Description
The Exit 7 westbound ramp to Interstate 87 northbound frequently causes backups on Interstate 87 between the Latham and Clifton Park exits.
Perhaps a "metered on-ramp" system should be installed as an way to control the volume of traffic flow northbound, and alleviate some of the backups during rush hours.
Traffic lights are used to allow vehicles to enter the highway only at certain intervals. This helps increase gaps between vehicles in heavy traffic.
A sample picture of a ramp in which this system is installed is attached below.
5 Comments
anonymous (Guest)
Chip (Guest)
anonymous (Guest)
anonymous (Guest)
It would be a good thing if they installed a metered on-ramp system at this location. It could be an extremely simple design which, in reality, wouldn't even cost that much. All that would be required is one traffic light that stays red for 30 seconds, then green for 30 seconds, then red for 30 seconds, then green for 30 seconds. All it has to do is let 8 or 10 cars onto the Northway at a time.
It can be completely independent of all the other traffic lights, and only has to come on from 6AM to 10AM, and then from 3PM to 7PM (just during rush hours).
Metered on-ramps have been installed with tremendous success in many other cities because they allow the traffic to have proper spacing and allow for much better traffic flow, as opposed to what we experience every single day here at Exit 7 and the Northway, which is a hectic, chaotic, road-rage-inducing, stop-and-go mess until you clear the Twin Bridges.
I think it's high time that NYSDOT or whoever is responsible for the Exit 7 ramp system, studies this simple and effective way to free up one of the biggest traffic choke points in all of Albany County.
It only takes freeing up each ramp or intersection one-by-one, and we can start to reduce commute times little-by-little, and start getting the economy of our region back, by allowing people to not have to sit in traffic all day long because of a few poorly-flowing traffic interchanges.
If we can shave 5 or 10 minutes off of everyone's commute times, the improvement in productivity would be drastic!
Let's get this moving, NYSDOT and Albany County! One simple, effective metered on-ramp here at Exit 7 is the best idea to improve this traffic bottleneck which causes headaches for motorists every single day!
Huckster516 (Registered User)