Massachusetts milepost exit numbering conversion contract

[vdeane]

Please be advised that MassDOT is in the process of converting all exit numbers on freeways to a milepost-based numbering system, per Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) requirements. Work takes place on each corridor in the east to west or north to south direction. Work typically is completed during the overnight hours.

The following corridor will begin conversion in a week: 
Corridor: Route 2
Approximate start date: Mar. 23
Approximate construction duration: 4 weeks
Location: Arlington to West Orange
Hours of operation: 8:00 PM - 5:00 AM

That leaves with I-495, I-290/395, and I-93 to get new exit numbers. Which highway left will be the next one to get new exit numbers? 

Probably I-93, since it's on the other contract, which is currently in the middle of converting I-95.

[shadyjay]

That, and I-495 and I-290 are both in the middle of sign replacement projects.  Not that the new signs will be up by the time those roads come up for conversion... no new gantries were observed on I-495 or I-290 so they're still a little ways out from being close to finished.  Or, they push converting those roads back til later in the spring/early summer. 

[bob7374]

I've posted photos, taken during a weekend road trip, of the new I-95 exit numbers, starting with MA 110 at the Merrimack River:


and heading south to US 3 in Burlington:


I have also posted photos taken by Paul Schlichtman covering exits between US 1 to I-93 and from US 3 to Waltham. All photos can be found at:
https://malmeroads.net/mass21c/neexitrenumbering.html#i95photos

[The Ghostbuster]

Massachusetts is changing the exit numbers on their portion of Interstate 95, but Rhode Island can't be bothered to change the exit numbers on their segment of Interstate 95. What gives?

[SectorZ]

Massachusetts is changing the exit numbers on their portion of Interstate 95, but Rhode Island can't be bothered to change the exit numbers on their segment of Interstate 95. What gives?

Allegedly was to happen in late 2020 but hasn't happened yet.

http://www.dot.ri.gov/projects/ExitNumbers/index.php

[jp the roadgeek]

Massachusetts is changing the exit numbers on their portion of Interstate 95, but Rhode Island can't be bothered to change the exit numbers on their segment of Interstate 95. What gives?

Allegedly was to happen in late 2020 but hasn't happened yet.

http://www.dot.ri.gov/projects/ExitNumbers/index.php

And CT probably won't until at least 2030

[paul02474]

Why doesn't all of New England just adopt mile based exit numbering? 40+ states have done this, why are the other ten or so still behind?

Maine went to milepost numbering in 2004.
Massachusetts in the process of an aggressive conversion, with two contracts running simultaneously.
Rhode Island began the process, but is slow in implementation.
Vermont posted Milepost Exit numbers beneath their signs.
The governor of New Hampshire has an emotional attachment to his exit number on I-93, so he is blocking the whole project.
Connecticut will replace numbers when they get around to replacing signs. They are moving at the pace of New York, where the conversion schedule is about as fast as traffic on the Cross Bronx Expressway. They have lots of work to do, as I-87 has THREE different sets of exit numbers (Bronx, NY Thruway, Northway). New Jersey also has some work to do with the Turnpike and I-95.

[abqtraveler]

Massachusetts is changing the exit numbers on their portion of Interstate 95, but Rhode Island can't be bothered to change the exit numbers on their segment of Interstate 95. What gives?

Allegedly was to happen in late 2020 but hasn't happened yet.

http://www.dot.ri.gov/projects/ExitNumbers/index.php

And CT probably won't until at least 2030

From an e-mail response I received from RIDOT this morning, the I-95 exit renumbering has been placed on-hold until they secure additional funding for the contract.

[SectorZ]

Massachusetts is changing the exit numbers on their portion of Interstate 95, but Rhode Island can't be bothered to change the exit numbers on their segment of Interstate 95. What gives?

Allegedly was to happen in late 2020 but hasn't happened yet.

http://www.dot.ri.gov/projects/ExitNumbers/index.php

And CT probably won't until at least 2030

From an e-mail response I received from RIDOT this morning, the I-95 exit renumbering has been placed on-hold until they secure additional funding for the contract.

I can't believe they use that excuse. Massachusetts has to pay $280K out of pocket, and that's for about 250 exits changing numbers. 95 itself for Rhode Island has 30 exits, so it could be assumed that's less than $50K cost to them. Amazing.

[paul02474]

I-95 renumbering update:
Southbound renumbered from the New Hampshire line to Exit 41 (former exit 26) US 20
Northbound renumbered from Exit 43 (former exit 27) Totten Pond Road to Exit 46 (former Exit 30) MA 2A, and from Exit 67 (former Exit 47) MA 114 to the New Hampshire line. Northbound crews will resume their work Sunday night at future Exit 50 (US 3) Sunday night.

[rushfan01760]

Drove on Rte. 79 northbound in Fall River today.  Just before the merge with Rte. 24 northbound is this advance sign which still refers to the Innovation Way exit as 8B rather than 10 (Rte. 24's exit numbers have been updated).  Looks like the advanced signage on intersecting roads is being missed (the advance sign for Rte. 3's Exit 13 at the western end of the Plimoth Plantation Highway was still Exit 5 when I was on that road back at the end of December after the Rte. 3 exit numbers were updated).

[SectorZ]

Drove on Rte. 79 northbound in Fall River today.  Just before the merge with Rte. 24 northbound is this advance sign which still refers to the Innovation Way exit as 8B rather than 10 (Rte. 24's exit numbers have been updated).  Looks like the advanced signage on intersecting roads is being missed (the advance sign for Rte. 3's Exit 13 at the western end of the Plimoth Plantation Highway was still Exit 5 when I was on that road back at the end of December after the Rte. 3 exit numbers were updated).

I just sent MassDOT an e-mail about this. I guess that's just an oversight that no one caught when planning up the project.

[bob7374]

MassDOT's Exit Renumbering website has been updated with new start dates for the next routes to be worked on:
March 21, 2021 - Route 146
March 23, 2021 - Interstate 190
March 25, 2021 - Route 2

I-91 (at first not present on the revised list) is now listed as completed.  The new dates are at:
https://newmassexits.com/#it-schedule

Also, I finally got a photo of the new signs at the end of MA 24 North that had been hidden by the old gantry since December until early March when it was taken down:

[kramie13]

I drove along I-95/Rte. 128 today between Canton and Lexington, getting off at Rte. 2.  Google Maps has apparently gotten the memo, as it instructed me to take exit 45A for Rte. 2 east!

However, I've noticed that the Rte. 20 exit now reads Exit 41 going south, but still Exit 26 going north.  Why wasn't the Rte. 20 exit changed going north yet?  Seeing how I-95 is being converted in 4 seconds, this could create a multi-week discrepancy.

[Ben114]

However, I've noticed that the Rte. 20 exit now reads Exit 41 going south, but still Exit 26 going north.  Why wasn't the Rte. 20 exit changed going north yet?  Seeing how I-95 is being converted in 4 seconds, this could create a multi-week discrepancy.

This is likely due to how I-95 is being split into sections. The current section is between old exits 26 and 45, where the southern end is at exit 26 itself (draw an imaginary line straight through exit 26, and they likely can't go south of this line). A similar thing happened with exit 45 a few weeks ago, and has now been converted to exit 64.

[connroadgeek]

I like that left exit crown. I'd put the TO between the 93 and 95 shields though.

[bob7374]

However, I've noticed that the Rte. 20 exit now reads Exit 41 going south, but still Exit 26 going north.  Why wasn't the Rte. 20 exit changed going north yet?  Seeing how I-95 is being converted in 4 seconds, this could create a multi-week discrepancy.

This is likely due to how I-95 is being split into sections. The current section is between old exits 26 and 45, where the southern end is at exit 26 itself (draw an imaginary line straight through exit 26, and they likely can't go south of this line). A similar thing happened with exit 45 a few weeks ago, and has now been converted to exit 64.

Ideally, they would have completed each section by having the line going through south of the exits listed for that section. Thus the first section, which was listed from the NH border to Route 128, they would have completed the MA 128 exit renumbering in both directions, and US 20 for the second section.

Here, thanks to Paul Schlichtman, is the last renumbered MA 128 exit sign heading north:


Along with the renumbered last exit of the second section heading south, US 20:


The entire set of photos from I-95 between the NH line and US 20 can be found at:
https://malmeroads.net/mass21c/neexitrenumbering.html#i95photos

[paul02474]

Crews are currently converting exit numbers on Route 2 westbound in Arlington.

[The Ghostbuster]

One of the three highways (the others being the Interstate 90 Massachusetts Turnpike and Interstate 495) in Massachusetts that will have exit numbers in the 100s. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

[paul02474]

One of the three highways (the others being the Interstate 90 Massachusetts Turnpike and Interstate 495) in Massachusetts that will have exit numbers in the 100s. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Massachusetts is a small but mighty state.

[Roadgeekteen]

Crews are currently converting exit numbers on Route 2 westbound in Arlington.

So trippy to see an exit 134 and 135 so close to Boston.

[DJ Particle]

One of the three highways (the others being the Interstate 90 Massachusetts Turnpike and Interstate 495) in Massachusetts that will have exit numbers in the 100s. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

US-6 would have been a fourth if they had decided to number the exits in Truro.... 

[abqtraveler]

Anyone have pics of the new exit numbers on I-91?

[PHLBOS]

One of the three highways (the others being the Interstate 90 Massachusetts Turnpike and Interstate 495) in Massachusetts that will have exit numbers in the 100s. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

US-6 would have been a third fourth if they had decided to number the exits in Truro.... 

FTFY. 
The Ghostbuster was referring to & included MA 2 in his above-One of the three highways... quote.

[DJ Particle]

One of the three highways (the others being the Interstate 90 Massachusetts Turnpike and Interstate 495) in Massachusetts that will have exit numbers in the 100s. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

US-6 would have been a third fourth if they had decided to number the exits in Truro.... 

FTFY. 
The Ghostbuster was referring to & included MA 2 in his above-One of the three highways... quote.

fixed