Interstate junctions where the control signs don't match

[Zzonkmiles]

I was driving to Augusta recently on I-20 WB in South Carolina and I was at the I-20/26 junction. I noticed that the control cities on I-20 WB for I-26 were Spartanburg and Charleston. No big deal; those control cities made sense. However, on my way back home, I noticed that the I-20 EB control cities at the exact same junction for I-26 were Columbia and Spartanburg. Charleston was mentioned on a separate sign that simply said "Charleston next right." My guess for this is that when I-20 EB crosses I-26, Columbia is listed as a control city because none of the previous exits serve Columbia. Still, I thought this was a bit odd, especially since at the I-26/77 split, people traveling on I-26 WB don't even get a Columbia control city; it switches immediately to Spartanburg even though I-26 hasn't even reached the Columbia city limits by that point.

Any other interstate junctions where the control signs aren't the same?

[Mapmikey]

I-95 NB at I-85: South Hill and Blackstone
I-95 SB at I-85: Durham and Atlanta


I-95 SB at I-40: Raleigh, Durham, Clinton, Wilmington
I-95 NB at I-40: Raleigh, Wilmington

Mapmikey

[jeffandnicole]

295 North at 195:  North NJ 29, East I-195, To NJ Turnpike; Trenton/Belmar

295 South at 195: East I-195, NJ Turnpike to I-95, NJ 29 to NJ 129

[roadman65]

At least Charleston is listed.  True it might be better to have dual control cities for I-20 EB using both, but totally not uncommon in interstate junction signing to use different cities each way.

For years FDOT in Tampa used SB on I-275 I-4 EB Orlando to I-75 SB Naples while NB I-275 used I-4 EB Orlando.
Now since that interchange was reconfigured, both signs match both ways.

I believe in Jacksonville one direction of I-10 for I-295 SB uses St. Augustine while the other uses Daytona Beach.

[briantroutman]

I'd imagine this is fairly common where three routes form a triangle. For example: I-76, PA 283, and US 222 spanning Harrisburg, Lancaster, and Denver. Westbound on the Turnpike, the US 222 interchange uses Lancaster as a southbound control city, which is logical. But heading east, the control city is Ephrata, because if you were traveling to Lancaster, you would have exited either at PA 283 or PA 72.

This doesn't always happen, of course, such as with the triangle with I-80, I-81, and I-380–both I-81 and I-380 use Scranton (or Scranton/Wilkes-Barre) as a northbound control city in both directions.

[JustDrive]

This is all too common on both I-5 and CA 99 in the Central Valley.  For example,

NB I-5 at CA 166: Maricopa, Taft
SB I-5 at CA 166: Mettler, Maricopa

NB I-5 at CA 119: "Taft Hwy"
SB I-5 at CA 119: Pumpkin Center, Lamont

NB I-5 at CA 43: Shafter, Wasco
SB I-5 at CA 43: Taft, Maricopa

NB I-5 at CA 58: Buttonwillow, McKittrick
SB I-5 at CA 58: Bakersfield

NB I-5 at CA 46: Lost Hills, Paso Robles
SB I-5 at CA 46: Lost Hills, Wasco

[JustDrive]

If we're limiting it to interchanges between interstates, then EB I-80 at I-5 has Sacramento and Redding, whereas WB I-80 has Los Angeles and Redding.

[PHLBOS]

I'd imagine this is fairly common where three routes form a triangle. For example: I-76, PA 283, and US 222 spanning Harrisburg, Lancaster, and Denver. Westbound on the Turnpike, the US 222 interchange uses Lancaster as a southbound control city, which is logical. But heading east, the control city is Ephrata, because if you were traveling to Lancaster, you would have exited either at PA 283 or PA 72.

It's worth noting that when those US 222 BGS' were first erected; Ephrata was indeed listed on the primary BGS' along I-76 westbound w/Lancaster on the supplemental BGS.  The switch was made sometime in the early 2000s and wasn't the best executions of sign patching out there (i.e. the BGS patching looks rather sloppy).

Another PA Turnpike example is the Carlisle interchange (Exit 226 - US 11 to I-81).  The listed westbound destinations are Carlisle & Chambersburg (which are both southbound destinations for US 11/I-81) whereas the listed eastbound destinations are Carlisle & Harrisburg.  However, the BGS' beyond the toll plaza only list Harrisburg & Carlisle only with no supplemental BGS for Chambersburg.

Along I-90/Mass Pike, the listed destinations for Exit 9 (I-84 to US 20) are Hartford & New York City for westbounders (a supplemental Sturbridge BGS is included) and Sturbridge & Hartford for eastbounders.

[cl94]

At a few places in south/west Columbus, OH, the control city for I-70 and I-270 west is Indianapolis, while newer signs use Dayton as the control city. The older signs may have been replaced, which would have removed this discrepancy.

In Buffalo, NY, the listed control cities for I-290 East from I-190 are Tonawanda and Rochester. While Tonawanda can be reached via Exits 1 or 2, every BGS on I-290 has a control city of "Thru Traffic", while the eastern terminus at I-90 gives Albany and Erie as control cities. Rochester can be reached via Exits 47-45 on I-90, but no indication is given to drivers on I-290. The BGSes on I-90 east approaching Exit 53 once gave Rochester as a secondary control city not listed elsewhere, but IDK if the new Clearview diagrammatic arrow per lane signs list it.

[Edit: incorrect terminology]

[theline]

I'm sure there are plenty of examples. One in Indiana:

NB I-69 at SR-28 & US-35: Alexandria/Albany. SB it's Muncie/Alexandria.

This is because taking US-35 from here SB is a logical route to Muncie, but a NB traveler on I-69 would logically exit from one of the earlier Muncie exits, rather than going miles past the city before doubling back.

My recollection was that it was posted as Alexandria/Albany both ways when 69 was first built, when 35 was not yet co-signed with 28 to the east and 69 to the north of this exit. I believe part of the rationale for rerouting 35 from its route through Wheeling was to justify posting Muncie on the SB sign. SR 28 does not come close enough to Muncie to satisfy the regulations then in effect.

[1995hoo]

I assume partial interchanges don't count because those would be too obvious?

[bzakharin]

The reason I-295 South has I-95 is that this is the "designated route" back to I-95 for those who were just dumped from I-95 North onto I-295 South, although I would think that anyone going through that area is either a local who knows the situation, or a long distance traveler who should have gotten onto the NJ Turnpike at its southern end. The reason it's not mentioned Northbound is that it would confuse those who want to get onto I-95 South just a few miles later.

I imagine the signs would become consistent if and when the PA Turnpike interchange is complete, most likely showing I-95 in both directions. On the other hand, I wonder what that signage will look like when I-195 becomes "through". Would 29 become an "exit" from I-195 west? Would I-295 become an "exit" from I-195 East? I don't imagine the lane configuration would change any to support these new "exits".

[hbelkins]

One I can think of offhand in Kentucky is Exit 110 on I-64, at Mt. Sterling for Us 460 and KY 11. Eastbound, the second destination is Flemingsburg (reached by KY 11 north); westbound it's Paris (reached by US 460 west). Reason being is that eastbound traffic bound for Paris will have used Exit 113 for US 27/US 68, and westbound traffic will have used Exit 137 for KY 32.

But I think the OP is referring to interchanges between two interstates, not an interstate and a surface route.

[PHLBOS]

But I think the OP is referring to interchanges between two interstates, not an interstate and a surface route.

In my earlier post, I had several listed Interstate-US or state route interchange examples (mostly in MA) but deleted them since they didn't meet what I thought the OP was looking for.

[jeffandnicole]

The reason I-295 South has I-95 is that this is the "designated route" back to I-95 for those who were just dumped from I-95 North onto I-295 South, although I would think that anyone going through that area is either a local who knows the situation, or a long distance traveler who should have gotten onto the NJ Turnpike at its southern end. The reason it's not mentioned Northbound is that it would confuse those who want to get onto I-95 South just a few miles later.

That's all fine and dandy, but the thread title is "Interstate junctions where the control signs don't match".  And in this case, regardless of the theory, they don't match.

[Zzonkmiles]

If we're limiting it to interchanges between interstates, then EB I-80 at I-5 has Sacramento and Redding, whereas WB I-80 has Los Angeles and Redding.

Yes, I was thinking of junctions involving only two interstates when I made my original post. But the US and state connections are interesting to read too.

Good find on the I-5/80 mismatch. Maybe the thinking is that EB traffic is less likely to travel long distance?

I think I-285 in Atlanta MIGHT be a candidate for this because some of the sign bridges on the beltway have two control cities for one direction of an interstate it crosses. Some I-75SB signs, for example, list Macon and Tampa as control cities. Maybe another I-75SB sign from the opposite direction of I-285 lists only Macon. I'm not sure. I guess I'll have the time do some "research" in a few weeks!

[bassoon1986]

This probably happens frequently with 3di loops or partial loops. I-10 in Lake Charles, LA when approaching I-210. Going towards the city of Lake Charles, signage said "Lake Charles Loop" and leaving the city, the BGS just showed I-210. IIRC signs now say Bypass rather than "Lake Charles Loop."

We've discussed before on a thread somewhere how it varies state to state how 3di loops either use the long distance destination of the 2di it bypasses (ex: 220 in Shreveport, 285 in Atlanta), a specific suburb or destination the loop goes to (635 in Dallas -sometimes) or none at all (Many 3dis in Texas)

[Zzonkmiles]

If we're limiting it to interchanges between interstates, then EB I-80 at I-5 has Sacramento and Redding, whereas WB I-80 has Los Angeles and Redding.

I think I-285 in Atlanta MIGHT be a candidate for this because some of the sign bridges on the beltway have two control cities for one direction of an interstate it crosses. Some I-75SB signs, for example, list Macon and Tampa as control cities. Maybe another I-75SB sign from the opposite direction of I-285 lists only Macon. I'm not sure. I guess I'll have the time do some "research" in a few weeks!

I just completed my "research."

On the southern half of I-285, the eastbound/outer loop traffic sees Atlanta, Macon and Tampa as the control cities for I-75, but the westbound/inner loop traffic only sees Atlanta and Macon. I guess the thinking is that people on I-285 westbound/inner are going to take I-675 to reach Tampa, so they won't need Tampa as a control city when I-285 crosses I-75. However, I checked the I-675 control sign and it only said Macon for both inner and outer I-285 traffic.

The plot thickens... 

[roadman65]

I was on GSV and even Alex's pics and saw that I-29 NB in ND has Fargo used for I-94 EB.  The other way going SB uses Minneapolis for I-94 EB.

[PHLBOS]

Oh man, how could I forget this one:

I-90/93 interchange in Boston; yes, I'm aware that it's missing a movement (to I-90 East from I-93 South) but still:

I-93 Exit BGS' along I-90 Westbound (just after the Ted Williams Tunnel) have no destinations listed whatsoever for I-93 North & South; even for BGS' that aren't located in tunnels.

In contrast, I-93 Exit BGS' along I-90 Eastbound have Concord, NH & Quincy listed for I-93 North & South respectively.

I-90 West Exit BGS' from I-93 North list Worcester as a destination whereas I-90 West BGS from I-93 South simply list Mass Pike.

[roadman65]

I would say in Dallas you have both I-45 and unsigned I-345 both not using control points for I-30 when nearby I-35E uses both Texarkana and Fort Worth.  I know its not the same road, but the same city and not consistent with the rest of the city's signing practices.

[JustDrive]

If we're limiting it to interchanges between interstates, then EB I-80 at I-5 has Sacramento and Redding, whereas WB I-80 has Los Angeles and Redding.

Yes, I was thinking of junctions involving only two interstates when I made my original post. But the US and state connections are interesting to read too.

Good find on the I-5/80 mismatch. Maybe the thinking is that EB traffic is less likely to travel long distance?

EB 80 traffic is better inclined to take US 50 east to I-5 south to go to L.A., whereas WB 80 traffic coming down from the Sierras would take I-5 directly. 

[mrsman]

This situation happens especially when there is a prominent destination that is an L shaped movement from where you are:

Here is an example:

I-495 (LIE)* in Long Island meets the Cross Island Parkway.  If I'm going east on I-495, I see "South Shore" as the control city for the southbound Cross Island.  If I'm going west on I-495, I see "Kennedy Airport" as the control for the southbound Cross Island.  The Cross Island actually doesn't go to either of those locations, but it does terminate at a 3-way parkway junction at the Queens/Valley Stream border:  (1) Cross-Island Pky from the junction to the north towards LIE and the Whitestone and Throgs Neck Bridges; (2)Southern Parkway leading to South Shore LI communities such as East Islip (and via Sunrise Highway to the Hamptons and Montauk); (3) Belt Parkway leading to "coastal" Queens and Brooklyn and passing JFK's northern boundaries.  So from the LIE westbound, I would more likely make an L shaped turn to go south and further west to JFK, and from the LIE eastbound, I would make an L shaped turn to go south and further east towards LI south shore. 

And this makes perfect sense, as there are very few drivers who would make a large U-turn, unless they're entering the highway very close to the South Shore and it would be quicker to backtrack a short distance.  No eastbound LIE driver from the Midtown Tunnel would normally take the Cross-Island to JFK, instead of the Van Wyck.  No westbound driver from Ronkonkoma would take the Cross Island to the South Shore communities, instead they would use one of the numerous parkways like the Sagtikos or the Oyster Bay-Seaford Expy.

* I can't find the signs when looking at GSV.  Perhaps they are on the Grand Central Parkway?  I know that the signing on the parkways is sporadic, so while most signs do not have the control cities, some signs do.