King of Prussia, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced today that ramp meter hours will be extended on all seven entrance ramps to northbound and southbound Interstate 476 between the Route 3 (West Chester Pike) and MacDade Boulevard interchanges in Delaware County to enhance travel and safety along this eight-mile corridor.
“Ramp metering is one of the proven Active Traffic Management strategies for speed harmonization along the highway,” PennDOT District 6 Executive Kenneth M. McClain said. Because of increased demand to travel this interstate, we are extending the ramp meter hours to achieve more consistent travel speeds on mainline I-476 and lessen the potential for crashes at these entrance ramps.”
Beginning Monday, June 18, ramp meter hours at the following seven ramps will be operational weekdays from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM and weekends from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM:
• Route 3 East (West Chester Pike) ramp to I-476 South in Marple Township;
• Route 3 West (West Chester Pike) ramp to I-476 South in Marple Township;
• U.S. 1 ramp to I-476 South in Marple Township;
• U.S. 1 ramp to I-476 North in Marple Township;
• Baltimore Pike ramp to I-476 North in Nether Providence Township;
• Baltimore Pike ramp to I-476 South in Nether Providence Township; and
• MacDade Boulevard ramp to I-476 North in Ridley Township.
The ramp meters currently operate on weekdays from 6:30 AM to 9:00 AM and from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Ramp meters have been operational at three of the four interchanges since 1999. The rest of the ramp meters were brought online in 2010.
I-476 carries an average of 100,365 vehicles per day between the Route 3 (West Chester Pike) and MacDade Boulevard interchanges.
A ramp meter works much like a traffic signal. When the light is red, driver must stop and when the light turns green, driver should go. But unlike traffic signals, only one car or truck per lane is allowed to enter I-476 on a green light.
The metering rate for the red and green light at each entrance ramp is based on I-476’s traffic capacity and the number of vehicles on the ramp. Motorists can expect the ramp meter to shine green for two to four seconds and red for two to six seconds. A yellow warning light will flash on each entrance ramp to alert motorists when ramp meters are operating.
PennDOT advises motorists to remember the following tips when approaching a metered ramp:
• Wait your turn in line;
• Drive slowly up to the stop line marked on the ramp;
• Stop when the signal is red;
• Wait for the signal to turn green; and
• Proceed onto I-476 and merge safely into traffic.
Motorists are reminded that disregarding a ramp meter is a punishable offense and carries the same penalties as running a red light.
For more information on projects occurring or being bid this year, those made possible by or accelerated by Act 89, or those on the department’s Four and Twelve Year Plans, visit
www.projects.penndot.gov.
A list of weekly road restrictions and PennDOT maintenance operations in the five-county Philadelphia region is available by visiting the District 6 Traffic Bulletin at
www.penndot.gov/District6.
Motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles by visiting
www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 860 traffic cameras.
511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.
MEDIA CONTACT: Brad Rudolph, 610-205-6800
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