Kittery, ME

[shadyjay]

So apparently in recent months (years?), some sign replacement has taken place in the Kittery area.  Unfortunately during my most recent trip to Maine last month, I did not see this signage first hand, but here is what I've amassed, courtesy of Google street view, and other sources...(I regret for not giving proper credit at this time - I definitely cannot take credit for any of these photos - I'm just using them to explain the changes). 

First, US 1 NB where it "exits" from itself just before the Kittery Trading Post. 

The original signage:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-3b2OvtxZLso/UjPN7oAWYNI/AAAAAAAATOI/jdcRt5PHV3A/s500/NB%2520-%2520MM%25201%2520-%25201%2520-%2520old.jpg

Its replacement:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-W2ybCxVJHok/UjPN8VuLf1I/AAAAAAAATN0/uOI9gcwOeJQ/s720/NB%2520-%2520MM%25201%2520-%25201.jpg

Then I find this one on Google street view.... much better than the replacement.  Though I'm not sure if this was replaced with the above, or what's currently "in the field"...
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-TsvBvN2fSdE/UjPOA2qtQjI/AAAAAAAATNs/kM2Yb7s6zak/s800/NB%2520-%2520MM%25201%2520-%25201.png
I like "Coastal Route" a lot better than Kittery Mall Road.  In fact, after various searches, I cannot find a road named "Kittery Mall Road". 
So does anyone know which one is currently "in the field"? 

And on US 1 South in Kittery at the I-95 ramps:

The original:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-f7z5MLcEPxQ/UjPOoj76NVI/AAAAAAAATNw/gfxZ7Sqx034/s640/SB-MM%25203-old.jpg

The new:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fAYMxFytqVc/UjPOsG9XncI/AAAAAAAATN4/q29IqBE9lgM/s720/SB-MM%25203.jpg
Note the changes:  US 1 Bypass added to the US 1 South pull-through and New Hampshire & Massachusetts replaced with Portsmouth and Boston. 

Also interesting to note the new shields do not have the state name that has been cropping up on most I-95 signage in the past several years.  Most likely, those state name shields were added to replace faded shields.  The state name and the darker blue make them more likely to be seen as ground-mounted "reassurance" shields, vs overhead shields. 

Also some new signage on I-95 itself, including some minor changes to Exits 1 & 2 destinations.  Exit 3 signage was not replaced, nor were the pull-throughs.  The Eisenhower Interstate System shield still sits proudly on one of the BGSs. 

[deathtopumpkins]

The "Coastal Route" one is the current one.

As for southbound, interestingly enough the Bypass 1 pull-through (other side of the Coastal Route gantry) immediately after the I-95 ramp splits is a relatively new sign that lists "New Hampshire/Massachusetts" as the control cities, as seen in Streetview here: http://goo.gl/maps/aiTxV

On the subject of Kittery, I've always found it amusing that there are two "Welcome to Maine" signs on Bypass 1/1 northbound: the one right after the Long Bridge, and then a second one where 1 merges back into Bypass 1, right after 95.

[shadyjay]

The "Coastal Route" one is the current one.

Now that I look at the US 1 overpass in the background in the two images, that makes sense.  I'm just curious as to why the Kittery Mall Road sign was replaced with the Coastal Route one.  Aren't "concrete" destinations preferred vs "generalized" destinations?  Same reason why New Hampshire/Massachusetts have become Portsmouth/Boston.  But it does make sense to sign it as Coastal Route, vs a road that doesn't even exist (US 1 past this interchange is "State Road").

What is also curious is the gore signage.  The original image has standalone trailblazers posted in the gore ... one for North I-95, one for North Maine Turnpike, one for North US 1.  The Kittery Mall Road image has this new green sign in the gore:
(from billburmaster)


The Coastal Route-new gantry image does not have this new green sign.  According to the Google streetview image, the gore has gone back to 3 stand-alone trailblazers, though with larger shields than before.

Just curious as to why such a new sign was replaced.  Though maybe it got destroyed (hit by a vehicle), or maybe more "Kittery Mall Road" backlash? 

[deathtopumpkins]

The adjacent Streetview images from both 2008 and 2011 show the same 3 standalone, oversized shields.

I don't recall whether or not that unisign (with the Kittery Mall Rd) reference is the current signage or not, but I'd be inclined to think it is, and that sometime within the past 2 years it replaced the individual signs that are seen in Streetview. Depending on whether I have time or not I may run up there tomorrow and check it out.

[deathtopumpkins]

Okay, so, I drove up to Kittery this afternoon, and here's what I found:

I was incorrect about the overhead signs - the US 1 sign is an ugly one that does say "Kittery Mall Rd.", not the Coastal Route I recalled (was probably thinking of the exit signs on 95, or the 295/1 interchange in Brunswick):


The gore sign is the newer unisign, which also mentions Kittery Mall Rd.:


And finally, the southbound overhead at the same location still refers to "New Hampshire/Massachusetts", rather than "Portsmouth/Boston":



Apologies for the picture quality, my camera battery wasn't charged so I had to use my phone, and it doesn't like to zoom. Plus the road was fairly busy so I was limited in where I could stop. But there's what's current.

[shadyjay]

Interesting.  So now I wonder when/why the 2nd generation "Coastal Route" one was replaced with the "Kittery Mall Road" one. 

[PHLBOS]

Interesting.  So now I wonder when/why the 2nd generation "Coastal Route" one was replaced with the "Kittery Mall Road" one.

Guess on my part, the cahnge was likely due to either:

1.  At the prompting of Kittery Mall Businesses.

or

2.  Possible construction along US 1 that made through-coastal route traffic more of a challenge/time-consuming.

Nonetheless, the new BGS is ugly.  They could've just utilized the former BGS panel and simply covered the Coastal Route destination legend w/Kittery Mall Road.

[KEVIN_224]

Did any of the signage change after the reopening of the US Route 1 bridge over the Piscataqua River?

[deathtopumpkins]

Did any of the signage change after the reopening of the US Route 1 bridge over the Piscataqua River?

Apart from the removal of orange construction signage,  none that I am aware of changed.