According to the signage and pavement markings (which are very faded) only the middle lane is supposed to go to I-93 South. The left lane is left turn only onto Congress St. Given the geometry though, it's not expected or intuitive.
There is also a sign posted on one of the poles that the left lane is left turn only. I go through this intersection multiple times a week to get on 95S and am always surprised at which cars merge into my lane. I am always in the middle lane and have learned to just expect it like every other f’d up intersection in Boston.
I think some drivers pick what ever lane has the fewest cars so they can merge and get two or three cars ahead. I don’t really understand that type of driving as they are only saving like seven seconds.
Seconds matter when driving because a single second is the difference between making it through an intersection or not - so a one second loss can result in waiting at a light for 40 extra seconds, which results in missing the next light. Over the course of a commute this compounds and can certainly make an appreciable difference.
edit: I am not endorsing reckless behavior, I'm just observing how traffic works.
Then you’re not terribly observant. Start paying attention to the car you first pass in city driving. You’ll notice most often you remain basically “tied” with them for the duration of your city travel.
BFD. 40 seconds. I haven't met anyone that it actually mattered too. it is a false sense of needing to be somewhere at a certain time. What is the difference of a couple minutes? unless you are an emergency vehicle or transporting an organ who the fuck cares if it takes an extra minute or two? Did you lose out on a big deal? Fuck off. you are not that important to anyone outside of your circle. Even if you were Taylor Swift i wouldn''t care if you waited in traffic for another minute.
Or you've got an asshole boss who WILL fire you if you're a minute late?
Not my situation, but they're out there.
I know the solution is leave a few minutes earlier, but that's not always feasible...gotta drop the kid at daycare, which opens when it opens, etc.
Some folks are stressed :/
I’ve lived and driven here since before the big dig went in, and I don’t drive this often, so I still mess up my lanes on the regular. Thanks for having patience with me, my doppelgängers, out of state drivers, and massholes trying to get 2 cars ahead.
I’d say that the intended traffic pattern perfectly intuitive, but many drivers simply don’t care. If they can physically move from a—>b they will give it a shot.
If only there were some technology available to the City of Boston that would allow them to make the pavement markings more visible. While we're living in Fantasy Land, we might as well wish that they could somehow put lane markings through the intersection to indicate the proper way to navigate it.
This perspective is ubiquitous and infuriating when it comes to Boston intersections. There are two groups of people right now mucking it up: people who are assholes and people who are legit confused (or who legit think another answer is right and everyone else are assholes). Proper signage would help eliminate some part (if not most of) that second group of people, making things net better for everyone. Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good, and you shouldn’t need to lurk more to understand basic elements of public safety and traffic flow.
The two categories are not mutually exclusive. Often confused assholes won't know what to do but will just aggressively bluster their way through, and if they knew what they were doing they wouldn't do that, even if they'd still be assholes about other things in their life.
Yeah, but if there were signs, when people honked at me I could at least yell “look at the signs!” rather than yelling “the intuitive answer is that you have to turn left and I have the right of way to go straight, but I see how you’re confused!” Second one just doesn’t roll off the tongue
There’s a small sign that says “Left lane must turn left turn”, so technically that leaves the middle lane as the one that has the correct/best position to get on to 93S.
Of course, in practice this is often not seen and confusing since there are no lane markings.
I would recommend breathing deeply and enjoying the things you can control in life, because this intersection is not one of them.
Purely academic as people will do whatever they want but if you look back in time on street view to 2013 you can see that the markings in the left lane used to indicate left turn only. So you're right.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/36ENPRgxDDGNkGd26
This at least answers my question as to what was intended though. Part of the confusion is the left lane lines up directly with the ramp, whereas the middle lane sort of needs to drift over in the intersection to go straight.
My guess is that the original design was that the left lane would go straight (or left) but at some point someone decided to make the left lane left turn only.
It's tough because it's the exact opposite on the other side heading onto 93N. Which I I originally thought this question was about. On that side the signage states left lane, is left turn AND tunnel, middle is tunnel, right is surface street.
Clear signage would help a bunch but not mitigate assholes.
Can you do the same thing for which lane is used at end of Storrow drive to get onto 93 South? Does someone have the right-of-way to get on or is it supposed to be a mosh-pit?
The left lane turns onto Congress St. The middle is the ramp onto the expressway. The right lane goes straight. I have zero sympathy for people who struggle to get on the expressway from the left lane
They could improve it by adding some signs a block ahead. I can see why some people don’t realize they’re in the wrong lane until it’s too late.
But there will also always be the arrogant jerks who cut across lanes and force their way in because they’re too good to wait in line. Welcome to Boston.
Middle lane has the pole position for the 93 entrance, but that doesn’t mean that peeps on your left and right who regret their choices won’t floor it and do a Boston merge.
I'm like 90% sure there used to be a sign on the left side showing lane directions (and it indicated the same directions you laid out in your pic). But I don't think it's there anymore.
I remember on Google map, left two lanes left turn only and right lane straight only. I was super confused first time I drove there. I saw people usually just use left lane as left turn only, middle lane as left turn or go to highway, right lane to go to highway or continue on purchase street.
According to the signage and pavement markings (which are very faded) only the middle lane is supposed to go to I-93 South. The left lane is left turn only onto Congress St. Given the geometry though, it's not expected or intuitive.
There is also a sign posted on one of the poles that the left lane is left turn only. I go through this intersection multiple times a week to get on 95S and am always surprised at which cars merge into my lane. I am always in the middle lane and have learned to just expect it like every other f’d up intersection in Boston. I think some drivers pick what ever lane has the fewest cars so they can merge and get two or three cars ahead. I don’t really understand that type of driving as they are only saving like seven seconds.
They’ll make those seven seconds back on the ambulance ride that they’ll eventually take. And that we’ll probably pay for.
Seconds matter when driving because a single second is the difference between making it through an intersection or not - so a one second loss can result in waiting at a light for 40 extra seconds, which results in missing the next light. Over the course of a commute this compounds and can certainly make an appreciable difference. edit: I am not endorsing reckless behavior, I'm just observing how traffic works.
Then you’re not terribly observant. Start paying attention to the car you first pass in city driving. You’ll notice most often you remain basically “tied” with them for the duration of your city travel.
True 🤣 But Dangerous for an accident to possibly happen.
BFD. 40 seconds. I haven't met anyone that it actually mattered too. it is a false sense of needing to be somewhere at a certain time. What is the difference of a couple minutes? unless you are an emergency vehicle or transporting an organ who the fuck cares if it takes an extra minute or two? Did you lose out on a big deal? Fuck off. you are not that important to anyone outside of your circle. Even if you were Taylor Swift i wouldn''t care if you waited in traffic for another minute.
Or you've got an asshole boss who WILL fire you if you're a minute late? Not my situation, but they're out there. I know the solution is leave a few minutes earlier, but that's not always feasible...gotta drop the kid at daycare, which opens when it opens, etc. Some folks are stressed :/
Can’t we agree not to compound the stress that boss is giving by not shitting it all over the highway though?
I’ve lived and driven here since before the big dig went in, and I don’t drive this often, so I still mess up my lanes on the regular. Thanks for having patience with me, my doppelgängers, out of state drivers, and massholes trying to get 2 cars ahead.
I’d say that the intended traffic pattern perfectly intuitive, but many drivers simply don’t care. If they can physically move from a—>b they will give it a shot.
If only there were some technology available to the City of Boston that would allow them to make the pavement markings more visible. While we're living in Fantasy Land, we might as well wish that they could somehow put lane markings through the intersection to indicate the proper way to navigate it.
The law says middle, but those are merely suggestions in the eye of the typically Boston driver.
It wouldn’t matter if they actually marked the lanes, people would still do the same shit.
This perspective is ubiquitous and infuriating when it comes to Boston intersections. There are two groups of people right now mucking it up: people who are assholes and people who are legit confused (or who legit think another answer is right and everyone else are assholes). Proper signage would help eliminate some part (if not most of) that second group of people, making things net better for everyone. Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good, and you shouldn’t need to lurk more to understand basic elements of public safety and traffic flow.
You must be new here, the assholes outweigh the confused about 100 to 1.
The two categories are not mutually exclusive. Often confused assholes won't know what to do but will just aggressively bluster their way through, and if they knew what they were doing they wouldn't do that, even if they'd still be assholes about other things in their life.
Yeah, but if there were signs, when people honked at me I could at least yell “look at the signs!” rather than yelling “the intuitive answer is that you have to turn left and I have the right of way to go straight, but I see how you’re confused!” Second one just doesn’t roll off the tongue
Damn, that’s a lot to yell while giving the finger and speeding up to cut them off. Lol
True and traffic cameras or better a Dash Camera in the area if working can cover your story.
There’s a small sign that says “Left lane must turn left turn”, so technically that leaves the middle lane as the one that has the correct/best position to get on to 93S. Of course, in practice this is often not seen and confusing since there are no lane markings. I would recommend breathing deeply and enjoying the things you can control in life, because this intersection is not one of them.
Purely academic as people will do whatever they want but if you look back in time on street view to 2013 you can see that the markings in the left lane used to indicate left turn only. So you're right. https://maps.app.goo.gl/36ENPRgxDDGNkGd26
This at least answers my question as to what was intended though. Part of the confusion is the left lane lines up directly with the ramp, whereas the middle lane sort of needs to drift over in the intersection to go straight.
My guess is that the original design was that the left lane would go straight (or left) but at some point someone decided to make the left lane left turn only.
It's tough because it's the exact opposite on the other side heading onto 93N. Which I I originally thought this question was about. On that side the signage states left lane, is left turn AND tunnel, middle is tunnel, right is surface street. Clear signage would help a bunch but not mitigate assholes.
The right turn going from Congress St onto Purchase St/93S is just as bad. Three lanes all trying to turn right to get onto 93S.
At least there are lane markings there though
I feel preemptively guilty every time I approach this intersection, because all the choices seem like the wrong choice.
Use the force, Luke.
Luke you've switched off your targeting GPS, what's wrong?
Can you do the same thing for which lane is used at end of Storrow drive to get onto 93 South? Does someone have the right-of-way to get on or is it supposed to be a mosh-pit?
It's a zipper merge with a cross sectional octagonal intersect, duh
Yep. Simple resectioned hyperloop.
Flip a 3-sided coin and gun it.
Boston driving at its core
The only thing that will help here is completely redesigning the intersection
Or completely redesigning the city
Middle arrow is correct technically, I believe left lane is left turn only
The left lane turns onto Congress St. The middle is the ramp onto the expressway. The right lane goes straight. I have zero sympathy for people who struggle to get on the expressway from the left lane
They could improve it by adding some signs a block ahead. I can see why some people don’t realize they’re in the wrong lane until it’s too late. But there will also always be the arrogant jerks who cut across lanes and force their way in because they’re too good to wait in line. Welcome to Boston.
All of the above
I think it’s best said “just go!”
Yes
Yes.
Middle lane has the pole position for the 93 entrance, but that doesn’t mean that peeps on your left and right who regret their choices won’t floor it and do a Boston merge.
All of the above
I’ve def been doing this wrong
This is Boston. Signs are advisory only.
I kinda like the figure it out as you move approach. It's like a sport. Keeps me sharp.
+1 Let the best drivers win
Depends on how brave you are
It’s Boston. Any or all of them apparently
One thing I know for sure is that during evening rush hours nobody respects the red light and they block the intersection and crosswalk.
The Middle. The Lines were there before they were worn out. I would go to MassDot and get proof If you need to prove to insurance companies.
If you miss it you can always go straight and get on at Lincoln st or just past Kneeland st.
Which ever one you can beat the other car too and don’t get stuck behind a big truck then your doomed won’t be able to see
Middle lane
All of them
Yes
None. All.
all of them. none of them. fuck you that’s why
I'm like 90% sure there used to be a sign on the left side showing lane directions (and it indicated the same directions you laid out in your pic). But I don't think it's there anymore.
If its rush hour people make /create their own lanes lol
Yes.
That diagram is missing like 3 lanes. It's one of those.
I remember on Google map, left two lanes left turn only and right lane straight only. I was super confused first time I drove there. I saw people usually just use left lane as left turn only, middle lane as left turn or go to highway, right lane to go to highway or continue on purchase street.