Washington State Department of Transportation announcement.
TACOMA – A time-tested tool to help manage congestion is coming to South 56th Street at northbound Interstate 5 in Tacoma.
On Monday, Dec. 5, the Washington State Department of Transportation will activate new ramp meters from South 56th Street to northbound I-5. The meters will help manage the flow of vehicles from South 56th Street and the adjacent collector/distributor lane entering northbound I-5.
WSDOT will fine-tune ramp meter operations and closely monitor traffic at the ramps following activation. South 56th Street travelers merge on to northbound I-5 in the same area where travelers also use exit 132 to State Route 16 and South 38th Street.
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 and prevent multiple vehicles flooding the highway at once.
Real-time traffic information is available on the WSDOT statewide travel map, the WSDOT app and WSDOT regional Twitter account.
