The New York Times has an interesting article regarding the history of Clearview, the new typeface for highways in the United States which is slated to replace the existing Highway Gothic. It goes through a number of problems that are typically experienced with the existing sign font, and how Clearview overcomes these problems.

It's interesting to see how paying very close attention to design and what seem to be insignificant details can have a big effect on and make a dent in real problems.