Massachusetts milepost exit numbering conversion contract

[PurdueBill]

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.

In Maine the exits that didn't get new numbers still got "Formerly" exit signs (ostensibly so motorists knew that the number was current and not missed by crews/not one that was yet to be changed) and you got gems like this...

[MVHighways]

update: I-93 NB is fully renumbered. Old exits 48/47 are renumbered SB now, further exacerbating the situation referenced below because the new numbers are 46/45 for those two exits. As a result, there are now two exits 46 and two exits 45 in the southbound direction, all in a span of less than four miles. I guess MassDOT isn't planning on going south-to-north with the renumbering on 93 SB after all, unless there was a miscommunication with the contractor or some other error happened with the contractor.

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.

[vdeane]

MassDOT has been doing that kind of stuff this whole renumbering project.  I'm not sure why, though I suspect it seems to be that the way they're doing this is basically "just drive the road from one end to the other, changing numbers along the way" (albeit in sections for I-93 and I-95).

[bob7374]

I've begun adding photos taken of exit renumbering along MA 2 between Fitchburg and Acton taken last week. I've uploaded those from Leominster east, including one that hit the century mark:


on my New England Exit Renumbering Central page: https://malmeroads.net/mass21c/neexitrenumbering.html#ma2signsmay

[paul02474]

update: I-93 NB is fully renumbered. Old exits 48/47 are renumbered SB now, further exacerbating the situation referenced below because the new numbers are 46/45 for those two exits. As a result, there are now two exits 46 and two exits 45 in the southbound direction, all in a span of less than four miles. I guess MassDOT isn't planning on going south-to-north with the renumbering on 93 SB after all, unless there was a miscommunication with the contractor or some other error happened with the contractor.

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.

I would view this as a significant problem if MassDOT was renumbering as part of a sign replacement project. Given the pace of the project, the entire I-93 southbound renumbering will be complete by the end of the week.

[fwydriver405]

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.

As of yesterday, 2021-05-15, old exit 48 SB still stands on the Route 213 Exit 1A ramp:



Old exit 47 SB has been renumbered to its new number, 45:


Old exit 46 still stands, as well as old exit 45:




The new exit numbers SB as of 2021-05-15 don't start until the MA 28 / 3 (Leverett Cir / Cambridge / Storrow Dr) interchange, which was old exit 26.

[MVHighways]

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.

As of yesterday, 2021-05-15, old exit 48 SB still stands on the Route 213 Exit 1A ramp:



Old exit 47 SB has been renumbered to its new number, 45:


Old exit 46 still stands, as well as old exit 45:




The new exit numbers SB as of 2021-05-15 don't start until the MA 28 / 3 (Leverett Cir / Cambridge / Storrow Dr) interchange, which was old exit 26.

I'm sure they'll change those last two exit 48 signs SB (at the weave with 213) when they get back to Methuen to hit exit 46 SB. Not a major issue since it shouldn't take them that long, but I'm still puzzled as to why they changed those first two exits SB early, and that combined with the sign at exit 1A not being touched (for now) may confuse at least a few folks.

The order in which they changed the exits in Methuen is bizarre. They did new 43/old 46 NB first, as expected. Then they changed new 46/old 48 SB, except for the signs at 213 exit 1A (as shown in your pictures). Then they did new 45/46 NB and 45 SB on Thursday night. [Fun tidbit: The 1-mile SB advance sign for new 46 is in New Hampshire, making it one of a handful mileage-based exit signs to physically be in NH (with a sign for exit 89 and two for exit 90 SB on I-95 in Seabrook).] I guess we'll find out tonight if they resume the exit numbering SB in Somerville (like they planned) or Methuen.

[fwydriver405]

I fear they will. In the midst of the I-495 sign project around Lowell, they actually put up brand new signs a few weeks ago between exits 35 and 37, with the old number plastered over the new number underneath.

Well, that explains why I saw patches with the old exit number on some of the exit gore signs on my way back from Cape Cod earlier today via I-495 Northbound... They started somewhere after I-290 / MA 85 interchange and ended somewhere around I-93 or Lawrence, but I'm not sure 100 % about the exact start and end of those new signs. I'm not sure if the exit signs themself or any auxiliary signs got that treatment as well, as I saw a new sign for "Manchester-Boston Regional Airport via US-3 North" with a patched exit sign.

[roadman]

I fear they will. In the midst of the I-495 sign project around Lowell, they actually put up brand new signs a few weeks ago between exits 35 and 37, with the old number plastered over the new number underneath.

Well, that explains why I saw patches with the old exit number on some of the exit gore signs on my way back from Cape Cod earlier today via I-495 Northbound... They started somewhere after I-290 / MA 85 interchange and ended somewhere around I-93 or Lawrence, but I'm not sure 100 % about the exact start and end of those new signs. I'm not sure if the exit signs themself or any auxiliary signs got that treatment as well, as I saw a new sign for "Manchester-Boston Regional Airport via US-3 North" with a patched exit sign.

The current I-495 sign project with the old exit number 'patches' starts just south of Route 111 in Harvard and ends just north of Woburn Street in Lowell.

fixed quoting - A

[SectorZ]

I fear they will. In the midst of the I-495 sign project around Lowell, they actually put up brand new signs a few weeks ago between exits 35 and 37, with the old number plastered over the new number underneath.

Well, that explains why I saw patches with the old exit number on some of the exit gore signs on my way back from Cape Cod earlier today via I-495 Northbound... They started somewhere after I-290 / MA 85 interchange and ended somewhere around I-93 or Lawrence, but I'm not sure 100 % about the exact start and end of those new signs. I'm not sure if the exit signs themself or any auxiliary signs got that treatment as well, as I saw a new sign for "Manchester-Boston Regional Airport via US-3 North" with a patched exit sign.

It's a good idea in general for the regular signs, but putting up a brand new "next exit XX" sign is just pissing money away.

[kramie13]

Exit renumbering on I-495 has made it to the I-95 interchange going north.

The "No Exit 11" sign is still standing between old exits 10 and 12 going north, even though they've been renumbered to 27 and 30.

Also, the exit for MA 140 should be Exit 30 going north when it's signed Exit 31 - the gore sign is almost immediately after milepost 30!  And going south, old exits 12 and 11 should be 30B and 30A instead of 31 and 30.  The reason being is that it's the same route number, but different directions.  The exit tabs for these signs were made wide enough to accommodate this.

[Roadgeekteen]

Exit renumbering on I-495 has made it to the I-95 interchange going north.

The "No Exit 11" sign is still standing between old exits 10 and 12 going north, even though they've been renumbered to 27 and 30.

Also, the exit for MA 140 should be Exit 30 going north when it's signed Exit 31 - the gore sign is almost immediately after milepost 30!  And going south, old exits 12 and 11 should be 30B and 30A instead of 31 and 30.  The reason being is that it's the same route number, but different directions.  The exit tabs for these signs were made wide enough to accommodate this.

Why did Exit 11 not exist in the first place?

[bob7374]

Exit renumbering on I-495 has made it to the I-95 interchange going north.

The "No Exit 11" sign is still standing between old exits 10 and 12 going north, even though they've been renumbered to 27 and 30.

Also, the exit for MA 140 should be Exit 30 going north when it's signed Exit 31 - the gore sign is almost immediately after milepost 30!  And going south, old exits 12 and 11 should be 30B and 30A instead of 31 and 30.  The reason being is that it's the same route number, but different directions.  The exit tabs for these signs were made wide enough to accommodate this.

Why did Exit 11 not exist in the first place?

Exit 11 exists heading south as the exit number for MA 140 South while Exit 12 is for MA 140 North (for a few more days, anyway). Heading north it's just Exit 12 for MA 140, therefore the No Exit 11 sign in that direction. Guess they didn't want to give a single NB ramp two exit numbers, so they chose 12.

[Roadgeekteen]

Exit renumbering on I-495 has made it to the I-95 interchange going north.

The "No Exit 11" sign is still standing between old exits 10 and 12 going north, even though they've been renumbered to 27 and 30.

Also, the exit for MA 140 should be Exit 30 going north when it's signed Exit 31 - the gore sign is almost immediately after milepost 30!  And going south, old exits 12 and 11 should be 30B and 30A instead of 31 and 30.  The reason being is that it's the same route number, but different directions.  The exit tabs for these signs were made wide enough to accommodate this.

Why did Exit 11 not exist in the first place?

Exit 11 exists heading south as the exit number for MA 140 South while Exit 12 is for MA 140 North (for a few more days, anyway). Heading north it's just Exit 12 for MA 140, therefore the No Exit 11 sign in that direction. Guess they didn't want to give a single NB ramp two exit numbers, so they chose 12.

Oh ok I forgot about that.

[bob7374]

Work was completed last night on I-93, and therefore on the 'second' renumbering contract. The MassDOT site has been updated.  Here are the new renumbered signs at the I-95/MA 128 South exit, courtesy of Paul Schlichtman:


The rest of his photos can be found at:
https://malmeroads.net/mass21c/neexitrenumbering.html#photos

Work continues on the 'first' contract on I-495, no dates have been set for start of work on I-395 and I-290. I hope to get photos of renumbered exits along I-495 over the weekend.

[bob7374]

I've uploaded photos of exit renumbering along I-495 taken this past weekend from I-95 in Mansfield and south (work has proceeded NB as far as I-90). Here's one of the MA 140 exit ramp signs:


The whole set at: https://malmeroads.net/mass21c/neexitrenumbering.html#photos

I've also completed posting exit renumbering photos taken along MA 2 a couple weeks ago out to MA 140:


A shortcut to those photos at: https://malmeroads.net/mass21c/neexitrenumbering.html#ma2signsmay

[fwydriver405]

I don't know if this has been answered in the past, but does anyone know why there is no exit number tab on any of these westbound signs for Exit 131 (old exit 20 18)?

EDIT, the old exit number for this exit in this direction is 20, 18 is eastbound.

[vdeane]

There's one, but it is perplexing.

[Alps]

I don't know if this has been answered in the past, but does anyone know why there is no exit number tab on any of these westbound signs for Exit 131 (old exit 20 18)?

EDIT, the old exit number for this exit in this direction is 20, 18 is eastbound.

I wonder if in the quest to make the sign the proper size, they maxed out the height/area.

[storm2k]

Don't know why they can't put that "U-Turn to Boston" on an aux sign. Seems straightforward and easier to read the other sign.

[bob7374]

There's one, but it is perplexing.

Here's what that sign looks like after exit renumbering, not enough room for even all the text for an Old Exit sign:

[kramie13]

Update on I-495 exit renumbering:

-The "No Exit 11" sign going north, which was just installed last summer, has been removed.
-A blue gas sign for new exit 30/old exit 11 still reads "Gas - Exit 11".  The sign for the Xfinity center going south also still reads exit 11.
-Going north, the first sign for Gillette Stadium (before the I-95 exits) now reads "Exit 36A", but another Gillette Stadium sign closer to the US 1 exits still reads "Exit 14A".
-The US 1 interchange has been renumbered in both directions.  So it's possible the contractors are now renumbering an interchange in each direction before moving onto the next one.  But it still doesn't explain why they're going south-to-north on I-495 instead of north-to-south.

[fwydriver405]

Don't know why they can't put that "U-Turn to Boston" on an aux sign. Seems straightforward and easier to read the other sign.

I don't know if this counts, but there's this sign between the two photos I posted:



Source: New England Exit Renumbering Central

[SkyPesos]

I'm questioning how useful the "U-turn to Boston sign" even is. At that point very close to Boston, almost all vehicles probably passed through Boston already, unless there's someone out there that didn't pay attention to anything on their surroundings at all until the U-turn sign and is like "oh no, I missed Boston's skyline".

[bob7374]

I'm questioning how useful the "U-turn to Boston sign" even is. At that point very close to Boston, almost all vehicles probably passed through Boston already, unless there's someone out there that didn't pay attention to anything on their surroundings at all until the U-turn sign and is like "oh no, I missed Boston's skyline".

The primary reason MassDOT cited for creating the U-Turn was to help buses, taxis and ride sharing vehicles from Logan Airport access the Copley Square/Prudential exit instead of taking local streets to get there. The alternative was to build a new interchange westbound which to them cost prohibitive.