Ramp meter diagram from www.kcscout.net.OK, they turned them on this morning and Johnny Rowlands reported that they caused backups! Today! Two days before Thanksgiving! Just for grins and giggles, I googled "freeway ramp meters" and discovered that they are all over the place. Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Georgia. Out in California too. I was driving the night they tested them. Basically, in my view, they cut the length of the entrance ramp in half. Now, instead of calculated acceleration up the ramp to be ready to enter the highway at the correct speed, I'm going to motor down the ramp to the light which if it's red, I'll stop at, and then when it turns green, I'll have to floor it to get anywhere near highway speed to merge. Oh, that's going to be fun with my four cylinder non-turbo car, especially at the ramps that go up hills on their way to the freeway.
They are supposed to be a good thing. I'll believe it when I see it. Or, I can just start loathing them now, and avoid the rush.
Some links about the ramps and this morning's traffic fun:
The propaganda from Kansas City Scout (MDOT and KDOT).
The Kansas City Star: Morning mistakes at ramp meters provide lessons for later drivers.
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