Massachusetts milepost exit numbering conversion contract

[Roadgeekteen]

Now, I realize that 90% of the people that care about this at all are probably reading this thread, but still, how hard is it for a contractor to put the same typeface on adjoining exit tabs? This hack work is all over the re-numbered highways.

It seems like the signs were replaced not that long ago. Why did the sign replacement not get scheduled to coincide with the exit renumbering?

because they weren't ready for exit renumbering then

We were ready for exit renumbering my whole life, we just didn't want to do it.

[fwydriver405]

Now, I realize that 90% of the people that care about this at all are probably reading this thread, but still, how hard is it for a contractor to put the same typeface on adjoining exit tabs? This hack work is all over the re-numbered highways.

It seems like the signs were replaced not that long ago. Why did the sign replacement not get scheduled to coincide with the exit renumbering?

These signs were replaced in 2014 (date stamp of signs suggests 5/14) well before the exit renumbering even started.

[Roadgeekteen]

Now, I realize that 90% of the people that care about this at all are probably reading this thread, but still, how hard is it for a contractor to put the same typeface on adjoining exit tabs? This hack work is all over the re-numbered highways.

It seems like the signs were replaced not that long ago. Why did the sign replacement not get scheduled to coincide with the exit renumbering?

These signs were replaced in 2014 (date stamp of signs suggests 5/14) well before the exit renumbering even started.

We should have renumbered out exits years ago.

[CtrlAltDel]

Out of idle curiosity, what do this text mean?

Code Select Expand


14.0 X 8.0 5/14 F10 M5 A
Freeport St
Dorchester St

8.5 X 2.5 5/10 F10 M5 A
Exit 13


[Pete from Boston]

Now, I realize that 90% of the people that care about this at all are probably reading this thread, but still, how hard is it for a contractor to put the same typeface on adjoining exit tabs? This hack work is all over the re-numbered highways.

It seems like the signs were replaced not that long ago. Why did the sign replacement not get scheduled to coincide with the exit renumbering?

because they weren't ready for exit renumbering then

We were ready for exit renumbering my whole life, we just didn't want to do it.

Best answer yet.

[SkyPesos]

Oh there's a date stamp on the bottom left of both BGS. That's new to me.

[storm2k]

Oh there's a date stamp on the bottom left of both BGS. That's new to me.

I feel like that's becoming a more common practice at various state agencies. NJDOT, for example, has been adding a date stamp and the size of the panel to more of its signage since the late aughts. Don't know if it's universal or depends on the contract and the contractor, but definitely and increasingly common site in many places.

[Pete from Boston]

Oh there's a date stamp on the bottom left of both BGS. That's new to me.

It's been the practice in Mass. for at least a couple of decades, maybe longer.

[Roadgeekteen]

I was just on route 2 east of 128 and saw the new exits. It was bizarre seeing huge numbers in Lexington and Arlington.

[bob7374]

I've posted photos taken Friday of the exit renumbering along I-93 North from Freeport Street and Morrissey Blvd:


to I-90 and South Station:


on my New England Exit Renumbering Central page:
https://malmeroads.net/mass21c/neexitrenumbering.html#photos

[southshore720]

Now, I realize that 90% of the people that care about this at all are probably reading this thread, but still, how hard is it for a contractor to put the same typeface on adjoining exit tabs? This hack work is all over the re-numbered highways.

RIDOT got it right when they decided to replace the tab instead of use an ugly overlay.  And yes, I can't believe I started a sentence with "RIDOT got it right..."   

[Alps]

Now, I realize that 90% of the people that care about this at all are probably reading this thread, but still, how hard is it for a contractor to put the same typeface on adjoining exit tabs? This hack work is all over the re-numbered highways.

RIDOT got it right when they decided to replace the tab instead of use an ugly overlay.  And yes, I can't believe I started a sentence with "RIDOT got it right..."   

RIDOT got it right when they left old bridges up so that roadgeeks could walk on them...

[ran4sh]

I just got an email from MassDOT.  I-495 renumbering will begin on May 16.

Like I-95, the renumbering will occur in 4 segments, but for some reason, the renumbering will move from south to north on this highway.

1st segment: Old exit 3 (Rte. 28) in Middleboro to old exit 13 (I-95) in Mansfield.
2nd segment: Old exit 14 (US. 1) in Plainville to old exit 22 (I-90/Mass. Pike) in Hopkinton.
3rd segment: Old exit 23 (Rte. 9) in Westborough to old exits 35A-B-C (Rte. 3/Lowell Connector) in Chelmsford
4th segment: Old exit 37 (Woburn St) in Lowell to old exit 55 (Rte. 110) in Amesbury

This will certainly create confusion for long-stretch drivers in both directions, as you'll have two exit 19s in both directions for a time, and even two exit 50s!

They should cover up the numbers and reveal it all at once.

That... what? You're going to put up two overlays and come back with more lane closures, vehicles, and personnel to remove one? Go ahead and pay for that out of pocket.

Georgia did its exit renumbering that way in 1999/2000 (and then again on the Athens bypass in 2004). Signs that were being replaced were replaced with signs that had the new number covered with an overlay of the old number. Then on the scheduled date to change the numbers, those overlays were removed (with overlays being applied to remaining signs that still had the old number). I think it was done this way so that the exit numbers all over the state would be changed within a few days or weeks instead of waiting months or more for all signs to be replaced.

[roadman]

Out of idle curiosity, what do this text mean?

Code Select Expand


14.0 X 8.0 5/14 F10 M5 A
Freeport St


Dorchester St

8.5 X 2.5 5/10 F10 M5 A
Exit 13


Panel dimensions, date of fabrication, fabricator, sheeting maker, sheeting type.  MassDPW first introduced these codes in 1988.  The appear on the lower front corner of overhead signs, and on the lower rear corner on ground mounted signs.

[Pete from Boston]

Out of idle curiosity, what do this text mean?

Code Select Expand


14.0 X 8.0 5/14 F10 M5 A
Freeport St


Dorchester St

8.5 X 2.5 5/10 F10 M5 A
Exit 13


Panel dimensions, date of fabrication, fabricator, sheeting maker, sheeting type.  MassDPW first introduced these codes in 1988.  The appear on the lower front corner of overhead signs, and on the lower rear corner on ground mounted signs.

Heh, just came here to ask what the extraneous letters after dimension and date mean. Thank you.

[CtrlAltDel]

Out of idle curiosity, what do this text mean?

Code Select Expand


14.0 X 8.0 5/14 F10 M5 A
Freeport St


Dorchester St

8.5 X 2.5 5/10 F10 M5 A
Exit 13


Panel dimensions, date of fabrication, fabricator, sheeting maker, sheeting type.  MassDPW first introduced these codes in 1988.  The appear on the lower front corner of overhead signs, and on the lower rear corner on ground mounted signs.

That exit tab is eight and a half feet wide? Wow. Even though I know how big those signs are, I'm still amazed by how big those signs are.

[bob7374]

Exit renumbering along I-93 North has advanced into Medford as of last night. I have posted revised and additional photos of signage north of I-90, such as:


to the New England Exit Renumbering Central page:
https://malmeroads.net/mass21c/neexitrenumbering.html#photos

[DJ Particle]

I just thought of something...I believe the Mass Ave exit actually got its OLD old exit number back.  IIRC, it was "Exit 15" in the old "25 is 128" system. 

[PHLBOS]

I just thought of something...I believe the Mass Ave exit actually got its OLD old exit number back.  IIRC, it was "Exit 15" in the old "25 is 128" system. 

Correct, it was.

[bob7374]

I've added new photos taken of I-95 exit renumbering between I-495 and MA 123, including the I-295 interchange:


on my New England Exit Renumbering Central page: https://malmeroads.net/mass21c/neexitrenumbering.html#i95signs4

[MVHighways]

Haven't posted here in nearly 5 years (though have lurked at various points). Drove into Boston this morning and then up to Salem NH and back to Dracut via Methuen, so I was able to see the renumbering progress north of the Zakim Bridge on I-93.

Northbound on 93 is done, except for sequential exits 47 (Pelham St.) and 48 (Route 213) in Methuen. Mileage exit 27/sequential exit 36 has a new gore sign northbound with the new number.

Southbound on 93, sequential exits 27 through 47 have not been changed. As others have noted, the new numbers are in place SB starting with mileage exit 18/sequential exit 26 and continuing southward. For some reason, mileage exit 46/sequential exit 48 has been changed southbound (except the sign at Rt. 213 exit 1A, which appears to still read exit 48, but I didn't go on that ramp and only caught a glance at it from the mainline). This situation results in an exit sequence SB coming from NH that goes 46, then 47, and then 46 again (Routes 110/113), all in a span of less than three miles. Didn't get any pictures as I was driving by myself. I'm hoping my elderly great-grandmother, who lives in Methuen and still drives despite her memory issues, doesn't get confused by this. We've tried our best to alert her to the upcoming changes.

In other recent travels: on US 3 north Sunday morning, I think I saw a new gore sign for exits 81A/80 that does not have the "old exit" sign below it. And on 95/128 north, the very large 63B overlay for the Essex County Scenic Byway (there's a photo of it on Bob Malme's site) had fallen nearly entirely off as of Saturday, with only one corner of the overlay sign still attached and thus distinctly revealing the former exit number.

[bob7374]

Haven't posted here in nearly 5 years (though have lurked at various points). Drove into Boston this morning and then up to Salem NH and back to Dracut via Methuen, so I was able to see the renumbering progress north of the Zakim Bridge on I-93.

Northbound on 93 is done, except for sequential exits 47 (Pelham St.) and 48 (Route 213) in Methuen. Mileage exit 27/sequential exit 36 has a new gore sign northbound with the new number.

Southbound on 93, sequential exits 27 through 47 have not been changed. As others have noted, the new numbers are in place SB starting with mileage exit 18/sequential exit 26 and continuing southward. For some reason, mileage exit 46/sequential exit 48 has been changed southbound (except the sign at Rt. 213 exit 1A, which appears to still read exit 48, but I didn't go on that ramp and only caught a glance at it from the mainline). This situation results in an exit sequence SB coming from NH that goes 46, then 47, and then 46 again (Routes 110/113), all in a span of less than three miles. Didn't get any pictures as I was driving by myself. I'm hoping my elderly great-grandmother, who lives in Methuen and still drives despite her memory issues, doesn't get confused by this. We've tried our best to alert her to the upcoming changes.

In other recent travels: on US 3 north Sunday morning, I think I saw a new gore sign for exits 81A/80 that does not have the "old exit" sign below it. And on 95/128 north, the very large 63B overlay for the Essex County Scenic Byway (there's a photo of it on Bob Malme's site) had fallen nearly entirely off as of Saturday, with only one corner of the overlay sign still attached and thus distinctly revealing the former exit number.

I've posted photos of I-93 North exit renumbering taken by Paul Schlichtman up to Route 125 in Andover, including that of the I-95 (MA 128) interchange:


All the photos at: https://malmeroads.net/mass21c/neexitrenumbering.html#photos

[kramie13]

R.I.P. "double exit 37" at the I-95/MA-128/I-93 interchange in Woburn/Reading.

My work office is near the River Rd. exit off of I-93.  I haven't been there since March 2020, and it'll be weird seeing a different exit number when I do eventually have to drive there again.

[fwydriver405]

A bit off-topic, but this statement in the New England Exit Renumbering Central webpage regarding the first 12 exits on I-93 not receiving new exit numbers...

EXITS 1 to 12 - No Renumbering

MassDOT has explained not renumbering these exits due to their matching existing mileposts. This is not completely correct. While Exits 6 to 12 match up, Exits 1-5 do not. While not changing exits 1 and 2 is a practical solution despite being within 1 mile of I-95, Exits 3 to 5 could have been changed to better reflect the closest mile marker.

...kind of reminds me about when Maine changed its exit numbers back in 2004, the first 10 exits on I-295 through Portland and South Portland were not changed at all, and the new mile-based numbers (along with the post-2004 routing of I-295) actually started at exit 11 (Falmouth Spur).

3. Call them sequential. These sections were not renumbered in the switch to milepost based in 2004. 195 & 395 are probably "close enough", though I don't know how the actual mileposts shake out & can't be arsed to look ATM. On "classic" I-295 thru Portland, exit numbers are off by about 1. Milepost 6 is in the gore of Exit 7.

[Roadgeekteen]

R.I.P. "double exit 37" at the I-95/MA-128/I-93 interchange in Woburn/Reading.

My work office is near the River Rd. exit off of I-93.  I haven't been there since March 2020, and it'll be weird seeing a different exit number when I do eventually have to drive there again.

You will always be remembered