Farthest distance depicted on Interchange Sequence Signs?

[webny99]

If a numbered route with no name doesn't have a well-known number, that's when you'll start to see city names being used.

Probably the size of the city (both population and land area) and its proximity to the interstate are also factors. It makes less sense to use the town/city name when there are multiple exits, creating ambiguity.

Utah has actually moved to shields for mileage and sequence signs in the past five years or so - here are a couple examples. But just like the text versions that preceded them, they still aren't used if the route number is obscure or if there's a better known street name.

That's an unfortunate trend. I don't mind it so much with the direction, like your first example, but I have great disdain for the shield on a line by itself. Here's a New York example with an I-86 shield right in the middle of two lines of text. The words "Interstate 86" would create a much cleaner and smoother look IMO.

[Ben114]

Utah has actually moved to shields for mileage and sequence signs in the past five years or so - here are a couple examples. But just like the text versions that preceded them, they still aren't used if the route number is obscure or if there's a better known street name.

That's an unfortunate trend. I don't mind it so much with the direction, like your first example, but I have great disdain for the shield on a line by itself. Here's a New York example with an I-86 shield right in the middle of two lines of text. The words "Interstate 86" would create a much cleaner and smoother look IMO.

These are very frequently found across MA, with some including no destinations, just shields.

[vdeane]

If a numbered route with no name doesn't have a well-known number, that's when you'll start to see city names being used.

Probably the size of the city (both population and land area) and its proximity to the interstate are also factors. It makes less sense to use the town/city name when there are multiple exits, creating ambiguity.

Utah has actually moved to shields for mileage and sequence signs in the past five years or so - here are a couple examples. But just like the text versions that preceded them, they still aren't used if the route number is obscure or if there's a better known street name.

That's an unfortunate trend. I don't mind it so much with the direction, like your first example, but I have great disdain for the shield on a line by itself. Here's a New York example with an I-86 shield right in the middle of two lines of text. The words "Interstate 86" would create a much cleaner and smoother look IMO.

How about "Rte. I-86"?

[sprjus4]

How about "Rte. I-86"?

More like "Rte. I-86"

Used to read "Rte. 17"

[vdeane]

How about "Rte. I-86"?

More like "Rte. I-86"

Used to read "Rte. 17"

And now just I-86.

[webny99]

How about "Rte. I-86"?

More like "Rte. I-86"

Used to read "Rte. 17"

And now just I-86.

Yikes, I think I remember that one, and there may have been more of those. Rte. I-86 is terrible. I'd certainly rather a shield than that.

In order of preference:
-Interstate 86
-I-86 (text)
-I-86 (shield)
-Rte. I-86

[KCRoadFan]

All right everyone. This thread has gone WAY off topic.

Anyway, we're looking for long distances that appear on Interchange Sequence Signs. Here's another example from the St. Louis area (namely, on I-55 just south of Arnold), showing a distance of 7 1/4 miles: https://www.google.com/maps/@38.3929488,-90.3822973,3a,37.5y,182.21h,94.39t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sx5BO1mgthufCWs3qJQuvaA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en

Some words of clarification:
The signs don't necessarily *have* to be double-sided, nor do they have to be in the median (although most are). The only definite rule is that the sign has to show the distance to the *next three* (or four, or more) exits; thus, signs that combine the next couple exits with the distance to a control city (such as the one in Reno mentioning Carson City) don't qualify for the purposes of the OP. However, the other example mentioned (the Mona sign in Utah) is an eligible sign, because that one does, in fact, show the distances to the next three exits.

I'm just trying to get this thread back on track here. Thanks for understanding.

[webny99]

All right everyone. This thread has gone WAY off topic.
...

I'm just trying to get this thread back on track here. Thanks for understanding.

Totally understood, and sorry for getting us off the rails.
It looks like you're new here, so I might just note that getting off-topic definitely happens here from time to time, and that's OK. Sometimes, tangents are what keep the discussion going. We've still had an interesting discussion, and appreciate the topic you started, even if there has been less direct examples and more other conversation than you might have envisioned.



These can't compete with some of the other examples, but here's 5-1/2 miles to N Washington St. near Grand Forks, ND, and 3-1/2 miles to CR 20 near Fargo. North Dakota has an interesting practice of adding the exit numbers to the sign. This is helpful for conveying additional information, but appears a bit cluttered, and also seems redundant since the distances already tell you how far apart the exits are.

[sprjus4]

7 miles to Greenbrier Pkwy on I-64 East in Norfolk, VA.

That sign has existed since around 1978 when the Greenbrier Pkwy interchange was constructed, with VA-44 posted next to I-264 which was removed in 1999 with the I-264 eastward extension.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

I think there's a "CTH-N - 7 1/2 miles"  in Madison, WI on the eastbound triplex between US 151 and the I-94 East/WIS 30 interchange.

[tylert120]

I-376 west before the Penn Hills exit. Pittsburgh, 13 miles.

https://goo.gl/maps/3bMvFKWdo3PGZfAh7

[webny99]

I-376 west before the Penn Hills exit. Pittsburgh, 13 miles.

https://goo.gl/maps/3bMvFKWdo3PGZfAh7

I would call that a hybrid between an interchange sequence sign and a regular post-interchange mileage sign.
Penn Hills and Churchville are the next two exits, but then there are other exits between those two and Pittsburgh. Also, Pittsburgh is served by multiple exits, not just one.

[csw]

This won't win the thread, but I did think it was odd when I drove past earlier today. 7 1/2 to Spartanburg on I-85. https://goo.gl/maps/wiLRaxe4m3VX2M7f6

These can't compete with some of the other examples, but here's 5-1/2 miles to N Washington St. near Grand Forks, ND, and 3-1/2 miles to CR 20 near Fargo. North Dakota has an interesting practice of adding the exit numbers to the sign. This is helpful for conveying additional information, but appears a bit cluttered, and also seems redundant since the distances already tell you how far apart the exits are.

I've seen this on some old overheads in Ohio as well.

[plain]

Looks like the longest in the Richmond metro is 8 1/2. Actually the sign lists every exit on the VA 76 Powhite Pkwy Extension.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/JBZM9GC3cP2HeAhC6

[michravera]

You've seen them - they're those double-sided signs in the medians of urban and suburban freeways, giving the distance to the next three (or sometimes four) exits to the nearest quarter of a mile. The MUTCD calls them "Interchange Sequence Signs."

Anyway, I have a question: what's the longest distance you've seen on one of these signs? Presumably, the most promising candidates would be in outer suburbia or exurbia - areas that are built-up enough (or becoming so) to warrant such signs being installed, but still sparse enough for the exits to be spaced relatively far apart.

The longest distance I've seen depicted on an Interchange Sequence Sign is 8 1/2 miles, on I-64/Highway 40 eastbound through rapidly growing St. Charles County, as you make your way towards St. Louis - more specifically, just east of the MO 364 interchange (GSV link: https://www.google.com/maps/@38.7620465,-90.7658816,3a,15y,131.32h,95.13t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1spY5sDMprCiuyLjAnPGqjKg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192)

Has anyone elsewhere in the country seen any longer distances displayed on one of these signs? I'd be interested to know.

The Bay Area of California has at least two examples of 2-digits-and-a-fraction. US-101 NB shows Cochrane Rd and CASR-85. One of these is shown as 10¹/₂ and CASR-92 WB shows Foster City Blvd and US-101. One of these is shown as 11¹/₂. Outside the Bay Area, NB I-5 has Panoche Rd, Little Panoche Rd and an exit in between whose name escapes me at the moment. Two of these are double-digits, but no fraction.

[csw]

This beats the one I posted previously, but is more typical of a sign that South Carolina would mount on the right side of the road (a typical distance sign)...17 miles to Spartanburg on I-85.

[sprjus4]

^

I would call that a hybrid between an interchange sequence sign and a regular post-interchange mileage sign.
Penn Hills and Churchville are the next two exits, but then there are other exits between those two and Pittsburgh. Also, Pittsburgh is served by multiple exits, not just one.

Not necessarily an interchange sequence sign... there's multiple exits near Spartanburg.

[webny99]

^ Did you get your quotes mixed up? I think your reply is to the picture directly above it, not to the quote from me.

[sprjus4]

^ Did you get your quotes mixed up? I think your reply is to the picture directly above it, not to the quote from me.

I was using your quote to respond to his comment. My comments were adding onto that, not countering yours. Sorry about any confusion.

[webny99]

^ Did you get your quotes mixed up? I think your reply is to the picture directly above it, not to the quote from me.

I was using your quote to respond to his comment. My comments were adding onto that, not countering yours. Sorry about any confusion.

Gotcha... all good. Missed your arrow at the top.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

Before Polaris Pkwy was built, the northern most "interchange sequence sign" along I-71 NB (between Morse Rd & Oh 161) had 13 miles to US 36.

[Revive 755]

You've seen them - they're those double-sided signs in the medians of urban and suburban freeways, giving the distance to the next three (or sometimes four) exits to the nearest quarter of a mile. The MUTCD calls them "Interchange Sequence Signs."

Anyway, I have a question: what's the longest distance you've seen on one of these signs? Presumably, the most promising candidates would be in outer suburbia or exurbia - areas that are built-up enough (or becoming so) to warrant such signs being installed, but still sparse enough for the exits to be spaced relatively far apart.

The longest distance I've seen depicted on an Interchange Sequence Sign is 8 1/2 miles, on I-64/Highway 40 eastbound through rapidly growing St. Charles County, as you make your way towards St. Louis - more specifically, just east of the MO 364 interchange (GSV link: https://www.google.com/maps/@38.7620465,-90.7658816,3a,15y,131.32h,95.13t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1spY5sDMprCiuyLjAnPGqjKg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192)

MoDOT never changed that sign to include the EB exit to Research Park Circle?

Interchange sequence signs aren't used in Illinois that way; however, ISTHA does post the signage for the next exit.  Here's I-88 west at Rochelle (IL-251): https://goo.gl/maps/Hi2yhqS69Ywd5C796

I don't believe there are any butterfly-mounted interchange sequence signs in Illinois, but I-155 has a couple around Morton.  There's also one on SB I-55/WB I-70 at IL 203.

And a few on I-74 in the Peoria area.

[kphoger]

^ Did you get your quotes mixed up? I think your reply is to the picture directly above it, not to the quote from me.

I was using your quote to respond to his comment. My comments were adding onto that, not countering yours. Sorry about any confusion.

Gotcha... all good. Missed your arrow at the top.

Upward pointing arrows don't even do any good anyway if the other user has most recent posts at the top rather than at the bottom.  For example, here's how it looks on my screen.

↓  ↓  ↓  ↓

[sprjus4]

10 miles to US-301 outside of Jacksonville, FL on I-10 West.

14 miles to FL-21 outside of Jacksonville, FL on FL-23 South.

[jmacswimmer]

In Hagerstown MD: 10 3/4 miles to MD 68 On I-70 West, and 13 miles to MD 17 on I-70 East.