When are freeway on-ramp meters active in California? Can I be cited for not stopping?
As you begin to enter a California highway, you might encounter a ramp meter telling you when you can — or cannot — merge without stopping.
What are the rules when those lights are active at on-ramps?
Sacramento Bee reader Lynn Hanna asked: “When the metering light turns green do I have to yield to all traffic in the HOV lane?”
To increase road safety and reduce traffic congestion, ramp metering is used in areas of the highway that experience a high number of collisions and recurring congestion, according to the California Department of Transportation.
“Additional benefits include postponing the on-set of traffic congestion and helping to lower greenhouse gas emissions by reducing congestion on the freeway,” Caltrans District 3 spokesperson Jeremy Linder said.
When you encounter a ramp meter, here’s when you’re required to stop and how you can be cited by law enforcement:
Where are ramp meter lights located? When are they active?
Many factors are taken into consideration to determine the location of ramp meters, including highway capacity and morning and afternoon peak traffic periods, Linder said.
Though ramp meters are not constantly powered on, Linder said the meters actively monitor traffic volume and congestion 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“Once the thresholds are met, the ramp meter will activate,” Linder said. “Ramp meters in District 3 can be activated for recurrent and non-recurrent congestion at any time of the day.”
Do drivers have to yield to vehicles in the HOV lane at a ramp meter?
In order for a vehicle to be in the high-occupancy vehicle lane during enforced hours, there must be two or more people in the vehicle.
While HOV lanes are enforced 24 hours a day, seven days a week in Southern California, HOV lanes are enforced 6 to 10 a.m. and 3 to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, in Northern California.
According to Caltrans, the HOV lane is typically on the left side of the entrance ramp.
When the meter lights are activated, California Highway Patrol spokesman Mark Leavitt said you have to yield to those in the HOV lane, even if you have a green light.
“For vehicles that are not in HOV on-ramps, once the solid green light activates, that driver must yield to those vehicles entering onto the freeway in the HOV on-ramp lane,” Leavitt wrote in an email to The Sacramento Bee.
Can I be penalized for not stopping at a ramp meter?
If the ramp meter is powered off and there is no red light signaling a necessary stop, California law states you do not have to stop and cannot be penalized by law enforcement.
You can be cited if you do not stop at a ramp meter signaling a red light.
“A driver can be cited for failing to come to a complete stop at a solid red light monitoring the HOV and on-ramps lanes to a freeway,” Leavitt said.
If you run a red light at a ramp meter, Leavitt said you could be cited for violating California Vehicle Code 21453, which states a driver must stop when faced with a steady red signal — even if it is located at an on-ramp.
Running a red light in California can result in a base fine of $100, Sgt. Amar Gandhi, with the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, previously told The Bee.
Additional fees can lead to a total cost of around $500.
Running a red light can also result in one point to your driver’s record, according to the Shouse California Law Group website. Once a driver over 18 years old has accumulated a series of points on their record, the California Department of Motor Vehicles can restrict their driving privilege through suspension or revoking their license.
