New signs along Interstate 88 are designed to better help drivers navigate the road and help first responders in emergency situations.
Work will begin at the Port Crane exit and crews will work to the east until they hit I-90.
The highway is 117 miles long, traveling through six counties, a key corridor connecting New York’s Capital Region and the Southern Tier. Exits 1 and 2 will stay the same, while the former exit 25 will become 117 when the $1.1 million project is done.
Construction will take place during the day, along the shoulders. Drivers are reminded to slow down and move over as safety is one reason why this conversion is being done.
“So this change may seem simple, but it comes with a huge safety benefit, the first being for drivers,” said Anya Kardos, a public information specialist with the New York State Department of Transportation. “They will more easily be able to navigate the highway. They’ll know exactly where they are. And when it comes to first responders, that’s a huge change. They’ll be better able to identify exactly where an emergency has occurred along the highway and it’ll lead to more efficient and faster response.”
New numbers will be on the top of the signs, while you’ll see the old numbers you will see at the bottom of the signs. Eventually, those will be phased out.
Last year, I-81 went through the same conversion to a mile-based numbering system.