The Secret Behind Minnesota’s Road Signs

If you’re like most people, the changing of the season has caused you to start thinking about your summer vacation plans. For a lot of people that means you’ll be hitting the road to the destination of choice.  

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Even if you’re flying somewhere you’ll still need to get to the airport, which means you or someone else will drive you there. Especially in the summer months when more people are hitting the road, the road signs from the Minnesota Department of Transportation are very important. 

The old song from the Five Man Electrical Band, “Signs” says, “Sign, Sign, everywhere a sign”. We need those signs to help us get where we’re going or to know when to avoid an area. The signs are there to help us. 

I’ve got to admit, I’ve wondered before, how do they make those signs, (I never said I was a critical or deep thinker). Then last week, the Minnesota Department of Transportation took to their “X “or Twitter account and gave us an inside peek at how the signs are prepared to go out by the road. 

Did you know that the sign shop for the Department of Transportation makes 55,000 square feet of signs each year at the sign shop in Oakdale. That’s a lot of signs.  

The signs are made of aluminum sheeting that is topped off with a reflective film that is placed over the base aluminum. The final step in the process is placing a film on top to keep the information on the sign in place. 

With all of the unpredictable weather that can cause issues on the roads the sign shop can turn a sign around pretty quickly, usually getting the sign ready to be placed in about a day.  

The signs you see around the state are built to be around for a while, with the life expectancy of a sign being around 15 years.  The signs are placed around the state to help keep you safe, but they are also placed in a manner that should keep you safe as well. 

Speaking of safety, the Department of Transportation reminds you that when you see their crews working to slow down and pay attention to any signs that are up telling you the way you need to go, this way you stay safe and so do their workers.