Ramp metering begins Oct. 23 on Spencer Road entrance ramp to eastbound I-96 in Livingston County

LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) will activate ramp meters on the Spencer Road entrance ramp to eastbound I-96 in Livingston County on Friday, Oct. 23. The ramp metering system will improve operations and safety by creating better spacing of vehicles entering the freeway from the ramp, helping ease congestion in this area approaching the nearby US-23 interchange.

"When traffic speed from eastbound I-96 to US-23 drops below 60 mph, the ramp meter will switch from flashing yellow to the typical green/yellow/red sequence. Drivers entering eastbound I-96 will then need to wait their turn for the green light to proceed," said Stephanie Palmer, MDOT Traffic and Operations engineer. "Creating gaps between vehicles as they enter the freeway helps break up platoons and smooth traffic flow at the merge."

Ramp meters are in use in many other states, including Ohio, Texas, Georgia, Florida, Wisconsin and Nevada, as well as along I-96 Flex Route in Oakland County. Learn more about the benefits of ramp metering on the Federal Highway Administration website.

This operational improvement is part of the recent $162 million US-23 Flex Route project in Livingston County, made possible by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's Rebuilding Michigan program to rebuild the state highways and bridges that are critical to the state's economy and carry the most traffic. The investment strategy is aimed at fixes that result in longer useful lives and improve the condition of the state's infrastructure. Based on economic modeling, the US-23 project is estimated to have directly and indirectly supported 1,960 jobs.