I just returned from a New England vacation and along the way, I noticed some unique differences on how states regulate billboard advertising. If you’ve ever been to Massachussetts, you might have experienced the same dilemma. I’m sure their are other states like this, but their stance on billboards poses a terrible inconvenience for travelers and tourism.
As soon as I crossed the Delaware River separating New York from Massachusetts, roadside advertising billboards were nowhere to be found. Across the state the only markers on the highway were road signs and occasional notes of lodging/food next exit and it was almost like driving in the dark.
I don’t know about you, but when I travel, I like to make decisions ahead of time (at least several miles ahead) about where I’m going to stop. I rarely make explicit plans and usually hit the road with an Atlas and depend on the signs to lead me on. After driving blind through this state for several miles, I realized I wasted hours of time trying to find good restaurants and hotels that met my standards. Ducking out on an exit with a generic sign is a terrible way to explore the communities and villages along the way and this has to limit tourism.
Sure, one my argue it protects the landscape and keeps the lights and traffic down on each exit, but when the sun goes down, Massachusetts is a dark corridor that is more of a wilderness. There are no signs, no indication of what’s coming up from exit to exit and their existing signage is completely confusing. They even limit traffic lights for the most part because their favorite traffic exchange is “the rotary” and although I like to be able to turn all the way around and change directions, these retro features from the motherland are confusing at times and require alert minds to navigate.
Traveling through New York and New Jersey can be confusing too simply because of the traffic and instead of billboards in these states, they have what are referred to as “service centers” that include plenty of roadside signs that call attention to their stops like a rest area. These Interstate exists don’t merge into city traffic but are rather part rest area/part gas station and part fast food meccas. I’d love to see how they share revenue with the state too. McDonalds sometimes had stores on each side of I-95. This is certainly a greater convenience in contrast to Massachusetts, but the offerings of food were nothing more than high-cholesterol, fried fancies that hardly provided a relaxing meal in any town.
When I finally made it across the Virginia border, I was happy to see billboards and plenty of them, even if it was for a Fireworks store, but billboards give me something to think about, something to plan for and in many cases keep you awake. Besides, it’s nice to know where the Comfort Inn is located or better yet, where I can get a good salad or barbecue sandwich. So next time, you travel up north, be careful and be aware that no billboards means driving in the dark both day and night and make sure you plan ahead because the roadside markers offer you very little roadside assistance while you travel.