"Form two lanes" Ramp Metering

[Zmapper]

When I was in the Twin Cities region last week I noticed the ramps with ramp meters operate differently. During off-peak hours, a ramp striped for one lane will move just that lane, but during peak hours when the ramp meter lights are functioning, people will use the full width of the ramp by forming two lanes, with their vehicles centered over the stripes.

Is this done elsewhere with ramp meters? It seems like an efficient way to squeeze two lanes of traffic for the cost of constructing only one lane.

As a side note, I definitely prefer their use of alternating the ramp meter lights between the lanes, as opposed to Denver where both lanes get a green light at the same time and play a game of chicken as to who merges first.

[PHLBOS]

Is this done elsewhere with ramp meters? It seems like an efficient way to squeeze two lanes of traffic for the cost of constructing only one lane.

In PA, such is located along every interchange along the Blue Route portion of I-76 (except at I-95, I-76 & I-276) as well as along US 22 through Allentown & Bethlehem(?).

[1995hoo]

No sign allows it, but when the light shown in the following Street View link is operative (only during the morning rush hour), people always form two lanes. There's a yellow sign a short distance back that says the left lane ends and directs people to merge right, so presumably forming two lanes is forbidden. It's not really a "ramp meter," but it's close enough.

http://goo.gl/maps/C3kiG

[ET21]

They use meters for I-290 and I-90/94 in Chicagoland during peak rush hour periods. I believe those are only one lane (Least it is one lane getting onto the Kennedy from Foster)

[TEG24601]

Washington does this quite frequently, especially in the Seattle area.  However, many ramps also include an HOV lane, which either causes it to already be two lanes, or there is an extra wide shoulder on the right for the second lane of metered traffic, or on at least one ramp, the HOV lane only exists during metering, and uses a widened left shoulder to bypass the meter lights.

[texaskdog]

Really don't miss those one bit.  My 15 minute drive to work would be delayed 5 minutes or more. I did whatever I could to avoid those ridiculous meters.  Glad Austin does not have them.

[myosh_tino]

When I visited Portland back in 2009, I seemed to recall seeing electronic signs saying to form two lines when approaching the metering lights.  The ramps were striped for a single lane but were wide enough at the metering light to accommodate two lanes of traffic.  I don't know of a similar setup here in California but I did like the idea.

[Thing 342]

I saw this on Loop 101 back when I was in Phoenix in April. GSV: https://www.google.com/maps?ll=33.649494,-111.895022&spn=0.007681,0.016512&t=m&dg=opt&z=17&layer=c&cbll=33.64935,-111.894837&panoid=sDkMnF7SUwHLGazEZER5Jg&cbp=12,335.75,,0,16.9

[Brandon]

Chicago may not have them, but they abound in Milwaukee: https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=43.051344,-87.925&spn=0.004241,0.004823&t=h&z=18&layer=c&cbll=43.051508,-87.924991&panoid=F1oK_41NcLlcrNJlrpYu0Q&cbp=12,2.84,,0,8.81

[KEK Inc.]

Any in Oregon

[Big John]

^^ Milwaukee also frequently uses 3 lanes for ramp metering, with 2 lanes being for regular traffic and 1 HOV metered lane.  These are the only instances of HOV lanes in the Milwaukee freeway system.

[sp_redelectric]

When I visited Portland back in 2009, I seemed to recall seeing electronic signs saying to form two lines when approaching the metering lights.  The ramps were striped for a single lane but were wide enough at the metering light to accommodate two lanes of traffic.  I don't know of a similar setup here in California but I did like the idea.

Most in Oregon are "form two lanes", and many of the blankout/electronic signs have also been decommissioned in favor of ordinary signage.

https://maps.google.com/?ll=45.441804,-122.742273&spn=0.006647,0.016512&t=m&z=17&layer=c&cbll=45.44164,-122.742288&panoid=PZw1f4eFD-rLEMP46e_6ow&cbp=12,188.43,,0,1.23

https://maps.google.com/?ll=45.442602,-122.775661&spn=0.006647,0.016512&t=m&z=17&layer=c&cbll=45.44266,-122.775869&panoid=c_liohHKyMvuz14T4gXzhg&cbp=12,122.57,,0,2.92