The Interstate sign
August 14, 2025
Author: Melinda Luna PE, CFM, F.ASCE
As the planning for the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 unfolded, the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHTO) recognized the need for a standardized interstate highway sign. At the time, each state had its own distinct signage, leading to inconsistency. AASHTO invited its members to submit design proposals, receiving a total of 76 submissions.
Richard Oliver, a Texas engineer, submitted the winning design at the encouragement of his boss. His concept was a simple, shield-shaped sign featuring the word “Interstate.” The initial version was black and white, but the final design adopted a red, white, and blue color scheme with the interstate number prominently displayed. Compared to more complex submissions, Oliver’s design was clear and easy to read.
Oliver was employed by the Texas Highway Department and had a distinguished background in engineering. Born on December 26, 1922, in Toledo, Ohio, he worked part-time while attending the University of Toledo. During World War II, he enlisted in the army and was assigned engineering classes at the University of Kentucky before undergoing basic engineering training at Fort Leonard Wood. He later served in New Guinea, the Philippines, and Japan as part of the 808th Engineering Aviation Battalion, where he helped build bridges and roads and conducted land surveys.
After the war, Oliver completed his engineering degree at the University of Toledo in 1948. He married Dorothy Lenor Fast and, after reading an article on traffic engineering, consulted a university dean about career prospects in the field. With encouragement of the Dean of the College of Engineering, he pursued a traffic engineering certificate at Yale University. At the time of his graduation there was a need for Traffic engineers in Texas, he accepted a position with the Texas Highway Department. Oliver worked in the Traffic Division until 1960, later transferring to the Corpus Christi District, where he remained until 1982. He returned to the Traffic Division as the State Traffic Engineer until his retirement in 1987.
Oliver was a founding member and Fellow of the Texas Section of the Institute of Transportation Engineers, among other professional affiliations. In 1983, the University of Toledo’s Engineering Department honored him with its Distinguished Alumnus Award. He was also honored by having a TxDOT award Richard H. Oliver which is an award to a TxDOT engineer who has contributed to the area of traffic engineering at TxDOT.
Since the adoption of the interstate sign, the interstate sign has undergone three revisions—in 1961, 1971, and 1978. The 1978 update allowed states to omit their names from the shield to accommodate larger interstate numbers, though those preferring to retain the state name could continue to do so.
