Massachusetts milepost exit numbering conversion contract

[bob7374]

The work crews have resumed MA 3 South renumbering at Smith Lane in Kingston tonight. This photo is now probably outdated taken earlier this afternoon (I've encrypted my MalmeRoads.net site, so all can see the images):


I also took a photo of the hometown exit sign missed earlier this week:


The rest of the new photos taken today (showing still more problems with gore sign numbers) are at:
https://malmeroads.net/mass21c/neexitrenumbering.html#photos

The last overnight of exit renumbering saw 5 exits done. If this happens again tonight, they still will need to do a couple more exits before starting the northbound side which is scheduled for tomorrow night. Will they do anything at Exit 1/US 6? The northbound signs are now arranged so the MA 3 is Exit 1A from US 6, the new numbering is making US 6 an exit from MA 3. Will they simply switch the exit tabs and add a new gore sign at the US 6 exit?

[Alps]

I've encrypted my MalmeRoads.net site, so all can see the images

Well, who knew that was the issue! Interesting. I encrypted mine 2-3 years ago because it was quick and free. I guess it's all the rage now.

[kramie13]

It just occurred to me that if Massachusetts did the following:

1. Re-designate MA 25 as I-195
2. Re-milepost I-195 so that it continues Rhode Island's mile markers (measuring distance from the I-95/I-195 interchange in Providence)
3. Re-number I-195's (and former MA 25's) exit numbers to reflect the "new" mile markers

This would result in the exit for US 6 before the Bourne Bridge becoming Exit 53.  Exit 1 on US 6 after the Sagamore bridge is being renumbered to Exit 55.  This would then provide some sort of (albeit unofficial) "exit number continuity", and could have helped alleviate the confusion and uproar about renumbering US 6 along the Cape.

[SectorZ]

I've encrypted my MalmeRoads.net site, so all can see the images

Thanks for that. Great job on the pix as usual.

[Alps]

same post as other thread

same response as other thread

[yakra]

no link to other thread

[PHLBOS]

Not too many questions. One was asked about why weren't exit numbers added to the ends of several routes such as I-84 in Sturbridge, I-190 at I-290, and I-90 in East Boston. The MassDOT response was they decided not to add numbers where there historically have not been any. Adding exit numbers for the Mass Pike on I-84 was complicated by the additional wind load caused by the new exit tabs on the large arrow-per-lane signs that would exceed design specs, though IMO you could post the exit numbers elsewhere if that was truly a problem. Not having consistent signing practices at the end of Interstates within a state can be problematic too. Another person asked whether the FHWA could reverse their policy against sequential numbering and the need for the state to continue with exit renumbering, officials did not see this happening.

I stated similar on the FB thread & I'll restate it here.  I don't completely buy the wind-load spec reason/excuse for exit tabs can't be placed on those I-84 APLs. 

Why?

1.  When those APLs & support gantries were designed as part of the I-90/Mass Pike AET conversion project; it was already internally well known that MA was eventually going to be converting its interchange numbering.  As a result, designing such to support the additional exit tabs should've been automatic.  The only reason why the ramps to I-90 from I-84 didn't have exit numbers from the get-go was due to the two highways, when originally build, were owed/operated by two state different agencies... the then-MassDPW (I-84) and the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority (I-90).

2.  While not APLs, there are plenty of large if not larger diagrammatic sign panels in the Bay State that have exit tab(s) mounted on top of them.  The ones along I-93 southbound in Canton approaching I-95 had LEFT EXIT 1 B tabs retrofitted on them a few years after such were erected.

3.  The supposed reason for not placing an exit tab on this 1987-era BGS along I-95 northbound in Peabody was wind-load related.  However, its 2015 replacement using the same late-80s gantry now feature it... such also has the control cities in their proper order as well with respect to the exit ramps.

[bob7374]

It appears exit renumbering work on MA 3 North will not be completed until Sunday night, so the beginning of the US 6 exit renumbering will now start this Monday, Dec. 14. Work on the Mass Pike is still scheduled to start Monday night.

I took a quick trip along MA 3 NB between Hanover and Braintree. The last 2 exits in Braintree, which include I-93, still need to be renumbered. I took some photos of some of the renumbered exit signs, including at the former Exit 15:


The rest of today's photos have been added to the New England Exit Renumbering Central Photo Gallery:
https://malmeroads.net/mass21c/neexitrenumbering.html#photos

[dkblake]

It appears exit renumbering work on MA 3 North will not be completed until Sunday night, so the beginning of the US 6 exit renumbering will now start this Monday, Dec. 14. Work on the Mass Pike is still scheduled to start Monday night.

I took a quick trip along MA 3 NB between Hanover and Braintree. The last 2 exits in Braintree, which include I-93, still need to be renumbered. I took some photos of some of the renumbered exit signs, including at the former Exit 15:

The rest of today's photos have been added to the New England Exit Renumbering Central Photo Gallery:
https://malmeroads.net/mass21c/neexitrenumbering.html#photos

For some reason, MA 3 is the one that makes me happiest to see the mileage-based numbers. The spacing of the exits and traffic patterns was just really frustrating for sequential ordering.

[bob7374]

The rest of the MA 3 North exits were renumbered last night/this morning. I went out in the rain to capture some images, better photos will be available soon at https://malmeroads.net/mass21c/neexitrenumbering.html#photos

Here's the soggy pic of the 1-Mile advance for the I-93 (US 1) exit:


Meanwhile, work has started on the US 6/Mid-Cape Highway exit renumbering, on MA 3 South. There are references to the 6A exit across the bridge as Exit 1C that have to be changed.

[The Ghostbuster]

I wonder if protestors will tie themselves to US 6's exit signs, so that the numbers can't be changed? I seriously doubt this will happen, but anything is possible.

[Rothman]

I wonder if protestors will tie themselves to US 6's exit signs, so that the numbers can't be changed? I seriously doubt this will happen, but anything is possible.

Given what people did to prevent I-84 to Providence, I wouldn't put it past them.

[Pete from Boston]

I wonder if protestors will tie themselves to US 6's exit signs, so that the numbers can't be changed? I seriously doubt this will happen, but anything is possible.

Given what people did to prevent I-84 to Providence, I wouldn't put it past them.

What extreme measures did people undertake to stop 84?

[abqtraveler]

I wonder if protestors will tie themselves to US 6's exit signs, so that the numbers can't be changed? I seriously doubt this will happen, but anything is possible.

Given what people did to prevent I-84 to Providence, I wouldn't put it past them.

There was a story (not sure if was true or just an urban legend) that at least one landowner drove ConnDOT engineers off their property with a shotgun as they attempted to survey the alignment for I-84 between Manchester and Willimantic.

[Rothman]

I wonder if protestors will tie themselves to US 6's exit signs, so that the numbers can't be changed? I seriously doubt this will happen, but anything is possible.

Given what people did to prevent I-84 to Providence, I wouldn't put it past them.

There was a story (not sure if was true or just an urban legend) that at least one landowner drove ConnDOT engineers off their property with a shotgun as they attempted to survey the alignment for I-84 between Manchester and Willimantic.

I saw interviews with people that simply pulled up the survey stakes over and over.

[rushfan01760]

Drove on I-90 (Mass Pike) yesterday between Rte. 9 in Framingham and I-91 in West Springfield.  Westbound all the exits through Rte. 32 in Palmer were renumbered.

It appears that Waze has renumbered all of the exits on I-90 whether or not MassDOT has gotten to them yet.

[fwydriver405]

Drove on I-90 (Mass Pike) yesterday between Rte. 9 in Framingham and I-91 in West Springfield.  Westbound all the exits through Rte. 32 in Palmer were renumbered.

It appears that Waze has renumbered all of the exits on I-90 whether or not MassDOT has gotten to them yet.

They must have gotten to renumbering that stretch within the weekend.  When our basketball team left for a trip to Hartford CT on the night of Friday, December 18th, Exits 9 (new 78) (I-84) and 10 (new 90) (I-290/I-395) in the westbound direction were not renumbered.

We plan on going to Boston College tomorrow from Hartford. Will have to see if MassDOT renumbered the eastbound exits... will be travelling from exit 9 (new 78) to exit 14 (new 123) in the eastbound direction...

And yes, Waze did update the exit numbers to the new ones as of Friday December 18th.

[bob7374]

Drove on I-90 (Mass Pike) yesterday between Rte. 9 in Framingham and I-91 in West Springfield.  Westbound all the exits through Rte. 32 in Palmer were renumbered.

It appears that Waze has renumbered all of the exits on I-90 whether or not MassDOT has gotten to them yet.

They must have gotten to renumbering that stretch within the weekend.  When our basketball team left for a trip to Hartford CT on the night of Friday, December 18th, Exits 9 (new 78) (I-84) and 10 (new 90) (I-290/I-395) in the westbound direction were not renumbered.

We plan on going to Boston College tomorrow from Hartford. Will have to see if MassDOT renumbered the eastbound exits… will be travelling from exit 9 (new 78) to exit 14 (new 123) in the eastbound direction…

And yes, Waze did update the exit numbers to the new ones as of Friday December 18th.

I traveled between Logan Airport and I-495 on the Pike westbound this morning. They have not renumbered the exits east of I-95, perhaps they're afraid somebody dropping off passengers for Christmas travels at Logan Airport will get lost on the way back with the new numbers. I took photos of some of the renumbered signs between I-95 and I-495, here's one of the I-95 signs in Weston:


The rest I took today are on my New England Exit Renumbering Central website:
https://malmeroads.net/mass21c/neexitrenumbering.html#photos

The contractor will not start renumbering eastbound until the westbound exits are done. That probably won't happen until at least next week. Meanwhile, on US 6 it appears exit renumbering is happening in the Yarmouth area tonight.

[fwydriver405]

Just travelled through I-90/Mass Pike eastbound and managed to take a few photos of the new WB signs from I-84 to I-95/MA 128 on our way to Boston College. Eastbound exits remain untouched as of now.

https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0QGfnH8tlq2zW

[bob7374]

Based on traffic camera images, it looks like the renumbering has made it out to at least the I-291 interchange as of last night. Waze reports early this morning had the exit renumbering taking place on US 6 East at least to Harwich.

[The Ghostbuster]

Will the renumbering of the Massachusetts Turnpike's remaining exits resume this week? I'm sure the incomplete project is already causing confusion. Hopefully, the other exits on Interstate 90 will soon be renumbered as well.

[shadyjay]

Will the renumbering of the Massachusetts Turnpike's remaining exits resume this week? I'm sure the incomplete project is already causing confusion. Hopefully, the other exits on Interstate 90 will soon be renumbered as well.

If you look at the post from Bob directly above yours, you can see he has traffic camera confirmation that exits are now done out to I-291/former Exit 6.  Seems like they're moving right along, and the plan as stated earlier is to do all westbound, then come back east.  No idea on the Boston extension. 

Wasn't expecting to see much progress right after a winter storm, but out they are! 

[bob7374]

A political science professor is not happy with the new exit numbers on US 6:
http://www.masspoliticsprofs.org/2020/12/20/professoru-is-not-happy-with-changes-to-route-6-on-cape-cod/

[The Ghostbuster]

BOO-HOO-HOO! WHINE! WHINE! WHINE! US 6's exit numbers are changing, end of discussion! Suck it up, Cape Cod! By the way, does anyone have any cheese? It would go well with the Cape Coders' wineing (whining).

[SectorZ]

A political science professor is not happy with the new exit numbers on US 6:
http://www.masspoliticsprofs.org/2020/12/20/professoru-is-not-happy-with-changes-to-route-6-on-cape-cod/

Again proving that political science is the most imaginary of the sciences.