Xit Left and Take a Quick Right to Grandma’s House

One Ohio motorist suggested that the “E” be removed from “Exit” signs to save money on paint.

Another wanted 35-mph speed-limit signs changed to 33-mph to honor Jesus’ age at his death.

Some students wanted a yield sign installed for ducks that were waddling across Highway 725. The problem? People can read, but ducks cannot.

These were just a handful of the dozens of suggestions that reached sign designers at the Ohio Department of Transportation, which has about 410,000 traffic signs across the state.

Most ideas, including the ones above, are rejected, spokesman Bruce Ward said, but not before some consideration.

“The whole philosophy behind signs is let’s make them uniform, let’s make them easily readable and let’s make them the least distracting as you can,” Ward said.

Shortening “Exit” by 25% would seem like a big cost savings, but the state decided not to do it.

“It might shorten it a lot, but you got a language problem now,” Ward said.

One idea that is being tried is the “Buckeye Crossbuck,” a reflective railroad warning sign proposed by a former railway employee.

It is called the crossbuck because it reflects light from two directions, from both trains and crossing cars.

The safety-minded crossbuck is undergoing a two-year trial in Ohio and could be adopted nationally if it reduces crossing mishaps.

“We get some good letters too,” Ward said.

Then there was the Florida family that was visiting their grandmother in Ohio. They wanted signs installed giving directions to her house because they had trouble finding it.