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Photos taken on and near I-90/Massachusetts Turnpike. Want to share yours? Feel free to E-mail me:

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A. I-90 Sign Replacement Project (2015-2019)[Updated 10/17/20 with new sign photo]

MassDOT awarded contracts to replace all the Mass Pike exit signs under two separate sign replacement projects in 2015. The winning bid for the second contract from Auburn to Boston was Liddell Bros. of Halifax announced on November 23, 2015, the project was due to be completed in the spring of 2018, but work still was not fully complete as of early 2020. The winning bidder for the first was Road Safe Traffic Systems where almost 75% of the signs were  put up by the end of August 2018, this contract's completion has been delayed again, and was also to be finished by fall 2019. Originally, as part of these contracts, the exit numbers would have been changed as part of a statewide plan to convert all interstate and expressway exit numbers to those based on the highway's mileposts. That 2015 project was later postponed, only to be started again in the fall of 2020. The signs put up in the meantime maintained the current sequential numbers but their exit tabs will be designed to use the, often larger, milepost numbers (depicted below on sign plans) to be put up sometime in the first six months of 2021.  As for project progress, as of my last road trip in mid-July 2020 there were 4 remaining old signs to be replaced for the western contract, while new overhead supports were seen westbound at Exit 6 (I-291/US 20) in the fall of 2018, new signs were not put up until the fall of 2020, along with 1 exit sign westbound in Auburn and the 1/2 mile advance signs for Exit 1 in West Stockbridge heading west and Exit 2 in Lee heading east, this means about 96% of the exit signage has been put up. MassDOT updated their contract listing saying the western project is now to be completed by the summer of 2020. In late November 2019 MassDOT announced a lane closure at the Auburn interchange for sign installation, to put up the last overhead sign at the exit ramp. By the end of 2019 the last of the overhead signs for the Turnpike were put up at the end of I-84 in Sturbridge.      

For the eastern contract, as of January 2020, all the overhead exit signage had been installed, with the final signs going up in early July. The new signage included all those for Exit 18 eastbound and advance signage for 16 and 15 westbound. New support posts were spotted in March for signage on the ramps of the Allston-Brighton interchange (Exit 18), but not all new signs have yet been installed. Most of the ground-mounted signage between I-95/Route 128 and Auburn has now been put up, though there are some missing town line signs and reassurance markers (see examples in the new photos below). In the fall of 2018, bridge signs identifying street and city/town had been put up, and later on new mile markers were put in starting in December 2018. As of the end of 2019, all post-interchange distance signs, have now been placed east of Auburn (see photos).

Photo of new signage at I-291 exit on I-90 West in Springfield, courtesy of Jay Hogan:

Photos of new signage spotted between Sturbridge and Boston, March 2020

The last new gantry to go up between Auburn and Boston, at the ramp to I-290 North, Route 12, and I-395 South in Auburn.

The contractors finally got around to updating the signage at the end of I-84 in Sturbridge in early 2020. Note the lack of exit tabs. The gantry is supposedly built to withstand 130 MPH winds, so a couple extra tabs probably wouldn't compromise it.

The reassurance marker following the Sturbridge exit, like all others west of Auburn, this one has a rectangular sign with the Pike logo on top.

The overhead signs at the split of ramps from I-495 in Hopkinton.

A bonus photo of the signage at the ramp to the Pike from I-495 South:

Sorry for the graininess of the image, the road was quite bumpy at this location.

The East I-90/Mass Pike reassurance marker after the MA 16 ramp in Newton. Notice the square Pike logo sign is at the bottom.

The next reassurance marker after the Newton/Watertown exit, however, restores the logo to a rectangular sign on top.

Sign marking entering the City of Boston and crossing into Suffolk County.

This auxiliary sign in Brighton isn't for the next exit but for I-93 and the South Boston exit after that.

This auxiliary sign for Fenway Park is actually a new standard guide/paddle sign.

From the I-90 East lanes after the Allston/Brighton/Cambridge exit, some guide signage along the exit ramp.

Some new signage from Boston to Framingham, January 2020:

New reassurance marker put up after the Allston-Brighton-Cambridge exit on-ramp, the Pike logo sign, like west of Auburn, is above the I-90 shield.

The new mile markers start at Mile 131, here is the Mile 130 marker heading westbound in Brighton.

Overthead signage westbound at the Newton/Watertown exit, not previously photographed, with space for future Milepost based number, which was to be 128, but now will be 127.

The next new reassurance marker also has the Turnpike logo shield on top, meanwhile the eastbound marker after the MA 16 on-ramp has it on the bottom (photo soon).

The Entering Weston sign posts are in place, but still no sign prior to the I-95/128 exit heading west.

The reassurance marker following the I-95/128 exit in Weston has still not been replaced.

The post-interchange distance sign after the Weston exit.

The westbound Right Lane Ends in 1/2 Mile advisory sign uses the gantry for the 1-Mile Advance sign for I-90 East.

The overhead ramp signage at the split of ramps at the Route 9/Framingham exit.

Not related to the sign replacement project, but to earlier adoption of electronic tolling, the sign for the Mass Pike ramps on Route 9 East in Framingham.

The reassurance marker headed east from Framingham now has a directional banner (no banner photo below).

The completion of the bridge reconstruction project east of Route 9 allowed the placement of a new post-interchange distance sign after others has already been put up earlier in 2019.

They put up a new auxiliary sign in Weston for the I-95/128 exit. It matches the earlier sign (see below) with no mention of Route 128 but with room for a future 3-digit exit number (123).

Earlier photos of signs replaced along I-90 East from the New York border to Sturbridge, August 2019:

The entrance sign to the Lee (Service) Plaza now has mixed case lettering.

The 1-Mile advance overhead for the US 20 exit (there still is no new 1/2 mile advance sign).

The new overhead ramp signage for US 20.

A new East I-90/Mass Pike logo reassurance marker after the US 20 exit. The order matches the previous sign but no longer matches reassurance markers east of Auburn nor the new order on the pull through signs.

One if the new town/city line signs, this one for Becket.

New sign identifying the crossing of the Pike by the Appalachian Trail in Becket.

The new version of the truck steep grade advisory sign heading down toward Springfield.

This 'post-interchange' distance sign is actually half the 30 mile distance between Exits 2 and 3. Would it have hurt them to have placed it at 100 miles to Boston?

The 1-Mile advance for the US 202/MA 10 Westfield exit.

The 1/2 mile advance sign, present for this exit, with bridge construction crews setting up for night work in the westbound lanes.

The exit ramp sign, with a new Exit 3 gore sign (not big enough for a 2-digit milepost number) in the distance.

The overhead signage previously not up the last time I drove past the Route 33 exit in Chicopee, The 2 mile advance for I-291, like the other signs, has no direction listed.

Another new reassurance marker following the Route 33 exit.

The overhead signage at the I-291 exit, also not up the last time through, you can also see the old signage westbound still not replaced in mid-August.

The Ludlow Service Plaza also has new mixed case entrance gore signage.

Auxiliary signage for US 20 and Amherst/UMass (should it be UMass Amherst?) prior to the MA 32 Palmer exit. The congestion is due to a bridge closure ahead that was supposed to start at 8PM but was already closed 20 minutes early.

With night falling, photo of previously not installed new signage at ramp to I-84 (East). The signage at the split of ramps to the Pike from I-84 East still had not been replaced. Notice the new gore sign in the distance, unlike those further east, does not have room for a 2 digit milepost based number.

Earlier photos of new signage between Allston-Brighton and Newton put up in early July, first westbound:

The advance signs for the Route 16 exit have unusual distances, the first is for 1 1/4 miles.

The second is a mile further on, for 1/4 mile, the gore sign in the distance is still button copy.

The new 1-Mile Advance for the combined I-95/To Route 30 exit has a slightly misplaced Exit Only arrow, but it's not as bad as that on the next sign.

The arrow for the 1/2 mile advance sign is clearly pointing to the middle lane. They'll probably fix that, like the previous problem with the Newton/Watertown exit by moving the arrow to the right.

Heading back east:

The new 1-Mile Advance sign for the Allston-Brighton/Cambridge exit is paired with a VMS display (and another VMS westbound).

The 1/2 mile advance sign remains as bridge-mounted prior to the Brighton toll gantry.

The last new overhead signs eastbound at the current Exit 18 off-ramp, space is available on the exit tab for a mileage based number, 131.

New ground mounted guide signs are up along the Exit 18 off-ramp, the overhead button copy signs though have yet to be replaced.

Here's a free-standing Toll I-90 trailblazer along Cambridge Street in Brighton (and the back of another seen in the distance). The only other yellow toll banners seen are on guide signs.

Photos of new signage beyond Auburn courtesy of Jay Hogan taken on July 14, 2019

Heading West:

The 1-Mile Advance sign for the last Pike Exit in West Stockbridge (the old ground-mounted 1/2 mile advance sign can be seen in the distance).

Heading East:

Overhead signage at the I-84 exit eastbound, during the daytime.

Signage in the former Auburn toll plaza at ramp to Park and Ride Lot.

More sign images, in better resolutions, can be found at his Flickr Site.

Photos of new signs between Weston and Framingham, courtesy of Benjamin Long, July 2019

Recently placed post-interchange distance sign (needs some tree pruning) on I-90 West after the I-95/Weston interchange.

New sign for State Police Barracks in Weston (pole behind is probably for new Right Lane Ends sign.

There is also a new blue sign at the entrance with a new yellow banner indicating Not an Exit.

New overhead signs, with two signs on same support post, at split of ramp from I-90/Mass Pike to Route 30 in Natick.

Corresponding new signs, with different sign placement, at split for Route 9 East and West in Framingham.

New overhead signage for split of ramps for traffic heading for the Mass Pike from I-95 South in Weston.

The matching 1-Mile to State Police Barracks sign on I-90/Mass Pike heading east.

New sign eastbound for the State Police/Weston Maintenance Area and yellow "Not A Exit" Tab.

New Advisory sign for trucks carrying hazardous materials includes room in exit number for future 3-digit (123) version.

Latest Own Photos from June 2019

The new 1-Mile advance sign for the I-95 (128) exit eastbound in Weston put up the last week in June.

And the new 1/2 mile advance diagrammatic sign (with former sign gantry still up in the distance).

Newly placed overheads replacing bridge mounted signs (see below) prior to I-95 ramp split from I-90 in Weston.

Current standard overhead signs placed at former site of RI 146 interchange toll plaza.

Photos from early June 2019:

Overhead Signage:

The new overhead signs heading west at the I-495 interchange in Hopkinton.

And the corresponding pair eastbound.

Meanwhile, support posts have been placed for the advance diagrammatic signs for the I-95 Weston exit eastbound, here seen from the westbound lanes.

And the same supports now heading east on the Pike toward the Weston interchange.

Here's are the posts for the 1/2 mile advance sign heading east.

Meanwhile, heading west there are foundations in place for the future 1-Mile advance sign, which will not be mounted on the Auburn Street bridge.

Hard to tell if there is a new foundation at the site of the current 1/2 mile advance sign, though I am assuming there is one.

Ground Mounted Signage

Heading west new signage starts to appear just prior to the Route 30 exit in Natick:

Speaking of,  this new sign announces crossing into Natick from Weston.

Now entering Wayland.

Now back in Natick again.

Nope, back in Wayland again, but the Route 30 exit is always referred to as in Natick, because:

It is, though Route 30 actually crosses the Pike in Wayland, some towns should straighten out their borders.

Here's the first new West I-90/Mass Pike (in that order) reassurance marker after the Route 30 exit and crossing into Framingham. The order of the reassurance marker is the opposite to that put up under the western contract (see previous photos, below).

New post-interchange distance sign following the Route 30 exit with I-495 shield replacing text and I-84 shield replacing Sturbridge.

New ground-mounted river crossing signs have also been put up, here for the Sudbury River.

New mixed case blue gore signs have also been placed at the entrance to Service Plazas, such as at Framingham.

This new gore sign at the Route 9 exit is wide enough to hold a 3 digit milepost based number, if when MassDOT converts the number would be 113.

The new reassurance marker after the Route 9 exit.

And the new post-interchange distance sign after the Route 9 exit in Framingham.

A new town line sign for Westboro appears between Route 9 and I-495.

Several of these yellow advisory signs regarding reduced salt use areas are now up, this one east of I-495.

Just before the I-495 exit there is a new stacked entering sign for both Hopkinton and Middlesex County.

The new reassurance marker following the I-495 exit and heading toward the Westboro(ugh) Service Plaza.

Which isn't entirely in Westboro(ugh) based on this town line sign just before the on-ramp from the Service Plaza.

Another Reduced Salt Use advisory sign after the I-495 exit in Grafton.

Another new reassurance marker, this one after the Route 122 exit in Millbury.

And the last one I saw heading westbound after the Route 146/US 20 exit.

Approaching the Auburn exit we naturally have the new boundary sign for Entering Auburn. 

The blue attractions sign for the I-290/I-395/Route 12 exit has nothing listed, perhaps waiting for the arrival of the Pawtucket Red Sox.

There are new ground mounted brown signs as well, such as this for the Quinebaug-Shetucket Valley National Corridor prior to the Auburn exit.

Turning Around...

Don't know if these signs at the split of the ramps at the former Auburn Toll Plaza are temporary or permanent.

The first new East I-90/Mass Pike reassurance marker was spotted going up the hill after the Route 146/US 20 exit.

This reassurance marker following the Route 122 Millbury exit currently has no East directional banner (that is a new Speed Limit 65 sign in the background).

The new distance sign following the Route 122 exit has shields replacing text for both I-495 and I-95.

A new sign for entering Westboro(ugh) approaching the I-495 exit.

For the reassurance marker after I-495 they replaced the I-90 and Mass Pike logo shields but kept the old East banner.

This new post-interchange distance sign after the I-495 exit features only 1 interstate shield.

New Southboro(ugh) town line sign after the I-495 exit.

A new auxiliary sign for Framingham State University approaching the Route 9 exit.

Also a new sign for the Park and Ride Lot on Route 9 prior to the Framingham exit.

The gore sign for the MA 9 exit in this direction too has been updated to one that could hold a 3-digit exit number in the future.

The reassurance marker following the Route 9 exit is also missing its East banner.

The one following the Route 30 exit has an East banner.

The Natick Service Plaza entrance sign has also been updated to mixed case.

The last new post-interchange distance sign replaced I-95 text with a shield following the Natick Service Plaza.

A new Weston Town Line sign now greets drivers about to go under the toll gantry by the Weston State Police Barracks.

This auxiliary sign for Route 30 at the Weston exit has not been replaced yet. There is no mention of Route 128 because it was on the overhead signs, but that route has been removed from the new overhead diagrammatic signs.

Here's a new street identification sign from along the Allston-Brighton off-ramp, none over the on-ramp to I-90:

Previous photos from April 2019:

No new sign progress to report, this contractor tag along I-90 West marks the future spot for the left-side support post for the 1-Mile Advance overhead sign for the I-95/Weston exit on the Pike eastbound. As of early April no foundation had yet to be constructed.

I took some new photos of some of the overhead signage placed last fall for the I-84/Sturbridge exit westbound, the previous photos taken in the rain:

The ramp signage was not up during my last trip, so here's my photo at the ramp to I-84 (West), notice no directional for this sign.

One of the new combination town line and county line signs, this one the second one for Brimfield/Hampden County heading west.

Mile 60 marker in the median, mileposts are all up from Auburn westward.

Another combination sign with both town line and river crossing sign information crossing the Chicopee River into Ludlow.

Reassurance marker beyond the Route 21/Ludlow exit which appears to not have been replaced.

This 2-Mile advance sign for I-291 was not up the last time I drove through the area. Signs at the exit ramp still have not been replaced.

This is definitely a new reassurance marker assembly after the I-291 exit in Springfield.

Here's a better photo of the 1-Mile Advance sign for the I-91/US 5 exit in Chicopee prior to crossing the Connecticut River.

The new West I-90/Mass Pike reassurance marker following the I-91/US 5 exit in West Springfield.

The signage at the split of ramps heading onto the Mass Pike from US 202/MA 10 in Westfield has not been replaced either during the toll plaza demolition contract or yet during sign replacement.

The new post-interchange distance sign in Westfield features an I-91 shield.

The new version of the overhead ramp signage for the I-91/US 5 exit and I-90 pull through, put up last fall.

Previous Photos, From March 2019:

Mile marker installation has continued westward with this new one at the I-95 off-ramp in Weston confirming the future milepost based number, 123.

This post has been placed after the lane drop in Weston for a future regulatory sign.

The new mile marker for Mile 125 further west in Natick.

As has this new marker for Mile 115 approaching the Framingham Service Plaza.

Speaking of the Framingham Plaza, at least one support post is in place for future mixed case sign to go behind the current one.

Support post in place following the Route 9 interchange for new reassurance marker, also seen after the Weston, Natick and I-495 interchanges.

The new Mile 110 mile marker is Westborough after the I-495 interchange.

The only new post-interchange distance sign spotted was this one after the Route 122 exit in Millbury. I hope to have other new sign photos beyond Auburn in early April.

Earlier photos from December 2018:

Courtesy of Dan Murphy:

The 1/2 mile advance sign for the Newton/Watertown exit has been corrected so the arrow for the exit only lane appears over the correct lane (see August 26 photo for original sign arrow placement).

New mile markers have made it as far east as mile 125, the 124 Mile with I-90 shield above is in Weston before the still not replaced 1/2 mile advance sign for the I-95 (128) exit.

Photos of new signage between Framingham and Sturbridge from September 28, 2018:

Overhead advance signage eastbound for I-84 was put up during the week of October 21 to 26. The 2-Mile Advance:

The 1-Mile Advance, another diagrammatic, sorry for some raindrops:

The old sign is still up in the distance, and the 1/2 mile advance sign

A closer view, if you don't mind a guest appearance by one of my windshield wipers:

All the advance signs for the Sturbridge exit are actually in Charlton, the Entering Sturbridge sign can be seen after the right-hand overhead sign support post. It appears that the signs (will be 2 and exit and a pull-through, should also be up shortly with the support posts in place:

MassDOT put out a traffic advisory for lane closures in Sturbridge the night of October 29-30 during which the new sign was placed (courtesy of Dan Murphy):

Another new sign placed was for the exit ramp to I-290/Route 12/I-395 on the Pike Eastbound in Auburn:

This is another two sign on one cantilever support post, last seen in the Springfield area.

A sign that has been up a couple months, but which I finally got to take a photo of, is the exit ramp sign for Route 9 in Framingham, also eastbound:

This completes the new signs for this exit which now like Exits 10A, 11 and 17, have all there new signage up for the eastern contract.

Some other signage noticed, included this redundant use of signs advising traffic of bridge height in Framingham, both ground-mounted and on the bridge:

This signage does not appear for all the new bridges with the new street and city identifying signs, here in Grafton:

Here's a previously not photographed post-interchange distance sign on I-90 East in Millbury with 2 interstate shields (first reference to I-95):

While the eastern contractor has not put up new reassurance markers, regulatory signs, or mileposts, there is evidence these are to be placed soon. Here's new posts placed behind the current East Mass Pike/I-90 and speed limit sign in Millbury:

As for milemarkers, new ones have started appearing on bridge supports, but not along the highway itself:

This is the enhanced reference (shield) marker for Mile 100 on the Old Westboro Road bridge in Grafton (also on westbound side).

No new overhead signage yet for the remaining I-95/Weston exit eastbound, however, more sign foundations have made their appearance:

Barely making an appearance is this foundation for the future 1-Mile Advance sign. The 1/2 mile advance will go where the orange contractor tag is. I couldn't see a foundation:

Photos of new signage between Route 30 in Natick and Newton from September 16, 2018:

The only new signs placed on the Pike since August are new MassDOT spec versions of street and city name signs placed on bridges, in this case the Oak Street bridge in Weston as seen heading west (the traffic jam was due to both heavy traffic merging from 4 to 3 lanes ahead, but also a state trooper pulling over a motorist in the left lane 2 miles further on).

The other overhead advance signs for the I-95/Route 128 exit still have not been put up. One reason is still not all the foundations have been placed. Heading west, here's where the 1-Mile Advance sign support will go in the future.

A little further west is an installed sign foundation, but it looks too small, and is not in the right place, to be for the I-95 exit.

Another example of a new bridge sign just prior to the State Police barracks building heading west toward Route 30.

Heading back east:

Here's the tag for the future 1/2 mile advance sign for the I-95/Route 128 exit, no foundation here either, though there is one on the other side of the highway (no photo).

No new exit signs east of I-95/128. However, more bridge mounted street and city name signs, this on the Woodland Road bridge in Newton.

Here's one for Commonwealth Avenue. The traffic here due to the upcoming Red Sox game and congestion at the ramp to the Newton/Watertown exit.

From the slow Newton/Watertown off-ramp, a new sign for Centre Street in Newton.

The only new overhead spotted were these guide signs at the ramp to I-90 West in Newton.

Earlier Photos from east of I-95/128 from August 2018:

New signage is now up along the ramp to the Pike from I-95/128 North in Weston.

The new 1-mile advance sign replaces a bridge mounted version to the other side of the electronic toll gantry, the exit tab is big enough to hold a 3-digit milepost based number, 128 in this instance.

The 1/2 mile advance also replaces a bridge mounted sign.

The new ramp sign remains, as the previous version, bridge mounted, perhaps because there was no other place to mount the sign at this location. The signs for the Allston-Brighton/Cambridge exit have not been replaced. After exiting:

Ramp signage, here on Cambridge Street, has been replaced with the new standard of I-90 shield before Mass Pike logo shield and Toll banner.

The new overheads at the split of the ramps include a banner against hazardous material carriers for eastbound Pike traffic.

Heading back west:

The new 1-Mile Advance Sign westbound for the Newton/Watertown exit includes a yellow Exit Only banner and extra space for a 3-digit milepost based number.

The next new sign has some oddities. First, it's the 1/2 mile advance, but has no distance, second it appears the Exit Only arrow is pointing to the right travel lane, not the exit lane. It might be seem that the ramp sign was placed here incorrectly. However, a look at the sign plan shows that, except for the exit number, the information on the sign is as designed:

So Perhaps its just the sign gantry that is too long The sign at the exit ramp itself has not been replaced, the plan for the two signs at that location is:

The next new sign is at Route 16:

This replaces, and nearly copies, the previous ramp sign which, due to the bridge structure, has the route shield to the left, instead of on top of the text, the advance signs have not been replaced. It does have a large tab to fit a future milepost based number, 125, in this case.

The next, and remaining only new sign, is for the I-95 (128) exit:

This 1 1/2 mile advance sign is new, the next two 1 mile and 1/2 mile advance signs have not been replaced. This sign is the same as that put up in the area of the former Weston Toll Plaza. No mention of Route 128, as with the other new signs. The last new sign spotted is along the Weston exit ramp:

This too removes any reference to Route 128, no auxiliary signage here either. It appears the only reference to 128 when sign replacement is complete will be two signs mounted on a bridge 1/4 mile previous to this sign that were simple exact duplicates of the previous ones and replaced under the AET toll demolition contract. These have both I-95 and 128 shields but simply listed North Shore and South Shore as destinations.

Earlier photos from June 21, 2018:

Happy Summer with a view from on-ramp to the Pike West in Weston showing new paving project and the back of new overhead sign gantry put up the previous night (front view below):

 Plus the addition of 2 new signs for the I-95 exit eastbound in Weston:

The 2-mile overhead features a diagrammatic sign showing the split into 2 lanes for the I-95 exit. No more Route 128 due to FHWA guidance and extra space for a 3-digit milepost based exit number.

The next new signs are at the exit ramp, the pull through now has I-90 before the Mass Pike logo while the I-95 sign features new control cities of Portsmouth, NH and Providence, RI.

Also a photo of new signs at the split from the Route 30 on-ramp in Natick:

Previous Photos from June 2:

Heading westbound and the first glimpse of the new Route 30 overhead signs:

The 1/2 mile advance:

and the sign at the exit:

Heading eastbound, the 1-mile Advance overhead:

The 1/2 mile advance:

And the exit ramp sign:

New foundations have been placed for future overhead signs in Weston for the I-95 exit, however there does not seem to be one yet at the 1-Mile advance site:

The existing gore sign at the I-95/Route 128 exit, not changed but now joined by a yellow split lanes warning sign. These are appearing at other exit ramps around the state.

Photos from April 20, 2018:

The first two photos are not from I-90, but I-84 getting another view of the first two Massachusetts Arrow-per-Lane signs:

Here's another photo for the next sign, this time taken from the perspective of the I-84 travel lanes, the signs at the ramp split (to be put up as part of the sign replacement contract, as will the I-84 interchange signs on I-90 West), have not been replaced.

The only new signs to take photos of west of I-84 were at Exit 2 in Lee, not all had been replaced, this one had been modified at least:

Here's the 1-mile advance of the US 20 exit:

And the 1/2 mile advance sign, the last new exit sign westbound on the Mass Pike:

Here's another photo of the US 20 exit sign, not replaced, and maybe MassDOT decided it didn't need to (or the contractor hasn't gotten to it, and will do it when the new Exit 1 signs are put up).

It doesn't appear this blue services sign has been updated either (not all the signs were to be changed under the replacement contract):

Here's the Mile 10 marker installed under the sign replacement contract (mile markers along the right-side west of the Westfield River have been removed since July 2017 leaving about a 5 mile gap in markers at that location):

As indicated, the advance exit signs for the West Stockbridge exit still have not been replaced, here's the 1-Mile Advance sign:

The only new overhead signs are at the exit itself, these were put up as part of the AET initiative/Toll Plaza Demolition project:

A couple more photos, this new example of one of the new bridge-mounted street/route and town signs put up between Auburn and the NY border:

And the 1-Mile marker heading toward the New York border:

Photos from March 22, 2018:

Here are a couple new town line signs spotted between I-495 and Route 122 in Millbury:

Notice the new signs have adopted the MassDOT policy of eliminating the -ugh from the town names, the previous practice of the complete name can be seen on the older sign to the left. Here's the new town sign for Grafton (also a new sign for Upton, not shown):

The new town name policy also extends to Service Plazas. The former Westborough Plaza is now Westboro:

Here is an earlier photo trying to show the installation of a overhead sign foundation for the I-95 Weston exit eastbound along westbound I-90 just after the merge from the I-95/128 ramps:

The foundation is under the orange cone to the right of the contractor sign placement tag but hidden by the guardrail.

Previous Photos

A trip on January 15 indicates more signs could be put up before the winter season is over. Heading east from Weston, there are overhead sign foundations now up for the Route 30 Natick exit. Here's the foundation for the 1-Mile Advance sign:

Here's the foundation for the future 1/2 mile advance sign:

There's also a foundation at the exit itself, not photographed. As for new signs they show up starting in Framingham:

Followed by a new 1/2 mile advance sign:

Traveling in the shoulder due to a bridge project prior to the Route 9 interchange. There's also new sign at the exit itself:

Heading on to I-495, signs previously photographed by Benjamin Long. Here's the 2-Mile Advance overhead:

Again, these have new destinations or control cities replacing the NH-Maine, Cape Cod text of the previous signs, the 1-Mile Advance:

The Cape Cod destination is to appear on an auxiliary sign, but that, as well as most other new ground-level signage, has not been put up east of I-290, the existing auxiliary sign:

And finally, the 1/2 mile advance sign, no new signage yet at the interchange itself:

Lastly westbound, another view of the new Route 122 exit sign, this time from the exit ramp:

Headed back east and the 2-Mile Advance overhead for I-495:

The 1-Mile Advance sign:

The 1/2 mile advanced sign has an Exit Only tab for the upcoming off-ramp:

There is no new signage for the exit ramp, but there is new signage on the ramp itself put up as part of the AET Toll Plaza demolition project:

As can be noted the old gore sign is still standing, here and at other exit ramps east of Worcester. Now onto Framingham, the 1-Mile advance for Route 9:

The new 1/2 mile advance overhead, the exit ramp sign eastbound has not been replaced:

Unlike westbound, there appears that no foundations have been dug for the Route 30 overhead signs, meaning the placement of these signs will have to wait until Spring, for the 1-mile advance:

and at the tag for the 1/2 mile advance sign:

There was one foundation in place for the 1/2 mile advance sign for the I-95 Weston exit, but it appears the placement of these signs will have to wait until Spring too.

Here are earlier photos of new signs put up between I-495 and Route 9 in December, photos courtesy of Benjamin Long. First heading west toward I-495, the control cities changed (as seen in the plans below) from NH-Maine/Cape Cod to Portsmouth, NH and Taunton (these destinations will be listed on an auxiliary sign):

The 1/2 mile advance sign for I-495 includes a next exit distance tab (used when the next exit is 10 miles or greater in distance):

The exit tabs are long enough to have a future 3-digit exit number (106). The signs at the exit have not been replaced. Heading back east toward Route 9:

There are also no new exit signs at the interchange itself. The exit tabs will be able to hold the proposed 3-digit number (111) when the switch to milepost based numbering occurs.

Other previous photos:

For example, this photo taken in mid-October looking west at Exit 2 in Lee, appears to show a new eastbound exit sign (with a tab on bottom indicating next exit is 30 miles distant). New signs are now going up in the eastern project area, see photos below:

The back of two new signs on I-90 East can seen at Exit 3 in Westford:

Sign photos from November 18 Road Trip:

Actual progress in the eastern project zone can now be reported. New overhead signs have gone up for Exits 10A and 11 and new foundations are in place for most of the upcoming signage, at least heading west, between Weston and I-495. First, the new signs photos. Heading west, here's the new 1-Mile advance sign for the Route 122 exit:

The new 1/2 mile advance sign:

And, as seen in the distance, the new overhead at the off-ramp, notice for each of the signs the exit tab seems to be set up for a larger milepost based number (96):

The next new set of signs are for the Route 146/US 20 exit in Worcester, starting with the 1-Mile Advance, per new MassDOT guidance, the state abbreviation has been added to the Providence text:

Next the 1/2 mile advance sign in front of the one of the higher bridges over the Pike:

And finally, the signage at the exit ramp:

Heading Eastbound-

I turned around in Auburn, the overhead off-ramp signage for the I-290/I-395/Route 12 exit still has not been updated (nor, from traffic camera views, the signage for the I-84 Sturbridge exit). Here's the 1-Mile advance sign for Exit 10 A (there is a 2-mile advance sign for this exit, but it is not being replaced based on the project plans, the old sign still stands, as does the earlier 1/2 mile advance sign for Exit 10 going the other way):

One of the new overheads for the Auburn exit can be seen to the left. The difference in design for the the cantilever supports is due to MassDOT letting each contractor determine the design. It appears Roadsafe Systems, the western project contractor, prefers a one pole support for sing, while Liddell Bros., the eastern contractor, prefers the "many pole" version. The 1/2 mile advance:

And the sign at the exit ramp, seen in the distance above:

The exit tab is longer to accommodate the 2 digits and letter, the future milepost number, 94, will make the tab appear to big, unless it is change. The gore sign in the distance has not been replaced. Moving on to the Route 122 1-Mile Advance:

The contractor's sign placement tag still present indicating this was only recently installed. On to the 1/2 mile advance with an additional next exit distance tab:

Given the smaller distances between the remaining exits, this is the last sign of this type heading East. Finally, here's the signage at the exit ramp:

The gore sign here too has not been replaced. This is the last of the new signage. There is some progress to report for the I-495 exit in that it appears all the foundations for the new overhead signs has been placed. Here's the foundation for the future 1-Mile Advance sign:

The foundation mostly hidden by the guardrail to the right of the orange contractor tag. There is new signage along the I-495 ramp due to the Toll Plaza demolition project. Here's the ramp signage prior to the merge of off-ramps for I-90 West traffic:

The signage uses what will be the new control cities on the Pike Exit 11 signage: Portsmouth NH and Taunton. Lowell and Cape Cod will be on auxiliary signs. Here the signage heading through what was the former toll plaza area, complete with shields painted on the roadbed:

There are also new signs at the other end of the eastern project due to the Toll Plaza demolition project. This includes the 1-Mile Advance sign for the Allston-Brighton/Cambridge exit on I-90 West in Boston. Both new signs lack an exit tab.

The next advance sign (without a distance) lacks an exit tab too. The reason is unknown, perhaps waiting for the new milepost numbers, or the tab had the existing Exit 20 number, but with the removal of the toll plaza, perhaps MassDOT wanted to change the number to 18 to match the eastbound exit?

Here's some of the new signage on the off-ramp as seen from I-90 West:

Other signs of progress on the eastern project include new overhead sign placement tags along the stretch between Boston and Weston, including this one for the 1/2 mile advance for the Newton/Watertown exit:

There are also now sign foundations in place further west between Weston and I-495, such as this for a Route 9 off-ramp sign:

Again, partially hidden behind the guardrail prior to the exit ramp. Also a foundation spotted prior to the I-495 exit:

Sign photos from October 14 and 15 Road Trip:

I traveled between Exits 9 and 3 going westbound on the 14th documenting the new signage since the last road trip. The diagrammatic signage for the I-84 Sturbridge exit has not been installed. Though new signs have been placed at the site of the former Sturbridge toll plaza at the end of I-84 East. This is one of two new Arrow-per-Lane (APL) signs, the first ones put up in Massachusetts:

Back on the Pike westbound, there was a new exit sign for the Palmer Exit, Route 32:

It appears that all the destination mileage signs have been replaced, here's the one following Exit 8. The distances have changed from the earlier sign which read Ludlow 7, Springfield 10 (no reference to Albany). It appears MassDOT decided to correct the distance to the Ludlow exit, it is 8 miles, and to use I-91 for Springfield which is 17 miles away instead of I-291:

New signage for Exit 7, Route 21 in Ludlow, is also all installed, starting with the 1-Mile Advance sign:

And proceeding with the 1/2 mile and ramp exit signs:

As can be seen on the left of the above photo, new mile markers have been placed along the left shoulder heading west from Mile 92 in Auburn. Where the median is narrow the markers also have eastbound numbers, but these have not been installed on wide medians eastbound, here's the Mile 50 marker in Chicopee:

The Ludlow Service Plaza has a new mixed case entrance gore sign:

Getting back to the exit signs, there are new signage for the advanced signage for I-291, Exit 6:

There are a couple auxiliary signs between the 2 and 1 Mile Advance overheads (and temporary sign due to I-91 Viaduct construction):

Here are the remaining 1-Mile and 1/2 Mile advance signs:

The exit ramp signage, being on an overhead over the entire roadway, has not been replaced, this includes the 2-Mile 'CT' 33 2-Mile advance sign for Exit 5.

Here's the reassurance marker following Exit 5:

The Route 33 advance signage has been replaced, starting with the 1-Mile Advance:

and concluding with the 1/2 mile advance, the ramp signage still needs to be replaced:

The next new sign is the 2-Mile Advance for the I-91 exit:

There are also auxiliary signs for Exit 4, one brown one for the Springfield Armory:

And a green one for Amherst / UMass (or is that UMass Amherst?):

The other advance sign is also up, the 1-Mile, seen below:

There is also a new ramp sign, because it uses only 1 support, despite having 2 signs:

All the signage for the US 202/Route 10 exit in Westfield has also been installed, starting with the 1-Mile Advance:

The 1/2 mile advance with the important added tab that the next exit is 30 miles away:

And the ramp signage, where I turned around to head back toward Springfield (see the AET section for photos of the former Exit 3 Toll Plaza):

Turning back Eastbound

Starting with the first reassurance marker before the Westfield AET gantry:

The first new overhead sign is the 2-Mile advance for I-91:

There is a brown auxiliary sign up for the Springfield Armory:

There's also an auxiliary sign for US 5,  but if it's new does the US 5 shield need to be there since its on the overhead signs, and if it's old, why has it not been removed? Behind it is the 1-Mile Advance sign for I-91/US 5:

And the final new sign for Exit 4, the 1/2 Mile Advance:

The next new sign is the 1-Mile Advance for MA 33:

There is an auxiliary sign for Westover Airport/Air Force Base:

Followed by the 1/2 Mile Advance:

The overhead sign at the exit ramp has not been change since its a 2-sign gantry containing the 2-Mile I-291 Advance Sign. The next new sign is the 1-Mile Advance for I-291:

This is followed by a new 1/2 mile advance, the exit sign is also on a 2-sign gantry and has not been replaced:

Heading to Ludlow, here is the first of 3 new signs, the 1-Mile Advance:

Then the 1/2 mile advance:

There is a cantilever at the MA 21 exit as well:

There is also a new exit ramp sign to go with the previously placed advance signs for the MA 32 in Palmer:

All the remaining advance signs for I-84 have also been put up, the 1-Mile:

And the 1/2 mile advance:

There is also a new auxiliary sign for US 20, Sturbridge:

The new signage for the Auburn exit are in previous photos below.

So, what about the eastern contract (Exits 10A to 20)? Not much to report, the only new things noticed outside of I-95 are a couple of sign foundations. Here's one westbound in Millbury:

And a last-minute shot of one heading eastbound with contractor tag prior to the I-495 interchange:

The only other new thing to report eastbound is the new traffic pattern at the I-95/Route 128 interchange, where there are now 2 thru lanes and two exit lanes:

The only new sign that has been placed is westbound prior to the Allston-Brighton exit, and its placement is due to the toll plaza demolition project, not the sign replacement contract. Here's a photo of the sign from a MassDOT traffic camera:

Earlier signage photos taken on September 27, 2017

These are from a short trip from Boston to Weston to see if there were any more indications regarding sign replacements in that stretch. A couple contractor tags were spotted, including here 1-Mile before the Newton/Watertown exit:

No other tags were spotted westbound, so I decided to re-take photos of the I-95 exit signs that were previously taken looking into the sun in late afternoon. Here is the first 1-Mile advance with the new exit tab for the 2 new ramps, due to the new location, the distance to the first ramp is more like 1 1/2 miles. The lanes were closed due to construction under the bridges prior to and after the I-95 ramp.

Here's the '1/2 mile' advance signage with the reformatted exit tab. The I-95 shield is fading fast:

Here's another look at the first ramp signage at the site of the former Weston Toll Plaza:

And another view of the signage at the I-95 ramp with the exit tabs able to accommodate a future 3-digit exit number.

MassDOT's Toll Demolition Project page had indicated new signage would be put up on the ramps to I-95 from I-90 the week of September 18-22, they did, however, it simply matches the old signage and therefore will not match destinations of the new sign replacement contract signs that will be put up in 2018:

Previous photos taken August 27, 2017:

I took the Mass Pike from I-95/128 west to Route 9 in Framingham and back east from I-495 to Weston. Not much new to report, I did get a few more contractor overhead sign tags. Most of the exits now have them, though there were no foundations dug at any of the locations I passed. Here's a tag for the 1-Mile advance sign for Route 30 heading west:

The current sign is around the corner. I also notice a new tag at the Route 30 exit. The new sign will be after the existing one:

As for Route 9, there now is a tag at the exit, also after the existing sign but still before the bridge:

Heading back east from I-495, noticed a couple new tags for Route 9, while no tag for 1-Mile, here's the 1/2 mile advance tag after the current sign:

And at the exit itself, also beyond the current sign:

I also got a photo I missed before of the 1-Mile advance tag at the Route 30 exit in Natick, this one before the current sign:

Also got a photo of a possible new tag at the exit ramp, this one behind the current sign:

Approaching the I-95/Route 128 interchange in Weston, the placement tag for the 2-Mile Sign is behind the current sign that is bridge-mounted:

The sign will be after the bridge and around the curve seen above:

Here's a better photo of the previous spotted 1-Mile Advance sign for the I-95/Route 128 exit:

Previous Photos

As of August 25, 2017. The contractor on the western project has placed some of, if not all, new exit signs for Exits 3, and 5-10.

Here's two photos taken by MassDOT traffic cameras showing the backs, unfortunately, of new signage at Exit 3 in Westfield.

This view shows the ramp signage for I-90 East, image was taken on August 23:

This view shows new 1/2 mile advance (in the distance) and exit ramp signage (the latter has taken the place of a bridge-mounted sign) for I-90 West:

Photos taken July 10, 2017 showing newly placed overhead signage for the Auburn, Sturbridge and Palmer exits (8-10):

There are also new 1 Mile and 1/2 Mile Advance overheads:

The 1/2 mile indicates mileage to the next exit (I-84):

The signs at the interchange itself have not been replaced, here's an example of some of the auxiliary signage:

There is also an auxiliary sign for MA 12, though the overhead sign plan was revised to include it:

There are no new overhead signs for the I-84 / Sturbridge exit, nor does it appear that foundations have been dug. The next new signs are at the Palmer Exit for MA 32:

There's also a new overhead 1/2 mile advance sign:

Again, the signs at the exit ramps have not been replace, there are no new overheads westbound. There are new destination mileage signs using route shields instead of text:

They are also installing new signs on all the bridges identifying the street and city/town:

Heading back East

Again, there are new signs for the Palmer exit:

There is also an 1/2 mile advance, but no new signage at the exit ramps:

There appears to be room for a milepost based number to be placed in the future, as seen on this sign plan:

For the I-84 exit, there is one new overhead sign heading east, the 2-Mile advance sign:

As with the MA 32 signs, there appears to be room for changing to a milepost based number, as seen in this sign plan:

There are 3 new signs eastbound for the Auburn exit:

Here a photo of the first 2-Mile advance sign, thanks to Shaun Ganley:

The 1-Mile advance sign:

and here's the 1/2 mile advance sign:

Here's the sign plan with the proposed milepost based number, and without MA 12, later revised, though as seen the auxiliary sign was not changed:

Thanks to Charlene White of MassDOT, I obtained the sign plans for this contract with their original new milepost numbers. Here are the 1 mile advance signs for all the remaining exits without new signs in the contract area going west to east:

The current exit sign includes MA Route 128, however with the Mass Pike now under jurisdiction of MassDOT, their signing practice, mandated by the FHWA, to remove 128 shields from overhead signs takes precedence. There are also no plans showing any auxiliary, or trailblazers for 128 to be placed at this exit.

Here's the newly placed westbound version of the sign, first at the (To) MA 30 exit:

This differs slightly from the sign plan for the replacement contract:

As can be seen in the photo there is room on the exit tabs future 3-digit milepost based numbering. There are 2 exit ramps, A and B. Here's signage for the new I-95 ramp, currently Exit 15B:

The advance signs for the exits were not changed, just a new suffixed exit tab was added:

As can be seen above, and in this photo of the gore sign for the MA 30 exit, there appears to be room for a 3-digit number:

Here's the plan for the new interchange configuration opened in early July 2017 after the toll plazas are removed, the new ramp to MA 30 is referred to as Ramp K in this diagram¹ from MassDOT:

The 1-Mile advance in this case is 1 1/4 miles before the exit.

The contract will only replace the Allston-Brighton exit signs eastbound, the blanket contract changing all the other exit numbers in the state is responsible for new exit number signage further east:

The final new sign will be a new pull through for I-90:

Here are some of the ground-mounted auxiliary signage that will be put up:

With Cape Cod removed from the main exit signs, there will be this supplemental sign put up before the I-495 exit:

While there is no mention of MA 128 on an auxiliary sign, this will be placed eastbound before the I-95 exit:

Trucks with hazardous materials will also be told they have to use the I-95 exit:

There will also be other signs related to towns, historic places, schools and Park and Ride facilities:

There will also be a sign for Fenway Park before the Allston-Brighton exit. Currently, there's a similar sign before the Prudential/Copley Square exit further east (Future Exit 133):

There was also this sign in the plans for exits not in the project zone:

The first contract awarded covers the route from the NY border to Exit 10 in Auburn and was let on August 18, 2015 and got the notice to proceed on October 23, 2015. Thanks again to Charlene White of MassDOT, I obtained the sign plans for this contract. Here are the 1 mile advance signs for all the exits in the contract area:

Here's the new 1/2 mile advance for the I-84 Exit Westbound:

As currently there will be 2 Mile advance signs with the same text as the 1 Mile signs.

Here's what the standard 1/2 mile advance signs look like, for the US 202/MA 10 Exit in Westfield:

If the distance to the next exit is more than 10 miles, the signs will include a next exit distance tab on the bottom:

A couple examples of standard signing at the off-ramps or gore points:

There will also be ground mounted auxiliary signage with route numbers removed from the main overhead signage. For example, US 20 was taken from the main Exit 78 signs, and instead will be on this sign:

MassDOT also planned something similar for Exit 90 where MA 12 was to be removed from the main signage:

However, after comments received criticizing the removal, since there is a direct ramp to MA 12 at the exit, MassDOT plans to restore MA 12 to the overhead signs.

Here's a few miscellaneous signs, including local on-ramp, distance, and town-line:

Previous documents on the MassDOT website provided signage plans for two exits, I-91 in Springfield:

Which is Exit 4, but will now be Exit 46, and for the exit for I-290 and I-395 on the eastern end of the project:

Which is currently Exit 10, but will become Exit 90.

From Addenda # 3 to the second signing contract, the winner to be announced on February 23, here is the standard mile marker plan:

I will plan to post more sign plans when the plans for Part 2 are released around April, and then new Exit Sign photos, here in the future.

PHOTOS (7/9/2017)

As of the middle of July, the western project is at least 40% complete. In addition to the several overhead signs (see above) there has been progress in installing auxiliary, regulatory signage along the roadside and street identification signs on bridge overpasses from the NY border to just beyond Sturbridge as well as installing support foundations for additional overhead signs (a truck parked in the median near Springfield on July 9 had at least a dozen sign support posts ready to be installed). Here's examples of some of the above:

An auxiliary sign for MA 12 Auburn prior to the I-290/MA 12/I-395 interchange (only Auburn is needed on the sign since MA 12 is now included on the overhead signs):

A new destination mileage sign with an I-84 shield replacing text in the previous version:

An example of the bridge signs identifying the crossing street and city/town:

The current old sign at the US 20 Exit in Lee, not in dire need of replacing:

Here are photos taken on June 4, 2017 showing examples of the new signage between Auburn and Sturbridge:

New signage has been placed for the Charlton Service plazas east and westbound, here is a new sign without any information 1 Mile from the westbound plaza:

New gore signs have also been placed at the Service Plaza entrances, the new signs feature a mixture of upper and lowercase letters, here westbound:

and at the eastbound plaza:

As for auxiliary exit signage, new signs have been placed with the existing exit numbers. Here's the sign for US 20 at Exit 9 where the new overhead will only have I-84 listed:

Heading back east, here's one of the new auxiliary signs for Exit 10 in Auburn:

Another sign has a listing for MA 12, though MassDOT has changed the plan for the overhead signs and will place a MA 12 shield on them as well:

In addition the project has begun replacing the destination mileage signs which had all text, to new ones with route shields, here after the Charlton Service Plaza:

and another just beyond the Auburn exit:

The Eastern Section has shown less progress, still listed at 13% as it was in June 2017, though it's not supposed to be completed until 2018. More progress has been made in placing orange future overhead sign tags by the contractor, but little else.

Heading west, here's a tag at the existing 1-Mile advance sign for Route 30 in Natick:

They are all marked at the Route 9 exit, as seen below, and at the I-495 interchange:

There are also tags at the MA 122 exit in Millbury, here along with a completed sign support foundation.

Though, there are none present at the MA 146/US 20 exit in Worcester:

Heading back east there are tags for the MA 146/US 20 exit, at least for the 1-Mile advance overhead:

Heading on, there are tags approaching Route 122 in Millbury, this one behind the current sign:

Tags were present approaching the I-495 interchange, before the current sign which is definitely showing its age:

The sign at the interchange itself though is not as old, but will be replaced anyway and have new destinations (control cities):

Inside I-495, tags are more sporadic, only one still spotted for Route 9 in Framingham, there were a couple though for the Route 30 exit in Natick:

Since I traveled through in June however, a couple tags have appeared near the current overhead signs for the I-95/128 exit in Weston (including this one for the 1-Mile Advance only noticed at the last minute, thus the blurred image):

No tags were observed further east for the Newton exit.

Earlier photos from September 2016

For the western project, as of late September 2016, the only progress seen is the installation of the 2/10 reference, or mile markers. Only the 2/10 markers west of Mile 40 have been installed. Here's the marker at Mile 40:

This is the only I-90 shield marker spotted, the rest of the Turnpike only had the 2/10 mile markers installed with the existing 1-Mile and .5 mile markers remaining in place. Most are in the center median except for a short stretch in Russell near the Westfield River where there is an older concrete median barrier, these had been removed the next time I drove through in April 2018:

They are not of the design as seen in the plans above, like other MassDOT markers, but have larger vertically placed numbers.

On the eastern project, the only evidence of future work is the orange tags placed by the contractor, Liddell Bros. to indicate the future site of new overhead signs supports:

As of 10/14, the new sign tags had made it as far west as Millbury:

The only new signage seen on the Pike this year are the new 'Go Time' Real Time Traffic Management System signs being installed by MassDOT all over the state. Here's the newly placed, but still inactive sign, approaching I-495 on I-90 West in Framingham:

More photos for the Mass Pike and other interstates, along with the sign plans are available on my Misc. Massachusetts Sign Photos Page.

B. Electronic Tolling Conversion (2015-2017)

MassDOT has converted the Mass Pike to Electronic Tolling, meaning tolls will be taken automatically either through EZ-Pass accounts of through billing by mail based on a photograph of a vehicle's license plate. The system was activated at 10:15 PM on 10/28/16. The next day work started on demolishing the former toll plazas, to be completed by the end of 2017. 

Latest Photos taken on November 18, 2017

MassDOT announced in early November that most of the work in the former toll plaza areas had been completed and all lanes in their final configurations were open to traffic. This included removing the pavement from the former Weston westbound plaza ramp for I-95/Route 128 traffic and landscaping the area with trees and grass that was starting to grow as seen here to the right:

A closer view of the new landscaped area:

Previous Photos from October 14 and 15, 2017:

Traveled through several of the former toll plazas on road trip that weekend. Starting with Exit 10 in Auburn:

New signage had been placed in the former toll plaza area ahead of the Route 12 exit, while some temporary signage remained.

The contract for replacing the signage around the toll plazas was given to Lidell Bros. of Halifax, the same agency responsible for replacing the signs east of Auburn.

The signage at the Route 12 exit itself had not been changed, possibly that is part of the I-90 Sign Replacement Project, not the Toll Demolition contract.

The next former toll plaza visited was in Westfield for the exit to US 202 and Route 10. Trailblazers are up in the former toll plaza area:

Notice the jumbled numbers in the right-hand sign. Heading through the site of the former toll plaza itself:

Here's a view of the signs seen in the distance above. Route shields are on an atypical thin sign set up:

Here's the signage at the Mass Pike entrance put up with the start of electronic tolling:

A view heading back through the site of the former toll plaza showing some reconstruction work remains to be completed:

The next toll plaza was for I-91/US 5 in West Springfield. New signage has not been put up just after the site of the former plaza:

However, new signage was spotted on the ramp to the I-91 exits, perhaps part of the sign replacement project:

New signage was also up on the old supports at the split of the two ramps:

At the Sturbridge Toll Plaza, the major change is the installation of new Arrow-Per-Lane signs (also posted above). These signs are part of the toll demolition project and not of the I-90 sign replacement project:

The last photo is of a new reassurance marker spotted at the site of the Weston Toll Plaza heading east. The placement of the Pike logo and I-90 shields is the opposite to the others on the roadway:

Earlier photos taken on September 27, 2017

Took a quick trip along the Pike East from I-93 to Weston to check on toll demolition progress. Here's traffic at the Allston-Brighton exit approaching the former toll plaza site:

Now heading under the bridge to where the toll plaza stood:

And the view at the former toll plaza site itself, near final paving had taken place:

The area where at the on-ramp from Allston-Brighton to I-90 East appeared complete:

Photos from August 27, 2017

Again going through the Weston Toll Plaza from I-95/128 North, the plaza area has now been paved and awaiting final lane painting. Here's the view approaching the split from I-95 North:

The view approaching the former toll plaza location:

View of traveling through location of former toll booths:

After the former toll booth location traffic merges from I-95/Route 128 South into 2-lanes to enter the Mass Pike lanes:

Moving on to the Route 9 toll plaza, the permanent overhead signs that MassDOT said would be placed on August 23 and 24 were not present, instead I took photos of the temporary signage:

Here's the temporary signage at the ramp splitting to East and West Route 9:

They were also to place permanent signage at the I-495 interchange, not there either, this is the ground-level temp signage:

Back at Weston heading east, here's the view of the recently repaved merge of the new ramp from I-90/Mass Pike East to I-95/Route 128:

Finally, view at site of former toll plaza heading toward ramps to I-95/Route 128 North and South, the signage in the distance is to be replaced under the current I-90 Sign Replacement Project by Spring 2018:

Previous Photos taken on June 4, 2017:

A look driving through the Weston Toll Plazas on the ramp from I-95/128 to I-90 West:

Another view after crossing through the site of the former toll booths:

Further west the former plaza in Westborough for traffic getting on I-495:

View taking ramp from I-290 West to I-90 in Auburn:

Around the corner is the former toll plaza area:

And finally at the I-84 interchange in Sturbridge, the view from the ramp from I-90 West:

Here's a closer look at the site of the former toll booths:

Turning around and heading back to the Mass Pike, the view from I-84 East:

The view at the former toll booth site. MassDOT says project is on schedule to be completed by the end of 2017:

Here's a photo put on their Twitter account by MassDOT showing progress in completing work at the western end of the Pike at Exit 1 in Stockbridge on June 14, 2017:

Previous photos:

Here's photos to compare the process at the Weston Toll Plaza for the I-95/128 ramps, the first taken on October 30, 2016 the next on January 1, 2017:

A closer view shows pieces of the former toll plaza being picked up to loaded into trucks to be hauled away in October, gone in January:

The demolished toll booth materials were dumped across from the westbound entrance ramp to MA 30 and later were being covered over with soil:

New traffic patterns were set up at each toll plaza to direct traffic away from the booths being demolished. This is on I-90 East heading toward the now closed Weston Toll Plaza in November, then January 2017:

View looking west after the former Toll Plaza and merge with I-95/128 Traffic:

Here's what the traffic set up is for those exiting I-90 East heading toward I-95/128 in Weston:

The center toll plazas had been demolished by Sunday morning November 27. Here's the remaining booths at the former E-Z Pass lanes heading toward the I-95/128 ramps from I-90 East:

Here's the toll booths at the Framingham Route 9 entrance being readied for demolition on Saturday afternoon, they were gone by Sunday evening:

In addition to the toll plaza demolition, new signs went up at each Mass Pike entrance to indicate the toll highway no longer accepted cash. The signs feature a purple banner on top indicating payment is either through E-ZPass or Pay-By-Plate where a photo will be taken of the car's license plate and a bill sent to the driver. Here's the sign at the Weston entrance from Route 30:

Here's new signage put up along MA 30 West approaching the ramps to both I-90/Mass Pike and I-95:

Here's a much larger sign on Route 30 East in Natick:

Here's the sign on Route 9 East in Framingham:

In addition, new signs have gone up on the Turnpike at each gantry location indicating the toll rates for that location:

Previous Photos

The first sign of this conversion is the placement of overhead gantries for the automatic toll collections starting in the fall of 2015. By February 2015, several gantries were up, as seen in these photos:

This is the first gantry seen westbound when entering the Mass Pike at the I-95/MA 128 interchange in Weston, this a couple miles to the west near the State Police Barracks. Here's a closer view:

The next gantry traveling west was just after the Framingham Service Plaza between the MA 30 and MA 9 exits:

The next gantry, just recently placed, is after the MA 9 exit and before the exit to I-495:

Here's a new photo of the gantry placed after the I-495 Exit in Westborough:

There were to other gantries in the process of going up, but with just support poles up as of the end of February, the first was after the I-495 exit, and the other one was between the I-290/I-395 and I-84 exits prior to the Charlton Service Plaza, seen here:

Here's the completed gantry taken on September 24:

More photos taken of gantries to the west the same date, here's the first after the lanes drop from 3 to 2 in Palmer:

There are gantries beyond Springfield as well, here in Westfield:

The next gantry is in Lee just before the current Exit 2:

Here's a closeup of the last gantry westbound just before the current Exit 1 in West Stockbridge:

The electronic tolls are to become active on October 28, 2016. Afterwards, the toll barrier at West Stockbridge, seen here:

As well as all other toll booths are to be demolished, the work to be completed by the end of 2017.

MassDOT has received word that some people are slowing down at the toll gantries causing safety problems, they started installing gantry information signs, covered up prior to AET activation, near each gantry, starting on the western half of the Pike. Here's the sign furthest east, near Sturbridge, as of 10/14/16:

Finally, here are some photos taken on what will be my final drive through Mass Pike Toll Plazas, first the Allston-Brighton Tolls:

Here's a photo taken on April 17, showing location of former plaza beyond the bridge:

And a closeup of work going on along the right side of the former plaza:

And from the location of the former plaza about to go under one of the interchange ramps:

Next is the toll plaza in Weston at the I-95/MA 128 Junction:

The next 3 photos show how it appeared on April 17, 2017:

Traffic is now using two lanes through the former I-95 exit toll plaza (the sign to I-95/Route 128 still up) while through traffic uses the right side of the former Weston tolls.

The 2 former lanes from I-90/Mass Pike west to the I-95 interchange are temporarily reduced to one while the off-ramps are reconstructed. There will be 2 separate ramps, one for I-95 (128) and one for Route 30.

This overhead assembly is most likely to be removed after the interchange is reconfigured. I-95/128 and Route 30 traffic will no longer share the same ramp.

Lastly, here's one of the smaller toll plazas to be taken down, for the MA 21 Exit in Ludlow:

C. Miscellaneous Photos

Entrance sign on MA 30 in Weston:

Entrance sign on MA 21 in Ludlow:

Painted shields prior to the I-84/Sturbridge exit heading west:

An overhead for the I-90 Mass Pike Exit, featuring Pike logo, on I-95/128 North:

Scenery headed east toward the West Stockbridge toll plaza in September 2016:

Prior to new signs being installed, MassDOT replaced aging shields on signs for Exit 10 in Auburn:

Mass Pike/I-90 Trailblazers along ramp to I-90 from MA 30 in Weston:

Back to I-90/Mass Pike Exit List

Back to Mass. Highways for the 21st Century

Notes:

1. MassDOT. 2016. Handout for Design Public Hearing for the Proposed Demolition of Legacy Toll Plazas Along I-90 District 6, MASSDOT Project No. 607582, Weston Town Hall, 6/22/16. Downloaded from: http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/Portals/8/docs/hearings/ho_weston062216.pdf

© Robert H. Malme 2015-2020