A destination sign comprising: a front bezel assembly comprising: a bezel front side; bezel side walls extending backwards from the periphery of the bezel front side to establish a bezel enclosure about a bezel backside; and an aperture through the bezel front side to the bezel backside, the aperture having a width to height ratio of between about 8:1 and 4:1; a transparent cover sheet positioned against the bezel backside and covering the aperture; a color LCD display panel mounted within the bezel enclosure and behind the transparent cover sheet such that a display surface of the color LCD display panel faces the aperture, the display surface having an aspect ratio of between about 8:1 and about 4:1, the color LCD display panel configured to produce in a destination message mode of the destination sign a first image at a first resolution, the first image comprising letters or symbols, the color LCD display panel further configured to produce in a non-destination message mode of the destination sign a second image comprising video data; a backlight assembly, positioned within the bezel enclosure and behind the color LCD display panel such that an illumination surface of the backlight assembly faces the aperture, the illumination surface comprises an array of red, green and blue LEDs; the backlight assembly configured to produce in the destination message mode a first output comprising the same first image comprising letters or symbols at a second resolution wherein the second resolution is a lower resolution than the first resolution; the backlight assembly further configured to produce in the non-destination message mode a second output producing white light on the illumination surface; a graphic data bus, connected to the color LCD display panel, adapted to provide a first graphic data signal, the first graphic data signal comprising the first image formatted for display on the color LCD display panel; and a mode signal connection configured to provide a mode signal to the backlight assembly, wherein when the mode signal indicates the destination message mode then the backlight assembly is configured to produce the first output on the illumination surface simultaneously with production of the first image on the LCD display panel, and wherein when the mode signal indicates the non-destination message mode then the second output is produced on the illumination surface and the second image is displayed on the LCD panel. a front bezel assembly comprising: a bezel front side; bezel side walls extending backwards from the periphery of the bezel front side to establish a bezel enclosure about a bezel backside; and an aperture through the bezel front side to the bezel backside, the aperture having a width to height ratio of between about 8:1 and 4:1; a bezel front side; bezel side walls extending backwards from the periphery of the bezel front side to establish a bezel enclosure about a bezel backside; and an aperture through the bezel front side to the bezel backside, the aperture having a width to height ratio of between about 8:1 and 4:1; a transparent cover sheet positioned against the bezel backside and covering the aperture; a color LCD display panel mounted within the bezel enclosure and behind the transparent cover sheet such that a display surface of the color LCD display panel faces the aperture, the display surface having an aspect ratio of between about 8:1 and about 4:1, the color LCD display panel configured to produce in a destination message mode of the destination sign a first image at a first resolution, the first image comprising letters or symbols, the color LCD display panel further configured to produce in a non-destination message mode of the destination sign a second image comprising video data; a backlight assembly, positioned within the bezel enclosure and behind the color LCD display panel such that an illumination surface of the backlight assembly faces the aperture, the illumination surface comprises an array of red, green and blue LEDs; the backlight assembly configured to produce in the destination message mode a first output comprising the same first image comprising letters or symbols at a second resolution wherein the second resolution is a lower resolution than the first resolution; the backlight assembly further configured to produce in the non-destination message mode a second output producing white light on the illumination surface; a graphic data bus, connected to the color LCD display panel, adapted to provide a first graphic data signal, the first graphic data signal comprising the first image formatted for display on the color LCD display panel; and a mode signal connection configured to provide a mode signal to the backlight assembly, wherein when the mode signal indicates the destination message mode then the backlight assembly is configured to produce the first output on the illumination surface simultaneously with production of the first image on the LCD display panel, and wherein when the mode signal indicates the non-destination message mode then the second output is produced on the illumination surface and the second image is displayed on the LCD panel.