"Next ___ Exits" signs

[froggie]

I like what MnDOT does.  Much more informative.



For cases where you'd have more than 4 exits to a given town, using distance signs in between exits but showing the distances to the next 3 exits from a given location would be the best option.

[J N Winkler]

What that photo actually shows is a variant of a community interchanges sign (the vanilla MUTCD version would say "Owatonna Exits" on one line rather than "Exits To Owatonna" on two).

[froggie]

Still, more informative than the "Next X Exits" sign.

[countysigns]

When I-75 received new signage recently, there was a sign erected on I-75 northbound that reads "Toledo Next 13 Exits".

[J N Winkler]

Still, more informative than the "Next X Exits" sign.

This is true, but presumably for reasons of message loading, the MUTCD restricts community interchanges signs to rural or suburban locations with two or three exits.  The "NEXT X EXITS" sign covers cases where there are more than three exits associated with a community or recreational area.

As an aside, the traditional MUTCD example of a community interchanges sign has had "Columbia Exits" as the top line.  In a fit of pedantry (after my own heart), the revisors of the 2009 MUTCD decided that the second word should not be in mixed-case since it is a generic word, so the example sign now reads "Columbia EXITS."

[agentsteel53]

on that topic... upcoming exits signs are incredibly common in California; where else are they present?  Nevada comes to mind, as does Arizona.  where else?

[Kacie Jane]

Obviously 7 is a smaller number than the ones just mentioned, but I've always been intrigued by the signs on I-5 for Bellingham.  It includes 250-257, but not 258, despite the fact that exit 258 serves the airport and the big shopping mall on the north end of town.  It wasn't until just know that I looked at the city limits on Google, and they're drawn so that the entire interchange is just outside city limits (i.e. if you turn right onto Bakerview from the northbound off-ramp, you cross the line virtually immediately, but no part of the interchange or freeway is within the city limits).

I'm pretty sure that Bellingham, Next 7 Exits sign has been there since Bellis Fair Mall was just a gleam in the developer's eye.  It's not an accident that the mall is outside the city limits, of course; that way it's in the lower property tax area of the county.

Jake is correct regarding Bellingham culture (especially when the exchange rate is such that the mall is invaded by Canadian shoppers).  However, the mall is definitely within city limits, as are the WalMart and Costco about a mile further north.

[kkt]

Obviously 7 is a smaller number than the ones just mentioned, but I've always been intrigued by the signs on I-5 for Bellingham.  It includes 250-257, but not 258, despite the fact that exit 258 serves the airport and the big shopping mall on the north end of town.  It wasn't until just know that I looked at the city limits on Google, and they're drawn so that the entire interchange is just outside city limits (i.e. if you turn right onto Bakerview from the northbound off-ramp, you cross the line virtually immediately, but no part of the interchange or freeway is within the city limits).

I'm pretty sure that Bellingham, Next 7 Exits sign has been there since Bellis Fair Mall was just a gleam in the developer's eye.  It's not an accident that the mall is outside the city limits, of course; that way it's in the lower property tax area of the county.

Jake is correct regarding Bellingham culture (especially when the exchange rate is such that the mall is invaded by Canadian shoppers).  However, the mall is definitely within city limits, as are the WalMart and Costco about a mile further north.

You're right, that tract was annexed in 1978 http://www.cob.org/services/maps/maps/incorp-annex-hist-map.aspx and the mall opened in 1988 http://www.trilliumcorp.com/bellis_fair.php.  "Bellingham, Next 7 Exits" is still older though 

[Kacie Jane]

"Bellingham, Next 7 Exits" is still older though 

Because if we're going solely by whether the interchange itself is within city limits, that sign has been accurate since before the freeway was built.  (Annexation #5 puts Exits 256 & 257 at least partially within city limits, and dates to 1947.)

I'm mainly just baffled as to why (a) Exit 258 wouldn't be included even if it's technically outside city limits, and (b) why annexation #26 on that map looks as if it were drawn to specifically exclude the interchange.

[myosh_tino]

on that topic... upcoming exits signs are incredibly common in California; where else are they present?  Nevada comes to mind, as does Arizona.  where else?

The signs Agentsteel52 is referring to are called Interchange Sequence signs and they are very common in urban areas of California.  According to the Caltrans' sign specs, there are 6 different variations (G23-1 thru G23-6) of the interchange sequence signs.  Here are some photos of these signs courtesy of the AARoads gallery...





While most of these signs are placed in the center median, some are located on the right shoulder or mounted on an overpass.

[Kacie Jane]

on that topic... upcoming exits signs are incredibly common in California; where else are they present?  Nevada comes to mind, as does Arizona.  where else?

Washington uses them, but they're not super-duper common.

[WillWeaverRVA]

"Next 4 Exits" would've worked just fine here...

If the exit numbers are mile-marker-based and/or there's not an exit located between the listed ones; yes.

On a road that (still) has sequential-based exit numbers; not necessarily.  Along MA 128 west of the MA 133 interchange (Exit 14); there's a ground-mounted BGS that states Gloucester USE EXITS 14-11-10-9, Exits 13 & 12 (which do exist) are deliberately not included because those roads don't directly serve downtown Gloucester.  In that case, using NEXT XX EXITS BGS would not be appropriate.

I-64 passes just south of Charlottesville, so those literally are the next four exits at that point.

[hobsini2]

North Carolina uses the word "Interchanges" instead of "Exits." Never really knew why...

Illinois tends to as well, but it isn't consistent, even within IDOT.  Here's a bit of an oddity though,
Westbound on I-80, just past I-355 is the following:
Joliet
NEXT 7 INTERCHANGES

However, just past I-55 on eastbound I-80 is the following:
Joliet
NEXT 8 INTERCHANGES

The interchanges are as follows:
127 - Houbolt Rd / Hollywood Rd
130 A-B - Larkin Ave (IL-7)
131 - Center St (EB) Center St / Meadow Ave (WB)
132 A-B (EB) - Chicago St (US-52/IL-52) 132 (WB) - Chicago St (US-52/IL-53)
133 - Richards St
134 - Briggs St
137 - Maple St (US-30)

For a total of 7 interchanges.

I think the reason why the EB 80 sign says 8 instead of 7 is because of I-355 which does have 1 Joliet exit (US 6 SW Hwy).

Also, the ISTHA uses "exits" for Naperville (3), Aurora (4), Elgin Area (3) and Rockford Area (4 IIRC with the new exit at 173 counting).

[kkt]

"Bellingham, Next 7 Exits" is still older though 

Because if we're going solely by whether the interchange itself is within city limits, that sign has been accurate since before the freeway was built.  (Annexation #5 puts Exits 256 & 257 at least partially within city limits, and dates to 1947.)

I'm mainly just baffled as to why (a) Exit 258 wouldn't be included even if it's technically outside city limits, and (b) why annexation #26 on that map looks as if it were drawn to specifically exclude the interchange.

As far as Exit 258, there wasn't very much out there but the airport when the interstate was built, and that's probably when the Next 7 Exits sign was put up.  The airport really isn't what most people think of as part of the city.

Annexation 26 was after the freeway was built.  I guess Bellingham didn't see any need to annex freeway ROW owned by Wash DOT and they didn't want the land on the SW side of I-5 there.

[luokou]

Oregon uses these signs fairly often, also in urban areas. Usually used in conjunction with '(CITY)' EXITS with the next three exit distances, though the city name part seemed to be a short-lived experiment back in the late 90's/early 2000's.

[kphoger]

What's interesting is there is no corresponding MUTCD sign code equivalent.

Yes there is, and it's called a NEXT EXITS sign (not a NEXT X EXITS sign as has been suggested).

Figure 2E-26. NEXT EXITS Sign

This figure shows a NEXT EXITS sign.

The sign is shown as a horizontal rectangular green sign with white lettering and a white border. The top line shows the word "Springfield." The second line shows the words "NEXT 3 EXITS."

Figure 2E-33. NEXT EXITS Sign

This figure shows a NEXT EXITS sign.

The sign is shown as a horizontal rectangular green sign with white lettering and a white border. The top line shows the word "Springfield." The second line shows the words "NEXT 3 EXITS."

[J N Winkler]

Yes there is, and it's called a NEXT EXITS sign (not a NEXT X EXITS sign as has been suggested).

"NEXT EXITS" is what the drawing caption says in the 2003 and 2009 editions of MUTCD.  The text, however, says "NEXT XX EXITS" in the 2009 edition and "NEXT X EXITS" in the 2003 edition.

Personally, I think "NEXT XX EXITS" is a less ambiguous label because (1) it matches the syntax of the bottom line and (2) it is more clearly distinguished from "NEXT EXIT" signs, which are a type of supplemental guide sign.

[roadman65]

You know I have seen a

       Perry
   Next 2 Exits

sign on I-10 Westbound in Florida approaching Madison CR 14 near Madison, FL when that particular city is several miles away from the interstate.  The first time a city that far off the beaten path with two exits in a row uses that sort of assembly.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Madison,+FL&hl=en&ll=30.416703,-83.436184&spn=0.051664,0.090981&sll=27.698638,-83.804601&sspn=6.785937,11.645508&oq=madison,+&t=h&hnear=Madison,+Florida&z=13&layer=c&cbll=30.41654,-83.43592&panoid=7O3Qtan40m-Y-kHn-M61sA&cbp=12,345,,1,0

[Anthony_JK]

North Carolina uses the word "Interchanges" instead of "Exits." Never really knew why...

Northbound I-49/US 167 approaching Opelousas has "Opelousas NEXT 3 INTERCHANGES"...though southbound they use "NEXT 3 EXITS". Seems like LaDOTD couldn't seem to make up their minds.

Maybe those signs are due to having the relative cities as control cities??

[roadman65]

North Carolina uses the word "Interchanges" instead of "Exits." Never really knew why...

Northbound I-49/US 167 approaching Opelousas has "Opelousas NEXT 3 INTERCHANGES"...though southbound they use "NEXT 3 EXITS". Seems like LaDOTD couldn't seem to make up their minds.

Maybe those signs are due to having the relative cities as control cities??

Interchanges help when you  have a cloverleaf where only one direction goes there.  Some people might consider A-B exits as two separate and most likely some engineers have different thoughts on it.

For example, in Florida on the Florida Turnpike you have approaching Exits 267 A & B a sign for Winter Garden Next 3 Exits.  They count both 267 ramps as the first two, yet in New Jersey on the Garden State Parkway near Toms River you have a sign that reads:
                 Dover Twp.
                Next 2 Exits
where the first exit is a full cloverleaf with two exits and the second exit being forthcoming Exit 81.

It is all up to those in charge and interpretation.

[WillWeaverRVA]

North Carolina uses the word "Interchanges" instead of "Exits." Never really knew why...

Northbound I-49/US 167 approaching Opelousas has "Opelousas NEXT 3 INTERCHANGES"...though southbound they use "NEXT 3 EXITS". Seems like LaDOTD couldn't seem to make up their minds.

Maybe those signs are due to having the relative cities as control cities??

Virginia uses "next X exits" and "next X interchanges"...uh, interchangeably at times as well.

[The High Plains Traveler]

on that topic... upcoming exits signs are incredibly common in California; where else are they present?  Nevada comes to mind, as does Arizona.  where else?

Urban areas of Minnesota, Colorado and New Mexico.

[roadman65]

Ontario has a neat way of expressing multiple interchanges for an upcoming city especially along the QEW.  It does not say "NEXT" but just lists the amount of interchanges along with the city's population.

[deathtopumpkins]

there's not an exit located between the listed ones

that would be some very strange gerrymandering... even if, literally, an intermediate exit is not placed within city limits, it seems plausible that it could serve the city.

While one can get to downtown Gloucester via Concord Street (Exit 13), one clearly can not get there by way of Crafts Road (Exit 12) very easily.  The former exit (at least along 128 northbound) includes Wingaersheek Beach in BGS and the latter exit also includes Rust Island in the BGS.

That particular BGS (& its predecessor(s)) listing the 4 exits to the center of Gloucester has been there since at least 1976.

In this situation wouldn't it be simplest to just list Gloucester on the exit sign for Exit 14, and then after Exit 12 have a "Gloucester Next 3 Exits" sign?

[US71]

there's not an exit located between the listed ones

that would be some very strange gerrymandering... even if, literally, an intermediate exit is not placed within city limits, it seems plausible that it could serve the city.

While one can get to downtown Gloucester via Concord Street (Exit 13), one clearly can not get there by way of Crafts Road (Exit 12) very easily.  The former exit (at least along 128 northbound) includes Wingaersheek Beach in BGS and the latter exit also includes Rust Island in the BGS.

That particular BGS (& its predecessor(s)) listing the 4 exits to the center of Gloucester has been there since at least 1976.

In this situation wouldn't it be simplest to just list Gloucester on the exit sign for Exit 14, and then after Exit 12 have a "Gloucester Next 3 Exits" sign?

Arkansas used to use Next -- Exits, but has mostly switched to signs showing the exits and how far to each one.