Interstate 88 Exit Conversion Starts This Fall

U.S. states have been converting major highway systems from sequential exit numbering to mile-based exit numbering for some time. New York State began a conversion of Interstate 81 in 2025.

From Sequential To Mile-Based Numbering

On September 24, 2026, the Commissioner of the NYS DOT, Marie Therese Dominguez, announced that a conversion to mile-based exit numbering is soon to begin on Interstate 88.

That means installing new mile-based exit numbers to correspond with the highway’s mileage, which will offer motorists a better way to determine their location along the highway and the distance to their destination.

Read More: Recent Binghamton Area Road Work

In addition, this change will help emergency responders quickly identify the location of motorists experiencing an emergency, according to the NYS DOT.

These new mile-based exit signs on I-88 are a simple change with a real safety benefit, helping drivers better understand where they are along the highway - while giving emergency responders another clear way to quickly pinpoint a location when time matters most . Every improvement we make along our vast state highway system about is making our transportation system work better for everyone, and this conversion to mile-based exits will give travelers along I-88 a better sense of where they are on their journey, while helping our first responders do their jobs even more effectively. - NYS DOT Commissioner Dominguez

Interstate 88 runs through six New York State counties from Broome to Schenectady, for a total of 117 miles. Construction began in the 1960s and was fully completed in the late 1980s.

Interstate 88 Construction Timetable

According to the NYS DOT, the sign conversion will begin on Monday, September 28th, and should be completed by the end of 2026, starting in Port Crane, progressing eastward, and finishing at the Interstate 90/New York State Thruway interchange in Rotterdam.

Exits 1 and 2 will keep their current numbers as they already match their mile locations at the start of the roadway, but Exit 3 will now become Exit 4 because it is 4 miles east of the beginning of Interstate 88.

Today’s work on I-88 marks the beginning of a project that will improve signage and overall safety for drivers and emergency vehicles traveling this roadway. Creating mile-based exit signs means that both residents and visitors will have a clearer understanding of their position on the highway and where they are going. This project is a great example of the importance of collaboration at every level in making transportation more accessible and safer. - NYS Senator Lea Webb

To Avoid Confusion...

Signs will display both numbers temporarily for motorists to get used to the new numbering system, with the new mile-based exit numbers on top and the old sequential number on the bottom.

DOT crews working on the sign conversion will work during the day, primarily on the highway shoulders, and traffic is expected to flow normally, but motorists need to use caution and slow down when approaching the work zones.

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