Massachusetts

[PHLBOS]

MassDOT announces activation of 'Go Time' Real Time Traffic signs along MA 140 in the Taunton area. Signs on I-95 and I-495 to be activated this summer:
http://blog.mass.gov/transportation/massdot-highway/massdot-launches-go-time-real-time-traffic-information/

I have seen these now on 95/128 in Waltham, 95 between Canton and Mansfield, 495 around 95 and 24, 140 between Taunton and New Bedford... none of them on yet.

Given that the above-link stating the activation of these signs is dated this May 3 (yesterday), you wouldn't have seen them turned on.

[roadman]

I like that they use "RI State Line" on some.

I-93 and US 3 north of Boston will use "NH State Line" on some signs, I-90 west of Boston will use "CT State Line VIA 84", and I-84 will use CT State Line."  This is because, at present, adjoining states to Massachusetts don't have a compatible travel time system.  If/when that happens, then you'll see those 'state line' destinations changed to actual cities.

[cl94]

I like that they use "RI State Line" on some.

I-93 and US 3 north of Boston will use "NH State Line" on some signs, I-90 west of Boston will use "CT State Line VIA 84", and I-84 will use CT State Line."  This is because, at present, adjoining states to Massachusetts don't have a compatible travel time system.  If/when that happens, then you'll see those 'state line' destinations changed to actual cities.

The entire Northeast and Midwest should have compatible travel time systems. Cities and major junctions are spaced closely enough for it to work.

[Pete from Boston]

MassDOT announces activation of 'Go Time' Real Time Traffic signs along MA 140 in the Taunton area. Signs on I-95 and I-495 to be activated this summer:
http://blog.mass.gov/transportation/massdot-highway/massdot-launches-go-time-real-time-traffic-information/

I have seen these now on 95/128 in Waltham, 95 between Canton and Mansfield, 495 around 95 and 24, 140 between Taunton and New Bedford... none of them on yet.

Given that the above-link stating the activation of these signs is dated this May 3 (yesterday), you wouldn't have seen them turned on.

Of course.  Just corroborating.

[kefkafloyd]

I like that they use "RI State Line" on some.

I-93 and US 3 north of Boston will use "NH State Line" on some signs, I-90 west of Boston will use "CT State Line VIA 84", and I-84 will use CT State Line."  This is because, at present, adjoining states to Massachusetts don't have a compatible travel time system.  If/when that happens, then you'll see those 'state line' destinations changed to actual cities.

The exception is the last Westbound sign on the Turnpike, which will say "NY Thruway" instead.

[roadman]

I like that they use "RI State Line" on some.

I-93 and US 3 north of Boston will use "NH State Line" on some signs, I-90 west of Boston will use "CT State Line VIA 84", and I-84 will use CT State Line."  This is because, at present, adjoining states to Massachusetts don't have a compatible travel time system.  If/when that happens, then you'll see those 'state line' destinations changed to actual cities.

The exception is the last Westbound sign on the Turnpike, which will say "NY Thruway" instead.

That's because the pull thru signs at the end of the Turnpike state NY Thruway.  It's a logical exception to the "name the next state line" practice on other signs.

[kefkafloyd]

Also, the sign on US 3 N right after exit 26 has mysteriously vanished. It was there the other day, now it's completely gone, including the signposts. The other RTT signs are still up. Where it went, I have no idea.

[roadman]

Also, the sign on US 3 N right after exit 26 has mysteriously vanished. It was there the other day, now it's completely gone, including the signposts. The other RTT signs are still up. Where it went, I have no idea.

No, this particular installation was not retracted.  That location was one of a handful of new signs on US 3 that seemed to be mounted on posts that were excessively high in relation to the roadway.  I suspect that's the reason the sign and posts were removed for now.

[roadman65]

I see that in Peabody, MA they have a jersey jughandle just north of I-95 (MA 128) providing the only signal along that stretch of US 1.

I also see that most of US 1 in that area is designed like a jersey freeway with sealed medians, interchanges with major crossroads, and RIRO for driveways and side streets.

Interesting to see that NJ is not the only one to make expressways out of arterials.

[PurdueBill]

I see that in Peabody, MA they have a jersey jughandle just north of I-95 (MA 128) providing the only signal along that stretch of US 1.

I also see that most of US 1 in that area is designed like a jersey freeway with sealed medians, interchanges with major crossroads, and RIRO for driveways and side streets.

Interesting to see that NJ is not the only one to make expressways out of arterials.

The famous jughandle has been there a long time, and was arguably one of the few traffic lights on an Interstate back before the link between I-95 and 128 in Peabody was completed in 1988...southbound US 1 carried I-95 SB from 95's Exit 46 (which had no number at first, but all traffic defaulted onto US 1) to the 128 exit, but the right lane for the exit had an always-green signal whereas the left and center lanes would see red to let jughandle traffic in.  So I-95 SB did have a traffic light, but the lane I-95 SB traffic would be in never saw a red light.  However, if you were following 95 SB and had not yet moved to the right, it was conceivable that you could hit the red light before getting over to the right, as the right exit lane started not long before the light.

I-95 NB traffic using US 1 to make the connection by the missing link never saw a traffic light; it merged in north of the jughandle.

The stretch of US 1 from Chelsea to Danvers, part freeway, the rest expressway, would be nice to assign exit numbers to--although it seems that it won't happen.  They finally did get BGS installed for all the exits in the 90s (except Walnut Street, for whatever reason); they could top them with exit numbers easily if they don't want to replace the panels.  Why not do it if short freeway sections of other routes like route 57 get exit numbers?  Just something that seems like it would be reasonable.
Maybe when the panels are next replaced, they could add numbers--but I doubt they do.

[bob7374]

The stretch of US 1 from Chelsea to Danvers, part freeway, the rest expressway, would be nice to assign exit numbers to--although it seems that it won't happen.  They finally did get BGS installed for all the exits in the 90s (except Walnut Street, for whatever reason); they could top them with exit numbers easily if they don't want to replace the panels.  Why not do it if short freeway sections of other routes like route 57 get exit numbers?  Just something that seems like it would be reasonable.
Maybe when the panels are next replaced, they could add numbers--but I doubt they do.

This subject has been brought up before. The signs along US 1 from Chelsea to Danvers are scheduled to be replaced starting in late 2019. Roadman posted that there are no plans to add exit numbers, either under the milepost exit conversion project or that project (Project 608206).

[PurdueBill]

The stretch of US 1 from Chelsea to Danvers, part freeway, the rest expressway, would be nice to assign exit numbers to--although it seems that it won't happen.  They finally did get BGS installed for all the exits in the 90s (except Walnut Street, for whatever reason); they could top them with exit numbers easily if they don't want to replace the panels.  Why not do it if short freeway sections of other routes like route 57 get exit numbers?  Just something that seems like it would be reasonable.
Maybe when the panels are next replaced, they could add numbers--but I doubt they do.

This subject has been brought up before. The signs along US 1 from Chelsea to Danvers are scheduled to be replaced starting in late 2019. Roadman posted that there are no plans to add exit numbers, either under the milepost exit conversion project or that project (Project 608206).

Yep--that's where I had read such before.  Kinda a bummer to not add exit numbers really, though--there is the freeway portion from the Tobin Bridge to Cutler Circle which really ought to have them, and then northward to Alfalfa Circle might as well get them since there are signed exits and BGSs for the signed exits.  Would just make sense.  I mean, if Ohio can randomly have Exits 81A-B on US 20 which is otherwise undivided and two-lane around the area because it widens to 4-lane divided and has interchanges with route 420 and a local road, US 1 could have exit numbers from Chelsea to Danvers.  It wouldn't look any sillier than this...it would actually be quite in-place.

[hotdogPi]

I-95/MA 128 between exits 33 and 38 has a lot of traffic going north (actually east) between 4:30 PM and 6:30 PM. I was thinking of fixing this in several ways, but I'm not sure if these are possible or if these would really work.

These are independent ideas; it is not a list of "we need to do all of these". One might be enough.

1. Add a fourth lane past exit 38, as the road narrows from 4 to 3 lanes.
2. Connect Burlington Mall Rd. (32B-33 parallel) to Beacon St. (34-35 parallel) to create a better parallel road.
3. New Boston St. in Woburn has two sections separated by a railroad. Connect them to create another alternate.
4. Increase the speed limit from 55 to 65. As congestion often starts by a single slow driver (I believe it was jeffandnicole who said this, but I'm not sure), increasing the speed limit means the slow drivers (like those following the speed limit in the left lane) won't be as slow.
5. Direct access from Washington St. in Woburn to I-93 south without having to get on MA 128.
6. A way for those coming from I-93 north and exiting at MA 28 to not have to enter the main lanes of MA 128, as the entrance ramp and exit ramp are only 500 feet apart.

(I can't find an easy way to connect exits 35 and 36.)

[mariethefoxy]

the small US 5 Freeway in West Springfield also seems like its not getting exit numbers.

Also I have a few questions regarding the green signs in MA, there appears to be a few variations I've noticed.

1)Theres the center tab signs that are one piece and are fully reflective (that Exit 29 and Exit 30 sign bridge just before the RI border on I-95)
2)There is the left or right aligned tab signs that are button copy, those seemed to only be on I-93 and on the pike
3)There is the left or right aligned tab signs that are fully reflective
4)Theres the full height tab signs (the ones that look like NH standard) which came about in 2010

did the rest of the state ever use the second variant, or was that mostly in the Boston area on I-93?
When did they move from type 1 to type 2 and 3.

[Beeper1]

I believe all the original BGSs on I-190 when it opened were type 2.  Those were replaced in the mid-90s, and then again about 2 years ago.

[PHLBOS]

1)Theres the center tab signs that are one piece and are fully reflective (that Exit 29 and Exit 30 sign bridge just before the RI border on I-95)

Those are 1977 MassDPW leftovers/survivors.

2)There is the left or right aligned tab signs that are button copy, those seemed to only be on I-93 and on the pike

All the BGS' with button-copy text (as opposed to the I-shields) along the Southeast Expressway portion of I-93 have since been replaced.  Those dated back to 1984-85 and were installed when the Expressway was completely overhauled.

[mariethefoxy]

I never seen that full button copy type of signs elsewhere in the state (except the mass pike which at the time was a different agency)

[bob7374]

The bid opening on the second phase of the I-93/I-95 Canton interchange project, the building of new ramps on I-95 North at Dedham street, and reconstruction of 5 other bridges has been postponed again, for the fifth time. The new date is now July 26. The latest addendum has revised plans for framing and beam details. The bid page is located at: https://www.commbuys.com/bso/external/bidDetail.sdo?docId=BD-16-1030-0H100-0H002-00000005592&external=true&parentUrl=bid

[J Route Z]

Why are the speed limits on various MA state very inconsistent and have unnecessary speed limit changes? It'll be 50 mph for 100 yards then up to 55 for 50 yards then back to 50, then down to 40, when there aren't even any houses or buildings within the area.

[machias]

I never seen that full button copy type of signs elsewhere in the state (except the mass pike which at the time was a different agency)

The signs installed at the I-190/I-290 interchange in Worcester were all button copy when the interchange opened.

[Alps]

Why are the speed limits on various MA state very inconsistent and have unnecessary speed limit changes? It'll be 50 mph for 100 yards then up to 55 for 50 yards then back to 50, then down to 40, when there aren't even any houses or buildings within the area.

They post speed limits for curve warnings. I basically ignore them.

[hotdogPi]

Why are the speed limits on various MA state very inconsistent and have unnecessary speed limit changes? It'll be 50 mph for 100 yards then up to 55 for 50 yards then back to 50, then down to 40, when there aren't even any houses or buildings within the area.

Where are you seeing 55 on a surface road in Massachusetts?

[jp the roadgeek]

Why are the speed limits on various MA state very inconsistent and have unnecessary speed limit changes? It'll be 50 mph for 100 yards then up to 55 for 50 yards then back to 50, then down to 40, when there aren't even any houses or buildings within the area.

Where are you seeing 55 on a surface road in Massachusetts?

US 7 from the CT border to Sheffield is 55 MPH
https://goo.gl/maps/cg1bD1iMf422

[cl94]

Why are the speed limits on various MA state very inconsistent and have unnecessary speed limit changes? It'll be 50 mph for 100 yards then up to 55 for 50 yards then back to 50, then down to 40, when there aren't even any houses or buildings within the area.

Where are you seeing 55 on a surface road in Massachusetts?

US 7 from the CT border to Sheffield is 55 MPH
https://goo.gl/maps/cg1bD1iMf422

There are quite a few in Berskhire County. A decent amount of US 7 between Pittsfield and Williamstown is 55, as is MA 43 in Hancock south/west of the town hall. I remember seeing it in a couple spots on MA 8 when I drove it last week.

They post speed limits for curve warnings. I basically ignore them.

And it annoys the hell out of me. Cross the New York border and the limit jumps up to a constant 55, even if geometry is nearly identical (or worse on the NY side).

[vdeane]

Those curve speed limits have come to define driving in MA for me, to the point where it's tempting to avoid the surface streets in MA.  I've read that they're not posted like that because the state police was mad when a judge told them they couldn't give people tickets for driving faster than an advisory speed.