PennDOT Moves Back I-476 Ramp Meter Reactivation in Delaware County to Feb. 23 Due to Snow
King of Prussia – Due to snow in the Philadelphia region, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation today announced that it has moved back the date for reactivating ramp meters at three interchanges in Delaware County until Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 3 p.m. Ramp meters were previously scheduled to be activated this afternoon (Feb. 16).
PennDOT will now reactivate ramp meters, which are traffic signals minus the amber caution light, on Feb. 23 at 3 p.m. at the MacDade Boulevard, Baltimore Pike and Route 1 interchanges in Delaware County. Ramp meters operated at these interchanges from 1999 to 2001 and from 2004 to 2008.
Then in early March, PennDOT plans to activate ramp meters at the Route 1, Route 3 and Route 30 interchanges in Delaware County. The final set of ramp meters will activate in late March on ramps at the Ridge Pike, Chemical Road and Germantown Pike interchanges in Montgomery County.
I-476 ramp meters will initially operate weekdays from 6:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. The meters also will be used during emergency situations. PennDOT will activate I-476 ramp meters in the following three-phase sequence:
Phase 1 – Starting Feb. 24 at 3 p.m.
- MacDade Boulevard ramp to I-476 North in Ridley Township
- Baltimore Pike ramp to I-476 North in Nether Providence Township
- Baltimore Pike ramp to I-476 South in Nether Providence Township
- U.S. Route 1 ramp to I-476 South in Marple Township
Phase 2 – Mid-March
- Route 1 ramp to I-476 North in Marple Township
- Route 3 East (West Chester Pike) ramp to I-476 South in Marple Township
- Route 3 West (West Chester Pike) ramp to I-476 South in Marple Township
- Route 30 ramp to I-476 North in Radnor Township
- Route 30 ramp to I-476 South in Radnor Township
Phase 3 – Late March
- Ridge Pike East ramp to I-476 North in Plymouth Township
- Ridge Pike East ramp to I-476 South in Plymouth Township
- Ridge Pike West ramp to I-476 South in Plymouth Township
- Chemical Road ramp to I-476 South in Plymouth Township
- Germantown Pike ramp to I-476 South in Plymouth Township
A ramp meter works much like a traffic signal. When the light is red, you stop. When the light turns green, you go. But unlike traffic signals, only one car or truck per lane is allowed to enter I-476 on a green light. The metering rate for the red and green light at each ramp will be based on I-476 traffic capacity and the number of vehicles on the ramp. Motorists can expect the ramp meter to shine green for 2-to-4 seconds and red for 2-to-8 seconds.
PennDOT advises motorists to remember the following tips when approaching a metered ramp:
- Wait your turn in line;
- Drive slowly up to the stop line marked on the ramp;
- Stop when the signal is red;
- Wait for the light to turn green; and
- Proceed onto I-476 and merge safely into traffic
A warning light will flash on each ramp to alert motorists when ramp meters are operating. Message boards also will be posted temporarily on ramps to inform drivers of the date when metering begins.
Motorists are reminded that disregarding a ramp meter is a punishable offense and carries the same penalties as running a red light.
During their previous use on I-476 in Delaware County, ramp meters were shown to benefit mainline traffic flow. A PennDOT ramp metering study in 2005 found I-476’s average travel speed increased 10 to 31 miles per hour between MacDade Boulevard and Route 1 during the morning rush hours. In the evening, the highway’s average speed increased three to five miles per hour between Route 1 and Baltimore Pike and 35 miles per hour at MacDade Boulevard. In addition, the length of time I-476 traffic moved at a congested pace (10 to 15 miles per hour) also was reduced by metering ramps during rush hours.
PennDOT is activating the ramp meters following the installation of fiber-optic communication lines on I-476 for ramp meters, closed circuit television cameras, dynamic message signs and incident detectors, and the replacement of ramp metering hardware and electronic components. The ramp meter portion of the project cost $1,058,750 while the fiber-optic installation cost $911,902. This work was financed with 90 percent federal and 10 percent state funds.
For more information on I-476, visit www.476blueroute.com.