Motorists are reminded to drive attentively and follow traffic signals as the Nevada Department of Transportation activates a new ramp meter at the western McCarran Boulevard on-ramp to eastbound Interstate 80 in west Reno on March 3.
The ramp meter is scheduled to be activated the morning of March 3 and will operate during peak weekday morning and evening commute hours.
The new ramp meter will more evenly meter the flow of merging traffic to help reduce congestion and maintain a steadier traffic flow on eastbound I-80 into downtown Reno. It will also allow merging vehicles to enter the eastbound interstate more smoothly.
The ramp meter is similar to long-standing ramp meters on eastbound I-80 at Keystone Avenue, Virginia Street and Wells Avenue.
Ramp meters are traffic signals with red and green lights placed at the top of freeway on-ramps. Drivers stop when ramp meter lights are red. When the light turns green, one car can enter the freeway at a time. By smoothing traffic flow, ramp meters can reduce crashes associated with stop and go traffic and high-speed merging.