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To those who fight traffic, metering lights may seem like just another obstacle. But would road warriors actually be worse off without them? Get your hands off the horn and listen up. A metering light is a simple red and green traffic light that "regulates the flow of traffic entering freeways according to current traffic conditions." Often seen on freeway on-ramps, metering lights keep traffic going smoothly by letting a few cars through at a time. In other words, while it may not seem like it, metering lights are there to help. NBC11.com, based out of the San Francisco Bay Area, explains how the lights assuage traffic on the Bay Bridge. "Studies showed that without
the metering lights, commuters would likely spend an extra 20 minutes in traffic, caused mainly by trucks starting up again after stopping in the ensuing gridlock." The article also mentions a case in Minnesota where commuters complained so much, the state took the metering lights down. The result? A 17 percent increase in traffic, and, we can only assume, a sharp rise in the use of horns.
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