Ramp Metering on Eastbound State Route 16

For years, eastbound SR 16 drivers have experienced chronic backups during the weekday morning commute. Though the new Narrows Bridge and related improvement projects on the corridor will add capacity to the freeway, those improvements are still more than a year away. One solution to easing congestion - especially the backups that occur through the Narrows bridge construction zone - is ramp metering.

In fall 2005, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) installed five stop-and-go signals at on-ramps between SR 302 and the west bridge approach in the spring. Drivers entering the freeway merge at a regulated rate experience a smoother ride on the highway itself. Starting in January 2006, traffic engineers plan to fine-tune the ramp meter system between SR 302 and the Narrows Bridge by varying the start times of meters each morning based on live traffic conditions.

Traffic demand on eastbound SR 16 will dictate the starting time of the meters during weekdays; meters could be activated earlier than the usual 6 a.m. start time drivers have experienced since September.

To learn more about ramp metering, please see the following:

» SR 16 Traffic Realities in the Midst of Bridge Construction

» Frequently Asked Questions about SR 16 Ramp Metering

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