Exit numbers on Interstate 4 in Volusia County, Florida. In this case, mile-based exits 111A and 111B had been sequential exits 53CA and 53CB, as the 'OLD 53CA' tab shows.

A typical gore sign with an exit number

An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore. An old shield in Orlando, Florida Interstate 4 is an interstate highway located entirely within the state of Florida, United States. ... Volusia County is a county located in the state of Florida. ... In the field of road transport, a road junction is a place where two or more roads either meet or cross. ... A typical rural freeway (Interstate 5 in the Central Valley of California). ... A gore or gore point is the (chiefly American) name for a triangular piece of land found where roads merge or split. ...

Exit numbers typically reset at political borders such as state lines. In some areas, such as New Jersey (and its New Jersey Turnpike), the numbers are a part of popular culture; a clichéd greeting is "what exit?" A U.S. state is any one of the 50 states (four of which officially favor the term commonwealth) which, together with the District of Columbia, form the United States of America. ... State nickname: The Garden State Other U.S. States Capital Trenton Largest city Newark Governor Richard Codey (D) Official languages None defined Area 22,608 km² (47th)  - Land 19,231 km²  - Water 3,378 km² (14. ... A toll ticket for the New Jersey Turnpike. ... A cliché (from French, stereotype) is a phrase or expression, or the idea expressed by it, that has been overused to the point of losing its intended force or novelty, especially where the same expression was at one time distinctively forceful or novel. ...

Some non-freeways use exit numbers. Typically these are rural roads built to expressway standards, and either only the actual exits are numbered, or the at-grade intersections are also numbered. An extreme case of this is in New York City, where the Grand Boulevard and Concourse and Linden Boulevard were given sequential numbers, one per intersection. A milder version of this has been recently used on the West Side Highway, also in New York, where only the major intersections are numbered (possibly to match the planned exits on the cancelled Westway freeway). A typical rural freeway (Interstate 5 in the Central Valley of California). ... An expressway is a divided highway, usually 4 lanes or wider in size, where direct access to adjacent properties has been eliminated. ... Midtown Manhattan, looking north from the Empire State Building, 2005 New York City (officially named the City of New York) is the most populous city in the United States, and is at the center of international finance, politics, communications, music, fashion, and culture. ... See also: West Side Highway, Washington The West Side Highway is an expressway in New York City. ... For other uses of Westway, see Westway Westway was the name of a proposed project to put New York Citys West Side Highway underground, first planned in 1972 and officially canceled in 1985. ...

As a means of educating motorists, some state highway maps include a brief explanation of the exit numbering system on an inset. Iowa DOT maps from the 1980s and 1990s included a picture or drawing of a milepost and briefly described how Iowa had included milepost references near interchanges on the map. A state highway in the United States is a numbered highway primarily administered by a state government. ... State nickname: The Hawkeye State Other U.S. States Capital Des Moines Largest city Des Moines Governor Thomas Vilsack (D) Official languages English Area 145,743 km² (26th)  - Land 144,701 km²  - Water 1,042 km² (0. ... A milestone A milestone is one of a series of numbered markers placed along a road at regular intervals, typically at the side of the road or in a median. ...

Sequential numbers

The first exit numbers were of the sequential type. This type of exit numbers usually begins with exit 1 at the beginning of the road; each subsequent exit is given the next number. The first implementations gave each ramp its own number, even when two ramps existed for two directions of a road; later implementations used directional suffixes, as in 15N/15S or 15E/15W, and current U.S. practice is to use 15A/15B. In France, decimals are used, as in 15.1 and 15.2. Wikiquote has a collection of quotations by or about: United States Wikinews has a related story: United States United States government CIA World Factbook Entry for United States House. ...

Toll roads, especially those using tickets, lend themselves nicely to sequential numbering, as each toll plaza gets its own number. Problems arise when exits are added. For instance, an exit between 15 and 16 would typically be 15A. On the New York State Thruway, an exit was added between 21 and 21A, leading to the sequence 21 - 21B - 21A - 22. In Florida, some new exits got the suffix C, so that if it had or acquired separate exits for the two directions, they would be 15CA and 15CB rather than 15AA and 15AB. A high-speed toll booth on SR 417 near Orlando, Florida A toll road, turnpike or tollpike is a road on which a toll authority collects a fee for use. ... The New York State Thruway (officially the Thomas E. Dewey Thruway) is a limited-access toll highway in the U.S. state of New York. ... State nickname: Sunshine State Other U.S. States Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Governor Jeb Bush (R) Official languages English Area 170,451 km² (22nd)  - Land 137,374 km²  - Water 30,486 km² (17. ...

Occasionally sequential exits are renumbered due to added exits. For instance, the Hutchinson River Parkway in New York was renumbered so that its northernmost exit, 27, became 30. However, the Merritt Parkway, which continued its exit numbers in Connecticut, was not renumbered, and the sequence now jumps from 30 down to 27 (the interchange on the state line had two exit 27s, and now has exits 30 and 27). The Hutchinson River Parkway, colloquially called The Hutch by many Westchester and Bronx residents, is a parkway that runs through Westchester County, New York and the Bronx in New York City. ... State nickname: Empire State Other U.S. States Capital Albany Largest city New York Governor George Pataki (R) Official languages None (English is de facto) Area 141,205 km² (27th)  - Land 122,409 km²  - Water 18,795 km² (13. ... Merritt Parkway in Fairfield County, Connecticut. ... State nickname: The Constitution State Other U.S. States Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport Governor M. Jodi Rell (R) Official languages English Area 14,371 km² (48th)  - Land 12,559 km²  - Water 1,809 km² (12. ...

The Atlantic City-Brigantine Connector in Atlantic City, New Jersey uses letters without numbers for its exits; it has many exits in a short distance, and the South Jersey Transportation Authority may have wanted to avoid sequential numbers. The Atlantic City-Brigantine Connector, numbered (and unsigned) as New Jersey State Highway 446X, is a state highway in New Jersey. ... Atlantic City is a city located in Atlantic County, New Jersey, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 40,517. ...

Distance-based numbers

An exit sign (kilometer-based) on Autoroute 640 in Quebec

An exit gore sign on Autoroute 35 in Quebec

As more highways were built, the limitations of sequential numbering became clear, and states began to experiment with distance-based (mile-based) exit numbers. In this system, the number of miles from the beginning of the highway to the exit is used for the exit number. If two exits would end up with the same number, the numbers are sometimes fudged slightly; this is often impossible and exits are given sequential or directional suffixes, just as with sequential numbers. During the early 1970s, a terrorist group known as the Front de libération du Québec (FLQ) launched a decade of bombings, robberies and attacks on government offices. ... During the early 1970s, a terrorist group known as the Front de libération du Québec (FLQ) launched a decade of bombings, robberies and attacks on government offices. ... personal space, proxemics. ...

An exit can be numbered by where the exit in the direction of increased mileage leaves the freeway, or by where the road that the exit serves crosses the freeway (which is occasionally ambiguous). From this number, the integer exit number can be determined by rounding up, rounding down, or rounding to the nearest integer. Many jurisdictions prefer to avoid an exit 0. To this end, the numbers are either rounded up to get the exit number, or any exit that would get the number 0 is instead numbered 1. An example of a highway that does have an exit 0 is British Columbia provincial highway 1 on the Mainland. The integers consist of the positive natural numbers (1, 2, 3, …), their negatives (−1, −2, −3, ...) and the number zero. ... British Columbia provincial highway 1 is the B.C. section of the Trans-Canada Highway. ...

In areas that use the metric system, distance based numbers are by kilometer rather than mile. A few highways, such as Delaware State Highway 1, have been renumbered from miles to kilometers, even in areas that typically use miles. The International System of Units (symbol: SI) (for the French phrase Syst me International dUnit s) is the most widely used system of units. ... The Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway, or simply known as the Route 1 Turnpike, or Relief Route is a 51 mile (82 km) long, four lane tolled controlled access highway that connects the Delaware Turnpike (Interstate 95) in Christiana to the Dover Air Force Base Complex in Southern Dover. ...

Distance-based numbers have several advantages. They match the mileposts along the road; it is thus easy to calculate how far one has to go. Additionally, most new exits don't need letter suffixes, as in a sequential system. A milestone A milestone is one of a series of numbered markers placed along a road at regular intervals, typically at the side of the road or in a median. ...

On the other hand, there are some disadvantages to changing from a sequential system. Businesses and motorists have to adapt to the changes, and it costs money to replace the signs (as well as for temporary "old exit" tabs to ease the transition). Additionally, some argue that it is pointless to change to mile-based numbers, as the numbers would have to be replaced again if and when the U.S. switches to the metric system. Wikiquote has a collection of quotations by or about: United States Wikinews has a related story: United States United States government CIA World Factbook Entry for United States House. ... The International System of Units (symbol: SI) (for the French phrase Syst me International dUnit s) is the most widely used system of units. ...

More importantly, actual functionality is lost by using distance-based exit numbering: If one sees, for example, "Sarasota, next 4 exits", and then exit 34, it is possible to deduce that if one wishes to exit at the "last Sarasota exit", exit 37 is the number for which one must pay attention--given distance-based numbers, it is not possible to make any inferences at all; one must examine a map (and maps often do not list exit numbers).

United States

Old mile tabs on I-295 in Rhode Island; several other New England states and Colorado did this

Out of the 50 states and district in the United States with signed Interstate Highways, only eight still use sequential exit numbers, all in the northeast: The 26. ... State nickname: The Ocean State, Little Rhody Other U.S. States Capital Providence Largest city Providence Governor Donald Carcieri (R) Official languages None Area 4,005 km² (50th)  - Land 2,709 km²  - Water 1,296 km² (32. ... Red states show the core of New England, the regions cultural influence may cover a greater or lesser area than shown. ... This is the article on the state. ... A typical rural stretch of Interstate Highway, with two lanes in each direction separated by a large grassy median, and with cross-traffic limited to overpasses and underpasses. ...

• Connecticut
• Delaware (sequential on the Interstates and kilometers on DE 1)
• District of Columbia
• Massachusetts (experimented with dual exit/mile tabs in the 1970s)
• New Hampshire
• New York (until around 2000, a few Interstates in New York City used mile-based numbers)
• Rhode Island (experimented with dual exit/mile tabs in the 1970s)
• Vermont

Alaska only has exit numbers on a surface road, the Johansen Expressway. It is unknown if they are mile-based or sequential. State nickname: The Constitution State Other U.S. States Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport Governor M. Jodi Rell (R) Official languages English Area 14,371 km² (48th)  - Land 12,559 km²  - Water 1,809 km² (12. ... State nickname: The First State Other U.S. States Capital Dover Largest city Wilmington Governor Ruth Ann Minner Official languages None Area 6,452 km² (49th)  - Land 5,068 km²  - Water 1,387 km² (21. ... The Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway, or simply known as the Route 1 Turnpike, or Relief Route is a 51 mile (82 km) long, four lane tolled controlled access highway that connects the Delaware Turnpike (Interstate 95) in Christiana to the Dover Air Force Base Complex in Southern Dover. ... ... State nickname: Bay State Other U.S. States Capital Boston Largest city Boston Governor Mitt Romney (R) Official languages English Area 27,360 km² (44th)  - Land 20,317 km²  - Water 7,043 km² (25. ... This article provides extensive lists of events and significant personalities of the 1970s. ... State nickname: The Granite State Other U.S. States Capital Concord Largest city Manchester Governor John Lynch (D) Official languages English Area 24,239 km² (46th)  - Land 23,249 km²  - Water 814 km² (3. ... State nickname: Empire State Other U.S. States Capital Albany Largest city New York Governor George Pataki (R) Official languages None (English is de facto) Area 141,205 km² (27th)  - Land 122,409 km²  - Water 18,795 km² (13. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... Midtown Manhattan, looking north from the Empire State Building, 2005 New York City (officially named the City of New York) is the most populous city in the United States, and is at the center of international finance, politics, communications, music, fashion, and culture. ... State nickname: The Ocean State, Little Rhody Other U.S. States Capital Providence Largest city Providence Governor Donald Carcieri (R) Official languages None Area 4,005 km² (50th)  - Land 2,709 km²  - Water 1,296 km² (32. ... This article provides extensive lists of events and significant personalities of the 1970s. ... State nickname: The Green Mountain State Other U.S. States Capital Montpelier Largest city Burlington Governor Jim Douglas (R) Official languages None Area 24,923 km² (45th)  - Land 23,974 km²  - Water 949 km² (3. ... State nickname: The Last Frontier, The Land of the Midnight Sun Other U.S. States Capital Juneau Largest city Anchorage Governor Frank Murkowski (R) Official languages English Area 1,717,854 km² (1st)  - Land 1,481,347 km²  - Water 236,507 km² (13. ...

Most other states began with sequential numbers and switched over later. Here is a list of these switches, in the order that they happened:

• Georgia - began January 4, 2000[1]
• Florida - began January 28, 2002 [2]
• Maine - early 2004 (experimented with dual exit/mile tabs in the 1970s)

January 4 is the 4th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... State nickname: Sunshine State Other U.S. States Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Governor Jeb Bush (R) Official languages English Area 170,451 km² (22nd)  - Land 137,374 km²  - Water 30,486 km² (17. ... January 28 is the 28th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2002 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... State nickname: The Pine Tree State Other U.S. States Capital Augusta Largest city Portland Governor John Baldacci (D) Official languages None Area 86,542 km² (39th)  - Land 80,005 km²  - Water 11,724 km² (13. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article provides extensive lists of events and significant personalities of the 1970s. ...

Early exit numbers

• In April 1938, the New York City Department of Parks installed exit numbers on New York's parkways, specifically:
  • Grand Central Parkway - 1 at Triborough Bridge to 11 at Kew Gardens, and on to 24 at Marcus Avenue, then continuing from 25 (Lakeville Road) on the Northern State Parkway (run by the Long Island State Park Commission, which also planned numbers on its other parkways)
  • Interborough Parkway - 4 at Pennsylvania Avenue to 11 at Kew Gardens
  • Henry Hudson Parkway - 1 at 72nd Street to 19 at Mosholu Parkway
  • Hutchinson River Parkway - beginning with 7 in Pelham Bay Park
• As other NYC parkways were completed, they too got numbers.
• Connecticut's Merritt Parkway got sequential numbers in 1948, continuing the numbers of the Hutchinson River Parkway.[3]
• The New Jersey Turnpike had sequential numbers when it opened in late 1951.
• In the early 1950s, New Jersey's Garden State Parkway opened, probably the first road to use distance-based exit numbers.
• Several roads in Houston, Texas had sequential numbers by 1956.[4]

April is the fourth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four with the length of 30 days. ... 1938 was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Midtown Manhattan, looking north from the Empire State Building, 2005 New York City (officially named the City of New York) is the most populous city in the United States, and is at the center of international finance, politics, communications, music, fashion, and culture. ... Aerial view of the Triborough Bridge (left) and the Hell Gate Bridge (right) The Triborough Bridge is a complex of three bridges connecting the New York City boroughs of the Bronx, Manhattan, and Queens, using what were two islands, Wards Island and Randalls Island as intermediate right-of... Kew Gardens is a commonly-used name for the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, London, United Kingdom. ... Kew Gardens is a commonly-used name for the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, London, United Kingdom. ... The Henry Hudson Parkway is a New York City parkway that stretches from West 72nd Street in Manhattan to the Bronx-Westchester County boundary, where it meets the Saw Mill River Parkway. ... The Hutchinson River Parkway, colloquially called The Hutch by many Westchester and Bronx residents, is a parkway that runs through Westchester County, New York and the Bronx in New York City. ... Pelham Bay Park, located in the northeast corner of the The Bronx, is the largest park in New York City, more than three times the size of Manhattans Central Park. ... State nickname: The Constitution State Other U.S. States Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport Governor M. Jodi Rell (R) Official languages English Area 14,371 km² (48th)  - Land 12,559 km²  - Water 1,809 km² (12. ... Merritt Parkway in Fairfield County, Connecticut. ... 1948 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Hutchinson River Parkway, colloquially called The Hutch by many Westchester and Bronx residents, is a parkway that runs through Westchester County, New York and the Bronx in New York City. ... A toll ticket for the New Jersey Turnpike. ... 1951 was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... // Events and trends The 1950s in Western society was marked with a sharp rise in the economy for the first time in almost 30 years and return to the 1920s-type consumer society built on credit and boom-times, as well as the height of the baby-boom from returning... State nickname: The Garden State Other U.S. States Capital Trenton Largest city Newark Governor Richard Codey (D) Official languages None defined Area 22,608 km² (47th)  - Land 19,231 km²  - Water 3,378 km² (14. ... The Garden State Parkway is a 172-mile-long limited-access toll parkway that stretches the length of New Jersey from the New York Thruway at Montvale, NJ to Cape May at the southern tip of the state. ... Downtown Houston Uptown Houston City nickname: Space City Location in the state of Texas Founded   â€” Incorporated 1836 1837 Counties Harris County Fort Bend County Montgomery County Mayor Bill White Area   â€” Land   â€” Water 601. ... 1956 was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

• Cal-NExUS

Cal-NExUS, the California Numbered Exit Uniform System is the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)s program for numbering the exits of Californias freeways. ...

External links

• Florida's new exit numbers
• Georgia's new exit numbers
• New England Sine Chowda, with a few photos of old mile tabs

References

• Signs Numbering Exits Installed on Parkways, New York Times April 24, 1938 page 26