Massachusetts

[JakeFromNewEngland]

Does anyone know if there any widening projects planned or proposed for the Cape? Obviously it's very hard to do now because of the development, but I'd be interested to see if they ever even thought about widening roads such as MA 28 or even US 6.

[Rothman]

Does anyone know if there any widening projects planned or proposed for the Cape? Obviously it's very hard to do now because of the development, but I'd be interested to see if they ever even thought about widening roads such as MA 28 or even US 6.

I can't imagine MA 28 would ever be widened.  Too many mini-golf courses would have to be taken out.

[Pete from Boston]

Does anyone know if there any widening projects planned or proposed for the Cape? Obviously it's very hard to do now because of the development, but I'd be interested to see if they ever even thought about widening roads such as MA 28 or even US 6.

I don't know anything about it, but merely talking out of my ass I would guess that between wetlands, the aquifer, and the Cape Cod Commission, it's got to be extra hard to widen Route 6.  It's also fairly pointless–I don't usually see bad traffic on the super-2 section other than at the lane drop (mitigating which doesn't warrant 12 additional lane-miles each way).  North of the rotary I could see a passing lane or two, but most of the problems there are just due to a narrow spit being very popular to visit.  At the Sagamore there is no sense building lanes to simply store traffic waiting to cross a narrow bridge (and there's another thread alread on that situation).

Plus, the Cape is in some ways an overblown competitor for highway dollars.  It's the state's biggest tourist region, but for four months a year, after which it's another semi-rural county suffering from economic depression, rampant substance abuse, brain drain, and nature's guaranteed-successful plan to eliminate it altogether.  Not exactly a growth area.

[JakeFromNewEngland]

I noticed they put up one of those new travel time signs that MassDOT has been installing on the Cape on I-195 east in Swansea just before the large construction zone. This one was orange though, is this due to it being temporary because of the road work zone?

[roadman]

I noticed they put up one of those new travel time signs that MassDOT has been installing on the Cape on I-195 east in Swansea just before the large construction zone. This one was orange though, is this due to it being temporary because of the road work zone?

Correct.  Once the Route 79 project is completed, the travel time signs on I-195 and Route 24 will be converted to standard white on green travel time signs.   My spies tell me that the revised signs will likely have different destinations than those on the current signs, which indicate routes and destinations relevant to the Route 79 project, though.

[AMLNet49]

I'm not sure if this has been addressed, but when the mileage based exit numbers are installed, will I-395 and I-290 be treated as two separate routes? Or will mileage on both of them start from the state line as is currently the case with the exit numbers?

[roadman]

I'm not sure if this has been addressed, but when the mileage based exit numbers are installed, will I-395 and I-290 be treated as two separate routes? Or will mileage on both of them start from the state line as is currently the case with the exit numbers?

As the mile merkers reset at the I-395/I-290 divide, the current plan is for I-395 and I-290 to be treated as separate routes for the exit numbers.

[PHLBOS]

Upgrading I-95 signage from Reading to Peabody is to occur in FY 2019 (Project 608205)

Weren't those signs already replaced not too long ago (less than 10 years)?  Such can't be just for exit number conversions.

along with upgrading signage on US 1 from Chelsea to Danvers (Project 608206) (will that include exit numbers?)

Somehow, I don't think that US 1 will be getting its own set of exit numbers but if it did (a la limited-access stretches of MA 2); such would only be for the Northeast Expressway (Chelsea to Revere/Saugus) stretch.  North of there (to the Danvers/Topsfield line), US 1 is a Jersey-type, arterial highway.  While highways of that ilk have interchanges; they're not typically numbered.

[roadman]

Weren't those signs already replaced not too long ago (less than 10 years)?  Such can't be just for exit number conversions.

Most on the signs on I-95 from Reading to Peabody were last updated in 1999 and 2000.  The signs on I-95 north at the Lynnfield/Peabody line for the Route 128 split were replaced in 2006 and will be retained as part of the new project.

Somehow, I don't think that US 1 will be getting its own set of exit numbers but if it did (a la limited-access stretches of MA 2); such would only be for the Northeast Expressway (Chelsea to Revere/Saugus) stretch.  North of there (to the Danvers/Topsfield line), US 1 is a Jersey-type, arterial highway.  While highways of that ilk have interchanges; they're not typically numbered.

US 1 between Chelsea and the Danvers/Topsfield line will not be getting exit numbers as part of either the exit renumbering project or the eventual sign replacement.

[roadman]

Route 9 interchange changes to start shortly:  http://blog.mass.gov/transportation/massdot-highway/needham-wellesley-i-95-add-a-lane-project-ramp-changes-ahead/

[bob7374]

While not yet on the MassDOT website, the Saturday Boston Globe had their weekly public notice of upcoming Highway Division Proposals which this week included the ad for the project "Exit Signage Conversion to Milepost-based Numbering System along various Interstates, Routes, and the Lowell Connector (608024)" Project Value $2.08 Million. The bids are to be opened on November 17.

[southshore720]

QUESTION:  Do MA 3 and US 3 share a mileage log, or does US 3 reset the mileage log in Cambridge when the designation changes?  Just curious for the eventual mileage-based exit numbering...

[roadman]

QUESTION:  Do MA 3 and US 3 share a mileage log, or does US 3 reset the mileage log in Cambridge when the designation changes?  Just curious for the eventual mileage-based exit numbering...

According to Despite MassDOT's Route Log, which implies that US 3 and MA 3 have separate mileposting unless you look at the data closely enough, the mileposting is continuous for both the MA and US sections for Route 3.  So the new exit numbers on each route will not indeed be related.  Of course, MA 3 will use the new I-93 exit numbers north of Braintree.

https://www.massdot.state.ma.us/planning/Main/MapsDataandReports/Maps/HighwayRouteLog.aspx

Thanks to PHLBOS for the clarification - my bad for not reading the Route Log information more closely

[cl94]

While not yet on the MassDOT website, the Saturday Boston Globe had their weekly public notice of upcoming Highway Division Proposals which this week included the ad for the project "Exit Signage Conversion to Milepost-based Numbering System along various Interstates, Routes, and the Lowell Connector (608024)" Project Value $2.08 Million. The bids are to be opened on November 17.

We knew this was coming within the next year or two, so not a shock. Glad to see it's actually moving forward.

[PHLBOS]

QUESTION:  Do MA 3 and US 3 share a mileage log, or does US 3 reset the mileage log in Cambridge when the designation changes?  Just curious for the eventual mileage-based exit numbering...

According to MassDOT's Route Log, US 3 and MA 3 have separate mileposting.  So the new exit numbers on each route will not be related.  Of course, MA 3 will use the new I-93 exit numbers north of Braintree.

https://www.massdot.state.ma.us/planning/Main/MapsDataandReports/Maps/HighwayRouteLog.aspx

At present & in the real world, US 3 mile markers contradict such and are indeed a continuation of MA 3.

Mile Marker 72.2 along northbound US 3 in Burlington

[roadman]

QUESTION:  Do MA 3 and US 3 share a mileage log, or does US 3 reset the mileage log in Cambridge when the designation changes?  Just curious for the eventual mileage-based exit numbering...

According to MassDOT's Route Log, US 3 and MA 3 have separate mileposting.  So the new exit numbers on each route will not be related.  Of course, MA 3 will use the new I-93 exit numbers north of Braintree.

https://www.massdot.state.ma.us/planning/Main/MapsDataandReports/Maps/HighwayRouteLog.aspx

At present & in the real world, US 3 mile markers contradict such and are indeed a continuation of MA 3.

Mile Marker 72.2 along northbound US 3 in Burlington

Thanks.  My bad for not reading the Route Log Info more closely - it's not the best site for getting info "at a glance".  I've corrected my original post.

[bob7374]

While not yet on the MassDOT website, the Saturday Boston Globe had their weekly public notice of upcoming Highway Division Proposals which this week included the ad for the project "Exit Signage Conversion to Milepost-based Numbering System along various Interstates, Routes, and the Lowell Connector (608024)" Project Value $2.08 Million. The bids are to be opened on November 17.

We knew this was coming within the next year or two, so not a shock. Glad to see it's actually moving forward.

The Project Bid Information page for the contract is now online, so far it only features a general contractor notice:
https://www.commbuys.com/bso/external/bidDetail.sdo?docId=BD-16-1030-0H100-0H002-00000005477&external=true&parentUrl=bid

[PHLBOS]

Thanks.  My bad for not reading the Route Log Info more closely - it's not the best site for getting info "at a glance".  I've corrected my original post.

No problem.  I have to wonder if the state's reasoning behind having the US/MA 3 mile markers continuous was for location purposes.  If the mile markers on US 3 were reset to 0; it would be very possible to a duplicate set of mile markers (and soon interchange numbers) along MA 3 in the South Shore and US 3 north of I-95.

[AMLNet49]

It is also due to the fact that Massachusetts does not distinguish between classes of routes. I-95 is officially Route 95, just like Route 2 is Route 2. So both Mass 3 and US-3 are simply Route 3.

[shadyjay]

Thanks.  My bad for not reading the Route Log Info more closely - it's not the best site for getting info "at a glance".  I've corrected my original post.

No problem.  I have to wonder if the state's reasoning behind having the US/MA 3 mile markers continuous was for location purposes.  If the mile markers on US 3 were reset to 0; it would be very possible to a duplicate set of mile markers (and soon interchange numbers) along MA 3 in the South Shore and US 3 north of I-95.

Also probably the same reason why exit numbers on US 3 were never changed from the "#25 is Route 128" model.  Exits on MA 3 are from #1-20.  If there was exit #1 on US 3, it could very well cause confusion. 

Just another reason why US 3 and MA 3 should either be merged or segregated... I suggest I-89 for US 3 north of 128/95. 

[KEVIN_224]

While in Massachusetts on Tuesday, I just had to ask again...when the hell is this sign in Auburn going to get changed out?

[Pete from Boston]

While in Massachusetts on Tuesday, I just had to ask again...when the hell is this sign in Auburn going to get changed out?

This thread has been abuzz with talk of Mass Pike sign replacement bid specs recently being published, so it is in the works.

[Jim]

While I am happy to hear that mileage-based exit numbers are coming very soon to the Mass Pike, I will be sad to see the one just posted in Auburn with the old pilgrim hat and the CT-style MA 33 outline shield westbound approaching Chicopee go away.

[Rothman]

While I am happy to hear that mileage-based exit numbers are coming very soon to the Mass Pike, I will be sad to see the one just posted in Auburn with the old pilgrim hat and the CT-style MA 33 outline shield westbound approaching Chicopee go away.

I believe the new signage will also no longer have MA 12 on it, either, which makes me sad.  I remember when it was I-290 / MA 12 / MA 52... *sigh*

[bob7374]

While I am happy to hear that mileage-based exit numbers are coming very soon to the Mass Pike, I will be sad to see the one just posted in Auburn with the old pilgrim hat and the CT-style MA 33 outline shield westbound approaching Chicopee go away.

I believe the new signage will also no longer have MA 12 on it, either, which makes me sad.  I remember when it was I-290 / MA 12 / MA 52... *sigh*

Yes, just I-290 and I-395, (and no reference to Auburn, both will be on auxiliary signage) as shown on this sign plan: