[liff] Gang Aft Agley - César E. Chávez Blvd Pix To Come Tomorrow

2311.As I tweeted and announced on @SJPKDX and facebook.com/samueljohnklein earlier today:

They're hanging the first Cesar E. Chavez Blvd sign today, at the corner of CEC/39th and SE Stephens Street in Portland. I'm planning on being there with a camera to get the first pictures on line - if possible.

As it turned out, not possible. Such is the gentle tyranny of having a third-shift job in 10-hour shifts. I did get straight home, straight to bed, and didn't wake up until after 1 pm. Sic transit gloria.

But I did get a report from KGW-TV to share with y'alls. Here it is:

It gives you a good idea of what the overhead signs look like, and they most likely look a great deal like the street-level blades.

Of particular and delightful interest is the accent marks over the vowels e in César and a in Chávez. In Spanish, these indicate which syllable is to be stressed and, I understand, only occurs over the vowel. Presumably, this is why we pronounce the name SAY-sar SHA-vez instead of say-SAR cha-VEZ. What's delightful about it is that, as Ben from Seattle tweeted at me, they don't have those on Seattle's street blades – and I've always felt Seattle's were a bit more sophisticated than Portland's.

Well, that's the genius of Clearview. FHWA sign fonts apparently don't have this standard.

I better stop writing or I'll have nothing to accompany the pix with. Tomorrow morning, when I'm on my way home from that third-shift job, I'll trip on down to 39th/CEC Blvd and get some pics for the files which I will perforce share here, and the taking of which will be unencumbered by having to rush through Friday traffic and not getting enough shut-eye.

Technorati Tags: Cesar E Chavez Blvd, Portland Streets, Street Blade Gallery, PDX Street Blades, Street Blades