Ramp Meters on 476 in Plymouth Township Begin Wednesday

Ramp meters at the four entrance ramps to Interstate 476 in Plymouth Township will begin operation on Wednesday, August 22 at 3 p.m., according to PennDOT.

The meters will be operating at:

• Chemical Road on-ramp to I-476 South
• Westbound Ridge Pike on-ramp to I-476 South
• Eastbound Ridge Pike on-ramp to I-476 South
• Eastbound Ridge Pike on-ramp to I-476 North.

The ramp meters, which are traffic signals without the amber caution light, will be in operation Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. until 9 a.m. and from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m.

They can also be used during emergency situations.

According to the PennDOT news release, the ramp meters stagger the "rate at which vehicles enter I-476 so that merging vehicles are less likely to slow mainline traffic, thus improving travel times and lessening the potential for crashes at entrance ramps."

Similar to a traffic signal, when the light is red, the driver must stop and when the light is green the driver can go. However, unlike a traffic signal, only one driver per lane can merge on a free light.

A yellow flashing light will warn drivers when ramp meters are operating on an entrance ramp.

Disregarding a ramp meter is a punishable offense that carries the same penalties as running a red light.