If you look at it objectively, without the inherent roadgeek attraction to the old and unusual, there is a glaring problem with the old one—the arrows can mislead one as labeling the rightmost mainline lane only as the Turnpike, or the leftmost exit lane as Exit 9. Now, I know it's pretty parsable when you look at the whole situation and the sign placement and what not, but it's not really consistent with the use of arrows outside Turnpikeland. We might not have a problem with it, but if you consider things from the point of view of Brainless Driver #236, well, the change was probably for the best.
I did have mixed feelings prescribing the removal of the old gantry though . . .
It might have been a bad idea to admit to being the one that signed off on the order to take it out.
