Landmark businesses edgy as Mass. gets new exit numbers

Landmark businesses edgy as Mass. gets new exit numbers

The exit number changes are federally mandated, but it's leaving some landmark Massachusetts businesses feeling concerned visitors won't find them.

WORRIED THAT I AM CONCERNEDBECAUSE WE’VE ALWAYS BEEN KNOWNAS EXIT 10.EVERYONE ALWAYS ASKED WITHDIRECTIONS AND WE TELL EVERYBODYRIGHT OFF, EXIT NORFOLK 140TAUNTON STARR DRIVE IN, TAKEOUT, HOT SPOT WILL COME TO BEKNOWN AS EXIT 16.THE SIGNS OF CHANGE ARE OUT, BUTTHE IDEA TOUGH TO TAKE IT.LEAVE IT ALONE.AS YOU DRIVE DOWN OUR HIGHWAYSNOW THEY’RE ALL MUCH.SO IF YOU’RE GOING FROMLITTLETON, SAY EXIT FIVE, EXITSIX, YOU KNOW, YOU’RE NEXT TOTHE ESSEX RIGHT NOW.YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW LONG IT’SGOING TO TAKE YOU TO GET.WELL, IT’S A GOOD THING BECAUSEIF YOU’RE STARTING OUT IN THEBEGINNING OF A STATE, THENUMBERS ARE NUMBERED.BRIGHTON MILE INSTEAD OF ONE,TWO, THREE, FOUR OR FIVECONSECUTIVE.SO YOU MIGHT KNOW.WELL, I GOT 33 MILES TO GO TOEXIT 33, STARTING WITH ROUTE 140EACH ROUTE 24 EXITS WILL BERENUMBERED BASED ON MILES.MILE ZERO STARTS AT ESSEX ANDNEW BEDFORD.FEDERALLY MANDATED CHANGE ISTIED TO GETTING HIGHWAY FUNDING.WE RUN A ABOUT A BILLION DOLLARA YEAR CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM,GIVE OR TAKING ON A GIVEN YEAR.AND SOMEWHERE AROUND SIXTYPERCENT OF THAT IS IT’SFEDERALLY FUNDED.SOUNDS LIKE A WASTE TO ME WHENRUNNING A 1950S STYLE DINER.CHANGE ISN’T ON THE MENU.WE’VE BEEN HERE SINCE 1964.I’VE OWNED IT FOR FIVE AND AHALF YEARS.WE DEFINITELY ARE LANDMARK.WE’RE TRYING VERY HARD TO BRINGEVERYTHING BACK TO NOSTALGIA.WORCESTER FOLLOW YOUR NOSE.I NEVER HAD TROUBLE FINDING THEGOOD BURGERS IN THE FRIED CLAMS,BUT IF YOU NEED HELP, THE STATEHAS AN INTERACTIVE HELP.MET AT NEW EXITS DOT COM.YOU CLICK ON THE CURRENT EXIT,IT’LL TELL YOU THE NEW EXITNUMBER.EVENTUALLY ROUTE 128, 93 AND