The Herald has a good article today on the fancy, expensive signs that went up on the major Boston-area highways within the last year or so. From the article:
The state’s "intelligent" highway signs, which cost more than $8 million, are rarely enlightening commuters, a Herald review found. Instead of promised real-time traffic updates, motorists are likely to be urged to buckle up or root for the Red Sox.
That sounds about right to me. A few weekends ago, I was traveling south on I-93, planning to take the Leverett Circle ramp onto Storrow Drive. Problem: the tunnel linking the ramp to Storrow was closed because they were demolishing the old highway. Result: the worst traffic I have suffered through in a long, long time – it took me close to an hour to travel the length of the exit ramp. What was so galling is that there is one of those big signs between where I get on the highway and where I exit. If that sign had simply said "Storrow tunnel closed, seek alt route," I (and the thousands of other commuters who suffered through that traffic nightmare) could easily have continued further down 93, or gotten off earlier. But no.
The greatest thing, though, is MassHighway spokesman Jon Carlisle’s comment:
There is a thoughtful process in place to make sure that when a message is posted, it draws peoples’ attention.
Oh, ho ho ho! A "thoughtful process"! Please, Jon, cut it out – you’re killing me! Oh, I can’t take it! Ho ho ho!
Amen. I knew we were in trouble a week after the system debuted when the signs wished Bob Hope a happy birthday on behalf of America. Yes, I’m sure he appreciated that as he drove back to the airport from his summer cottage in Framingam.The best part is that they only display the Red Sox scores when they’ve won.
^ Part of their “thoughtful process,” no doubt!
The Herald article must have had an impact–the signs on 93N are flashing warnings that Storrow Drive is closed and to seek alternate routes.