User talk:Kumba42

Maryland Scenic Byways shield
I am going to try getting an SVG of the shield and road name signs tonight during the Mets-Yankees game. Sswonk (talk) 23:09, 28 June 2009 (UTC)
 * I uploaded a file to File:MD scenic byway.svg, but that was before I found File:MD_213_SB_CCSB_Marker.JPG! I based mine on the gif image from the byways webpage you had linked to because the photo of the MD 259 sign was so unclear. Now that I found this higher resolution image, the file that I just uploaded will need to be replaced. I can work on that tomorrow, and it should match the actual markers much better than what is there now. In the mean time you can check what is already done and make any comments. I am going to redo all of the horticulture and try for a better font match, but I'm happy with the shape and colors. Let me know what you think, reply here. Sswonk (talk) 04:38, 29 June 2009 (UTC)
 * That looks really good! I have a shot I barely grabbed of a sign in my area.  I've uploaded it here.  The one for Chesapeake Country was one that I was actually trying to find, but couldn't remember where it was located when I wrote the original request.  My route to work takes me by at least one of these signs, and if I venture off of a side road on my way home, I can hit a second one, so I'll see if I can get a good angle on them tomorrow and get a clearer shot.
 * Found another one, albeit much blurrier, but I cropped and uploaded it anyways. Then it dawned on me to check my copy of the Scenic Byways guide itself, which has a clear, if small copy of the shield.  So U took as clear of a picture as I can get, fixed it up, and uploaded it.  Hope those + the Chesapeake one helps, and I'll see what kind of pictures I can get on my drive in tomorrow. (They're all at the same URL) Kumba42 (talk) 05:47, 29 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Three more added of a big one off the scenic byways map that I have. They're all blurred at specific spots, but if you view all three side-by-side, each one's clear spots make up for it.  I couldn't get the silly thing to stay flat enough on the floor while I took a picture.  Same URL. Kumba42 (talk) 06:09, 29 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Those last three are fantastic, more than enough to complete the shield. Look for something sometime this evening. Regarding the route nameplate, are you going to need all 19 of those? I already have the plate but I don't want to upload until we have finalized the main shield. Sswonk (talk) 13:22, 29 June 2009 (UTC)
 * The two files are in the commons:Category:Maryland_scenic_byway_route_markers. Sswonk (talk) 19:30, 29 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Wow, that is completely awesome. Did you do that all with Inkscape?  Looks excellent.  You can spot a dot or two of yellow peeking through the leaves, but only if you zoom it in really far, so don't worry about it.  Barring SHA getting back to me sometime before the next election, I think this will do nicely.  As far as the nameplates go, I suppose it couldn't hurt to do them.  I uploaded a few more, this time with more readable nameplates.  It looks like the nameplates change height, depending on the text needed to name the given byway, so I'm not sure whether that's something "neccessary" by wikipedia.  If so, we'll need to find sample of all 19, and that might be tricky. (unsigned,  03:55, 30 June 2009 (UTC) by Kumba42)
 * The final file is Inkscape but there were intermediate steps with Gimp and add over 10 years experience on my part with this sort of sow's ear/silk purse graphics conversion. Inkscape has a "trace bitmap" function that did most of the work on the horticulture, I had to go back and edit it a little (missed the yellow spots). I drew the shield and borders manually and set the type manually. It takes practice and experience to avoid making way to much work for yourself.
 * Fancy. I'm not a graphics person or print designer, but I do dabble with such programs from time-to-time, mostly out of curiosity.  Been a year or two since I last played with Inkscape.  Might be interesting to see what's changed. Kumba42 (talk) 05:26, 30 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Regarding the nameplates, there's a problem I see that will need to be addressed: I have two examples, the "Anne Arundel Colonial Tour" and the "Chesapeake Country" images. But, the PDF you linked on the USRD/Shields talk page in your initial request lists the following routes for Scenic Byways: Historic National Road &bull; Mountain Maryland  &bull; Chesapeake and Ohio Canal  &bull; Antietam Campaign  &bull; Catoctin Mountain  &bull; Old Main Streets  &bull; Mason and Dixon  &bull; Falls Road  &bull; Horses and Hounds  &bull; Lower Susquehanna  &bull; Charles Street  &bull; National Historic Seaport  &bull; Star-Spangled Banner  &bull; Booth’s Escape  &bull; Roots and Tides  &bull; Religious Freedom Tour  &bull; Chesapeake Country  &bull; Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad  &bull; Blue Crab. Right away, we have a sign that's not on that list - Anne Arundel Colonial Tour. That image was from May 2005, so maybe the route has been renamed? I don't know. Based on this US DOT sponsored site, it looks like it is now called "Roots and Tides". But, does the plate on the route say "Roots and Tides Tour"? It's a problem. Then, does the state put short tours like "Blue Crab" on one line or two?, etc. I think your best bet is to not worry about the nameplates at all, because we need to leave them out rather than to guess what they look like and possibly upload inaccurate information.
 * Hmm, I think it is Roots & Tides. Probably got renamed, and that's just a sign that they missed.  Ditto on the Nameplates, since w/o at least one sample of all 19 routes, not to mention any other variations like the Anne Arundel one, it's hard to say how many different combinations are out there.  The Religious Freedom Tour travels down MD224, out in the rural areas of my county, and that's one desolate highway...I didn't even recall seeing any signs when I found the time to go and drive it.  Hard to say when the last time a SHA crew went down there specifically to check up on them. Kumba42 (talk) 05:26, 30 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Regarding getting information from SHA, I have a suggestion: go to a local district office and talk to someone in person, show them Wikipedia highway pages and how a lot of very nice articles with maps and shields have been made and explain that is what you want to do, gain a contact that way and you will probably have much better luck than trying to go through the main state mailing room process. You may even have friends or relatives who have contacts at one of these district offices who can introduce you. Just a thought. Sswonk (talk) 04:56, 30 June 2009 (UTC)
 * I've actually had pretty good luck getting fast responses to SHA before. I wrote them an e-mail once about older highways in my county, before I read up on it, cause Google's got a bad habit of noting long-expired highways on their maps (i.e., MD232, MD233, MD865, and MD205).  I had a response back within a few days, and I think there's a HISD department there that tracks this stuff.  I still have the e-mail, so I might bounce a few questions off of them and see if that gets me anywhere.  That, or next time I visit my dentist, I'll just drop by their engineering office, which is practically next door... Kumba42 (talk) 05:26, 30 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Nice to know another Charles County man. I have a good friend who grew up in Bryantown. I went to high school in Essex County, VA and lived in the Middle Peninsula or Northern Neck for 20 years before moving to Massachusetts. After visiting Virginia my wife and I sometimes take 301 back to Wilmington/95, and I know what you mean about desolate highways. Really love those big warning signs with flashers telling the truckers to beware farm vehicles crossing on the Eastern Shore, and how every side road for like 40 miles leads to one place: Chestertown. Anyway, I think this means you're happy with the shield. Let me know if you can get exact information on the nameplates, although for my money it is not worth a great deal of effort. I was glad to help you. Sswonk (talk) 16:00, 30 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Yup, It's been fun here. Not a native, but been here long enough now that I more or less consider myself one.  As far as the shield, I think it's perfect.  The rest will involve figuring out the best approach to start documenting these things, probably using information mostly from the book from SHA and their map.  I think that'll work to allow others to fill in the blanks down the road. Kumba42 (talk) 03:38, 1 July 2009 (UTC)
 * By the way, Google maps is only a secondary source at best. They rely on a lot of info from Navteq, and I often find errors. Here in Boston they mess up Massachusetts Route 3A, which follows Interstate 93 through the city after the Neponset Bridge but they have it parallel to 93 on the east along Morrissey Blvd and Old Colony Ave before disappearing into thin air. I think they just made it up, there aren't any signs that indicate that. Stick with MERLIN or http://www.msgic.state.md.us/data.asp for reliable sources on roads. Sswonk (talk) 16:18, 30 June 2009 (UTC)
 * Yeah, Navteq and TeleAtlas. There's a third one, but I forget their name.  Maybe it's for locals, who might still refer to roads by that?, Beats me.  Could just be the way they get their data.  I'll look into MERLIN and such.  Need to figure out this GIS stuff anyways. Thanks again! Kumba42 (talk) 03:38, 1 July 2009 (UTC)

WP:MDRD demotion discussion
There is a discussion ongoing regarding demoting all state road projects to task forces under WikiProject U.S. Roads. Because you are an active member or were recently an active member of the Roads in Maryland WikiProject, your comments are requested for the specific discussion regarding demotion of the Roads in Maryland WikiProject to a task force under USRD.  V C  16:13, 17 January 2012 (UTC)

USRD WikiProject Newsletter, Winter 2012

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Typo on route shield in PNG map
In -- the road marked as MD-297 is actually MD-27. --Tckma (talk) 17:02, 8 July 2014 (UTC)

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