I-880 Metering Lights Will Adjust In Real Time to Lessen Congestion
In Alameda (ALA) and Santa Clara (SCL) Counties
Starting May 10, 2022 In Fremont, Union City and Hayward
Anticipated to complete in September, 2022 in San Jose
ALAMEDA COUNTY—Starting May 10, Caltrans metering lights on Interstate 880 onramps in Fremont, Union City, and Hayward will be upgraded to corridor wide Adaptive Ramp Metering (ARM) system, which will dynamically adjust metering rate to relieve traffic congestion on the freeway from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
Previously, the metering lights on I-880 only operated based on pre-set hours during weekday peak periods and local traffic flow, not accounting for downstream conditions. This operational change and technology upgrades will be done in phases and this segment is the first of four planned phases. The next phase is planned to be at the northern end of I-880 in Santa Clara County between the Montague Expressway interchange and the ALA/SCL County line in June. The remaining phases are planned to be in Oakland to Hayward in July, and the final phase from the I-280 interchange to Montague Expressway interchange in San Jose in August.
Caltrans will post signs at each impacted on ramp to alert the public of the change in hours of operations. The ramp meter signals will be dark between 8 PM and 5 AM, consistent with the current Express Lane operating hours in the corridor. The upcoming improvements are expected to improve travel time reliability and severity of traffic congestion throughout the entire day including weekend.
Ramp metering is a proven congestion management tool that makes merging easier, reduces the potential for collisions, reduces freeway congestion by smoothing out traffic flows, delivers more consistent and reliable travel times and improves air quality.
Caltrans is committed to using ramp metering as an effective traffic management strategy to maintain an efficient freeway system, and providing a safe and reliable transportation network that serves all people and respects the environment.
For 24/7 traffic updates, follow 511.org: https://twitter.com/511SFBAY. For real-time traffic, click on Caltrans QuickMap: http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/.