Massachusetts milepost exit numbering conversion contract

[vdeane]

Not sure if this has been discussed, but it looks like 395N is now concurrent with I-290 all the way from it's old end point (at I-290 and the Mass Pike) to I-495.

The mile markers now show the mileage points for both I-290 and I-395.

However, the signage still shows "End 395, Begin 290" at 290/MA Pike interchange.

That's MA's dual milemarker plan.  They're not actually extending I-395 at this time.  It would have been simpler to just have I-290 itself continue I-395's milemarkers directly, but that option seems to have required too much imagination for MassDOT's bureaucrats.

Agreed. Given they wanted dual milemarkers, couldn't they have put up the new ones without the I-395 shields? Seems like they're going out of the way to confuse people, or they are seriously considering dropping I-290 for I-395 north of the Pike, which they said they would consider if it caused too much confusion (a self-fulfilling prophecy?). Why not simply post 'Exit Mile' or 'Total Mile' markers instead?

Here's the first set of dual mile markers heading east on I-290:


In a few cases they put new I-395 mile markers up where the I-290 marker was not present, that isn't confusing, is it? Here's an example in Shrewsbury:

What's weird is I was just through there at the beginning of August, looked for these, and didn't see any.

On top of this, there appears to be a gap at Exit 11B on I-395 North (at least as of this past Sunday).  The mile marker at the exit gore is for mile 11.6.  However, at the onramp merge immediately following (where I-290 mile marker 0 is) the next I-395 mile marker is for mile 12.  What happened to mile 11.8? 

I'm guessing they skipped 11.8 in order to sync the miles up.

[Old Dominionite]

During all my years in New England (including 4 years of college in Worcester), I never thought twice about I-395 and I-290, and I never heard anyone else voice confusion or concern about the numbering change at the Mass. Pike. To me I-395 and I-290 have always functioned as separate routes. For example, coming westbound on I-290, the majority of traffic exits either at the Pike or US 20.

I don't see any value in placing dual mileposts on I-290. And I certainly don't see any value to renumbering I-290 as an extension of I-395 in the future. I think that move would cause significant confusion within and around Worcester -- to say nothing about the costs to businesses having to remarket themselves and educate customer bases.

And what happens to I-190? Does it keep the same number and serve as a disconnected orphan route (now confusingly) several miles from its parent route, or does it have to renumbered as well?

I think the current numbering convention works. I-395 is a spur from I-95 through eastern Connecticut up into central Massachusetts. I-290 is a loop through Worcester that parallels its parent route to the north. And I-190 is a spur off I-290 to the Fitchburg area.

MassDOT's ideas of placing dual mileposts and potentially renumbering I-290 appear to be "solutions" in search of a problem.

[SkyPesos]

During all my years in New England (including 4 years of college in Worcester), I never thought twice about I-395 and I-290, and I never heard anyone else voice confusion or concern about the numbering change at the Mass. Pike. To me I-395 and I-290 have always functioned as separate routes. For example, coming westbound on I-290, the majority of traffic exits either at the Pike or US 20.

For some history, I-290 came first, and it was initially the number proposed for the Worcester-New London interstate, as it's pretty much a continuation south. Not sure why it was changed to I-395 later down the line in the drawing board, but I guess that it has something to do with AASHTO getting picky with the numbering.

[JWF1959]

During all my years in New England (including 4 years of college in Worcester), I never thought twice about I-395 and I-290, and I never heard anyone else voice confusion or concern about the numbering change at the Mass. Pike. To me I-395 and I-290 have always functioned as separate routes. For example, coming westbound on I-290, the majority of traffic exits either at the Pike or US 20.

For some history, I-290 came first, and it was initially the number proposed for the Worcester-New London interstate, as it's pretty much a continuation south. Not sure why it was changed to I-395 later down the line in the drawing board, but I guess that it has something to do with AASHTO getting picky with the numbering.

Wasn't I-395 originally numbered Route 52 for awhile?  I seem to remember where I-290 ended, the road became Route 52 for a period of time.

[snowc]

So that means bye bye to Left Exit 12? 

[hotdogPi]

So that means bye bye to Left Exit 12? 

It's already gone.

[snowc]

So that means bye bye to Left Exit 12? 

It's already gone.

That's so sad! 

[SkyPesos]

It's left exit 26 now.

Btw, any images of the "left exit 12" sign with the new 26 exit number? I checked this thread , and didn't find any here.

[jp the roadgeek]

During all my years in New England (including 4 years of college in Worcester), I never thought twice about I-395 and I-290, and I never heard anyone else voice confusion or concern about the numbering change at the Mass. Pike. To me I-395 and I-290 have always functioned as separate routes. For example, coming westbound on I-290, the majority of traffic exits either at the Pike or US 20.

For some history, I-290 came first, and it was initially the number proposed for the Worcester-New London interstate, as it's pretty much a continuation south. Not sure why it was changed to I-395 later down the line in the drawing board, but I guess that it has something to do with AASHTO getting picky with the numbering.

Wasn't I-395 originally numbered Route 52 for awhile?  I seem to remember where I-290 ended, the road became Route 52 for a period of time.

That would've been the case prior to 1983.  I-395 was CT/MA 52.

[snowc]

It's left exit 26 now.

Btw, any images of the "left exit 12" sign with the new 26 exit number? I checked this thread , and didn't find any here.

Only one I can find is a meme that I made.

[yakra]

1009x636 JPEG

Go to https://malmeroads.net/mass21c/neexitrenumbering.html#i95signs4 and search for the string Old EXIT 12

[bob7374]

I've completed posting photos taken of exit renumbering along I-290 East, including some which include examples of the dual mile markers:


All can be found here: https://malmeroads.net/mass21c/neexitrenumbering.html#i290signs

I hope to get photos of along I-290 West soon.

[bob7374]

According to this article, MassDOT announced yesterday that the Exit Renumbering Project is complete:
https://www.masslive.com/news/2021/09/massachusetts-highway-exit-renumbering-complete.html

[kramie13]

I received an email from MassDOT today, indicating that the exit renumbering project is complete.

You have to give the contractors a lot of credit, completing this in under a year during a global pandemic.

[bob7374]

I received an email from MassDOT today, indicating that the exit renumbering project is complete.

You have to give the contractors a lot of credit, completing this in under a year during a global pandemic.

Here's the official MassDOT blog post that echoes the email:
http://blog.mass.gov/transportation/massdot-highway/statewide-exit-renumbering-work-complete/

[shadyjay]

I do have to hand it to them (MassDOT, and the contractor) for getting it done so quickly and efficiently.  After the first attempt a couple years ago, we weren't sure when/if the state was going to convert, but then they went for it, and got it done. 

A lot of states could learn from this... (cough...CT...cough).  A project will be released next year to renumber CT 8's exits.  For some reason, CT is changing out perfectly good exit tabs (some tabs on signs that haven't even been installed yet) instead of using overlays.  Seems like an incredible waste of time and money.  No wonder the project to renumber CT exits will take 10 years. 

[kramie13]

Some of the new exit numbers (and old exit number signs) can now be viewed on Google Maps Street View!

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9929188,-71.179675,3a,25.6y,115.02h,88.99t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s-VHC2Hvr-fmCet8BeWLzxA!2e0!5s20210701T000000!7i16384!8i8192

[bob7374]

I've posted the photos taken during a trip along I-290 East last Sunday, these include many new overhead signs with non-centered numbers on their exit tabs:


and the placing of a wrong exit number for the MA 122A exit, should be 17 (MA 122 is 18), the distance is wrong to, it is 1 1/2 miles to the MA 122A ramp from the sign location:


All the photos are at New England Exit Renumbering Central:
https://malmeroads.net/mass21c/neexitrenumbering.html#i290signs

[bob7374]

With the Exit Renumbering Project completed, I've summarized my views on both the good and the not so good aspects of the project on the Gribblenation Blog Site:
https://www.gribblenation.org/2021/09/massachusetts-exit-renumbering-good-bad.html

[SkyPesos]

With the Exit Renumbering Project completed, I've summarized my views on both the good and the not so good aspects of the project on the Gribblenation Blog Site:
https://www.gribblenation.org/2021/09/massachusetts-exit-renumbering-good-bad.html

I thought Gribblenation is mainly focused on roads in the Southwestern US (California mostly) from the compilation thread (and all the threads in the Southwest board) for the site. Nice to see it expanding to other parts of the country.

[Alps]

With the Exit Renumbering Project completed, I've summarized my views on both the good and the not so good aspects of the project on the Gribblenation Blog Site:
https://www.gribblenation.org/2021/09/massachusetts-exit-renumbering-good-bad.html

I thought Gribblenation is mainly focused on roads in the Southwestern US (California mostly) from the compilation thread (and all the threads in the Southwest board) for the site. Nice to see it expanding to other parts of the country.

Um, Gribblenation is a northeastern-based website... it just happens to have a quite active SW contributor.

[SkyPesos]

With the Exit Renumbering Project completed, I've summarized my views on both the good and the not so good aspects of the project on the Gribblenation Blog Site:
https://www.gribblenation.org/2021/09/massachusetts-exit-renumbering-good-bad.html

I thought Gribblenation is mainly focused on roads in the Southwestern US (California mostly) from the compilation thread (and all the threads in the Southwest board) for the site. Nice to see it expanding to other parts of the country.

Um, Gribblenation is a northeastern-based website... it just happens to have a quite active SW contributor.

Oh... I didn't know that.

[CanesFan27]

With the Exit Renumbering Project completed, I've summarized my views on both the good and the not so good aspects of the project on the Gribblenation Blog Site:
https://www.gribblenation.org/2021/09/massachusetts-exit-renumbering-good-bad.html

I thought Gribblenation is mainly focused on roads in the Southwestern US (California mostly) from the compilation thread (and all the threads in the Southwest board) for the site. Nice to see it expanding to other parts of the country.

You don't know us that well, do you?

[Rothman]

With the Exit Renumbering Project completed, I've summarized my views on both the good and the not so good aspects of the project on the Gribblenation Blog Site:
https://www.gribblenation.org/2021/09/massachusetts-exit-renumbering-good-bad.html

I thought Gribblenation is mainly focused on roads in the Southwestern US (California mostly) from the compilation thread (and all the threads in the Southwest board) for the site. Nice to see it expanding to other parts of the country.

You don't know us that well, do you?

Hey now, give the overly assertive newbie a little slack.

[Alps]

With the Exit Renumbering Project completed, I've summarized my views on both the good and the not so good aspects of the project on the Gribblenation Blog Site:
https://www.gribblenation.org/2021/09/massachusetts-exit-renumbering-good-bad.html

I thought Gribblenation is mainly focused on roads in the Southwestern US (California mostly) from the compilation thread (and all the threads in the Southwest board) for the site. Nice to see it expanding to other parts of the country.

You don't know us that well, do you?

Hey now, give the overly assertive newbie a little slack.

sure why not now