The Rental Cost of Temporary Ramp Metering Deployment in Pennsylvania Was Estimated at $234,496, Including Hardware, Installation, Removal, and Technical Support.

In 2014, the Federal Highway Administration published the Work Zone Intelligent Transportation System (WZITS) Implementation Guide to provide information on implementing ITS in work zones. This 2021 Technology Supplement was intended to be used in conjunction, providing a detailed factsheet and sample specifications for nine primary WZITS technologies: 1) Dynamic Lane Merge, 2) Queue Warning, 3) Variable Speed Limit, 4) Automated Enforcement, 5) Entering/Exiting Construction Vehicle Notification, 6) Temporary Ramp Metering, 7) Real-Time Traveler Information, 8) Incident Management System, and 9) Performance Measurement. This summary provides an overview of the costs related to implementing Temporary Ramp Metering (TRM) systems. TRM controls the frequency with which vehicles from on-ramps enter the flow of highway traffic. TRM systems typically include a controller cabinet, signal faces, traffic detectors, ramp meter detectors, and signing. 

Cost estimates vary according to buying or renting TRM system equipment. Example cost include the following: 

In a 2018 deployment, the Pennsylvania DOT rented a TRM system for $234,496 (in 2020 dollars) that included hardware, installation, removal, and technical support. The system included on-ramp and mainline equipment such as ramp meter controllers, signals, cellular connections, detection loops, radar sensors, traffic detectors, and associated signage to monitor queues and manage traffic flow.

Table 1 below lists example unit and total system costs for a typical TRM system. Costs associated with equipment installation, removal, and other technical support are not included in this estimate.

Table 1: Temporary Ramp Metering Costs