The Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) recently installed ramp meters at multiple locations along Interstate 205 and Interstate 5 on ramps in Clark County to ease traffic congestion for commuters.
The meters began activating on Aug. 13 and will be fully implemented by the end of the month, a WSDOT news release stated.
“We’re excited to turn on these meters and watch traffic flow more efficiently,” Project Engineer Mike Briggs said in the release. “The new meters will help shorten everyone’s commute time, especially for those traveling between Vancouver and Portland.”
The new northbound I-5 ramp meter is installed at Fourth Plain Boulevard. Southbound I-205 ramp meters are now installed at Northeast 134th Street, Northeast Padden Parkway, Northeast 18th Street, East Mill Plain Boulevard, Northeast Fourth Plain Boulevard and State Route 500.
Ramp meters are traffic signals that operate based on real-time traffic conditions. The traffic signals create consistent gaps in on-ramp traffic, preventing multiple vehicles from entering the highway at the same time. The more efficient merging eases traffic conditions and reduces the potential for traffic collisions by 30%, the news release stated.
To use a ramp meter, drive up and stop at the white line to trigger the traffic signal. If the light is red, remain stopped at the white line. When the light turns green, accelerate and merge onto the highway, the news release stated.
