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Interstate 95 signing work
roadman:
Earlier today (3/6), MassDOT opened bids on a project to replace the guide signs on Interstate 95 (MA Route 128) between Route 9 in Wellesley and Routes 4/225 in Lexington. As with other recent MassDOT signing work of this type, both the panels and support structures will be completely replaced.
The panels on this section of I-95 were last replaced in the early 1990s, so there's no existing button copy or anything unusual (i.e. 'Parkway' embossed letters) that's going away. Of note to some, however, is the fact that this project area includes the now infamous peeling "pull-through" sign northbound in Lexington (the sign was somehow missed during the 1990s work). This panel will be removed but not replaced.
Assuming there are no delays in awarding the contract, actual sign and support replacement should begin sometime in late summer or early fall of 2012.
agentsteel53:
--- Quote from: roadman on March 06, 2012, 07:46:59 PM ---(i.e. 'Parkway' embossed letters)
--- End quote ---
do you have a photo of this? I don't recall what this means.
roadman:
--- Quote from: agentsteel53 on March 06, 2012, 07:49:44 PM ---
--- Quote from: roadman on March 06, 2012, 07:46:59 PM ---(i.e. 'Parkway' embossed letters)
--- End quote ---
do you have a photo of this? I don't recall what this means.
--- End quote ---
'Parkway' lettering was a short-lived 3M product that was produced in the mid to late 1960s and was touted at the time as a less expensive alternative to button copy. Essentially, it consisted of raised one-piece plastic letters made from early retro-reflective material (similar to today's Super Engineer Grade - or Type II - sheeting). On close inspection, it has a similar appearance to button copy except for the absense of reflectors.
It was used on a handful of overhead sign installations in Massachusetts (including MA Route 128 in the Wellesley and Waltham areas) in the late 1960s and early 1970s before 3M's encapsulated lens sheeting (now known as high intensity - or Type III) became the industry norm. As I noted, all the signs on 128 with 'Parkway' legend were replaced during the 1990s update project.
Somewhere in my archives I have some old 3M 'Parkway' lettering sales brochures. If I get a chance, I'll dig them out and scan them for posting to the group.
PurdueBill:
Too bad that it sounds like a goodly amount of button copy I-shields will go away. Last spring I was in Boston for several days and managed to catch a local news investigative report about replacement of signs that didn't appear to need replacing yet; MassDOT's response on camera was that they got the money to replace the signs so they might as well spend it. (There may be more actual need than that but they didn't say so very well. They made it sound like they were basically spending stimulus money that was thrown at them.) Except for the pull-through that is peeling, the signs in question are in good shape and no doubt the public may be wondering why they are being replaced when there appear to be more urgent needs.
Assuming that signage on intersecting roads and places like the C-D Exits 23-24-25 northbound section of original MA 128 get new signs, it will be the end of these beauties. Pity.
KEVIN_224:
Is that last picture from Recreation Road or whatever?
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