Our exit numbers are going to change

By adamg on Thu., 4/7/2016 - 11:04 pm

The Attleboro Sun Chronicle reports that MassDOT plans to change our highway exit numbers from straight numerical sequences to numbers based on their distance from a particular point.

Seems most of the rest of the country now uses this mileage-based system and the feds want us to convert.

The new exit numbers have not been finalized, and no specific timeline has been set for rolling out the new system.

And not everybody is happy with the plan.

Still, Robert Malme, who follows such things, has lists of the proposed new exit numbers and a photo of the very first mileage-based exit number in the state - on I-395 at the Mass/Conn line.

Topics:

Driving

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Comments

Kilometres!

By anon
Fri, 04/08/2016 - 9:22am

I like distance based exit numbers, but we shouldn't be perpetuating an obsolete measuring system like miles. Let's be the first start to label the exits in kilometres, then we won't have to change them when the country finally switches to the units used everywhere else.

Except that the United States has already

By roadman
Fri, 04/08/2016 - 1:54pm

attempted to change to the metirc system twice. In both cases, the proposals were evenutally recinded.

As they say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. And the imperial system of measuring distances is NOT broken and doesn't need to be fixed.

But It Is Broken!

By JO'N
Fri, 04/08/2016 - 12:59pm

Every time NASA loses a planetary probe because some engineer decided to use medieval measurements rather than scientific units of measurement. Every time the US can't sell or repair things because they're using medieval units.

The fact that children in the US are still being taught a medieval system of measurement is a tragedy. And, yes, the US has half-heartedly tried to change before. But, as a wise commenter said up-thread:

The "controversy" over the proposed conversion is just another example of our obsession with petty issues and reluctance to accept logical changes.

I couldn't agree more.

Touche'

By roadman
Fri, 04/08/2016 - 3:57pm

Although I seriously doubt that our failure to formally adopt the metric system is the reason so many companies are moving jobs overseas.

And while I agree that the metric system has certain advantages in scientific and technical applications, please explain how converting distance measurements from miles to kilometers provides sufficient benefits to the average person to justify the significant cost and disruption.

Take highway signs. Unless you're prepared to invest massive amounts of money to relocate sign structures so that advance signs on Interstates are at even kilometer-point locations, you are going to have to display fractional distances ion signs in the short term. Somehow, I doubt that Joe Q. Public will find "1 2/3 KM' easier to understand than '1 MILE' on a guide sign.

There is exactly one place

By anon
Fri, 04/08/2016 - 5:52pm

There is exactly one place the metric/imperial debate makes a meaningful difference, and that's with machine tools. It's irrelevant whether you say that a marathon is 26.2 miles or 42.2 kilometers, or whether you buy milk by the gallon or Pepsi by the liter. Either way you start running in Hopkinton, collapse in Boston, and puke up milk and Pepsi along the way.

What does matter is that you can't fit a 1/4-20 screw into an M6 nut. They look the same to the naked eye, but put one into the other and turn it and suddenly four letter words come out of your mouth.

We can thank the French for that headache. 200 years ago instead of pegging the meter to inch, some French dudes had the brilliant idea of defining the meter by the distance between the north and south pole, which is completely arbitrary and useless because seriously, when in your lifetime have you ever needed to know the reference the distance from the north to the south pole? If only they set the millimeter to be 1/25th or 1/24th of the English inch, then we probably would not have the mess we have today.

We wouldn't even be the first

By leviramsey
Fri, 04/08/2016 - 2:59pm

We wouldn't even be the first to number exits by kilometers.

I-19 in Arizona (from Tucson to the Mexican border) is signed in metric (except for the speed limit signs).

Citing motorist confusion arising from the metric signs on I-19, Arizona DOT's Tucson district announced that new signs on I-19 would use United States customary units. To avoid the cost of replacing the metric signs all at once, signs would be replaced in specific areas of the freeway during construction projects in those areas. New signs were put into place between Exit 99 (Ajo Way) and Exit 101 (I-10) in 2004 after the completion of the new Interstate 10â€“Interstate 19 interchange.

As of 2010, the remainder of the project has been stalled due to local opposition, particularly from businesses that would have to change their directions.

particularly from businesses

By roadman
Fri, 04/08/2016 - 3:58pm

particularly from businesses that would have to change their directions.

With respect, this argument is such a non-starter, especially in the day and age of web sites and the Internet.

At least the US was smart enough to pick

By anon
Fri, 04/08/2016 - 1:26pm

a measuring system on a federal basis.

Unlike Canada, where the metric system is blended with standard and the things measured in each system vary by province and whether you're located in an urban or rural setting.

Anticipating comments about

By Rob
Fri, 04/08/2016 - 9:34am

Anticipating comments about businesses having to change advertising material & letterhead or people having difficulty because the old numbers will be gone (I've seen both of these complaints in other articles about the subject)...

I've seen this conversion in other states. It's not a problem.

They give lead time when they announce it, so businesses can use up old letterhead & advertising and order new.

When they change a sign (to say, for example "EXIT 104") they attach a placard to the sign that will say "OLD EXIT 29" (and leave that up for a couple of years)

Leaving the "Formerly Exit XX" signs up

By roadman
Fri, 04/08/2016 - 1:18pm

for a couple of years is a minimum. Most of Pennsylvania's "Old Exit XX" plates are still in place over eleven years after the numbers were changed.

The new exit numbers have not

By DTP
Fri, 04/08/2016 - 9:51am

The new exit numbers have not been finalized, and no specific timeline has been set for rolling out the new system.

That is not true. They've been finalized for a while now. They've even already designed the signs and advertised contracts for the changes.

They have been a bit quiet about it, to avoid the public backlash, but that doesn't mean it's not moving forward.

90 east 11 to 11A

By RM
Fri, 04/08/2016 - 10:48am

Thank god, now we can eliminate the whole crazy thing where it is 22.7 miles between exits 11 and 11A on the Mass Pike eastbound and forget it ever happened.

Kid:
"I have to pee!!!"

Mom/Dad/Other adult:
"We're almost there!"

(20 minutes later)

Mom/Dad/Other adult:
"Oh wait....."

It's 10 miles from exit 11

By leviramsey
Fri, 04/08/2016 - 3:06pm

It's 10 miles from exit 11 (Millbury-Worcester) to exit 11A (I-495)...

How does renumbering the

By anon
Fri, 04/08/2016 - 3:42pm

How does renumbering the exits help this situation, unless you memorize the new sequence of mile-based numbers so you know that exit 114 comes next after exit 92?

so you know that exit 114

By roadman
Wed, 04/13/2016 - 1:52pm

so you know that exit 114 comes next after exit 92?

Mile markers are in ascending order from south to north - or east to west. If drivers don't already know that before setting out, they should be able to pick up on it pretty quickly once they are on a specific road.

If anything, conversion of exit numbers from sequential to milepost based should make things easier. No more memorization of "Exit 11A is at milepost 106" and the like.

Meet everyone halfway?

By Kaz
Fri, 04/08/2016 - 3:23pm

If the complaint about going from 1-12 to 66-93 (or whatever the actual numbers were listed in the article) is that they don't care that it's 66 miles to Seekonk where the highway crosses into MA, then why not meet them halfway and rename the highway number at the bridge. Then the mileage would be to the bridge. Sure, it won't be 1-12 any more if the exits weren't exactly 1 mile apart, but at least the number will have some meaning for the residents/owners. Of course, then we can argue over whether Rt. 6 is the part east of the bridge or west of it since one of them will be Rt. 6 and the other will need a new designation.

Interstates only?

By lbb
Fri, 04/08/2016 - 3:34pm

Will this cover only interstates and their younger cousins (i.e., 290), or will it also cover state highways with exits like Route 2?

I don't have a big problem with it, except that now I'll have to redo a bunch of directions. And I wonder about the fractions of a mile.