A 1976 Groton Town Council resolution stating that the sign at Exit 89 off Interstate 95 should reference only Allyn Street — and not the historic village of Mystic to which it leads — was intended to mollify neighborhood residents outraged by a new connector that gave drivers a shortcut from Interstate 95 to downtown.

More than a decade later the state again tried to direct drivers heading to Mystic via Allyn Street, but the council passed a resolution in 1989 instructing the state Department of Transportation to make no mention of Mystic on the Allyn Street exit sign.

Back in those days drivers were more likely to actually take their directions from an exit sign, dutifully accessing Mystic from Exit 90 on the Stonington side, which took them on Route 27 past Mystic Seaport (and later, Mystic Aquarium, Olde Mistick Village and factory outlets) before eventually reaching downtown. An enterprising passenger with a map unfolded on her lap might notice that Exit 89 could be used to get directly to the village and its drawbridge, but to a significant extent, the sign arrangement had the desired result. It discouraged traffic from flowing through the residential neighborhoods off Allyn and instead moved it to Exit 90, with its four lanes and better design to handle the traffic.

There was much consternation, then, when the council recently considered rescinding this sign-labeling prohibition and allowing Exit 89 to read “Historic Downtown Mystic” or some similar designation. Some merchants said they would  welcome more drivers coming directly into the retail district, rather than having them figure out how to backtrack from Exit 90. The Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce supported such a change. The DOT will soon replace and update signs along that stretch of I-95, so it seemed the perfect time to make the change if one were in order.

However, when about 60-80 people, most of them living in the Allyn Street area, showed up at Tuesday’s council meeting to voice their strong objections to the proposed change, the council bailed on the idea. Residents said traffic is already too heavy in their neighborhood in the summer months, presenting a hazard and a headache. Stick a sign with "Mystic" on it and the situation will grow worse, they warned.

The council, on a 6-1 vote with one abstention, decided to leave the old resolution — and so the wording on the sign — in place. The councilor abstaining, Joe de la Cruz, had the best idea when he suggested the council take no immediate action but further discuss the matter.

While the neighborhood concerns are understandable, all this trepidation about wording on an exit sign appears a tad dated. Drivers are increasingly using GPS directions to arrive at a destination, making sign wording irrelevant. A GPS-aided driver heading to Mystic Seaport is not going to use Exit 89 just because it reads "Mystic" and a driver who has punched in the address of Mystic Pizza is not going to pass Exit 89 because it reads "Allyn Street."

A possible solution would be to post signs approaching Exit 89 on I-95 north for drivers coming from New York, and  approaching Exit 90 on I-95 south for drivers coming from Boston.

Northbond drivers would be directed to use Exit 89 to reach historic downtown Mystic, or to continue to Exit 90 for the Seaport, aquarium and shopping centers.

Conversely, southbound drivers would be directed to take Exit 90 for the the Seaport and other attractions, or to continue to Exit 89 for downtown Mystic.

Mystic, like many popular tourist areas, has often had to deal with conflicts between a business community that welcomes the influx of travelers, and residents who recoil at the increase in traffic. But with the hustle and bustle also comes jobs and tax revenue.

When it comes to congestion, the real issue it not labeling of signs, but movement of vehicles and people throughout Mystic. If various attractions would work in coordination, visitors could be encouraged to park their cars in one location and leave them. On-road trolleys and boat shuttles on the Mystic River could move pedestrians, becoming part of their visiting experience, and reducing vehicle congestion. Tried before in a limited fashion, but not fully committed to for a sustained period, it is worth exploring.

The debate over the Allyn Street sign didn't change anything. Perhaps going forward, a more positive discussion could do so, and for the better. Mr. de la Cruz is right. Tuesday's vote should not be the end of it.