Exit name/destination choices that aren't the most ideal for an interchange

[TheStranger]

What inspired this is the new E. Rodriguez Avenue offramp from southbound Skyway Stage 3 in Quezon City - while Rodriguez is the street the exit is named for, drivers actually trying to reach it either need to make a U-turn using G. Araneta Avenue (the service road underneath the highway) or go quite out of their way along Bayani Road and Plaridel Street to access it!

Another example - more of the destination type than the exit name - can be found along I-5 in Sacramento.  For years, Meadowview Road has been signed as the exit to access Route 160 going to the town/community of Freeport.  However, when the Cosumnes River Boulevard exit opened about 2 years ago, the signage was not changed even though Cosumnes River Boulevard gets to 160 and the town much more directly!

For purposes of this discussion, an exit in which one has to take another street to get to the named destination road is not inherently a bad choice, but if it takes too convoluted a route or too long a distance to reach the named road, then that absolutely would fit the thread.

[zachary_amaryllis]

on us 31 in muskegon, mi, (at least last time i was there), m-46 is signed eastbound as 'm-46 east, newaygo' newaygo isn't even ON m-46.

[hotdogPi]

I-495 (MA) exit 42A was recently changed from Middleton to North Andover. The problem is that exits 43 and 44 also go to North Andover, and downtown North Andover is exit 43. However, Exit 42A is often used to get to the North Shore (including all the way to the coast), and Middleton was a good choice to put there, especially since it goes to the center of the town. (Exits 43 and 44 can also be used to get to different parts of the North Shore, but they're to the less populated areas, they require several turns, and the way to get there is nowhere near as obvious.)

[kphoger]

Because of [________ NEXT ___ EXITS] situations, there are some exits at which the town RIGHT THERE isn't even on the exit sign.

For example, I-70 at Coby, KS.

Coming from the east, there's a [Colby NEXT 2 EXITS] sign.

Next is an exit for [Country Club Dr / County Road 2].  Until a truck stop was built there a few years ago, nobody used that exit.  One side was a gravel country road, and the other side was just a back way to the part of town most people weren't going to.

Then, at the K-25 exit for Colby, with hotels and restaurants and an outlet mall and a community college, the sign says [Atwood / Leoti].  It's a major stopping point for travelers, yet the town's name is nowhere on the sign.  If you hadn't noticed the little sign 2¼ miles earlier, you might never even know that's the Colby exit.  You know, the one you're supposed to get off at.

[ran4sh]

Because of [________ NEXT ___ EXITS] situations, there are some exits at which the town RIGHT THERE isn't even on the exit sign.

This practice is actually going to be endorsed in the upcoming new MUTCD, if a destination is on a Next X Exits sign it doesn't need to be repeated on the signs for the individual exits.

[roadman65]

In Matamoras, PA there is Port Jervis for I-84 Eastbounf from US 6 & 209, when Port Jervis is actually on US 6 & 209 north of I-84.  At that point Newburgh should be used as it's the next eastward city on I-84 used for destination.

[webny99]

Then, at the K-25 exit for Colby, with hotels and restaurants and an outlet mall and a community college, the sign says [Atwood / Leoti].  It's a major stopping point for travelers, yet the town's name is nowhere on the sign.  If you hadn't noticed the little sign 2¼ miles earlier, you might never even know that's the Colby exit.  You know, the one you're supposed to get off at.

I totally get what you're saying, but I wouldn't blame it on the "Colby - Next 2 Exits" sign. I think Colby should replace Leoti on the signs for the K-25 exit regardless of whether the Next 2 Exits sign exists. That's especially the case heading west, where anyone going to Leoti would have turned off at Exit 76 (US 40), not to mention that Colby is a much bigger and more relevant town.

[NWI_Irish96]

The Indiana Toll Road interchanges in the western part of Lake County are far from ideal.

Exit 0 - Indianapolis Blvd US 12/20/41 - Whiting should be a destination
Exit 3 - Cline Ave IN 912 doesn't have a destination. It's how you get to the steel mills and casinos in East Chicago. I get that the Cline Ave bridge was out for a long time and maybe those destinations used to be listed, but the new bridge is open so we need destinations here.
Exit 5 - Calumet Ave US 41 Hammond - Also the exit you would utilize to get to the main areas of East Chicago. Munster is also a reasonable destination here
Exit 10 - Cline Ave IN 912 Gary - Cline runs along Gary's western boundary. Gary - Airport would be more accurate. TO IN 312/East Chicago would also be a reasonable destination for the WB exit

[wanderer2575]

Southbound I-275 exit 11A to "South Huron Road" in New Boston, MI.  The road ends just a few hundred feet past the interchange at the entrance to Willow Metropark (which has a supplemental sign incorrectly telling motorists to use exit 11A).

on us 31 in muskegon, mi, (at least last time i was there), m-46 is signed eastbound as 'm-46 east, newaygo' newaygo isn't even ON m-46.

I sort of understand this one.  Newaygo is signed only from northbound US-31; no control city is signed southbound.  Obviously MDOT decided none of the small burghs along M-46 is control city-worthy, and the best route from the interchange to Newaygo is via M-46 east and M-37 north.  What doesn't make sense to me is that Cedar Springs isn't signed as a control; it's on M-46 and is only about a mile's drive farther than Newaygo.

[kphoger]

Then, at the K-25 exit for Colby, with hotels and restaurants and an outlet mall and a community college, the sign says [Atwood / Leoti].  It's a major stopping point for travelers, yet the town's name is nowhere on the sign.  If you hadn't noticed the little sign 2¼ miles earlier, you might never even know that's the Colby exit.  You know, the one you're supposed to get off at.

I totally get what you're saying, but I wouldn't blame it on the "Colby - Next 2 Exits" sign. I think Colby should replace Leoti on the signs for the K-25 exit regardless of whether the Next 2 Exits sign exists. That's especially the case heading west, where anyone going to Leoti would have turned off at Exit 76 (US 40), not to mention that Colby is a much bigger and more relevant town.

See, I have a fundamental problem with both towns on the exit sign being in the same direction from the highway.  If it were Atwood/Colby, then there would be no southbound destination at all.  I'd make it Colby/Leoti instead, and just leave Atwood off entirely–even though it's the town I grew up in and was always my destination personally when exiting there.

[webny99]

See, I have a fundamental problem with both towns on the exit sign being in the same direction from the highway.  If it were Atwood/Colby, then there would be no southbound destination at all.  I'd make it Colby/Leoti instead, and just leave Atwood off entirely–even though it's the town I grew up in and was always my destination personally when exiting there.

Why would it matter if both destinations are north of the interstate?

In order of where exiting traffic is headed, I have to assume it's:
(1) Colby
(2) Atwood
(huge gap)
(3) Leoti

I'd just pick the top two regardless of where they are in relation to the interstate.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Or what Minnesota does:

K-25
Colby
Atwood
1 Mile

then

Leoti
Next Right

[Scott5114]

Because of [________ NEXT ___ EXITS] situations, there are some exits at which the town RIGHT THERE isn't even on the exit sign.

For example, I-70 at Colby, KS.

Coming from the east, there's a [Colby NEXT 2 EXITS] sign.

Next is an exit for [Country Club Dr / County Road 2].  Until a truck stop was built there a few years ago, nobody used that exit.  One side was a gravel country road, and the other side was just a back way to the part of town most people weren't going to.

Then, at the K-25 exit for Colby, with hotels and restaurants and an outlet mall and a community college, the sign says [Atwood / Leoti].  It's a major stopping point for travelers, yet the town's name is nowhere on the sign.  If you hadn't noticed the little sign 2¼ miles earlier, you might never even know that's the Colby exit.  You know, the one you're supposed to get off at.

This is by design.

On the other side of the state, you have a "Kansas City, Next 10 Exits" sign on I-435. Should KDOT be signing every exit on I-435 with "Kansas City" stuck on the bottom of the panel? Well, no, that would be silly. But still, if you miss the Kansas City Next 10 Exits sign and Kansas City City Limits sign (the latter of which, in Kansas, is often glommed onto the Next 10 Exits sign or a county line or river crossing sign), going by what KDOT provides alone, you have no way to know you're in Kansas City at that point, and that's why it disappeared from the sign.

"But Scott," you say, "In Kansas City, drivers don't need that, they know what exit to take based on the road name or the exit number."

Why, then, would they not know to do this in Colby? After all, they'd have to have that information if they were going to some town along K-25 that wasn't Colby, Atwood or Leoti.

As you allude to, I would imagine most people getting off the freeway in Colby are not really interested in visiting Colby per se, but saw it as a dot on the map and thought, hey, they probably have a restaurant/hotel/gas station there. This guidance can be accomplished through blue services signage, or the high mast signage that such businesses advertise themselves with.

So putting Colby on the sign would really help only people who 1) have a ultimate destination in Colby and aren't just someone window-shopping for services 2) take it on blind faith that any destination they possibly could be interested in will always be a control city at all times (I'm not sure how they'll ever get there if they ever need to visit Cole, Oklahoma since ODOT signs the control as either "SH-76 JCT" or "SH-74 JCT" depending on which direction you approach it from) and therefore 3) aren't bright enough to figure out ahead of time that to get to their destination they need exit 53 or K-25 and 4) haven't figured out that they're directionally-impaired enough that the Google Maps robot telling them where to exit would probably be a help.

Incidentally, now that I've typed "Colby" this many times, I really want some cheese.

[JayhawkCO]

Or what Minnesota does:

K-25
Colby
Atwood
1 Mile

then

Leoti
Next Right

I like this way as well.  You still know which main town you're going to, but you have secondary control cities.  It's like the I-35 and I-90 intersection where the control cities are Sioux Falls and La Crosse but there's also the sign for Austin and, if memory serves, Blue Earth. 

Chris

[webny99]

Or what Minnesota does:
...

then

Leoti
Next Right

I like this way as well.

Yeah, same here. Or, to address kphoger's concern, you could also do Atwood and Leoti on the BGS's and then:

Colby
Next Right

[JayhawkCO]

Or what Minnesota does:
...

then

Leoti
Next Right

I like this way as well.

Yeah, same here. Or, to address kphoger's concern, you could also do Atwood and Leoti on the BGS's and then:

Colby
Next Right

Sure.  Or actually option C: KS25 - Colby, Leoti then:

Atwood
Next Right

Since Leoti is the opposite direction on the highway from Colby and Leoti is larger than Atwood.

Chris

[kphoger]

Because of [________ NEXT ___ EXITS] situations, there are some exits at which the town RIGHT THERE isn't even on the exit sign.

For example, I-70 at Colby, KS.

Coming from the east, there's a [Colby NEXT 2 EXITS] sign.

Next is an exit for [Country Club Dr / County Road 2].  Until a truck stop was built there a few years ago, nobody used that exit.  One side was a gravel country road, and the other side was just a back way to the part of town most people weren't going to.

Then, at the K-25 exit for Colby, with hotels and restaurants and an outlet mall and a community college, the sign says [Atwood / Leoti].  It's a major stopping point for travelers, yet the town's name is nowhere on the sign.  If you hadn't noticed the little sign 2¼ miles earlier, you might never even know that's the Colby exit.  You know, the one you're supposed to get off at.

This is by design.

On the other side of the state, you have a "Kansas City, Next 10 Exits" sign on I-435. Should KDOT be signing every exit on I-435 with "Kansas City" stuck on the bottom of the panel? Well, no, that would be silly. But still, if you miss the Kansas City Next 10 Exits sign and Kansas City City Limits sign (the latter of which, in Kansas, is often glommed onto the Next 10 Exits sign or a county line or river crossing sign), going by what KDOT provides alone, you have no way to know you're in Kansas City at that point, and that's why it disappeared from the sign.

"But Scott," you say, "In Kansas City, drivers don't need that, they know what exit to take based on the road name or the exit number."

Why, then, would they not know to do this in Colby? After all, they'd have to have that information if they were going to some town along K-25 that wasn't Colby, Atwood or Leoti.

As you allude to, I would imagine most people getting off the freeway in Colby are not really interested in visiting Colby per se, but saw it as a dot on the map and thought, hey, they probably have a restaurant/hotel/gas station there. This guidance can be accomplished through blue services signage, or the high mast signage that such businesses advertise themselves with.

So putting Colby on the sign would really help only people who 1) have a ultimate destination in Colby and aren't just someone window-shopping for services 2) take it on blind faith that any destination they possibly could be interested in will always be a control city at all times (I'm not sure how they'll ever get there if they ever need to visit Cole, Oklahoma since ODOT signs the control as either "SH-76 JCT" or "SH-74 JCT" depending on which direction you approach it from) and therefore 3) aren't bright enough to figure out ahead of time that to get to their destination they need exit 53 or K-25 and 4) haven't figured out that they're directionally-impaired enough that the Google Maps robot telling them where to exit would probably be a help.

Let's say the custodial parent of my child lived in Denver, and I were meeting up with the two of them halfway to bring my child home for the holidays.  While I'm at the Grainfield rest area, I call her to find out where we should meet up.  She stopped for gas in Goodland and tells me to meet her at the Colby exit, and to call her when I get there to find out where she is.  So I'm on the lookout for an exit that says "Colby".  Instead, all I get is a little sign a mile before it's even apparent I'm approaching a town.  (Colby doesn't become apparent till after you round the bend on I-70).  If I miss that little sign, then I don't realize I'm supposed to exit at "Atwood/Leoti".

And I assert that a town like Colby is simply different than one like Kansas City.  If you don't know you're already in Kansas City by the time you get there, then you're a doofus.  (OK, I realize those little signs refer to the city limits and I'm speaking of the metro area.)

Also...  Hmmm, I thought the KTA had one of those [NEXT ___ EXITS] signs approaching Wichita, but I don't see any on GSV.  Maybe I'm just mistaken.

Incidentally, now that I've typed "Colby" this many times, I really want some cheese.

Get back, Jack!

Sure.  Or actually option C: KS25 - Colby, Leoti then:

Atwood
Next Right

Since Leoti is the opposite direction on the highway from Colby and Leoti is larger than Atwood.

I like the idea of Colby/Leoti, with an "Atwood next exit" supplemental sign.

[Terry Shea]

on us 31 in muskegon, mi, (at least last time i was there), m-46 is signed eastbound as 'm-46 east, newaygo' newaygo isn't even ON m-46.

I never noticed that before.  But IMO, M-46 from Muskegon to Cedar Springs should be renumbered...perhaps as M-57.  M-46 could follow the routing from M-82 and M-120 from US-131 down to Muskegon.  Some of the routing in this area doesn't really make a lot of sense.

[Ned Weasel]

Also...  Hmmm, I thought the KTA had one of those [NEXT ___ EXITS] signs approaching Wichita, but I don't see any on GSV.  Maybe I'm just mistaken.

The KTA does the opposite of KDOT in this regard and insists on putting Wichita on every guide sign for each of the four exits (although I'm not sure about Exit 53A).  They also do this for Lawrence's three exits, although there, they do have a "Lawrence NEXT 3 EXITS" sign.

[kenarmy]

Exit 107 for Colony Park Boulevard and Madison Avenue on I-55 irritates me.
First off, the exits just go to frontage roads. And in order to get from Colony Park to Madison Avenue, or vice versa, you have to travel on the frontage road for a mile, and you pass through a few other roads before you get there. Taking the next exit to then go to Madison Avenue via Grandview is slightly shorter.

[Scott5114]

Let's say the custodial parent of my child lived in Denver, and I were meeting up with the two of them halfway to bring my child home for the holidays.  While I'm at the Grainfield rest area, I call her to find out where we should meet up.  She stopped for gas in Goodland and tells me to meet her at the Colby exit, and to call her when I get there to find out where she is.

My immediate query would be "Which exit is that?" because, if I have never been to Colby before, I don't know if it's a one-exit town or a ten-exit town, or if maybe they built a new exit since the last time me or the person I'm meeting has been there, or what the signage situation is. Course, I grew up in a town that has four exits within city limits but only one of them signed as serving that town, so I never trust the verbiage "the X exit" when someone's giving me directions.

Of course, there's plenty of people who would happily name off the city on the sign, clueless as to the actual name of the town they're in, and say they were stopping in Atwood!

Best solution–why not just read all of the signs if you have a turn coming up soon? Cause what if you don't read the sign at the exit either?

And I assert that a town like Colby is simply different than one like Kansas City.

KDOT is a stickler about being logically consistent with their signage practices. [City] next # exits means no mentions of the city from there on out. Same rule in Kansas City as it is in Colby. The good thing is that means that KDOT is extremely predictable, so a driver who pays any degree of attention at all can learn to keep eyes peeled for a [city] next # exits sign and know "Okay–I should treat the next # exits as though [city] is added to the sign."

It's a very appealing concept to someone who lives in a state where every aspect of signage (including capitalization and grammar) is subject to whatever flight of fancy seizes the mind of whatever contractor gets any given signage contract.

[hobsini2]

The ISTHA changed their practices a few years ago especially on 88 with Aurora. It used to be that Route 31 was signed Aurora-Batavia.  Now it's just Route 31/56 East with a supplemental sign including Aurora, North Aurora, Batavia and Geneva. 

I get the reasoning because of so many nearby towns but for state highway junctions that serve as the main exit for a city center, at least keep the city on the main BGS.

In the case of Colby, which I have been a few times, Colby should be signed on Hwy 25. It's not wrong to sign 3 destinations on a BGS. Put Colby on top since it is the closest city and then Leoti and Atwood.

[hobsini2]

As for ones in Illinois that bug me...
I-55 Exit 257 is "US 30 - Aurora, Joliet". Plainfield, now nearly 40,000 in pop, comes within a mile of the interchange. Yes if you are going SB on 55, 126 is the direct route to Plainfield. But NB, while 59 is the direct route, you hit a ton of lights in Shorewood and Joliet before Plainfield.

55 uses Kankakee for Route 17 instead of Dwight. The problem is when you are going NB, 17 is the way into the business district.  There is no mention of Dwight until Route 47 by which time, you are mostly passed Dwight.

[roadman65]

The exit for Smith Street to Perth Amboy on NJ Route 440 is not for Smith Street EB to Perth Amboy.  It's Fayette Street that goes there as Smith Street from that particular exit heads west to Keasbey.

[Scott5114]

In the case of Colby, which I have been a few times, Colby should be signed on Hwy 25. It's not wrong to sign 3 destinations on a BGS. Put Colby on top since it is the closest city and then Leoti and Atwood.

KDOT isn't signing it because doing so would create 3 destinations, though. They're not doing it because there's two Colby exits, so as far as they're concerned "Colby, Next 2 Exits" is the appropriate way to sign it, because it's consistent with how they do it for larger cities.