What's the Deal With the 'Broken' Signs on I-95 in Maine?

If you frequently travel up and down the I-95, you may have noticed that there are a lot of what appear to be broken signs along the side of the road.

They look like a normal signpost that only has half a sign on it, and the half that is still attached to the post appears to be blank.

Despite what they look like, according to the Maine Department of Transportation's Facebook page, they are not broken signs. They are folded-up signs that contain important detour information. If a major traffic backup occurs, like a crash, workers can open these signs up so that the detour information becomes visible to motorists.

In the event of a major issue, these would be used in conjunction with Maine DOT digital signs.

According to the Mane Street Warrior, the I-95 was created as part of President Eisenhower’s National Interstate and Defense Highways Act. Spanning about 2,000 miles, the highway starts in Houlton, Maine, and ends in Tampa, Florida. Because of its length, and the fact that it runs through several heavily populated cities, it is the most driven road in the United States.

Even though the Maine sections of the highway have long straightaways every few miles, there is no truth to the rumor that the road was intended to be used as a landing strip for B-52s from Loring Air Force Base in the event of a nuclear war.

In my opinion, the I95 is the greatest piece of infrastructure to ever be built on the East Coast. This is especially true for the section that runs through Maine. Without the interstate, it would take the better part of a day to get from Kittery to Aroostook County. Now, thanks to I-95, the trip can be made in about five hours.

Maine Roads & Streets To Avoid In A Snowstorm

Recently, we asked our co-workers, families, and listeners what roads you should try to avoid when we're getting a storm. Take a look at our list and let us know if you agree.