Longest distance/travel time on Travel Time VMS

[theline]

Most of us have noticed overhead VMS boards that display current travel times to intersections or cities. They are usually seen in metropolitan areas and I've only seen them showing destinations in the same metro area, until I saw this on SB I-65 in Hobart, IN:

GSV link: https://goo.gl/maps/D7YSSRRgqf22

The bottom destination on this sign is I-465 in Indianapolis, 134 miles and 130 minutes away. It seems like a silly use of the sign. I'm doubtful that the travel time varies much, except perhaps during extreme weather conditions.

I suspect this is the maximum mileage and perhaps the longest travel time displayed on one of these signs. Has anyone seen a greater distance or longer time?

[TheHighwayMan3561]

I wouldn't be surprised if the I-90 signs coming eastbound into Chicago have had some pretty ghastly numbers on them. My one experience was seeing 87 minutes from Arlington Heights to downtown. I turned to my ex-friend that I was with at the time and said "how do people live here?"

[busman_49]

I was going to offer up this one on I-71 north just south of the Delaware/Sunbury exit:
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.2495823,-82.9285966,3a,25.5y,22.59h,89.26t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sDLN6mkfEuWLa3fKFYFw2SA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

...but theline has me beat by about 50 miles.

[Brandon]

I wouldn't be surprised if the I-90 signs coming eastbound into Chicago have had some pretty ghastly numbers on them. My one experience was seeing 87 minutes from Arlington Heights to downtown. I turned to my ex-friend that I was with at the time and said "how do people live here?"

Just wait for the snow to fly, and the dreaded 180+ minute time from the Loop to I-80 on I-55.
Here's a link with all the current VMSs with their travel times around Chicagoland: http://www.travelmidwest.com/lmiga/dms.jsp
It's a drop menu for the region. Watch them climb as the rush ensues.

Here's a travel time statistical analysis from that type of weather as well (I-55, Ryan to I-80): http://www.travelmidweststats.com/Reports/Quick/IL/I55/SB/DanRyan/I80/2015-02-27/2018-02-27/0/0/1/0/0/0/0/2/0/24/1/1/0/0/0/1/1/0/1/0

[tdindy88]

I drive by one of these every day, being southbound I-65 on the south side of Indianapolis with distances and times to SR 46, US 50 and I-265. The distance is of course the same but the time does fluctuate from time to time by a few minutes. Speaking of snow, that's usually when this information ISN'T available. Instead the VMSs will mention the winter weather and keeping it slow and whatnot, I personally think it would be nice to mention how much slower than normal traffic might be due to the weather. Still, it's better than the VMS announcing how many people have died on the highways this year, that's one thing I'm grateful Indiana doesn't do.

[jeffandnicole]

I wouldn't be surprised if the I-90 signs coming eastbound into Chicago have had some pretty ghastly numbers on them. My one experience was seeing 87 minutes from Arlington Heights to downtown. I turned to my ex-friend that I was with at the time and said "how do people live here?"

I think the OP was referring to normal travel times/distances.  For shorter, normal commuting distances, when incidents occur, many will have very high times but that's the point of having those signs.

[hotdogPi]

I saw a malfunctioning sign (the road was fine) for 2 miles, 65 minutes (or something else in the 60s). Normally Massachusetts just displays "40+" if it's over 40, but this one seemed to be an exception.

[jeffandnicole]

I saw a malfunctioning sign (the road was fine) for 2 miles, 65 minutes (or something else in the 60s). Normally Massachusetts just displays "40+" if it's over 40, but this one seemed to be an exception.

We have one on 295 in NJ where a block of LEDs aren't working, right over the tens-digit.  So for the destination which is about 6 miles away, it often shows times like 0 minutes or 1 minute, rather than 10 or 11 minutes.   When an actual message is displayed, you can tell that it's not a timing error, but an electronics error within the sign.

[AsphaltPlanet]

I have a photo somewhere taken along the Gardiner Expressway in Toronto showing a 97 minute travel time to travel the 15 km (10 miles) of the Don Valley Parkway between the Gardiner and the 401.  It was taken on the Friday of a long weekend in the summer.

[bzakharin]

The longest I've seen in NJ is on a VMS on NJ 42 approaching the Atlantic City Expressway, whose last Destination is Atlantic City. It does not have miles, only minutes, but the distance is about 50 miles. Oddly, the ACE itself only shows time to the service plaza.

[SectorZ]

I saw a malfunctioning sign (the road was fine) for 2 miles, 65 minutes (or something else in the 60s). Normally Massachusetts just displays "40+" if it's over 40, but this one seemed to be an exception.

US 3 south in Burlington, I've seen the one for the 6 miles to I-93 via I-95 read "80+" minutes before, and have seen it read as high as 56 minutes without the plus.

[1995hoo]

I wouldn't be surprised if the I-90 signs coming eastbound into Chicago have had some pretty ghastly numbers on them. My one experience was seeing 87 minutes from Arlington Heights to downtown. I turned to my ex-friend that I was with at the time and said "how do people live here?"

I think the OP was referring to normal travel times/distances.  For shorter, normal commuting distances, when incidents occur, many will have very high times but that's the point of having those signs.

Heh, or even just during normal rush hour. We pass one on the way to the Springfield Metro that gives the distance to the DC line via I-395 as 13 miles. Most weekday mornings the time is between 35 and 50 minutes.

I interpret the OP as getting at scenarios like if a VMS in the Miami area gave the travel time to Orlando or some such. Speaking of Miami, though, the VMSs on Alligator Alley use the Broward County line for time and distance because there isn't much else out there (I do not recall distances given). I'd think just using Naples (westbound) and US-27 (eastbound) would be more meaningful.

[theline]

I wouldn't be surprised if the I-90 signs coming eastbound into Chicago have had some pretty ghastly numbers on them. My one experience was seeing 87 minutes from Arlington Heights to downtown. I turned to my ex-friend that I was with at the time and said "how do people live here?"

I think the OP was referring to normal travel times/distances.  For shorter, normal commuting distances, when incidents occur, many will have very high times but that's the point of having those signs.

Heh, or even just during normal rush hour. We pass one on the way to the Springfield Metro that gives the distance to the DC line via I-395 as 13 miles. Most weekday mornings the time is between 35 and 50 minutes.

I interpret the OP as getting at scenarios like if a VMS in the Miami area gave the travel time to Orlando or some such. Speaking of Miami, though, the VMSs on Alligator Alley use the Broward County line for time and distance because there isn't much else out there (I do not recall distances given). I'd think just using Naples (westbound) and US-27 (eastbound) would be more meaningful.

When writing the original post, my first thought was to restrict the discussion to mileage. It then occurred to me that it would be a pretty short thread, since it was unlikely that anyone could beat the 134 mile distance. I figured it would be more interesting to discuss both mileage and time. In major metro areas I was sure that there would be some lengthy times during rush hour, especially when accidents or bad weather occur.

[jeffandnicole]

I wouldn't be surprised if the I-90 signs coming eastbound into Chicago have had some pretty ghastly numbers on them. My one experience was seeing 87 minutes from Arlington Heights to downtown. I turned to my ex-friend that I was with at the time and said "how do people live here?"

I think the OP was referring to normal travel times/distances.  For shorter, normal commuting distances, when incidents occur, many will have very high times but that's the point of having those signs.

Heh, or even just during normal rush hour. We pass one on the way to the Springfield Metro that gives the distance to the DC line via I-395 as 13 miles. Most weekday mornings the time is between 35 and 50 minutes.

I interpret the OP as getting at scenarios like if a VMS in the Miami area gave the travel time to Orlando or some such. Speaking of Miami, though, the VMSs on Alligator Alley use the Broward County line for time and distance because there isn’t much else out there (I do not recall distances given). I’d think just using Naples (westbound) and US-27 (eastbound) would be more meaningful.

When writing the original post, my first thought was to restrict the discussion to mileage. It then occurred to me that it would be a pretty short thread, since it was unlikely that anyone could beat the 134 mile distance. I figured it would be more interesting to discuss both mileage and time. In major metro areas I was sure that there would be some lengthy times during rush hour, especially when accidents or bad weather occur.

I wanna say the absolute longest time I've seen was on a NJ Turnpike Travel Sign between Interchanges 5 & 4, which posts the time to Wilmington, DE utilizing both the NJ Turnpike, and getting off at Exit 4 and using 295.  I've seen times over 180 minutes for using 295 on that sign during snowstorms, for what would be about a 48 mile ride.

[NWI_Irish96]

Most of us have noticed overhead VMS boards that display current travel times to intersections or cities. They are usually seen in metropolitan areas and I've only seen them showing destinations in the same metro area, until I saw this on SB I-65 in Hobart, IN:

GSV link: https://goo.gl/maps/D7YSSRRgqf22

The bottom destination on this sign is I-465 in Indianapolis, 134 miles and 130 minutes away. It seems like a silly use of the sign. I'm doubtful that the travel time varies much, except perhaps during extreme weather conditions.

I suspect this is the maximum mileage and perhaps the longest travel time displayed on one of these signs. Has anyone seen a greater distance or longer time?

There is also one on I-65 NB in Jeffersonville that lists Indy as a destination.  A little bit shorter distance but the same concept.

[Kniwt]

In California, I-10, I-15, and I-40 across the Mojave Desert all show long-distance destinations on their travel-time signs (when they're not being used for weather, wrecks, etc.). Here's one:

[Revive 755]

Here's a travel time statistical analysis from that type of weather as well (I-55, Ryan to I-80): http://www.travelmidweststats.com/Reports/Quick/IL/I55/SB/DanRyan/I80/2015-02-27/2018-02-27/0/0/1/0/0/0/0/2/0/24/1/1/0/0/0/1/1/0/1/0

From looking around on that site, it appears Illinois has annexed part of Wisconsin north of downtown Milwaukee:  http://www.travelmidweststats.com/Reports/Quick/IL/I43/NB/Downtown/CapitolDr

[ColossalBlocks]

87 minutes from Barnhart, MO to Cape Girardeau.