars at work, with 22 kt. gold leaf lettering. If we're lucky, they may have only cost us about $10-15K/each. Of course we know whom made them this way so no one could bid against him, yuuuup, Tye's Signs. Wouldn't it be a hoot if they all got stolen, for the gold values? That would teach some a painful lesson, and perhaps, have future idiotic signage discontinued, or at least be painted with a normal color, not gold.....lol.

[XLFD]

Aquaman,

Quit giving us indigent folks on the south side ideas on how to keep up with the always rising taxes and utility prices.  Unfortunately, there would be no lesson learned, as Councilor Nick would just make more at inflated prices to deter future theft.

[XLFD]

Actually, easy, if you are coming into Ludington from the south to get to some place on James (including the carferry) or downtown, jumping on to the PM HWY from the freeway and taking Sixth Street-Washington-Dowland is a way to avoid up to 8 stoplights. 

Taking the fourth ward route, before you come to the stop sign on Dowland Street, there is only one stop sign on that route and no lights.  The speed limit is smaller, but you get to James Street quicker.  Try it and see if you don't believe me. 

[Willy]

Your right X. It's a much less congested route. I zigzag all the way to PM highway then hit the freeway south of Ludington.