Exit renumbering operations completed on nine statewide corridors

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has announced that construction and sign replacement operations to convert former sequential exit numbers to new milepost-based numbers is continuing across the Commonwealth. 

The renumbering operations, which are required per a Federal Highway Administration mandate, began in the fall 2020 and are anticipated to be completed by summer 2021.

The Federal Highway Administration’s 2009 Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices mandated that all states establish a mile-based exit numbering system. The conversion to a mile-based exit numbering system is being implemented on a route-by-route basis, and started in Western Massachusetts and moving eastward. For individual routes, exit numbering conversion has taken place from east to west or north to south.

Exit renumbering conversion operations have been completed on Interstate 90, and some northeast and southeast corridors as follows:

•Interstate 90 between Boston and West Stockbridge. 

•Interstate 295  between North Attleboro and Attleboro. 

•State Route 24 between Randolph and Fall River. 

•Route 140 between Taunton and New Bedford. 

•Interstate 195 between Wareham and Seekonk.

•State Route 25 between Wareham and Bourne. 

•State Route 3 between Braintree and Bourne. 

•US Route 6 between Orleans and Bourne. 

•US Route 3 between Tyngsborough and Burlington. 

The anticipated start dates and locations for statewide renumbering on the remaining corridors are as follows:

•State Route 128 renumbering operations began on Wednesday, Feb. 10, and take place from Gloucester to Peabody. 

•Interstate 95 renumbering operations will begin on Sunday, Feb. 21.  The work will be broken up into the four segments that follow: between the New Hampshire border and Route 120; Between the Route 1 Interchange and Route 20; Between the I-90 Interchange and Westwood/Canton; Between Neponset Street and the Rhode Island border.

•Interstate 84 renumbering operations will begin on Sunday, Feb. 28, and will take place from the I-90 interchange in Sturbridge to the Connecticut border. 

•Interstate 93 renumbering operations will begin after the I-95 corridor is completed, and based on their locations along the existing mile markers, existing exits 1 (Canton) through exit 12 (Boston/Neponset) will not be renumbered. Exit renumbering will begin at existing exit 13 (Boston/Dorchester) and continue to existing exit 48 (Methuen).

Construction start dates and locations on the following remaining corridors will be announced as they are finalized: State Route 146, Interstate 190, State Route 2, Interstate 495, Interstate 395 and Interstate 295.

During a transition period for motorists, “Old Exit” signs are being installed at each converted exit for a minimum of two years.

Work typically is completed during the overnight off-peak hours, with minimal impacts to traffic.  In addition, the contractors conducting the sign replacement operations are required to complete the full interchange before moving along to the next exit. All work is weather dependent and construction dates may be adjusted accordingly.