I’d been coming to Cape Cod since high school and always knew that Nauset Beach and Orleans was Exit 12. Easy to remember… the exits start at 1 at the bridge and go to 12. Not any more. (Click on blog link to see other photos.)
Now the numbers correspond with how many miles the exit is from the Rhode Island border. I have read about the reason why being funding from the federal government but the exits are just weird. One exit is 85 and the next one is 89. And, if you look closely, there is a green mile marker ever .2 miles all along the entire highway.
So, if you’re planning a trip to the Cape, be prepared to be a bit disoriented as all of the exit signs have changed.