The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) says drivers are having so much confusion with the new ramp meters along the I-96 Flex Route that they now need signs just to explain how to use them.
Ramp meters are stop-and-go traffic signals at freeway entrance ramps designed to space out vehicles and keep traffic flowing smoothly on the highway. But instead of rolling with it, many drivers are either stopping too early or not pulling up to the white line where the sensor detects the car. That has caused backups and frustration.
To fix it, MDOT is installing new signs along I-96 advising motorists to “Pull up to white line for green light.” Officials say the reminder will help the meters do their job by reducing congestion and cutting down on dangerous merging.
The Flex Route itself has been billed as a high-tech traffic management corridor with lane-use signals, electronic message boards, and active monitoring. But this latest step shows that even with all the technology in the world, sometimes the biggest challenge is simply getting drivers to follow the basics.
MDOT says the new signs are going up immediately along the affected ramps.
