{"id":683021,"date":"2024-07-30T10:45:24","date_gmt":"2024-07-30T14:45:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mymodernmet.com\/?p=683021"},"modified":"2024-07-29T20:00:03","modified_gmt":"2024-07-30T00:00:03","slug":"richard-ankrom-i110-freeway-sign","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mymodernmet.com\/richard-ankrom-i110-freeway-sign\/","title":{"rendered":"Artist Covertly \u201dVandalized\u201c Public Sign, Actually Improved Traffic on LA Freeway"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Freeway

Photo: chones\/Depositphotos<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

Even if you've never been to Los Angeles, you've probably heard about the city’s terrible traffic. Its maze of freeways and interstates is a headache for many commuters and it’s made all the more complicated by its history. A prime example is I-110, also known as the Arroyo Seco Parkway. As one of the oldest freeways in the United States, its on-ramps and exits were added as the city grew and it became jammed in over a short distance. This made signage fundamental.<\/p>\n

In 2001, one artist realized that a lack of clear signage was causing many drivers—including himself—to miss a left turn exit onto I-5 North. Located right after a tunnel, the only sign for the exit was placed a quarter of a mile before the off-ramp. In the best case scenario, someone missed the exit and had to double back; in the worst case scenario, they swerved across several lanes of traffic to get off last minute and caused an accident in the process.<\/p>\n

Artist Richard Ankrom<\/a>, who is also a sign painter, soon realized that he was uniquely suited to fix this problem. In an act he calls “guerilla public service,” Ankrom meticulously observed how Caltrans made their signs. This meant going onto overpasses in order to take precise measurements, color-swatching existing signage to get the colors perfect, and copying the correct fonts. After three months, he was ready to go.<\/p>\n