Massachusetts

[shadyjay]

With AET, has there been any mention of improving the Pike's interchange with I-91/US 5 in West Springfield?  Seems like the easy no-brainer solution would be a direct ramp from 90 EB to 91 SB.  There's already a partially graded pathway slightly visible from 90 EB.  No structures in the way either.
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.1525324,-72.648852,180m/data=!3m1!1e3!5m2!1e4!1e1?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDQwOC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

Bonus points:  Have the acceleration lane be an operational lane all the way down to Exit 10-B/Rt 5 South.

Sign the new ramp as "91 SOUTH/Springfield/Hartford CT" and sign the existing ramp as "91 NORTH/US 5/Holyoke/Greenfield".  No change to signage WB.  This seems like it would be a relatively simple traffic improvement vs the 3 loop ramps that trucks must take to get from 90 EB to 91 SB. 

[pderocco]

With AET, has there been any mention of improving the Pike's interchange with I-91/US 5 in West Springfield?  Seems like the easy no-brainer solution would be a direct ramp from 90 EB to 91 SB.  There's already a partially graded pathway slightly visible from 90 EB.  No structures in the way either.
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.1525324,-72.648852,180m/data=!3m1!1e3!5m2!1e4!1e1?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDQwOC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

Bonus points:  Have the acceleration lane be an operational lane all the way down to Exit 10-B/Rt 5 South.

Sign the new ramp as "91 SOUTH/Springfield/Hartford CT" and sign the existing ramp as "91 NORTH/US 5/Holyoke/Greenfield".  No change to signage WB.  This seems like it would be a relatively simple traffic improvement vs the 3 loop ramps that trucks must take to get from 90 EB to 91 SB. 

Of course, that would only solve the problem for one of the eight movements. The "right turns" all look doable without too much trouble, but it would have to be done to accommodate future "left turn" flyovers if they didn't do it all at once.

I would, however, miss the "trumpet quartet", one of the prettiest interchanges, at least from the sky.

[kramie13]

As of Saturday evening, I saw new signs uncovered with new exit numbers 106B and 106A on the Pike westbound. Nothing new is open yet and traffic is still going on the existing exit 106 ramp.

Imagine if Mass DOT didn't change the exit numbers to match the mile markers a few years ago.  We would be in a situation where traveling west on the Pike, you would have exits "11A-B" and "11A-A" for both directions of I-495!

I drove through this area yesterday on 495, going south.  The 1 mile, 1/2 mile, and "at-exit" overhead signs for the Mass Pike have been installed.  But for some reason, Albany is listed before Boston on each sign.  There is also a pull-through sign next to the "at-exit" sign for the Pike, but for some reason, the control city for 495 south is Taunton.  Ugh.  It should be Cape Cod.

[bob7374]

I took a road trip this past weekend to document the new signage on MA 3 between Bourne and Braintree and on I-195 West between Wareham and New Bedford. It appeared the new signage had been placed northbound from Bourne (with the exeption of the signs near the Sagamore Bridge) to Union Street in Braintree. I took photos between Norwell and Braintree, such as this new 1/2 mile advance for MA 228:


The I-195 sign project is complete, here's new signage for the first exit westbound, MA 28:


The complete set of photos is at: https://malmeroads.net/mass21c/miscsigns.html

[Ted$8roadFan]

Progress at the Mass. Pike/I-495 interchange: a new ramp has opened between I-90W and I-495S.

https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/mass-pike-495-south-ramp-open/

[bob7374]

I took a road trip along MA 3 between Weymouth and Bourne to check on the status of the sign replacement project. Still no new signs heading south, most of the exit related signage heading north has been updated, with the exception of the gore signs. Here's signage approaching US 44 in Plymouth:


All the photos are at: https://malmeroads.net/mass21c/miscsigns.html

[kramie13]

Here is a video of someone driving the new 90/Mass Pike west to 495 south ramp.  It is signed as "Exit 106A":
https://x.com/SpecNews1Worc/status/2054228393718079876?s=20

[pderocco]

Here is a video of someone driving the new 90/Mass Pike west to 495 south ramp.  It is signed as "Exit 106A":
https://x.com/SpecNews1Worc/status/2054228393718079876?s=20

What?? It still has an A suffix?

[vdeane]

Here is a video of someone driving the new 90/Mass Pike west to 495 south ramp.  It is signed as "Exit 106A":
https://x.com/SpecNews1Worc/status/2054228393718079876?s=20

What?? It still has an A suffix?

Would you prefer the Connecticut solution of having it be just exit 106 with the ramp to I-495 north being exit 107?

[pderocco]

Here is a video of someone driving the new 90/Mass Pike west to 495 south ramp.  It is signed as "Exit 106A":
https://x.com/SpecNews1Worc/status/2054228393718079876?s=20

What?? It still has an A suffix?

Would you prefer the Connecticut solution of having it be just exit 106 with the ramp to I-495 north being exit 107?

I hate having to explain my jokes.

For decades since I-495 was built, when the Pike had simple sequential exit numbers, that one was always 11A.

[Rothman]

Here is a video of someone driving the new 90/Mass Pike west to 495 south ramp.  It is signed as "Exit 106A":
https://x.com/SpecNews1Worc/status/2054228393718079876?s=20

What?? It still has an A suffix?

Would you prefer the Connecticut solution of having it be just exit 106 with the ramp to I-495 north being exit 107?

I hate having to explain my jokes.

For decades since I-495 was built, when the Pike had simple sequential exit numbers, that one was always 11A.

That was a joke?

[vdeane]

Here is a video of someone driving the new 90/Mass Pike west to 495 south ramp.  It is signed as "Exit 106A":
https://x.com/SpecNews1Worc/status/2054228393718079876?s=20

What?? It still has an A suffix?

Would you prefer the Connecticut solution of having it be just exit 106 with the ramp to I-495 north being exit 107?

I hate having to explain my jokes.

For decades since I-495 was built, when the Pike had simple sequential exit numbers, that one was always 11A.

That was a joke?

Yeah, I assumed he just didn't know that there were now two ramps, though maybe my snark went over his head too.

[pderocco]

Here is a video of someone driving the new 90/Mass Pike west to 495 south ramp.  It is signed as "Exit 106A":
https://x.com/SpecNews1Worc/status/2054228393718079876?s=20

What?? It still has an A suffix?

Would you prefer the Connecticut solution of having it be just exit 106 with the ramp to I-495 north being exit 107?

I hate having to explain my jokes.

For decades since I-495 was built, when the Pike had simple sequential exit numbers, that one was always 11A.

That was a joke?

Yeah, I assumed he just didn't know that there were now two ramps, though maybe my snark went over his head too.

I've been looking at the aerial imagery of that since they started.

[shadyjay]

Most likely the new ramp from the Pike WB to I-495 NB will be Exit 106-B when that opens later this year.  Eastbound, I believe both new I-495 ramps will diverge after they leave the Pike so they may still become Exit 106 A-B or just Exit 106 like present. 

[kramie13]

What?? It still has an A suffix?

Prior to 2021, the exit for I-495 from the Mass Pike was exit 11A for both directions.  It was then changed to 106 to match the mile markers.  Now with the westbound direction having separate exits for each direction of 495, the "B" and "A" suffixes will be used.

Had Mass DOT not changed the exit numbers to a mile-based system, we would have had some weird new exit numbers for the new ramps.

[pderocco]

What?? It still has an A suffix?

Prior to 2021, the exit for I-495 from the Mass Pike was exit 11A for both directions.  It was then changed to 106 to match the mile markers.  Now with the westbound direction having separate exits for each direction of 495, the "B" and "A" suffixes will be used.

Had Mass DOT not changed the exit numbers to a mile-based system, we would have had some weird new exit numbers for the new ramps.

The irony is that that's still the only Pike interchange west of I-95 that has a letter suffix. Or are there gestating plans to eliminate some of the other trumpet duets along the way?

[vdeane]

Had Mass DOT not changed the exit numbers to a mile-based system, we would have had some weird new exit numbers for the new ramps.

And this isn't even just an interesting hypothetical.  Similarly weird numbers exist on the Southern State Parkway.  I can only imagine how much more confusing that would be if that exit used A and B rather than directional suffixes!

[kramie13]

The irony is that that's still the only Pike interchange west of I-95 that has a letter suffix. Or are there gestating plans to eliminate some of the other trumpet duets along the way?

The exit for MA 146 was exit 10A when it opened, now it's exit 94.
I don't think there are any other plans to eliminate the legacy "trumpet-toll booth" interchanges along the Pike.

[shadyjay]

Here's the new signage heading west approaching Exit 106A-B.....

Slightly modified 2-mile advance:
90WB-Exit106-2miles by Jay Hogan, on Flickr

New auxiliary:
90WB-Exit106-aux by Jay Hogan, on Flickr

1-mile advance:
No photo, but its up.  4-chord cantilever, mounted side right, with the I-495 North ramp posted on the right side and the I-495 South ramp on the left side.  This is backwards for now, but when the new ramp to I-495 North opens, it will be correct.  Also, both signs on the new permanent gantry have 2 control cities:  Lowell/Portsmouth NH for NB, Taunton/Cape Cod for SB. 
(I was all set to take the shot, then a cop car passed me on the far left.  He then zoomed over all 3 lanes at the last minute to take the new ramp to I-495 SB.

Temporary signage:
90WB-Exit106B-3/4mi by Jay Hogan, on Flickr

Temporary signage at the future ramp to I-495 North:
90WB-Exit106A-1/4mi by Jay Hogan, on Flickr

Yes, those temporary signs seem like 1980s throwbacks... the large 495 numerals and the dark green.  The back side of them have the temporary Exit 106 signs that were put up to replace the overheads during construction.  They're visible to EB motorists, anywhere from 3 to 6 lanes over to the left (depending on what lane you're traveling in).

At the new Exit 106-A:
495SB-Exit106A-> by Jay Hogan, on Flickr

At the old Exit 106/temp Exit 106-B:
90WB-Exit106B-> by Jay Hogan, on Flickr

[pderocco]

At the old Exit 106/temp Exit 106-B:
90WB-Exit106B-> by Jay Hogan, on Flickr

I wonder if they'll take down that entire old gantry, or just take down the exit sign and leave the other as a gigantic reassurance sign.

[Ted$8roadFan]

The 495 North sign looks temporary. Actually, it makes sense since it appears there will be a ramp between I-90W and I-495N.

[RobbieL2415]

I have never liked the new SB 495 control points.

The Cape shouldn't be on secondary signage.

[shadyjay]

All of the ground-mounted dark green signage is temporary.  There will be a new gantry at the future 90W->495N ramp which is seen in the "495 SOUTH 1/4 MILE" sign above.

I agree... Cape Cod should be the primary control city, especially on a cross-country road like I-90.  New signage on I-495 South at the I-90 interchange has Taunton only.  Not a fan.  At least I-95 kept Cape Cod when its signs were replaced.  I'm also more partial to "NH-Maine" vs "Portsmouth NH" as control cities on I-90 East at I-495 and I-95.  Perhaps I'm just reminiscing about growing up and taking trips to Maine with my parents and following the "NH-Maine" guidance.  I get it, though... MUTCD doesn't like states as control points.  (NYC for example... what better control points from I-95 are there than "Upstate", "New England", "New Jersey" and "Long Island"?)  <end rant>

And I can't imagine the contractor leaving up the big pull-thru at the present Exit 106-B interchange when it closes.  Maybe it'll be relocated to the new structure at Exit 106-A once that goes up.

[NE2]

Imagine if Mass DOT didn't change the exit numbers to match the mile markers a few years ago.  We would be in a situation where traveling west on the Pike, you would have exits "11A-B" and "11A-A" for both directions of I-495!

Florida's solution was to use C instead of A for anything that might get multiple exits (hence 53CA-CB was between 53 and 54):