Red means stop and green means go, but try telling that to drivers who need to get on I-95 ASAP.
Nevertheless, stop lights were activated early Wednesday morning at 14 entrance ramps leading to 95 in the hopes of easing congestion.
Twelve lights were activated on southbound entrance ramps, from Ives Dairy Road to NW 62nd Street, and two lights were activated on the Miami Gardens and Ives Dairy North Bound ramps.
The lights are to help regulate how many vehicles are entering the freeway at a given time, in the hopes of alleviating congestion. The ramp signals operate based on real-time traffic conditions and will turn on during hours of heavy expressway use, such as week day rush hour periods. The lights may also be activated when a major accident occurs.
As rush hour was hitting its high point at around 6:30 Wednesday morning on the Ives Dairy ramp, there were some drivers ignoring the lights completely, others who followed it to a tee, and then those who honked at the ones who obeyed the lights.
At certain points traffic backed up on the ramp all the way to Ives Dairy road itself, which is one concern a number of drivers have about the lights.
Florida Department of Transportation officials said that despite some drivers' concerns, the lights do work. Ramp signaling is one of the many proven and cost-effective solutions to easing congestion, they said.
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A little over a year ago, there were more than a dozen signals activated in the northbound entrance ramps. Officials said those signals have increased average travel speeds by 16 percent and enhanced overall trip reliability for northbound drivers.
And, drivers tempted to run those lights when they're red should beware. A ticket for running them can cost up to $160!
