I wonder if the inside is different for other brands that use the same walk in style? I noticed that one was a Skyline. Over here in Southern Nevada, we use Daktronics brand. We also use ones (Daktronics as well) that are not the walk in style (these ones have full RGB capability, and are typically bigger and cover most or all lanes of a direction due to the lower half of the board being used for lane controls.
that last part.. i get ya.... i have to go site to site fixing shit.... spend 4 grand of the companies money to repair it only to see our stuff coming out.. and a new unit that isnt ours go back in as im driving to another site..... "like COMMEEEE OOONNNN i spend 5 hours on that and you... i.. you..sunnova... WHY"
That punchline at the end. lmao! Been there done that more times than I can count as an "engineer." I was a 3D artist for training systems for 7 years, and conflicting/missed information was so common from some of my other coworkers that too many mistakes like that sunk the company and we all were laid off. I still remember the 14 times I had to readjust my 2 year backlog for a work order because staffing kept getting pushed right due to other projects that were on fire. The systems lead would come to my cube at the end of each month and in a please-don't-kill-me tone say "heyyy, sooo uh... the backlog" to which I'd say "again?" and he'd silently nod to which I'd sigh and reply "alright, it'll be done by next Thursday." For real though, he was awesome and I'd work with him again if I could. He was just stuck by management with the crap job of having to be the guy ruin the end of my month for 14 months. Coordination is a lot more than numbers on a sheet. It's equipment cost, staffing cost, and above all else WELLBEING COST. I'm not about to piss off the guys underneath me by telling them all the work they did that week was pointless because the room CAD data was wrong. That's supposed to be my job to figure that out before they even know the job exists.
Good point. Currently we have 2 in our district. They receive the message from a sign controller in the cabinet below. The messages are sent to the controller by a central office in the state. Thanks for commenting
what struck the board? a fast moving vehicle that had something sticking out the top (a loose load). won't be a construction equipment as the dent would have been much deeper.
I was really trying to think what could have caused that dent...Yes, I would have thought much deeper. Possibly something moving slower? My inital thought was one of those 'wide loads' vehicles carrying something wide AND tall. They seem to be 'usually' moving slower.
@@streetsmartstraffic could be, but I was thinking more along the lines of those dump truck vehicles used by those companies that will pick up whatever junk you want to get rid of, and they didn't do a proper job of tying down the load so it shifted and something heavy was sticking out the top.
Two possibilities come to mind as to what may have caused the dent on the overhead sign board. One is a truck with an over height load. The second and most likely possibility is someone driving a dump truck with the raised bed of the dump truck striking the overhead sign board. I know of three or four incidents during the past decade in central ohio on freeways where a dump truck with a raised bed had struck the steel beams on an overpass bridge and causing the damaged bridge to be closed for months while awaiting repairs on a damaged bridge deck and steel beams.
Great guesses. My 1st thought was a dump truck but the damage seems very centralized. I would have also thought at a high rate of speed it would have been deeper. My guess is something slower moving that had some height but would break upon hitting it (like wood or something). I really don't know! Thanks for commenting!
@@rearspeaker6364 More likely improperly secured panel coming detached from a load. I have witnessed one coming detached and catching the wind and flying up before falling down.
Would the structure of that truss be evaluated after it's known to have been hit, to check for any damage that could cause it to fall? (Assuming it wasnt taken down like this one was)
Great question! Yes, those would have been inspected for cracks, dents, etc. Applying your question to traffic signals, any time a mast arm is hit, we thoroughly inspect the base, bolts, pole... Thanks for commenting!
That dent looks a lot like the boom on an excavator, right where the main boom meets the stick. Given the apparent low speed impact it could have been part of a project in that area. Had that been a highway speed hit I would expect much more damage.
Lol they sent you out there to look at it just before they ripped it down? Meanwhile where i live (Melbourne Australia) there is sections of one of our major freeways that all the electronic overhead speed signs and that have been out of action for most of the year. And rather than fixing them they just put a bunch of the temporary remote signs you would use during road works or something. That have now been there so long they are all faded and dirty and hard to see the speed display.
I know, right? Thats a shame though that they're not doing maintenance on those speed signs. I'm guessing they don't know or don't care to repair them...Thanks for commenting!
So glad that we spent all this money on active traffic management systems and instead of providing traffic times or detour information they're just like, "No, we're going to abuse these as billboards even though the FHWA told us not to for fucking good reason".
Willing to bet it was someone hauling a bucket loader and smacked it with the elbow. Kinda surprising as these sign boards are like ... what... 20ft up?
They're up there...I actually think its higher than 20ft. Whatever that thing was that struck the sign, was sitting pretty high up! Thanks for commenting
You're guess is as good as mine! Someone mentioned a dump truck with a panel that wasn't tied down and caught wind and flew up. I might go with that answer...
Job security , poor communication at the upper crust. A lot of overpasses have just been rebuilt on I-70 east of KCMO and now they are going to six lanes each side , so they will have to be rebuilt.
Funny thing is-I feel our district does a pretty good job on the communication side (compared to other big agencies)...this one fell through the cracks though. I understand also that traffic volumes change, communities are built, etc. Things change and roads have to accomodate. Unless you live in my town where the population has exploded but our engineers cant seem to figure out that it has over the past 20 yrs!!!! 🤬
Cool.... They sure make them way bigger than they need to be! I understand the need for repair-ability when its up that high, but wow that is overbuilt and expensive looking. Well I guess with the new highway rules that you can't have funny sayings anymore on them in what end of 2025 now. The feds take out all the fun out of the large signs! 🤠👍
@@streetsmartstraffic Overhead electronic signs with obscure meanings, references to pop culture or those intended to be funny will be banned in 2026 because they can be misunderstood or distracting to drivers. --U.S. Federal Highway Administration
@@user-up3ik4in2m WHAT?! How did I not know this? But those messages are what bring a smile to drivers. So we can't have any fun, huh? Dammit! Thanks for informing me!
0:31 "...see if we can't fix this problem". CAN'T fix this problem? I think you mean CAN fix this problem. There's no point in going up into the housing if you can't fix the problem.
@streetsmartstraffic Your error is understandable. It is a very common mistake; I have seen many people say "can't" when they mean "can". What I find to be an even more common error is misusing the phrase "begs the question". What that phrase means is to use an argument that assumes the truth of the very thing you are trying to prove. But people invariably use it to mean "raises the question"; they are clearly not trying to prove anything.
![Kumamoto Masters Japan 2024 | Gregoria Mariska Tunjung (INA) [5] vs. Akane Yamaguchi (JPN) [2] | F](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/EIjZybhsWqA/mqdefault.jpg)
Don’t feel bad! We just built a $160k intersection in Gulfport, MS that’s going to be removed by the end of next year on a separate project!
TLD! Planning & Design.....Well, it keeps you busy at least 🤣
@@Trafficlightdoctor Well, when it’s just taxpayer money, who cares? Definitely not the State❗️
Even though it was taken down entirely, it's still good to have a working sign in case of emergencies. That was important work to do.
But.....LOL
I really enjoyed the video! I've worked on message boards but never the type you walk inside. Very cool! Thank you for showing us.
Thanks Mike! Never knew what was up in those boards. Now I know!
Gotta love the govnerment communication and coordination that it gets removed 3 days later.
🤷♂🤣
Working like a well sludge and metal shaving filled machine 👌🏻
@@benargee Oh thats such a great visual! LOL
Good to see things are the same everywhere. Left hand never knows what the right’s up to!
We try here but many times Operations didn't get the word the Construction had other plans for a project LOL
Thanks for commenting!
Very interesting to see the “inside” of the message boards👍👍
It was a 1st for me! Never knew what was inside those boards either!
I wonder if the inside is different for other brands that use the same walk in style? I noticed that one was a Skyline. Over here in Southern Nevada, we use Daktronics brand. We also use ones (Daktronics as well) that are not the walk in style (these ones have full RGB capability, and are typically bigger and cover most or all lanes of a direction due to the lower half of the board being used for lane controls.
@@Darknecros7 Those RGB ones are pretty slick. I actually like those better than the ones we have. I think they stand out more. Thanks for commenting!
that last part.. i get ya.... i have to go site to site fixing shit.... spend 4 grand of the companies money to repair it only to see our stuff coming out.. and a new unit that isnt ours go back in as im driving to another site..... "like COMMEEEE OOONNNN i spend 5 hours on that and you... i.. you..sunnova... WHY"
EXACTLY. Couldn't have said it any better! LOL
Thanks for commenting
that ending message lmao
The ending was originally different. Until I found out the whole thing was taken down. It was a last second add in....
@@streetsmartstraffic and it was a perfect add in. Take solace in that for a few days us truckers had a proper sign to read funny messages on.
@@foglebr 🤣Thanks!!
@@streetsmartstraffic That's *so* Illinois. Fix it just to tear it down next week. At least you got paid (I hope?!?)
@@Whatsinanameanyway13 They did pay me but....lol
I spit coffee out of my nose on that last bit.
Thanks for commenting. It was a last second add in after I found out it was removed. 🤣
I didn't know you could walk into these message board signs. Cool Video!
Yep! I said its big enough to add my new mancave to! LOL
That punchline at the end. lmao! Been there done that more times than I can count as an "engineer." I was a 3D artist for training systems for 7 years, and conflicting/missed information was so common from some of my other coworkers that too many mistakes like that sunk the company and we all were laid off.
I still remember the 14 times I had to readjust my 2 year backlog for a work order because staffing kept getting pushed right due to other projects that were on fire. The systems lead would come to my cube at the end of each month and in a please-don't-kill-me tone say "heyyy, sooo uh... the backlog" to which I'd say "again?" and he'd silently nod to which I'd sigh and reply "alright, it'll be done by next Thursday." For real though, he was awesome and I'd work with him again if I could. He was just stuck by management with the crap job of having to be the guy ruin the end of my month for 14 months.
Coordination is a lot more than numbers on a sheet. It's equipment cost, staffing cost, and above all else WELLBEING COST. I'm not about to piss off the guys underneath me by telling them all the work they did that week was pointless because the room CAD data was wrong. That's supposed to be my job to figure that out before they even know the job exists.
Isn't that the worst!? Sorry to hear about the company. Hate to see one go under. Sounds like it needed to though!
Thanks for sharing your story
pretty neat design, looks well built, it's not site dependent so it can be reused
Good point. Currently we have 2 in our district. They receive the message from a sign controller in the cabinet below. The messages are sent to the controller by a central office in the state.
Thanks for commenting
I’ve always wondered why those signs were so big, who knew it was a whole room!!! 😂
I'm thinking about adding a man cave up there LOL!!!!
what struck the board? a fast moving vehicle that had something sticking out the top (a loose load). won't be a construction equipment as the dent would have been much deeper.
I was really trying to think what could have caused that dent...Yes, I would have thought much deeper.
Possibly something moving slower?
My inital thought was one of those 'wide loads' vehicles carrying something wide AND tall. They seem to be 'usually' moving slower.
@@streetsmartstraffic could be, but I was thinking more along the lines of those dump truck vehicles used by those companies that will pick up whatever junk you want to get rid of, and they didn't do a proper job of tying down the load so it shifted and something heavy was sticking out the top.
@@renton9999 oooh... I know exactly what you're referring to also! That's a possibility and may be the answer?!
IThat was fun and worth the video.
Well thanks! Thanks for commenting
Well, at least you got paid.
Good point. lol
But I want to know I'm not doing it for nothing. Well, I guess it was working for 3 days 🤣
Thanks for commenting
Two possibilities come to mind as to what may have caused the dent on the overhead sign board. One is a truck with an over height load. The second and most likely possibility is someone driving a dump truck with the raised bed of the dump truck striking the overhead sign board. I know of three or four incidents during the past decade in central ohio on freeways where a dump truck with a raised bed had struck the steel beams on an overpass bridge and causing the damaged bridge to be closed for months while awaiting repairs on a damaged bridge deck and steel beams.
those would have destroyed the board, a loose 2x4 or 4x4 would make more sense.
3. It was a swift driver 😂
@@rearspeaker6364 I thought the same thing....a raised bed would have done more damage..
Great guesses. My 1st thought was a dump truck but the damage seems very centralized. I would have also thought at a high rate of speed it would have been deeper.
My guess is something slower moving that had some height but would break upon hitting it (like wood or something). I really don't know! Thanks for commenting!
@@rearspeaker6364 More likely improperly secured panel coming detached from a load. I have witnessed one coming detached and catching the wind and flying up before falling down.
Looks like they were recently paving the shoulder. Dump truck box in air with paving machine slowly pushing it at night, perhaps?
Wow. That was very insightful. They did just repave! BUT...the board had been that way before the repaving so....
Try again! lol
@@streetsmartstraffic OK...what about a street sweeper that was loading out the sweepings into a dump truck?
@@danlowe8684 Possibly?? THats a good guess as well! If you read the comments on this feed, they're all over the place!
Probably a canopy of a dump trailer.
Dump truck was my first guess but it seem very centralized (the hit). And I thought there would be more damage. 🤷♂
Would the structure of that truss be evaluated after it's known to have been hit, to check for any damage that could cause it to fall? (Assuming it wasnt taken down like this one was)
Great question! Yes, those would have been inspected for cracks, dents, etc. Applying your question to traffic signals, any time a mast arm is hit, we thoroughly inspect the base, bolts, pole...
Thanks for commenting!
That dent looks a lot like the boom on an excavator, right where the main boom meets the stick. Given the apparent low speed impact it could have been part of a project in that area. Had that been a highway speed hit I would expect much more damage.
Exactly my thoughts. Whatever did it had to be moving at a slower rate of speed. At higher speeds, more destruction.
Thanks for commenting
If I was a betting man it would be a tractor exhaust stack or some hollow metal tube that could give at speed.
You may be a winner! I'll never know though....LOL
That is cool you can go right inside the panel and don’t have to close any lanes to traffic
You're exactly right. I hate closing down lanes to do work. That part was nice. THanks for commenting!
Those meanwell boxes are power supplies/LED drivers. Keep them cool! they hate heat.
Oh! Thanks for that information! That was a first dealing with the components inside the sign compartment. Much appreciated!
Lol they sent you out there to look at it just before they ripped it down? Meanwhile where i live (Melbourne Australia) there is sections of one of our major freeways that all the electronic overhead speed signs and that have been out of action for most of the year. And rather than fixing them they just put a bunch of the temporary remote signs you would use during road works or something. That have now been there so long they are all faded and dirty and hard to see the speed display.
I know, right? Thats a shame though that they're not doing maintenance on those speed signs. I'm guessing they don't know or don't care to repair them...Thanks for commenting!
So glad that we spent all this money on active traffic management systems and instead of providing traffic times or detour information they're just like, "No, we're going to abuse these as billboards even though the FHWA told us not to for fucking good reason".
In 2026 that will all change! No more funny stuff per FHWA (as I just found this out this week)
Willing to bet it was someone hauling a bucket loader and smacked it with the elbow. Kinda surprising as these sign boards are like ... what... 20ft up?
They're up there...I actually think its higher than 20ft. Whatever that thing was that struck the sign, was sitting pretty high up!
Thanks for commenting
A box trailer looks to have a few feet of clearance. Makes me wonder what it it too.
You're guess is as good as mine! Someone mentioned a dump truck with a panel that wasn't tied down and caught wind and flew up. I might go with that answer...
That looks expensive. I think I would have the keys on a lanyard.
Luckily, my keys that open my traffic signal cabinets also opened this door... I've got a million of them lol
Very interesting.
Thanks Bill!
Imagine being inside there when it got hit.
they get hit by a lot of "loose" debris. Some leave a mark, most don't.
That would definitely scare the crap out of me. I'm sure that would be loud as hell upon impact!
Job security , poor communication at the upper crust. A lot of overpasses have just been rebuilt on I-70 east of KCMO and now they are going to six lanes each side , so they will have to be rebuilt.
Funny thing is-I feel our district does a pretty good job on the communication side (compared to other big agencies)...this one fell through the cracks though.
I understand also that traffic volumes change, communities are built, etc. Things change and roads have to accomodate. Unless you live in my town where the population has exploded but our engineers cant seem to figure out that it has over the past 20 yrs!!!! 🤬
And I thought I was a bad driver 😅
Government workings at its finest. One hand doesn't know what the other is doing.
🤷♂😆
Cool.... They sure make them way bigger than they need to be! I understand the need for repair-ability when its up that high, but wow that is overbuilt and expensive looking. Well I guess with the new highway rules that you can't have funny sayings anymore on them in what end of 2025 now. The feds take out all the fun out of the large signs! 🤠👍
Really? Please expand!
@@streetsmartstraffic Overhead electronic signs with obscure meanings, references to pop culture or those intended to be funny will be banned in 2026 because they can be misunderstood or distracting to drivers. --U.S. Federal Highway Administration
@@user-up3ik4in2m WHAT?! How did I not know this? But those messages are what bring a smile to drivers. So we can't have any fun, huh? Dammit!
Thanks for informing me!
Bucket truck is my guess
That seems to be the popular choice right now!
Thanks for commenting!
0:31 "...see if we can't fix this problem". CAN'T fix this problem? I think you mean CAN fix this problem. There's no point in going up into the housing if you can't fix the problem.
You got me! LOL. Grammar was never my strong point in school. Thanks for the correction.
@streetsmartstraffic Your error is understandable. It is a very common mistake; I have seen many people say "can't" when they mean "can". What I find to be an even more common error is misusing the phrase "begs the question". What that phrase means is to use an argument that assumes the truth of the very thing you are trying to prove. But people invariably use it to mean "raises the question"; they are clearly not trying to prove anything.
LOL!
🤦♂