Meters to San Mateo Bridge will remain dark for years

QI am in sales and drive all over the Bay Area. I have lots of questions on different roads but let’s start with the San Mateo Bridge. Why are there metering lights that are never used? I’ve been there at the peak of rush-hour and the merge is backed up through the toll booths, but the lights are not on. — Ron Ricard, Pleasant Hill

A Your wait will continue for perhaps five more. Caltrans says the hardware for these meters were installed many years ago, but never activated. Priority has gone to installing meters on freeways, such as Highway 101, Interstate 880, I- 80 and I- 680.

Anything else?

Q Also on the San Mateo Bridge, would it kill somebody to put up a windsock or something that we can tell how strong the cross winds are? There is often a warning for high winds, but it is impossible to tell how strong the winds are. A couple of windsocks would be very useful. — Ron Ricard

A No plans for windsocks. Jeff-the-Bridge-Man asks, “How would a person adjust their driving based on wind direction?”

Q I see signs saying that the metering light from Andrade Road to north I- 680 will be turned soon in Fremont. Since this is such a nasty area, how long will the hours be? — Frank White, Danville

A They’ll be on from 2 to 7 p.m. beginning Tuesday. This is the second phase of three metering projects along northbound I- 680. The southbound direction is already metered during the morning peak hours.

Beginning Tuesday, the meter will be solid green from 2 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, then flashing red to green a week later. The metering hotline is 510286- 4531.

Q The Highway 85 north entrance from Almaden Expressway has metering lights. Instead of just red and green lights, there is also a yellow light. There is no sign that expresses whether it is one or two cars per green so by default everyone goes one car at a time.

However, since the light flashes green then yellow then red, it seems like sufficient time for two cars to go per green/yellow. Is that supposed to be the case? If not, why does this metering light have a yellow light when most don’t? — Lin, San Jose

A A ramp meter signal has a yellow signal for startup metering and two- cars-per- green metering. The yellow is needed when a meter goes from green to red. For two- cars-per- green metering, the second vehicle goes on the yellow. A yellow will also show up during the red- green cycle if there is an issue with the on-ramp detection system.