Furthest Drive Time Variable Sign Listing?

[freebrickproductions]

For what it's worth, my GPS estimated time of arrival has always been more accurate than drive time variable signs. Curious to see if they stick around into the farther future with all the tech we have nowadays.

TBF, I'd imagine they're more meant for more local commuters than out of towners anyways, especially since most commuters in an area aren't going to be running a GPS to get to work/go shopping/dropping-off or picking-up kids at school/etc.

[interstatefan990]

For what it's worth, my GPS estimated time of arrival has always been more accurate than drive time variable signs. Curious to see if they stick around into the farther future with all the tech we have nowadays.

TBF, I'd imagine they're more meant for more local commuters than out of towners anyways, especially since most commuters in an area aren't going to be running a GPS to get to work/go shopping/dropping-off or picking-up kids at school/etc.

Interestingly enough, some GPS programs have an "alerts only" function where it'll tell you about accidents, speed checks, and traffic, but it won't actually give you spoken directions. I also sometimes take a quick glance at my route before hitting the road to see if there's a faster alternative, even if I'm in a familiar area.

Could save you from getting stuck in a recently-begun traffic jam, whereas a variable drive time sign will be of less use as you probably would already be taking the congested route by the time you come upon it.

[Scott5114]

My opinion is that any "driving time" over about 80 minutes should be styled as "engine time". Determining either over any reasonable distance for traffic that isn't freeflowing is not as simple as dividing the distance by the current average speed over the route. To get it right requires a model.

I'm not sure how much that would help.

[pderocco]

My opinion is that any "driving time" over about 80 minutes should be styled as "engine time". Determining either over any reasonable distance for traffic that isn't freeflowing is not as simple as dividing the distance by the current average speed over the route. To get it right requires a model.

I'm not sure how much that would help.

Will she still be there?

[vdeane]

Could save you from getting stuck in a recently-begun traffic jam, whereas a variable drive time sign will be of less use as you probably would already be taking the congested route by the time you come upon it.

At least that tells you how long you'll be stuck in traffic then.  Around here, we got rid of our drive time VMS messages and replaced them with "delays ahead".  Just the usual slow-down at exit 7?  "Delays ahead".  Double lane closure at the twin bridges causing the entire road to become a parking lot for eight miles straight?  Also "delays ahead".  And you're often in slow traffic already when you see the message, making it worse than useless; in fact, it feels like it's mocking everyone.

(personal opinion)

[fwydriver405]

Could save you from getting stuck in a recently-begun traffic jam, whereas a variable drive time sign will be of less use as you probably would already be taking the congested route by the time you come upon it.

At least that tells you how long you'll be stuck in traffic then.  Around here, we got rid of our drive time VMS messages and replaced them with "delays ahead".  Just the usual slow-down at exit 7?  "Delays ahead".  Double lane closure at the twin bridges causing the entire road to become a parking lot for eight miles straight?  Also "delays ahead".  And you're often in slow traffic already when you see the message, making it worse than useless; in fact, it feels like it's mocking everyone.

(personal opinion)

Along the Maine Turnpike, some of the static travel time signs installed around 2018-19 in Saco I-95 NB (to Augusta), Scarborough (to Freeport), and two signs to Saco Exit 36 in Cumberland I-295 SB and Farmingdale I-95 SB are not in the usual DESTINATION EXIT NN - M MILES - TT MIN format. They instead have a static DESTINATION point with two routes listed with a changeable message of either "NO DELAY", "DELAYS - TT MINS", AND "MAJ DELAY - TT MINS". The longest I've seen was 160 minutes on the Saco I-95 NB sign (to Augusta) and 144 minutes on the Scarborough sign (to Freeport) via I-295 - this was due to an overturned truck in May 2021 at I-295 NB Exit 11.

I went to a transportation conference in 2019 in Augusta and they were explaining what those messages means, as part of an ITS presentation in one of the rooms:



Legend:
NN - exit number
M - number of miles to destination
TT - Travel Time (min)

[interstatefan990]

And you're often in slow traffic already when you see the message, making it worse than useless; in fact, it feels like it's mocking everyone.

This is even more so on NYC-area highways. Traffic is the norm, not the exception. Whenever I'm in the area or heading down south and need to get to the GWB/I-95 via I-87, those signs feel like more of an insult than a help. Especially if I already have a good number of hours of driving ahead of me.

[vdeane]

And you're often in slow traffic already when you see the message, making it worse than useless; in fact, it feels like it's mocking everyone.

This is even more so on NYC-area highways. Traffic is the norm, not the exception. Whenever I'm in the area or heading down south and need to get to the GWB/I-95 via I-87, those signs feel like more of an insult than a help. Especially if I already have a good number of hours of driving ahead of me.

NYC has some permanent travel time signs.  In the case of that VMS, it looks more like the standard construction boilerplate warning - not an indication of any current traffic conditions.

[interstatefan990]

And you're often in slow traffic already when you see the message, making it worse than useless; in fact, it feels like it's mocking everyone.

This is even more so on NYC-area highways. Traffic is the norm, not the exception. Whenever I'm in the area or heading down south and need to get to the GWB/I-95 via I-87, those signs feel like more of an insult than a help. Especially if I already have a good number of hours of driving ahead of me.

NYC has some permanent travel time signs.  In the case of that VMS, it looks more like the standard construction boilerplate warning - not an indication of any current traffic conditions.

Either way, they could put a permanent non-variable sign saying "EXPECT DELAYS" (perhaps with no retroreflective coating for daytime visibility only) and I'd be content with it.