Those of you who can never remember which Interstate 93 off-ramp in Concord is Exit 13, which is Exit 14 and which is Exit 15, take note: You’re actually supposed to be confused about which is Exit 39A, which is Exit 39B and which is Exit 40.
That’s the beginning of a column I wrote in 2017 after Rhode Island became the latest state to change the numbering of its highway exist from consecutive to mileage-based. Massachusetts did the same a couple of years later.
I mention this because the topic is on the legislative agenda again, as the Concord Monitor notes today in this story.
This week, Rep. Timothy Horrigan, a Durham Democrat, resurrected an attempt to renumber highway exit signs in New Hampshire on a mileage-based system instead of sequentially. Horrigan said he wants to update the state’s highway system to meet federal standards, which New Hampshire currently receives a waiver to buck. Almost every other state labels exits by mileage.
The story notes that this is unlikely to pass, which is an understatement. But it’s fun to talk about.
We should follow Vermont’s lead. They didn’t renumber their exits but they did add a mileage marker to each one as well, so you can take your pick.
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I like Vermont’s method! Drivers could use whichever numbering was easier for them.
Adding exits would be easier with the mileage option: I remember years ago the exit for Simon Street in Nashua was 7Ea. (Probably not current as that was in the early 70’s — I moved in the mid-70’s.)
The current sequential numbering of exits is STUPID. Most of the rest of the country uses mileage for exit numbers. Milage numbered exits gives the uninformed a fighting chance of finding where they want to go. Even though most travelers cannot read a map and GPS is thought to be accurate, most have a rough idea how far it is to their destination. Saves turning around at the Canadian border.
Why can’t we do BOTH-??? Since most States already do a mileage basis, & we in NH are really NOT fond of change, DOT could simply ADD – NOT replace all of the roadway signs, but add a mileage marker within the existing sign if there is sufficient room, OR – add a New sign on top of the existing ones by bolting it to the very top of the existing signs. Not hard at all – compromise – meet in the middle – do BOTH.