Southbound I-5 Ramp Meters Will Be Activated Soon In Olympia And Lacey

Press release from the Washington State Department of Transportation:

August 4, 2020

OLYMPIA – Congestion-relieving tools will soon help southbound Interstate 5 travelers heading into Lacey and Olympia. As soon as Tuesday, Aug. 18, the Washington State Department of Transportation will activate new southbound Interstate 5 ramp meters at four interchanges.

Southbound I-5 ramp meter locations

• Martin Way East
• Sleater-Kinney Road Southeast
• Pacific Avenue Southeast
• Henderson Boulevard Southeast

A fifth ramp meter will be activated towards the end of the year at the Marvin Road on-ramp to southbound I-5.

How ramp meters work

Ramp meters are traffic signals that operate according to real-time conditions on the highway and ramp. The traffic signals provide consistent gaps between vehicles, rather than multiple vehicles flooding the highway at once.

WSDOT will fine-tune ramp meter operations and closely monitor traffic at each ramp following activation. WSDOT’s goal is to balance the needs of drivers merging onto the highway with the needs of drivers already there.

This press release was produced by the Washington State Department of Transportation. The views expressed here are the author’s own.