Before I read this story, I had always thought that that sign was put up by Caltrans as a semi-permanent thing until they replaced the aging sign altogether. I've driven all over the place in LA for it not to matter because I knew of the (very badly designed and unlabeled until the very end up until about a year ago) exit to the 5 freeway, but it was probably a fantastic thing to people new to the area, since that general location is where something like 3 freeways meet, and if you wanted to get on the 5, there was a big sign for 5 South, but nothing whatsoever for 5 North, unless you maybe saw a small sign or something (I forget what it was) that said to take the 110 North to get on the 5.