San Antonio Street Signs and Hwy Signs (Center, Medina: live, suburbs)

[imaterry78259]

On the new ramp going from 410 to 281 why does the sign say San Antonio, South when I am already in San Antonio. There are numerous signs like this in the city. I know at 1604 and 281 it says San Antonio 13 miles but I already in San Antonio. These signs need updating.

The street sign here do not display what block you in. this makes it very hard to find an address

[Chaka]

The distance is to downtown.

It'd be pretty annoying to see 'San Antonio 13 miles" and find when you're at 1604, you have another 15-20 miles to go before you hit downtown.

That's common in most places I've lived - the distance markers are to the city center/downtown. The difference is that SA city limits are very broad in comparison to most cities.

[smuboy86]

Waiting for TXHWYman to jump in, but city displayed on freeway signs are known as the Control City. San Antonio is the Control city for all signs on freeways southbound until Downtown. Although a few are signed as "Downtown San Antonio". The street signs for the most part do have the block numbers at the bottom, only the older ones don't and as they are place they get the updated style. This also depends what city you are in, AH off the top of my head does not do this.

[SnappyBob]

I just wish they would put enough street signs at intersections that no matter what part of the intersection you are sitting in you can see what intersection you are sitting in. Does that make sense? Especially downtown I have noticed this. It's very common to be at an intersection and only have half of the information. The signage will only indicate what street you are on or what the crossstreet is but not both. Very annoying, especially if you are lost or confused or both.

[goodmanm]

Culebra heading west outside of 410. If you go to turn left on potranco road it isn't signed as such. The sign reads "Rio Medina".

[scuba steve]

Oh, it could be far worse... I've found it easier to find the block of whatever street I'm on here than in other places I've lived.

About the downtown thing, I'm used to seeing "*Wherever* City Center" in reference to going towards downtown.

[TexHwyMan]

Originally Posted by smuboy86

Waiting for TXHWYman to jump in, but city displayed on freeway signs are known as the Control City. San Antonio is the Control city for all signs on freeways southbound until Downtown. Although a few are signed as "Downtown San Antonio". The street signs for the most part do have the block numbers at the bottom, only the older ones don't and as they are place they get the updated style. This also depends what city you are in, AH off the top of my head does not do this.

Yep, you got it right on both counts.

"San Antonio", for the purpose of highway signs, is downtown. Specifically, the zero mile marker is San Fernado Cathedral, so all distance signs are based on that. Yes, I know it seems silly to have "San Antonio" listed as the control city on signs when you're already well within the city. Most radial routes use "Downtown San Antonio" as the control city within and approaching Loop 410. I do wish they would also do that on the Loop 410 signs for those radials as well. If only I were in charge...

As for block numbers on street name signs, the city started adding those about a decade or so ago. There are still some older signs that don't have them, and even some newer signs lack them, but for the most part, block numbers are now standard on street name signs in San Antonio. And as smuboy86 mentioned, many suburbs don't put block numbers on their signs, although some have now started to.

[TexHwyMan]

Originally Posted by SnappyBob

I just wish they would put enough street signs at intersections that no matter what part of the intersection you are sitting in you can see what intersection you are sitting in. Does that make sense? Especially downtown I have noticed this. It's very common to be at an intersection and only have half of the information. The signage will only indicate what street you are on or what the crossstreet is but not both. Very annoying, especially if you are lost or confused or both.

As you sit at an intersection, you should always see the sign for the intersecting street, and that should be the only sign readily visible. I guess the idea is that you should already know what street you are on. In any case, you can still turn to look at the signs facing the intersecting street to see what street you're on.

[TexHwyMan]

Originally Posted by goodmanm

Culebra heading west outside of 410. If you go to turn left on potranco road it isn't signed as such. The sign reads "Rio Medina".

The sign you are seeing is a distance sign to Rio Medina. Rio Medina is the control city for FM 1957. It's located at the western end of the route in Medina County. The road itself is signed as both FM 1957 (state) and Potranco Road (city).

[imaterry78259]

The signs should say 13 miles to downtown San Antonio instead of San Antonio