MassPike AET discussion

[southshore720]

In addition to the toll plaza demolition, new signage has gone up at entrance ramps indicating payment is either by E-ZPass or Pay by Plate, here's the sign if accessing the Pike Eastbound from MA 30:

What's up with the ugly font for "Boston"?

[roadman]

In addition to the toll plaza demolition, new signage has gone up at entrance ramps indicating payment is either by E-ZPass or Pay by Plate, here's the sign if accessing the Pike Eastbound from MA 30:

What's up with the ugly font for "Boston"?

Series 'D' mixed case

[roadman]

On I-93 southbound in Wilmington the other night, I noted the 'permanent portable' VMS at Route 62 was reading

NEW             TOLL
TRAFFIC        BOOTH
PATTERN       DEMO

Very odd message for that location, if you ask me.

[cl94]

Booths at Stockbridge and Lee are both completely down with no evidence other than outbuildings visible from a car at either. An AET info sign was placed west of Exit B3 as well as a supplemental "last exit before toll". New signage appears to be up at all of the entrance ramps.

That being said, MassDOT posted an update on Facebook this morning. The first phase of demolition at Lee, Millbury 11 and Ted Williams will be done by the end of today. Westfield will be done tomorrow. These 4 sites will move right to Phase 2 and traffic will likely shift within the next week. Stockbridge, West Springfield, Palmer, Sturbridge, Auburn and Millbury 10A should be done within the next few days. Overall, almost every location is well ahead of schedule.

[SidS1045]

You gotta wonder whether the planners at MassDOT overestimated the Phase 1 time frame on purpose...otherwise known as managing expectations.   

[cl94]

You gotta wonder whether the planners at MassDOT overestimated the Phase 1 time frame on purpose...otherwise known as managing expectations.   

[kefkafloyd]

I prefer the TNG version myself. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xRqXYsksFg

[cl94]

As do I, but I couldn't find it at the time.

[Mergingtraffic]

More signage

New I-90 Mass Pike sign off Exit 2. Note: the new EZ-PASS electronic tolling banner. October 2016, was the end of toll booths along the Mass Pike. by mergingtraffic, on Flickr

and the temp end of the Mass Pike, is now all dirt piles and other construction debris, just beyond reach of this photo.

[PHLBOS]

During the Thanksgiving week; I had an opportunity to use the Pike w/the new AET set-up.  I have a couple comments regarding signage:

1.  The signs listing the tolls rates should be placed before the AET gantries and not after.  While the posted rates aren't going to cause one to turn around; it's a matter of principle and decency to post the toll rates prior to passing through them.  IIRC, the southbound Tobin Bridge AET erected earlier has the toll information signs erected prior to the gantry.

2.  The signs displaying the above are too small for high-speed traffic to read (remember, people aren't stopping nor slowing down to 15 mph anymore to pass through these gantries).  Such should be at least twice the size of what's out in the field.  Again, the southbound Tobin Bridge toll signage was large enough to read at normal speeds.

[bob7374]

During the Thanksgiving week; I had an opportunity to use the Pike w/the new AET set-up.  I have a couple comments regarding signage:

1.  The signs listing the tolls rates should be placed before the AET gantries and not after.  While the posted rates aren't going to cause one to turn around; it's a matter of principle and decency to post the toll rates prior to passing through them.  IIRC, the southbound Tobin Bridge AET erected earlier has the toll information signs erected prior to the gantry.

2.  The signs displaying the above are too small for high-speed traffic to read (remember, people aren't stopping nor slowing down to 15 mph anymore to pass through these gantries).  Such should be at least twice the size of what's out in the field.  Again, the southbound Tobin Bridge toll signage was large enough to read at normal speeds.

Here's a photo of one of the gantry signs taken earlier in late October:

[PHLBOS]

During the Thanksgiving week; I had an opportunity to use the Pike w/the new AET set-up.  I have a couple comments regarding signage:

1.  The signs listing the tolls rates should be placed before the AET gantries and not after.  While the posted rates aren't going to cause one to turn around; it's a matter of principle and decency to post the toll rates prior to passing through them.  IIRC, the southbound Tobin Bridge AET erected earlier has the toll information signs erected prior to the gantry.

2.  The signs displaying the above are too small for high-speed traffic to read (remember, people aren't stopping nor slowing down to 15 mph anymore to pass through these gantries).  Such should be at least twice the size of what's out in the field.  Again, the southbound Tobin Bridge toll signage was large enough to read at normal speeds.

Here's a photo of one of the gantry signs taken earlier in late October:

Which gantry location is that?  The ones between Sturbridge and Weston in both directions had those signs posted beyond the gantry.  If that photo is of one of those; the sign has since been (unwisely) moved.

Either way, the sign is still too small given the average speed of the traffic.  One can't really read the sign until just before one passes it.

[bob7374]

During the Thanksgiving week; I had an opportunity to use the Pike w/the new AET set-up.  I have a couple comments regarding signage:

1.  The signs listing the tolls rates should be placed before the AET gantries and not after.  While the posted rates aren't going to cause one to turn around; it's a matter of principle and decency to post the toll rates prior to passing through them.  IIRC, the southbound Tobin Bridge AET erected earlier has the toll information signs erected prior to the gantry.

2.  The signs displaying the above are too small for high-speed traffic to read (remember, people aren't stopping nor slowing down to 15 mph anymore to pass through these gantries).  Such should be at least twice the size of what's out in the field.  Again, the southbound Tobin Bridge toll signage was large enough to read at normal speeds.

Here's a photo of one of the gantry signs taken earlier in late October:

Which gantry location is that?  The ones between Sturbridge and Weston in both directions had those signs posted beyond the gantry.  If that photo is of one of those; the sign has since been (unwisely) moved.

Either way, the sign is still too small given the average speed of the traffic.  One can't really read the sign until just before one passes it.

This was the Weston gantry heading east toward I-95/128. Is interesting if they did move it, perhaps they thought the sign location before the gantries was only encouraging more people to incorrectly slow down, which I noticed when I passed by the location. That was though only a couple days after they activated the AET system.

[PHLBOS]

This was the Weston gantry heading east toward I-95/128. Is interesting if they did move it, perhaps they thought the sign location before the gantries was only encouraging more people to incorrectly slow down, which I noticed when I passed by the location. That was though only a couple days after they activated the AET system.

The sign at that location was indeed moved.  I was on that eastbound stretch twice last week (Sunday night /Nov. 20 & Thanksgiving evening/Nov. 24).

While your stated reason could be a reason for the signs to be moved; such would be an over-reaction IMHO for a short-term (getting accustomed to) transition.  Another reason for motorists slowing down could be due to the small size of those signs (one only can read them at a blink-of-an-eye while moving at highway speeds).  Larger sized signs, like the ones recently posted for the southbound Tobin Bridge & the Tappan Zee Bridge would solve that problem.

[Alps]

Why even post the signs? You're getting billed by mail. "TOLL" is all you need there.

[roadman]

Why even post the signs? You're getting billed by mail. "TOLL" is all you need there.

Perhaps it has something to do with the huge stink the media made when the final toll rates were first announced - and the fact that the overall "per mile" toll you pay varies depending on which section of the Pike you drive.  Of course, nobody has bothered to question why MassDOT chose to set the current system up as a group of independent barrier tolls instead of mimicking the previous ticket system - which IMO would have made far more sense.

[PHLBOS]

Why even post the signs? You're getting billed by mail. "TOLL" is all you need there.

Perhaps it has something to do with the huge stink the media made when the final toll rates were first announced - and the fact that the overall "per mile" toll you pay varies depending on which section of the Pike you drive.  Of course, nobody has bothered to question why MassDOT chose to set the current system up as a group of independent barrier tolls instead of mimicking the previous ticket system - which IMO would have made far more sense.

To supplement Roadman's response & as observed on other mainline-located AET facilities (Tobin Bridge, Tappan Zee Bridge, PA Turnpike just prior to the Delaware River), the toll rates are at a set price(s) and one should have the right to know what they're being charged prior to the gantry regardless of whether they're billed by mail or E-Z Pass.  As I stated earlier; it's a matter of principle & common decency (not to mention good business practice).

Roadman, IIRC, one reason for the current AET setup was to allow local users in the Worcester & Springfield areas to use short stretches of the Pike at no charge.  Such may have been used as a marketing tool to gain support for the changeover.

[roadman]

Roadman, IIRC, one reason for the current AET setup was to allow local users in the Worcester & Springfield areas to use short stretches of the Pike at no charge.  Such may have been used as a marketing tool to gain support for the changeover.

That is correct.  However, it seems to me that a "pseudo-ticket" system based on "Enter at Interchange X, Exit at Interchange Y, toll charge $0.00" would have been easy enough to implement.

[vdeane]

It would have been.  That's what the Thruway does when going to/from exit 25A to/from exits 24, 25, or 26 due to the decision not to extend I-88 to Troy as originally planned (note that there IS a toll between exits 24 and 25 as well as between exits 25 and 26).

[cl94]

Not having the AET equipment at every exit in the Springfield and Worcester areas made installation cheaper. A lot cheaper.

[tckma]

This reminds me of the way MD-200 is set up.  Except MD-200 has a gantry on the mainline between every exit, which from what I'm reading the Mass Pike does not have?  I don't live in Mass anymore so I haven't had a chance to look at the Pike since the transition to AET.

[hotdogPi]

This reminds me of the way MD-200 is set up.  Except MD-200 has a gantry on the mainline between every exit, which from what I'm reading the Mass Pike does not have?  I don't live in Mass anymore so I haven't had a chance to look at the Pike since the transition to AET.

It's between most exits, but exits 4-7 are free.

[cl94]

This reminds me of the way MD-200 is set up.  Except MD-200 has a gantry on the mainline between every exit, which from what I'm reading the Mass Pike does not have?  I don't live in Mass anymore so I haven't had a chance to look at the Pike since the transition to AET.

It's between most exits, but exits 4-7 are free.

4-7 and one stretch near Worcester is free. Not enough trips at the low rate to justify installation and they're trying to reduce traffic on local roads. Conversely, a formerly free section inside 128 is now tolled because they want to stop people for hopping on the Pike for one exit.

[PHLBOS]

4-7 and one stretch near Worcester is free.

The free stretch in the Worcester area is between Exits 10 & 11 (with Exit 10A located in between).

[tckma]

This reminds me of the way MD-200 is set up.  Except MD-200 has a gantry on the mainline between every exit, which from what I'm reading the Mass Pike does not have?  I don't live in Mass anymore so I haven't had a chance to look at the Pike since the transition to AET.

It's between most exits, but exits 4-7 are free.

You mean exists 1-6, don't you?