Longest Advance Warning for Interchange Sign

[webny99]

Ontario, Canada, has an interesting practice of posting the first advance warning sign for the next interchange at the gore point of the previous interchange.
Here's an example. This means that the amount of advance notice you get for the interchange depends on how much distance there is between the exits. It also leads to some cases of excessive advance notice, like the one linked to for 7 km, which translates to 4.34 miles.

Are there any states in the US that use this same practice in a widespread way?
Additionally, what is the longest distance on an advance warning sign in the US? This does not include interchange sequence signs - we already have a thread for those. This is just for signs that refer to a single upcoming interchange. Here's 2 miles to I-271 east of Cleveland, OH.
Some states use 2 miles regularly. Others, like NY, are more sparse. What is the standard for your state? Does it differ for urban vs. rural areas?


(Also, is there a better, more concise name for these than 'Advance Warning for Interchange Signs'? That seems clumsy - if there's a better term I'll update the thread title.)

[hotdogPi]

25 miles in Illinois – I believe Brandon will be able to show you the sign.

EDIT: deathtopumpkins beat him to it.

[vdeane]

I-87 has a 5 mile advance sign, with a 15 mile advance for NJ 17 south.

[Revive 755]

Used to be a 48 mile one for I-380 on WB I-80 in Iowa.  I think there's still a 20+ mile one also on WB I-80 in Iowa for I-380.

[deathtopumpkins]

Exactly what the OP describes is standard ISTHA practice: https://goo.gl/maps/Snwkmhzu79LLo73K6

[sprjus4]

Not sure if this would count as an official interchange sign, but I-68 in 58 miles outside Frederick, MD along I-70 West. I believe there's a similar sign on nearby I-270 North approaching the I-70 West junction.

12 miles to I-64 outside Richmond, VA along I-295 South.

[webny99]

15 mile advance for NJ 17 south.

I'm not sure that's necessarily an advance warning sign. I wouldn't be surprised if it exists to prevent confusion between 17 North (NY) and South (NJ). In other words, if you're headed south/to New Jersey, don't get off here.

Exactly what the OP describes is standard ISTHA practice: https://goo.gl/maps/Snwkmhzu79LLo73K6

25 miles is a long ways between exits. Are there any others that long, or even close to it (15+ miles)?

[sprjus4]

I'm not sure that's necessarily an advance warning sign. I wouldn't be surprised if it exists to prevent confusion between 17 North (NY) and South (NJ). In other words, if you're headed south/to New Jersey, don't get off here.

Not an interchange sign, but another situation exists in Rocky Mount, VA with the US-220 / VA-40 interchange. A trailblazer is posted that notifies drivers bound to Interstate 40 (in North Carolina, it never enters Virginia) to stay on US-220 for another 76 miles. This is likely posted to avoid confusion with Virginia Route 40.

https://www.google.com/maps/@37.01127,-79.874312,3a,46.7y,155.61h,85.4t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s3VX2BzVXPK83EUsKt08UeQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e1

I'd be curious if there were any other situations of an interstate trailblazer posted in a state that it never enters.

[1995hoo]

....

I'd be curious if there were any other situations of an interstate trailblazer posted in a state that it never enters.

Sure. There are several I-295 trailblazers on surface streets in Virginia for the route of that number across the river in Maryland and DC.

Here's one on Mill Road in Alexandria, for example; I passed this one on Sunday on my way home from the bottle recycling place on Eisenhower Avenue: https://goo.gl/maps/dPCmzvjHz8P8Hjcb6  (Bonus: Go back to the intersection just before where the camera is for a very ugly I-95 shield.)

Here's another on Eisenhower a short distance east of there: https://goo.gl/maps/1EKXNeN7UX4R7bTW8 (there's another a little further along in the background)

Go around the corner onto Mill Road and there's another pointing the way back: https://goo.gl/maps/7kY1zLswyqiqW2Ly7

[jmacswimmer]

Not sure if this would count as an official interchange sign, but I-68 in 58 miles outside Frederick, MD along I-70 West. I believe there's a similar sign on nearby I-270 North approaching the I-70 West junction.

Indeed.

There's also 10 miles to I-77 South on I-81 North approaching the beginning of their overlap at exit 72.  There used to be similar signs on I-81 South approaching exit 81, but those were replaced at some point.

....

I'd be curious if there were any other situations of an interstate trailblazer posted in a state that it never enters.

I-287 North in New Jersey from exit 57 onward contains several references to its parent that it ultimately meets just over the line in New York.

[kphoger]

Does this count as an "advance warning for interchange"?

[jp the roadgeek]

Not sure if this would count as an official interchange sign, but I-68 in 58 miles outside Frederick, MD along I-70 West. I believe there's a similar sign on nearby I-270 North approaching the I-70 West junction.

Indeed.

There's also 10 miles to I-77 South on I-81 North approaching the beginning of their overlap at exit 72.  There used to be similar signs on I-81 South approaching exit 81, but those were replaced at some point.

....

I'd be curious if there were any other situations of an interstate trailblazer posted in a state that it never enters.

I-287 North in New Jersey from exit 57 onward contains several references to its parent that it ultimately meets just over the line in New York.

Also this one on NJ 23 in Montague (I-84 comes within 50 feet of NJ as it crosses the Delaware River, but it never enters)

https://goo.gl/maps/n5VRvkmzrF9w9Dee8

[webny99]

Does this count as an "advance warning for interchange"?

The NYS Thruway does that same thing, too. Under the broad scope of what those actual words mean, yes, that is an advance warning for interchange, but not what I'm looking for with this thread.

For this thread I'm looking for signs that have everything that's on a standard 1 mile or 1/2 mile advance sign: tab with exit number, route number or street name, and destination(s).

[jmacswimmer]

Can we include advance signage for rest areas/service plazas into the discussion?  I can think of several states (such as PA & NY) that give quite the advance notice for their service plazas - for example, here's one on the PA Turnpike, and one on I-83 North leaving the Baltimore area.

[MisterSG1]

Ontario, Canada, has an interesting practice of posting the first advance warning sign for the next interchange at the gore point of the previous interchange.
Here's an example. This means that the amount of advance notice you get for the interchange depends on how much distance there is between the exits. It also leads to some cases of excessive advance notice, like the one linked to for 7 km, which translates to 4.34 miles.

Are there any states in the US that use this same practice in a widespread way?
Additionally, what is the longest distance on an advance warning sign in the US? This does not include interchange sequence signs - we already have a thread for those. This is just for signs that refer to a single upcoming interchange. Here's 2 miles to I-271 east of Cleveland, OH.
Some states use 2 miles regularly. Others, like NY, are more sparse. What is the standard for your state? Does it differ for urban vs. rural areas?


(Also, is there a better, more concise name for these than 'Advance Warning for Interchange Signs'? That seems clumsy - if there's a better term I'll update the thread title.)

As an aside, Ontario for the record calls that kind of sign a pre-advance (according to Book 8 of the Ontario Traffic Manual) The advance in Ontario is either the ground mounted advance usually 1km back or the unique overhead signs with the arrows about 300-600m back from an interchange. The highest on a pre-advance I can think of right now for a single exit I think is for York-Durham Line at 407 WB/Brock Road interchange, has an advance of 8 km I think.

I know you asked for US examples, but there's a ground mounted advance if you will on the 401 WB beyond Woodstock which reads

{402}
Sarnia

EXIT 45 km

Unless it's not there, as I've not been that way in quite some time, that's the kind of example you're looking for.

[EpicRoadways]

Can we include advance signage for rest areas/service plazas into the discussion?  I can think of several states (such as PA & NY) that give quite the advance notice for their service plazas - for example, here's one on the PA Turnpike, and one on I-83 North leaving the Baltimore area.

You can find some of those signs scattered around rural MN as well- they don't seem to serve any purpose since Minnesota already lists the distance to the next rest area at each rest area ("Rest Area 'X' Miles/ Next Rest Area 'X' Miles"- type signs). They would make sense as supplemental signs where a lot of long-distance traffic enters the freeway after the previous rest area to inform truckers and other travelers "new" to the highway of rest stops (which it seems like is the case in your second example), but in MN they seem to be purely for random reassurance and not based on traffic patterns at all.

[kphoger]

I know you asked for US examples, but there's a ground mounted advance if you will on the 401 WB beyond Woodstock which reads

{402}
Sarnia

EXIT 45 km

Unless it's not there, as I've not been that way in quite some time, that's the kind of example you're looking for.

Still there as of August 2019, according to GSV.

[andrepoiy]

Ontario, Canada, has an interesting practice of posting the first advance warning sign for the next interchange at the gore point of the previous interchange.
Here's an example.

This only happens on relatively urban parts of freeways (these don't appear on signs that are on the roadside, only on overhead gantries).

[paulthemapguy]

Can we include advance signage for rest areas/service plazas into the discussion?  I can think of several states (such as PA & NY) that give quite the advance notice for their service plazas - for example, here's one on the PA Turnpike, and one on I-83 North leaving the Baltimore area.

This, also on I-88, should be entered into the contest:  https://goo.gl/maps/8sGyjCy9RWek6bZs5

[Mapmikey]

....

I'd be curious if there were any other situations of an interstate trailblazer posted in a state that it never enters.

Sure. There are several I-295 trailblazers on surface streets in Virginia for the route of that number across the river in Maryland and DC.

Here's one on Mill Road in Alexandria, for example; I passed this one on Sunday on my way home from the bottle recycling place on Eisenhower Avenue: https://goo.gl/maps/dPCmzvjHz8P8Hjcb6  (Bonus: Go back to the intersection just before where the camera is for a very ugly I-95 shield.)

Here's another on Eisenhower a short distance east of there: https://goo.gl/maps/1EKXNeN7UX4R7bTW8 (there's another a little further along in the background)

Go around the corner onto Mill Road and there's another pointing the way back: https://goo.gl/maps/7kY1zLswyqiqW2Ly7

There are I-12 shields in Mississippi (with the Mississippi state name) - https://goo.gl/maps/7m71XwNeabBij1qo8
There are I-185 shields in Alabama - https://goo.gl/maps/7du49qV1ZH4TvMaV6
There are I-59 shields in Tennessee - https://goo.gl/maps/ZhSER7PC3EZCHr6Z7
There are I-64 shields in Ohio - https://goo.gl/maps/FbZPs9nQbBm5nGpr8
There are I-68 shields in Pennsylvania - https://goo.gl/maps/GAoYusf9JUrTQ8wv9
There are I-270 shields in Virginia - https://goo.gl/maps/yeosJdajab3CqMRH9
Could've sworn I've seen an I-66 shield in Maryland but cannot find it.
Surprisingly there is no I-84 shield in New Jersey (though I found a US 6 shield).  You can see an I-84 shield from NJ on NJ 23 but all the signs are on the NY side of the line.

[jmacswimmer]

There are I-12 shields in Mississippi (with the Mississippi state name) - https://goo.gl/maps/7m71XwNeabBij1qo8
There are I-185 shields in Alabama - https://goo.gl/maps/7du49qV1ZH4TvMaV6
There are I-59 shields in Tennessee - https://goo.gl/maps/ZhSER7PC3EZCHr6Z7
There are I-64 shields in Ohio - https://goo.gl/maps/FbZPs9nQbBm5nGpr8
There are I-68 shields in Pennsylvania - https://goo.gl/maps/GAoYusf9JUrTQ8wv9
There are I-270 shields in Virginia - https://goo.gl/maps/yeosJdajab3CqMRH9
Could've sworn I've seen an I-66 shield in Maryland but cannot find it.
Surprisingly there is no I-84 shield in New Jersey (though I found a US 6 shield).  You can see an I-84 shield from NJ on NJ 23 but all the signs are on the NY side of the line.

Yes - The I-66 reference in Maryland is on this overhead on I-95 south approaching I-495.

I wonder if there's any I-80/I-90 shields in Michigan where the Indiana Toll Road is running just south of the state line?

EDIT: Yes, US 12 at the M-66 intersection (which leads to Toll Road exit 121 just over the border)

[sprjus4]

Surprisingly there is no I-84 shield in New Jersey (though I found a US 6 shield).  You can see an I-84 shield from NJ on NJ 23 but all the signs are on the NY side of the line.

Isn't this "JCT I-84" sign technically on the New Jersey side?
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.3528956,-74.6854571,3a,49.4y,36.61h,78.32t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sz5OutaecCC8UqF4zjDha9w!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e1

[cpzilliacus]

There are I-270 shields in Virginia - https://goo.gl/maps/yeosJdajab3CqMRH9

Another one here before the American Legion Bridge at the Potomac River (the 270 shield fell off and was missing for quite a few years but I reported it to VDOT and they eventually replaced it):
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.9619546,-77.1870067,3a,75y,67.54h,91.54t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s1zMxZt_8B2Z8rA9-OWuBiQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Could've sworn I've seen an I-66 shield in Maryland but cannot find it.

There used to be one on southbound MD-295 (B-W Parkway) at MD-193 in Greenbelt, but it is gone.

This one is still there on southbound I-95 between MD-200 (ICC) and MD-212 in Beltsville:

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.0601994,-76.9238192,3a,75y,214.74h,101.13t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sQL7HNMmvqjPvTblj46QrGQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

[Jmiles32]

Here's a relatively new one in Northern Virginia approaching the Springfield interchange, although by no means the longest in the state: https://www.google.com/maps/@38.6741307,-77.2394255,3a,75y,64.35h,92.4t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sjU_Oh7XIg_xyNvIYJKPEJQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en&authuser=0

Personally wouldn't mind seeing a similar sign just after the northern I-295 interchange near Richmond. However, what would be even better IMO would be having ones that say "I-695 Baltimore Beltway 22 miles" and "I-95/I-495 Capital Beltway 22 miles" just after the College Park (northbound) and Arbutus (southbound) interchanges respectively.

[cpzilliacus]

Here's a relatively new one in Northern Virginia approaching the Springfield interchange, although by no means the longest in the state: https://www.google.com/maps/@38.6741307,-77.2394255,3a,75y,64.35h,92.4t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sjU_Oh7XIg_xyNvIYJKPEJQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en&authuser=0

That would be the first mention of New York on I-95 northbound.