69. Highway Signs

The Economics of Everyday Things

It takes millions of giant green placards to make America navigable. Where do they come from — and who pays the bill? Zachary Crockett takes the exit. 

  • SOURCES:
    • Lee Blackman, general manager at Correction Enterprises.
    • Gene Hawkins, senior principal engineer at Kittelson and professor emeritus of civil engineering at Texas A&M University.
    • Renee Roach, state signing and delineation engineer for the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
  • RESOURCES:
    • "Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways, 11th Edition," by the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration (2023).
    • "Who Picks the Businesses on Highway Exit Signs?" by Janet Nguyen (Marketplace, 2022).
    • "The Road to Clarity," by Joshua Yaffa (The New York Times Magazine, 2007).
  • EXTRAS:
    • "Do People Pay Attention to Signs?" by No Stupid Questions (2022).

To listen to explicit episodes, sign in.

Stay up to date with this show

Sign in or sign up to follow shows, save episodes, and get the latest updates.

Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada