Changes Underway on I-88 Exit Numbers

ALBANY—The New York State Department of Transportation has begun work to convert Interstate 88 exit numbers to a mile based system. The $1.1 million project will update exits from Port Crane in Broome County to the I-90 interchange in Rotterdam, bringing I-88 in line with the system used on most U.S. interstates and on nearby I-81.

Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said the change will improve navigation and emergency response, noting that “these new mile based exit signs on I-88 are a simple change with a real safety benefit.”

Existing signs will temporarily display both old and new numbers, with sequential numbers phased out over time. Exits 1 and 2 will remain unchanged because they already match their mile locations.

I-88 spans 117 miles across six counties and has served as a key east west corridor since the 1960s. Crews will work primarily on shoulders during daytime hours, and drivers are urged to slow down in work zones.

Local officials praised the project. Senator Lea Webb said the update “will improve signage and overall safety for drivers and emergency vehicles,” while Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo noted that “once people get used to this system, they will be better able to determine distances to their destination.”