Boston's elevated Central Artery signed as I-95

[roadman]

I finally found and scanned the MassDPW official photo I have showing the I-95 south confirmatory shield on Boston's old elevated Central Artery.  Photo didn't have a date on the back, but I believe it's from the late 1960s 1972.  Enjoy!



thanks to bob7374 for the clarification regarding the likely date

[roadman]

Is the photo actually embedded?  I'm not seeing it when I pull up my original post.  Just in case, here's the Flickr link:  https://www.flickr.com/photos/94596071@N06/26251887804/in/dateposted-public/

[The Ghostbuster]

In any event, it probably wasn't too many years before the 95 sign was replaced with a 93 sign.

[KEVIN_224]

I see a couple of short radio-looking towers to the right of the clock tower. I think there's also a partial cigarette billboard ad on the far right...if you view Roadman's original picture at full-size:

[ixnay]

I always liked those Central Artery lampposts.

ixnay

[NE2]

Nice. That would have been at the Callahan Tunnel exit.

[bob7374]

I think the date on the photo is a little to early. This is probably from around 1972, around the time the I-95 overheads went up northbound prior to the Tobin Bridge exit after I-93 was completed (first shown on the 1973 state map). US 1 replaced MA C1 and MA 3 was routed up the length of the SE Expy and the Central Artery in 1971 (they first appear on state maps in that year). Also, don't some of the cars look to be early '70's types?

[PHLBOS]

I think the date on the photo is a little to early. This is probably from around 1972, around the time the I-95 overheads went up northbound prior to the Tobin Bridge exit after I-93 was completed (first shown on the 1973 state map). US 1 replaced MA C1 and MA 3 was routed up the length of the SE Expy and the Central Artery in 1971 (they first appear on state maps in that year). Also, don't some of the cars look to be early '70's types?

1972 would be a good guess.  Love the old-style traffic light post (single yellow light, note the top tip) at the gore.

In any event, it probably wasn't too many years before the 95 sign was replaced with a 93 sign.

One has to wonder if that particular I-95 sign may have been stolen after this pic was taken and before the redesignation.  The old US 1 & MA 3 unisigns I remember seeing very well at that location; the SOUTH I-95 assembly, not at all. 

BTW, the I-93 shields along the Artery showed up in late '75/early '76.

[roadman]

One has to wonder if that particular I-95 sign may have been stolen after this pic was taken and before the redesignation.  The old US 1 & MA 3 unisigns I remember seeing very well at that location; the SOUTH I-95 assembly, not at all. 

My guess is that, given the opposition to the various pieces of the I-95 routing through Boston, the I-95 markers on the Central Artery were deliberately removed by MassDPW before the redesignation formally occurred.

[PHLBOS]

One has to wonder if that particular I-95 sign may have been stolen after this pic was taken and before the redesignation.  The old US 1 & MA 3 unisigns I remember seeing very well at that location; the SOUTH I-95 assembly, not at all. 

My guess is that, given the opposition to the various pieces of the I-95 routing through Boston, the I-95 markers on the Central Artery were deliberately removed by MassDPW before the redesignation formally occurred.

Such might explain why the 70s-vintage BGS' at the original I-93/then I-95-later US 1 North interchange for the southbound artery had MA 3 shields replacing the original I-95 shields (legends went from 95 SOUTH Boston Cape Cod to 3 SOUTH Boston Cape Cod) shortly after the I-93 connection opened.  A few years later, in response to the redesignations, these BGS' would have I-93 replacing the MA 3 shields (legends read 93 SOUTH Boston Cape Cod).