Safety Impacts Metering can improve safety by breaking up platoons entering the freeway Reduces turbulence in merge zones

Accident rate reductions of 20% to 40% have reported Leads to reduction in non-recurring delay

Freeway Impacts
y Freeway speeds typically improve by 5% (over 15% y y y y y

assuming throughput increase) Shifts delay to ramps - typical meter delay of 2 to 5 minutes Total hours of travel remains relatively constant (0% to 5% change) Expect improved travel time reliability Longer trips most likely to benefit the most Can increase maximum throughput (5 to 15%)

Arterial Impacts
y Queue impact mitigated through design and operating y y y y y y y y y

considerations Improved freeway operation can divert longer trips to the freeway Potential for diversion to arterials is limited: Short queues and meter delays Lack of alternative route in many cases Short trips most likely to divert is this a benefit? Can discourage ramp-hopping around bottlenecks Where practical, integration of metering and local signal systems should be pursued

How It Works

http://www.stancog.org/pdf/ramp-metering-hov-lane-study.pdf

Truck Impacts
y Benefit from improved freeway speeds and travel y y y y

time reliability Longer truck trips may benefit most Breaking up of platoons entering the freeway can improve safety May make merging difficult if insufficient acceleration distance is provided Taken into consideration through design standards

Recommendations Operating Principles

y Use queue spillback detectors to manage queues y Apply adaptive metering strategy y y y y y

meter operation and rates responsive to actual conditions Integrate metering system with local signal system, where appropriate Provide HOV preferential lanes, where feasible Implement additional ramp improvements, where feasible Install equipment on a ramp-by-ramp basis Activate meters on a segment basis

Rec e ti s I le e t ti Acti
y

y Incorporate ramp metering elements into other

y y y

planned improvements Local jurisdictions and Caltrans should establish cooperative policies for the management of the ramp metering: Establish a process to ensure that future concerns of local agencies are addressed Determine how intersection impacts would be identified and resolved Define system integration requirements

Picture of Ramp Meter

Picture of Ramp Meter

Ramp Acceleration Distance is a critical Design Issue Minor Arterial Congestion Crossing Arterial Congestion

http://www.ite.org/meetcon/2007AM/Session_36_Marion%20Waters.pdf