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Interstate 195 (RI/MA)

Started by southshore720, March 29, 2014, 08:39:59 AM

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southshore720

I noticed the now-infamous little orange markers on the side of I-195 prepping for the new signage replacement between MA exits 1-11.  Does anyone know when that project is expected to be completed?  I think I read something about this in a previous thread, but I don't recall which thread it was covered in.

I also noticed an interesting temporary orange construction sign that is using digital time estimates regarding how to navigate arround the closed MA 79 ramp (Exit 5).  The sign is so large and busy that I couldn't really read what it said moving along at 70 MPH.  It's interesting that they would put all that time and money with traffic estimates for a temporary sign.  There's also a counterpart to this sign on MA 24 South in the Exit 7 vicinity.


bob7374

Quote from: southshore720 on March 29, 2014, 08:39:59 AM
I noticed the now-infamous little orange markers on the side of I-195 prepping for the new signage replacement between MA exits 1-11.  Does anyone know when that project is expected to be completed?  I think I read something about this in a previous thread, but I don't recall which thread it was covered in.
The project is updating signs both along I-195 and MA 24. According to the MassDOT project listing, it is now 10% complete and is scheduled to be completed in Spring 2015.

Here's the description of the project's scope from MassDOT:
SEEKONK- DARTMOUTH- GUIDE & TRAFFIC SIGN REPLACEMENT ON I-195 & SR 24
This project is for the replacement of existing guide and traffic signs on Interstate Route 195 from the Rhode Island/Massachusetts state border in Seekonk easterly to the Reed Road interchange (Exits 11A-B) in Dartmouth. Replacements of existing guide and traffic signs will also be made on state Route 24 within Fall River from the Rhode Island/Massachusetts state border northerly to the Route 24/I-195 interchange. Also included is the replacement of applicable signing on intersecting secondary roadways.

southshore720

Thanks Bob!  Hopefully it's not the same contractor doing the I-93 work at a snail's pace!

Another thing (signage-wise) that bothers me about I-195 is in the Rhode Island EB stretch at Exits 7-8.  Instead of including those signs in the iWay sign replacement contract, they left these decrepit orphans up and they look horrible.  When they realigned US 6 from Exit 7 to Exit 8, instead of furnishing new signs, RIDOT cut and pasted.  The end result was a Kindergarten project with bad use of "green-out" on the Exit 8 sign.  It just looks incredibly sloppy.  There is one new sign for Exit 6 EB (which lists way too many streets from its original "Broadway" designation) and one new 1/2 mile approach sign for Exit 7 EB, but that's all in the East Providence stretch.  These signs may now be some of the oldest ones in the state now!

roadman

Quote from: southshore720 on March 31, 2014, 09:44:41 AM
Thanks Bob!  Hopefully it's not the same contractor doing the I-93 work at a snail's pace!

Hate to burst your bubble, but the I-195 contractor is Liddell Brothers of Halifax, MA.  They're the same contractor doing the re-signing on I-93 between Randolph and Boston.
"And ninety-five is the route you were on.  It was not the speed limit sign."  - Jim Croce (from Speedball Tucker)

"My life has been a tapestry
Of years of roads and highway signs" (with apologies to Carole King and Tom Rush)

southshore720

 :poke: **BURST!**  So I guess we'll see those signs in 2020 as this contractor has no sense of urgency or schedule...

roadman

Quote from: southshore720 on March 29, 2014, 08:39:59 AM
I also noticed an interesting temporary orange construction sign that is using digital time estimates regarding how to navigate arround the closed MA 79 ramp (Exit 5).  The sign is so large and busy that I couldn't really read what it said moving along at 70 MPH.  It's interesting that they would put all that time and money with traffic estimates for a temporary sign.  There's also a counterpart to this sign on MA 24 South in the Exit 7 vicinity.
As I understand it, these "temporary" signs (and the detector equipment related to them) will be intergrated into the pending statewide system of permanent travel time signs - the contract for which is to be advertised for bids by late Spring of 2014.  These signs are currently are black on orange because they specifically relate to an active construction project, but I've been told they will be re-faced as white on green once the Route 79 work is completed and the statewide project is "on-line".
"And ninety-five is the route you were on.  It was not the speed limit sign."  - Jim Croce (from Speedball Tucker)

"My life has been a tapestry
Of years of roads and highway signs" (with apologies to Carole King and Tom Rush)

southshore720

I doubt we're going to see any progress on this signing project through the winter.  At last check recently, there were some new large I-195 reassurance shields with a narrow font.  In the I-93 thread, Bob mentioned some new permanent traffic time VMS' on RI 24, but any on the I-195 mainline, especially heading to the Cape?

bob7374

Quote from: southshore720 on November 03, 2014, 01:14:36 PM
I doubt we're going to see any progress on this signing project through the winter.  At last check recently, there were some new large I-195 reassurance shields with a narrow font.  In the I-93 thread, Bob mentioned some new permanent traffic time VMS' on RI 24, but any on the I-195 mainline, especially heading to the Cape?
While I didn't drive I-195 outside of where it runs with MA 24 on Saturday, in doing some research for the age of signs I saw using Street View, I noticed the I-195 photos had been updated as of this September. It shows the new I-195 shields with the narrow font and one new permanent traffic time sign for the Braga Bridge heading westbound before the first MA 24 exit. You could check it out the other way to see if there are any permanent traffic time signs heading that direction.

southshore720

I was on I-195 this weekend and noticed some progress on the sign replacement project.  There was some new signage erected for Exits 9-11, moreso Eastbound than Westbound.  It looks like they will replace signs starting in Dartmouth and finally making their way down to Seekonk.  The new signs for Exit 10 (Horseneck Beach) look nice...they use a lot less green space than their predecessors.

southshore720

SIGNING PROJECT UPDATE:  I was on I-195 over the weekend and there has been sporadic sign replacement between Exits 1-3 and between Exits 8-9.  Due to the construction on the Braga Bridge / Exit 5 Interchange, I don't know if they are going to erect the signage for that exit just yet.  The staging area is in a deserted parking area off of I-195 Eastbound.  There were many signs and gantries just waiting to be erected!

PHLBOS

Quote from: bob7374 on November 03, 2014, 10:53:43 PMIt shows the new I-195 shields with the narrow font.
Exhibit A

Ugh!  Series B on a 3dI-shield containing a 1.  Not only is such idiotic (& ugly IMHO) but it's also non-compliant with MassDOT's current standards stating that Series D is to be used for all route number signs/shields.  Personally, Series C should be used for 3-digit routes not having a 1 and all 4-digit routes (MA has at least two of them).

Series D, I-195 shield further west  Such looks 10-times better IMHO.
GPS does NOT equal GOD

Pete from Boston

Is the interchange work around 140 done?  I regularly visited folks down that way who have since moved, so I have not kept up.

roadman

Quote from: southshore720 on September 09, 2015, 02:51:32 PM
SIGNING PROJECT UPDATE:  I was on I-195 over the weekend and there has been sporadic sign replacement between Exits 1-3 and between Exits 8-9.  Due to the construction on the Braga Bridge / Exit 5 Interchange, I don't know if they are going to erect the signage for that exit just yet.  The staging area is in a deserted parking area off of I-195 Eastbound.  There were many signs and gantries just waiting to be erected!
The signs on the Braga Bridge and within the Exit 5 interchange were originally proposed to be replaced as part of the I-195 signing.  However, shortly after the work was awarded, a decision was made to transfer that work to the Braga Bridge/Route 79 project.
"And ninety-five is the route you were on.  It was not the speed limit sign."  - Jim Croce (from Speedball Tucker)

"My life has been a tapestry
Of years of roads and highway signs" (with apologies to Carole King and Tom Rush)

southshore720

UPDATE:  I rode MA 24 / RI 24 to Newport yesterday and noticed that the Exit 4 approach to I-195 via MA 24 South was replaced with new diagrammatics.  I didn't think that this end of MA 24 was part of that I-195 re-signing contract, so that was a nice surprise.  Most of the MA 24 Fall River section is replaced, although there are still a few sign bridges left to go in the NB direction.  The I-195 Exit 8B diagrammatics for the left MA 24 North exit are still not up yet, though.  Because RIDOT is responsible for the approach to MA Exit 1 on MA 24 NB ( :-/), don't expect to see any new approach BGS' from them.

southshore720

Slightly related:  I also notice they never took down the gantry for the "toll bridge attempt" over the Sakonnet bridge.  Only the toll devices were removed...  What a fail that was!

PHLBOS

Quote from: southshore720 on December 14, 2015, 03:21:31 PM
UPDATE:  I rode MA 24 / RI 24 to Newport yesterday and noticed that the Exit 4 approach to I-195 via MA 24 South was replaced with new diagrammatics.  I didn't think that this end of MA 24 was part of that I-195 re-signing contract, so that was a nice surprise.
Scroll up and see Reply #1 in this thread for project scope & description.  Replacement signage along this stretch of MA 24 was indeed part of the signage contract.
Quote from: southshore720 on December 14, 2015, 03:23:25 PM
Slightly related:  I also notice they never took down the gantry for the "toll bridge attempt" over the Sakonnet bridge.  Only the toll devices were removed...  What a fail that was!
A recent photo of the old bridge on Facebook still showed the old guidance signage mounted on it.  RIDOT leaving items behind seems to be par for the course.
GPS does NOT equal GOD

bob7374

Quote from: southshore720 on December 14, 2015, 03:21:31 PM
UPDATE:  I rode MA 24 / RI 24 to Newport yesterday and noticed that the Exit 4 approach to I-195 via MA 24 South was replaced with new diagrammatics.  I didn't think that this end of MA 24 was part of that I-195 re-signing contract, so that was a nice surprise.  Most of the MA 24 Fall River section is replaced, although there are still a few sign bridges left to go in the NB direction.  The I-195 Exit 8B diagrammatics for the left MA 24 North exit are still not up yet, though.  Because RIDOT is responsible for the approach to MA Exit 1 on MA 24 NB ( :-/), don't expect to see any new approach BGS' from them.
Was through this stretch today and, sad to say, not much more has been done. I did get photos of the  diagrammatic signs on MA 24 South, including:


As well as f the new reassurance markers, here on I-195 West:


More images can be found, along with a summary of the past few months news on the MassDOT Milepost Exit Conversion project, in this blog post:
http://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2016/05/new-massachusetts-exit-signage-and.html

PHLBOS

Quote from: bob7374 on May 16, 2016, 11:34:06 PM
Given that the 3di contains a 1 in it; the numerals for that I-195 shield should be Series D.  Current MassDOT specs call for such regardless of the numerals (I, personally don't agree w/that particular policy).

Quote from: bob7374 on May 16, 2016, 11:34:06 PM
CT 24 has invaded Fall River lol.  We will not talk about the Series B numerals on that I-195 shield.
GPS does NOT equal GOD

The Ghostbuster

I think the direction tabs on the reassurance shields should have been in the middle, not on the left side.

PHLBOS

Quote from: The Ghostbuster on May 18, 2016, 03:14:52 PM
I think the direction tabs on the reassurance shields should have been in the middle, not on the left side.
MA has done such, at least for its large/oversized 3-digit route shields for some time (since the 90s); I'm not too fond of nor condone the practice, just giving the lowdown.  However, doing such for a large 2-digit route shield doesn't happen as often.

I have seen other states do similar from time to time.  Here's an example along another Route 24 in NJ with the direction tab on the right side.  Given that the direction/cardinal banner is more adequately sized with respect to the route shield; this one should've been centered above the shield.
GPS does NOT equal GOD

AMLNet49

It has to do with the fact that they use regular sized banners with the oversized shields. I always wondered why they couldn't have oversized banners made that would fit across both posts, because the issue seems to be that the standard banners simply aren't wide enough to stretch across both posts, so they simply affix it to the one closest to the roadway.

PHLBOS

Quote from: AMLNet49 on May 18, 2016, 05:54:29 PM
It has to do with the fact that they use regular sized banners with the oversized shields. I always wondered why they couldn't have oversized banners made that would fit across both posts, because the issue seems to be that the standard banners simply aren't wide enough to stretch across both posts, so they simply affix it to the one closest to the roadway.
Here's an example of where 2 regular-sized banners are placed above (& side-by-side) an oversized shield.
GPS does NOT equal GOD

AMLNet49

Quote from: PHLBOS on May 19, 2016, 08:50:16 AM
Quote from: AMLNet49 on May 18, 2016, 05:54:29 PM
It has to do with the fact that they use regular sized banners with the oversized shields. I always wondered why they couldn't have oversized banners made that would fit across both posts, because the issue seems to be that the standard banners simply aren't wide enough to stretch across both posts, so they simply affix it to the one closest to the roadway.
Here's an example of where 2 regular-sized banners are placed above (& side-by-side) an oversized shield.

I'll also add that today I obverved several shields on the southern part of I-495 and all of MA-25 that used a crossbar to center a banner over the oversized shield. I had never paid attention to this I guess but I definitely now recall seeing it in other places.

roadman

Quote from: AMLNet49 on May 19, 2016, 04:47:35 PM
Quote from: PHLBOS on May 19, 2016, 08:50:16 AM
Quote from: AMLNet49 on May 18, 2016, 05:54:29 PM
It has to do with the fact that they use regular sized banners with the oversized shields. I always wondered why they couldn't have oversized banners made that would fit across both posts, because the issue seems to be that the standard banners simply aren't wide enough to stretch across both posts, so they simply affix it to the one closest to the roadway.
Here's an example of where 2 regular-sized banners are placed above (& side-by-side) an oversized shield.

I'll also add that today I obverved several shields on the southern part of I-495 and all of MA-25 that used a crossbar to center a banner over the oversized shield. I had never paid attention to this I guess but I definitely now recall seeing it in other places.

The problem with such a mounting is that the crossbar piece may prevent the support posts from properly yielding if struck by a vehicle.  This is one of the reasons that the cardinal direction plates are normally mounted to the left post of such installations, and not centered over the shield.

Note that, on Interstates and freeways, MassDOT has begun phasing out the use of the twin telescopic posts in favor of single slip-base mounted steel beams to support route markers, as this support method is more robust in wind.  The route assemblies recently installed on the I-95 (128) between Wellesley and Lexington are an example of this newer mounting method.
"And ninety-five is the route you were on.  It was not the speed limit sign."  - Jim Croce (from Speedball Tucker)

"My life has been a tapestry
Of years of roads and highway signs" (with apologies to Carole King and Tom Rush)

bob7374

Quote from: roadman on May 19, 2016, 08:19:25 PM
Quote from: AMLNet49 on May 19, 2016, 04:47:35 PM
It has to do with the fact that they use regular sized banners with the oversized shields. I always wondered why they couldn't have oversized banners made that would fit across both posts, because the issue seems to be that the standard banners simply aren't wide enough to stretch across both posts, so they simply affix it to the one closest to the roadway.

The problem with such a mounting is that the crossbar piece may prevent the support posts from properly yielding if struck by a vehicle.  This is one of the reasons that the cardinal direction plates are normally mounted to the left post of such installations, and not centered over the shield.

Note that, on Interstates and freeways, MassDOT has begun phasing out the use of the twin telescopic posts in favor of single slip-base mounted steel beams to support route markers, as this support method is more robust in wind.  The route assemblies recently installed on the I-95 (128) between Wellesley and Lexington are an example of this newer mounting method.
Here's an example from Waltham to illustrate Roadman's comments on the new type of single beam assemblies:



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