New Ramp Meters at Mall of Georgia Exit to Be Activated Oct. 10
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New meters on the I-85 entrance ramps at exit 115 (Mall of Georgia exit) will begin operation on Wednesday, Oct. 10.
The meters will operate at different times of the day depending on traffic patterns, according to the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT).
The system includes lights which cycle from red to green every 3-5 seconds, allowing one vehicle at a time to merge onto the interstate.
“We’ll monitor these new ramp meters very carefully. If traffic starts to back up on the ramp, sensors will speed up the meters to allow more vehicles to move through. If our cameras show traffic spilling out onto the surface streets, we can turn them off completely,” Georgia DOT Traffic Engineer Scott Zehngraff said in a released statement.
The new meters are among the 170 ramp meters currently in operation throughout the metro area. According to the GDOT, "Ramp meters reduce average rush-hour commute times. Other benefits include reductions in fuel consumption, merging accidents, and vehicle emissions."
The GDOT cautions there will be a learning curve period as motorists adjust to the new meters.
“Please bear with us, and keep in mind that there is no one ‘silver bullet’ solution to eliminate congestion. Ramp meters are just one of several tools that can help fight congestion,” Zehngraff added.
Have you traveled in areas that use the ramp meters? Do you believe they will help at the I-85/Mall of Georgia exit? Let us know in the comments.
Cindy
10:20 pm on Sunday, October 7, 2012
The light system will help with the number of vehicles merging ONTO I-85, the speed at which they merge (maybe)....but NOT with the amount of traffic already on the interstate. I foresee more of the traffic in the right lane, possibly making it more difficult for those coming onto I-85. It would be more helpful to have a 3rd lane at that exchange so those entering could remain in the entrance lane until safe to merge at a later point. A 3rd lane between MOG and I-985 merge should be the next effort by GDOT....then extend the 3rd lane between Hamilton Mill and MOG.
Kristi Reed
5:41 am on Monday, October 8, 2012
Yes, a third lane southbound from MOG to I-985 would help tremendously or simply just extending the merge lane. It is a long on-ramp, but it doesn't run parallel to the 70+ mph traffic long enough to make merging as safe and easy as it should be. The third lane helped northbound even though people still seem to have trouble figuring out the whole "exit only" concept some days. As for a third lane between HM and MOG - I would say we have needed that for at least six or seven years and I cringe to think how bad traffic will be before we finally get it.
Cindy
10:22 pm on Sunday, October 7, 2012
exchange = interchange, I do believe (oops)